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BittWare’s “ten FPGAs” headline describes a 4U server configured to hold up to ten double-width FPGA accelerator cards—not one chip containing ten FPGAs, and not a promise that every system ships fully populated. The TeraBox 4102S can instead be configured for up to twelve single-width cards. BittWare now labels it a legacy product, does not recommend it for new designs, and says its software is no longer maintained for compatibility with the latest FPGA tools and operating systems.
What the TeraBox 4102S is
The TeraBox 4102S is BittWare’s dense FPGA server, built around a 4U SuperMicro 420GP-TNR chassis. The 12-slot system supports third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors and PCIe Gen4. Its defining feature is the ability to pack multiple accelerator cards into one server: up to ten double-width cards or twelve single-width cards, depending on the configuration. These are maximum platform capacities, not a description of every shipped unit. BittWare’s current product page lists compatible PCIe card offerings based on Achronix, Altera, or AMD FPGAs.
The original 2021 launch coverage described the system as adapted for FPGA accelerators rather than GPUs and mentioned Achronix, Xilinx, and Intel Altera cards. Current compatibility should be checked against BittWare’s product listings and the exact card and software configuration: historical mentions do not establish that every card remains available today. The 2021 launch report provides historical context, while the vendor’s current page carries the present product and status information.
How many FPGA cards fit—and what else fits in the chassis?
BittWare specifies capacity for ten double-width PCIe Gen4 x16 slots or up to twelve single-width cards. A fully populated ten-card configuration is therefore one possible arrangement, not the meaning of a single “ten-FPGA” component. BittWare also lists substantial memory, storage, and power capacities for the platform:
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- Designed for students and beginners looking to understand Digital Logic, fundamentals of FPGAs
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- On board user interfaces include 16 user switches, 16 LEDs, 5 user pushbuttons, and a
- Expansion opportunities with four Pmod ports including 3 standard 12-pin Pmod ports and 1 dual
- Does NOT ship with micro USB cable
| Platform specification | Capacity or detail |
|---|---|
| Chassis | 4U; 29 inches (737 mm) deep |
| Processors | Two third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors |
| System memory | Up to 32 ECC DDR4-3200 DIMMs |
| FPGA expansion | Up to ten double-width PCIe Gen4 x16 cards, or up to twelve single-width cards |
| Drive bays | Up to 24 hot-swap 2.5-inch NVMe/SATA/SAS bays, including eight dedicated NVMe bays |
| Power | Redundant 2000 W Titanium power supply |
These are capacities BittWare lists for the platform; they do not guarantee that a particular server configuration includes the maximum number of cards, DIMMs, drives, or other options.
Which FPGA card configuration suits the workload?
The chassis is a host for different accelerator cards, not a fixed accelerator with one performance profile. BittWare’s examples point to distinct workload needs; compare card family, logic resources, memory, network I/O, and software-stack compatibility rather than choosing by card count alone. The available specifications do not establish comparative benchmark performance, so they do not support ranking the cards by speed.
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- Arty A7 comes in two FPGA variants: Arty A7-35T features Xilinx XC7A35TICSG324-1L. Arty A7-100T features the larger Xilinx XC7A100TCSG324-1.
- Internal clock speeds exceeding 450MHz, On-chip analog-to-digital converter (XADC), Programmable over JTAG and Quad-SPI Flash
- 256MB DDR3L with a 16-bit bus @ 667MHz, 16MB Quad-SPI Flash, USB-JTAG Programming circuitry, Powered from USB or any 7V-15V source
- 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, USB-UART Bridge
- 4 Switches, 4 Buttons, 1 Reset Button, 4 LEDs, 4 RGB LEDs, 4 Pmod connectors, shield connector
Compute acceleration: S7t-VG6
BittWare describes its S7t-VG6 as an Achronix Speedster7t FPGA card with GDDR6 memory, positioned for compute acceleration. The current product page lists up to 16 GB of GDDR6 for this card. Confirm the specific card option and its availability when discussing a system configuration.
Networking: IA-840F
The IA-840F pairs an Intel Agilex FPGA with three QSFP-DD connectors. BittWare specifies up to six 100 GbE ports or 24 25/10 GbE ports for this card. The 2021 launch story’s “60x 100G ports” summary should not be read as a single IA-840F card specification; the current card listing gives the card-level figures above.
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- [FPGA Chip] GW2AR-18 QN88 FPGA Chip containing 20736 LUT4 logic cells and 15552 Filp-Flops.There are 2 PLL in this FPGA chip, and many DSP units supporting 18 bit x 18 bit multiplication
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Other listed cards
BittWare’s current page also lists the IA-420f and XUP-VV8, with card-specific memory, I/O, and processing details. Card choices are subject to availability. Before selecting a configuration, verify that the exact card is offered for the intended server and that its drivers, tools, and operating environment fit the deployment.
What BittWare’s card-management tools are described to do
BittWare’s card and SDK descriptions include management functions such as programming an FPGA over USB, monitoring card power and temperature, reprogramming onboard clocks, setting thermal shutdown points, accessing JTAG, and using software tools remotely. The launch report also described PLDM-command support through a Board Management Controller on BittWare FPGA cards. These are card- and SDK-level capabilities; do not assume identical behavior across every card or configuration. Verify support for the specific hardware and software combination.
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Is the TeraBox 4102S still available?
Yes, BittWare’s current product page says the system is still available for purchase, while also marking it as a legacy product and stating: “This is a legacy product and is not recommended for new designs.” The vendor says development tools and software are no longer maintained for compatibility with the latest FPGA tools and operating systems. Minimum order quantities may apply, and prospective buyers are directed to contact BittWare technical sales for availability and configuration information. Availability is not the same as a current compatibility guarantee: confirm both with the vendor before procurement.
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- Digilent Basys 3 Artix-7 FPGA Trainer Board: Recommended for Introductory Users
What to verify before buying or deploying one
- Card population: Specify whether the system needs double-width or single-width cards and how many are actually included; the chassis maximum is not a standard shipment configuration.
- Workload fit: Match compute or networking needs to the FPGA family, logic resources, on-card memory type and capacity, and network connectivity.
- Software compatibility: Check the exact FPGA tools, operating system, drivers, and maintenance expectations against BittWare’s legacy-product notice.
- Configuration and supply: Ask BittWare technical sales to confirm current card availability, system configuration, and any minimum order quantity.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
