Sipeed Tang Mega 138K Dock GW5AST FPGA RISCV FPGA Development Board

Specifications

• FPGA Core: GW5AST-LV138FPG676A (22nm Process)

     Logic Resources:

• Logic Units (LUT4): 138,240
• Registers (FF): 138,240
• DSP Slices: 298 (High-performance signal processing)
• Block SRAM (B-SRAM): 6,120 Kbits (340 blocks)

      Memory Architecture:

• 1GB DDR3 RAM (Dual 512MB chips) for high-bandwidth buffering.
• 128Mbits Flash for bitstream storage.

      High-Speed Interfaces:

• PCIe 3.0 Hard Core: Supports x1, x2, x4 lanes (Physical PCIe x4 slot on board).
• USB 3.0: Native 5Gbps SuperSpeed interface (via CH569 PHY).
• Gigabit Ethernet: 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 port.
• MIPI D-PHY: 2.5Gbps Rx/Tx for camera/display integration.

• Hard Core Processor: Integrated RISC-V AE350 SoC (800MHz) for hybrid processing.

      Connectivity & I/O:

• Display: HDMI/DVI TX & RX, RGB Interface (supports RGB888).
• Camera: DVP Interface, MIPI CSI (3-lane).
• Expansion: 3x PMOD headers, 2x 40-pin GPIO headers.
• Audio: 3.5mm Headphone jack, Speaker connector, Microphone array interface.

      Power Management:

• Input: 12V DC (5.5x2.1mm) or USB-C PD (12V request).
• Integrated Li-ion battery charging circuit (3.7V sup

Applications

• PCIe Accelerator Cards: Use the PCIe x4 interface to build custom accelerator cards for PC software, offloading heavy tasks like encryption or image processing to the FPGA.
• AI & Computer Vision: With nearly 300 DSP units and 1GB RAM, run lightweight Neural Networks (CNNs) or perform real-time edge detection on 1080p video streams via the MIPI/HDMI ports.
• High-Speed Logic Analysis: Leverage the USB 3.0 (5Gbps) bandwidth to build a custom 16-channel Logic Analyzer or Oscilloscope backend.
• RISC-V Soft/Hard Core Dev: Experiment with the hard-core AE350 or synthesize your own soft-core RISC-V CPU to run Linux on FPGA.
• Retro Gaming Console: Powerful enough to emulate complex 16-bit and 32-bit consoles with cycle-accurate precision.

Project Evolution

• Prerequisite: If you have mastered the Sipeed Tang Nano 9K or 20K, you understand the basics of Verilog and FPGA constraints.
• The Upgrade: The Tang Mega 138K Dock unlocks Hard-Core PCIe and USB 3.0. Unlike the Nano series, which is limited to simple I/O, this board allows you to build devices that talk directly to a PC's motherboard at gigabit speeds.
• Effort Level: Advanced. Requires familiarity with GOWIN Vendor Tools (IDE), understanding of SerDes transceivers, and high-speed PCB design principles if you plan to make custom daughterboards.
• Minimum Hardware: A Windows/Linux PC with GOWIN IDE (License required for some IP, education version available) and a 12V Power Supply.

Package Includes:

• 1x Sipeed Tang Mega 138K Dock GW5AST FPGA RISCV FPGA Development Board
• 1x PMOD_LEDx8 Module
• 1x USB-C Cables
• 1x USB-C PD to 12V Adapters
• 2x 1.27mm Black Jumpers
• 1x Crowbar
• 2x 8P Lead Wires 

Wiring Guide

• ⚠️ Voltage Warning: The GPIO pins are 3.3V Logic. Do NOT connect 5V sensors (like older ultrasonic sensors) directly to the PMOD or 40-pin headers. You will fry the FPGA banks. Use a logic level shifter.
• Power Requirements: This board is a power beast. Do not rely on a standard USB 2.0 port. Use the provided 12V DC Adapter or a high-quality USB-C PD charger capable of delivering 12V.
• PCIe Insertion Safety: If plugging this board into a PC motherboard PCIe slot, ensure BOTH the PC and the FPGA board are completely powered off. Hot-plugging is NOT supported and may damage the gold fingers or the motherboard.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Does this board support the free Educational IDE?
  Yes, but specific IP cores (like PCIe) may require a license file. You can apply for a license on the GOWIN website.
• What is the difference between the 138K Dock and the 138K Pro?
  The "Dock" (this product) has USB 3.0 and HDMI. The "Pro" version replaces these with SFP+ cages for fiber optics.
• Can I run Linux on this FPGA?
  Yes, the board has sufficient RAM (1GB) and a RISC-V hard core (AE350) capable of running embedded Linux distributions.
• Is a programmer included?
  Yes, the board features an onboard BL702/BL616 debugger that simulates a JTAG writer. No external J-Link is needed.
• How do I power the board?
  Use a 12V DC adapter (5.5mm barrel jack) or a USB-C PD adapter. Standard USB 5V is generally insufficient for heavy loads.
• Does it have WiFi or Bluetooth?
  No, it does not have onboard wireless. You can add a WiFi module via the PMOD or SDIO interface.
• What is the logic voltage of the GPIO pins?
  The I/O banks operate at 3.3V.
• Can I use the m.2 slot for an NVMe SSD?
  The m.2 slot is electrically reserved/custom. It is not a standard NVMe slot out of the box; check the schematic for pinout verification.
• What memory type is onboard?
  It uses discrete DDR3 memory chips, totaling 1GB.
• Does it support MIPI cameras?
  Yes, it has a dedicated MIPI CSI interface supporting cameras like the OV5640.
• Can I use this for Bitcoin mining?
  Technically yes, but the hashrate would be negligible compared to ASICs or GPUs. It is better for learning the algorithms.
• What is the maximum PCIe speed?
  The hard core supports PCIe 3.0, but the physical electrical performance is often rated for reliable PCIe 2.0 x4 stability on this form factor.
• Is the fan included?
  Most kits include a heatsink and small fan, which is recommended as the GW5AST chip can get hot under load.
• How many PMOD ports are available?
  There are 3 standard PMOD headers for expansion.
• Can I use Arduino shields with this?
  Not directly. The pin pitch and voltage levels are different. You would need an adapter.
• Does it support Python/MicroPython?
  You can run MicroPython on the soft-core or hard-core RISC-V processor, but not directly on the FPGA fabric itself.
• What is the boot time?
  FPGA configuration from the onboard Flash is almost instantaneous (<1 second).
• Can I connect two monitors?
  You can drive one HDMI and one RGB panel simultaneously if your logic design supports dual output.
• Where can I find the schematic?
  Schematics are available on the official Sipeed Hardware GitHub repository.
• Does Probots provide a warranty?
  Yes, we provide a warranty against manufacturing defects. However, damage caused by incorrect voltage or PCIe hot-plugging is not covered.