PCI/mPCI/cardbus device

[Altera_Forum]

Hello, 

 I plan to use my Nios2 to connect to an external chipset. I have different choices for the interface : PCI, mPCI or cardbus. Can someone tell me what interface is the easiest to implement, I mean :  - are there opencores implementation for the hardware part ? How expensive is the licence if not in opensource ? - does uCLinux support all these bus types ? - how many pins are used by these busses ? (generally 32 for data, but what about the other control signals ?)  Thanks for helping.  pod

[Altera_Forum]

Hi pod, 

 > - are there opencores implementation for the hardware part ?  I'm not sure whay you're asking here. But PCI, mini PCI, Cardbus are basically all the same.  > How expensive is the licence if not in opensource ?  It can vary quite significantly. I've seen numbers anywhere from 3000 to 12,000 USD ... plus or minus royalties.   > - how many pins are used by these busses ? > (generally 32 for data, but what about the other control signals ?)  For standard 32-bit PCI: ------------------------------ 32 - Address/Data 4 - Command/Byte Enable 13 - Control 1 - Clock  I don't know what signal addition/removal (if any) for CardBus or mini PCI. Although, I've been told that mini PCI is identical to 32-bit PCI WRT the functional signals.  Regards, --Scott

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks a lot, Scott, it is exactly what I wanted to hear :-) 

 Regards  pod