Xilinx LogiCORE IP MAC v8.5 User Manual page 136

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Appendix C: Calculating DCM Phase-Shifting
Perform a complete sweep of phase-shift settings during your initial system test. Use only
positive (0 to 255) phase-shift settings, and use a test range that covers a range of no less
than 128, corresponding to a total 180 degrees of clock offset. This does not imply that 128
phase-shift values must be tested; increments of 4 (52, 56, 60, etc.) correspond to roughly
one DCM tap, and consequently provide an appropriate step size. Additionally, it is not
necessary to characterize areas outside the working phase-shift range.
At the edge of the operating phase-shift range, system behavior changes dramatically. In
eight phase-shift settings or less, the system can transition from no errors to exhibiting
errors. Checking the operational edge at a step size of two (on more than one board) refines
the typical operational phase-shift range. Once the range is determined, choose the
average of the high and low working phase-shift values as the default. During the
production test, Xilinx recommends that you re-examine the working range at corner case
operating conditions to determine whether any final adjustments to the final phase-shift
setting are needed.
You can use the FPGA Editor to generate the required test file set instead of resorting to
multiple PAR runs. Performing the test on design files that differ only in phase-shift setting
prevents other variables from affecting the test results. FPGA Editor operations can even
be scripted further, reducing the effort needed to perform this characterization.
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