
bare-metal program that controls some LEDs. It is also possible to treat the Zynq AP SoC as a
standalone FPGA for those not interested in using the processor in their design. As of Vivado
release 2015.4, the Logic Analyzer and High-level Synthesis features of Vivado are free to use
for all WebPACK targets, which includes the Arty Z7. The Logic Analyzer assists with
debugging logic, and the HLS tool allows you to compile C code directly into HDL.
Zynq platforms are well-suited to be embedded Linux targets, and Arty Z7 is no exception. To
help you get started, Digilent provides a Petalinux project that will get you up and running with a
Linux system quickly. For more information, see the Arty Z7 Resource Center.
The Arty Z7 can also be used in Xilinx's SDSoC environment, which allows you to design FPGA
accelerated programs and video pipelines with ease in an entirely C/C++ environment. For more
information on SDSoC, see the Xilinx SDSoC Site. Currently no SDSoC platform is available
for the Arty Z7, but we will be releasing a Video capable platform with Linux support in the
future.
Those familiar with the older Xilinx ISE/EDK toolsets from before Vivado was released can also
choose to use the Arty Z7 in that toolset. Digilent does not have many materials to support this,
but you can always ask for help on the Digilent Forum.
1 Power Supplies
The Arty Z7 can be powered from the Digilent USB-JTAG-UART port (J14) or from some other
type of power source such as a battery or external power supply. Jumper JP5 (near the power
switch) determines which power source is used.
A USB 2.0 port can deliver maximum 0.5A of current according to the specifications. This
should provide enough power for lower complexity designs. More demanding applications,
including any that drive multiple peripheral boards or other USB devices, might require more
power than the USB port can provide. In this case, power consumption will increase until it’s
limited by the USB host. This limit varies a lot between manufacturers of host computers and
depends on many factors. When in current limit, once the voltage rails dip below their nominal
value, the Zynq is reset by the Power-on Reset signal and power consumption returns to its idle
value. Also, some applications may need to run without being connected to a PC’s USB port. In
these instances an external power supply or battery can be used.
An external power supply (e.g. wall wart) can be used by plugging it into the power jack (J18)
and setting jumper JP5 to “REG”. The supply must use a coax, center-positive 2.1mm internal-
diameter plug, and deliver 7VDC to 15VDC. Suitable supplies can be purchased from the
Digilent website or through catalog vendors like DigiKey. Power supply voltages above 15VDC
might cause permanent damage. A suitable external power supply is included with the Arty Z7
accessory kit.