Implementing ARINC 818 on AMD Versal FPGAS for Avionic Video Protocol

Successfully testing ARINC 818 interfaces requires more than raw bandwidth. Engineers must also manage protocol encapsulation, timing control, error handling, and configuration flexibility while maintaining deterministic behavior. This is where the combination of NI PXIe-6592 hardware and the New Wave Design New Wave Design ARINC 818 IP Core delivers measurable value.

Together, they enable robust ARINC 818 test interfaces that support deterministic validation across development and integration environments.

Hardware Foundation for ARINC 818 Test Interfaces with NI PXIe-6592

PXIe-6592 provides high-speed serial transceivers, FPGA processing, and seamless integration into the PXI ecosystem. It establishes a deterministic hardware foundation capable of supporting multi-gigabit ARINC 818 links. Deterministic timing at the hardware level is essential when validating avionics video protocol offload strategies that shift transport responsibilities into programmable logic.

On its own, however, implementing a full ARINC 818 protocol stack directly in FPGA logic would require significant engineering effort and validation time. Without a pre-validated framework, implementing ARINC 818 on AMD Versal (formally known as Xilinx) FPGAs can extend development schedules and increase verification overhead.

Protocol Intelligence Through Proven ARINC 818 FPGA IP for NI PXIe-6592

The New Wave Design ARINC 818 IP core addresses this challenge by delivering a standards-compliant and production-proven implementation of the protocol. The IP core manages containerization, frame formatting, CRC generation and checking, link startup, and idle insertion, all within deterministic FPGA logic. Offloading container management and link control into FPGA logic preserves system-level determinism while reducing host processor involvement in avionics video transport.

This eliminates the need to develop and maintain custom protocol code while preserving full configurability. When integrated with NI PXIe-6592 hardware, this ARINC 818 FPGA IP for NI PXIe-6592 supports streamlined deployment of standards-compliant test interfaces.

Faster Bring-Up and Improved Coverage

From a test engineer’s perspective, this pairing fundamentally changes the workflow. Instead of writing thousands of lines of FPGA code, engineers configure the IP to match the ICD and immediately begin generating or capturing video streams. Configuration-driven deployment shortens the path from ICD definition to active ARINC 818 test interface validation.

Because the IP exposes protocol-level visibility, engineers can introduce controlled errors, validate edge cases, and evaluate receiver robustness. These capabilities are difficult or impossible to achieve with fixed COTS tools. Protocol-level access is critical for comprehensive avionics video protocol validation, particularly in fault-injection and edge-case testing scenarios.

A Scalable and Reusable Architecture

As requirements evolve, including higher resolutions, increased data rates, or multi-lane configurations, the same PXI platform and IP foundation can be reused. A consistent FPGA-based architecture simplifies long-term support for implementing ARINC 818 on AMD Versal devices while maintaining continuity across programs.

For organizations facing aggressive schedules and evolving requirements, PXIe-6592 combined with New Wave Design’s ARINC 818 IP provides a practical and low-risk path to comprehensive avionics video testing.

Partner with New Wave Design to integrate production-proven ARINC 818 FPGA IP into your AMD Versal and NI PXIe-6592 test architecture. Contact our team today if you have questions or would like to discuss your implementation requirements.