PCI-7833 board space

[soljiang]

Hi, I'd like to ask for some help get a better understanding how this FPGA works.  I'm using PCI-7833R.  As the feild programmable gate array, whenever I'd like to run a new FPGA vi, without using emulation,  the program is compiled onto the array.  Does it mean certain portion of the gate array is irreversibly programmed?  For PCI-7833R, how many times can I compile my FPGA vi onto the board?  How much space does it have?  Would it happen that the whole board of array is programmed and I cannot use the card again?  Thank you so much!  I appreciate any help or information.  Any reference or fundamental documents would be very much appreciated as well. 

[charris · Accepted solution]

soljiang:

The FPGA is fullly reconfigurable, so if you place a new FPGA VI on your 7833R, you will simply overwrite any previous configuration, and will not run out of space. Programming the FPGA is NOT irreversible, so don't feel bad if you have to change your VI and recompile it; prototyping like that is precisely what the board is designed for.

The 7833R has a Virtex-II FPGA, so it hs 3 million gates (see tables in the following articles or the product page here).

If you're looking for some fundamental documents, here are some good ones on the NI Developer Zone.

FPGAs - Under the Hood

Introduction to FPGA Technology: Top Five Benefits

[soljiang]

Thank you so much.  I believe I call technical support at NI before and got misleading information that they are irreversible.  Thanks a lot for this information.