The Reed-Solomon decoder IP core is a highly versatile core generator for creating hardware Reed-Solomon decoder circuits suitable for high speed decoding of the ubiquitous Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction (FEC) code. This code is used in a wide variety of data storage and transmission applications, such as the Compact Disc, DVD, various kinds of magnetic storage, digital subscriber lines and satellite communications.

The core generator is a Java application generating highly comprehensible, standard, device- and technology-independent VHDL code ready for consumption by industrial FPGA synthesis tools or ASIC processes, while also being suitable for educational use. Generated cores meet the requirements of various standards that specify Reed-Solomon codes, including ATSC, CCSDS, DVB, IESS-308 and Intelsat channel coding modes.

Decoders generated by this IP core have been extensively tested, verified in hardware and are in active use.

Features

  • High speed, fully synchronous Reed-Solomon decoder using a single clock
  • Implements any decoder specified via code parameters or chosen presets
  • Supports continuous input data with no gaps between blocks
  • One symbol in and out per clock cycle at any configuration
  • Symbol size ranges from 3 to 12 bits; any primitive field polynomial usable for a given symbol size
  • Supports shortened codes and erasure decoding
  • Indicates errors, counts number of errors corrected and flags failures
  • Support for marker bits useful for tagging input data, output in sync with output data
  • User configurable generation of optional parts: VHDL for unused features is not generated, thus conserving resources
  • Support for generating VHDL testbench matching the actual configuration, exercising all core features, as well as test input and reference output data

Publications

The following freely downloadable publications are available for this product.

PDF Product datasheet
PDF Table of field polynomials

Availability

The Reed-Solomon decoder IP core is my sole intellectual property.

At the moment I do not accept new requests for licensing the RS core for a number of private reasons. This is in effect until further notice (watch this space but don’t hold your breath).

Screenshots

Representative screenshots of the core generator Java application, showing the Factorial Consulting branding (the company was my self-proprietorship while developing this product):

codepar
Code parameters selection

optional
Optional core features

pinout
Pinout diagram

output
Output settings