Cheapest way to learning/experimenting FPGA

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?

 

[Rheilly Phoull]

FGPA for Dummies ?

can't be more helpfull since I hate acronyms.


--
Regards ........... Rheilly Phoull

<fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?

 

[The Man With The Harmonic]

<fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?


Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the software
for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the Coolrunner
development board and found it quite useful for relearning VHDL.

Naveed

 

[7]

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:

fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?


Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the software
for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the
Coolrunner development board and found it quite useful for relearning
VHDL.

That board only runs with windosh ex-pee.
Anyone do same thing for GNU/Linux?

> Naveed

 

[The Man With The Harmonic]

"7" <website_has_email@www.ecu.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ZCIUc.157338$28.31228@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:

fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?


Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the
software
for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the
Coolrunner development board and found it quite useful for relearning
VHDL.

That board only runs with windosh ex-pee.
Anyone do same thing for GNU/Linux?

Naveed

Hi 7

I thought Xilinx did their development software for Linux and Unix systems?
check this link http://www.xilinx.com/ise/marketing/new.htm

Naveed

 

[Jason Tang]

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:

"7" <website_has_email@www.ecu.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ZCIUc.157338$28.31228@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:


fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?



Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the

software

for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the
Coolrunner development board and found it quite useful for relearning
VHDL.

That board only runs with windosh ex-pee.
Anyone do same thing for GNU/Linux?


Naveed


Hi 7

I thought Xilinx did their development software for Linux and Unix systems?
check this link http://www.xilinx.com/ise/marketing/new.htm

Naveed

The ISE Foundation and ISE BaseX versions run under Linux. However,
they are not free ($650 - $2500). And for that price, you may want to
evalute both Xilinx ISE and Altera's Quartus (which also runs under
Linux) before deciding which is best for you.

The FREE ISE WebPack only runs under Windows.

I do, however, remember hearing of some people having success running
earlier ISE WebPack versions under WINE in Linux. That may be a
possible alternative.

Jason

 

[7]

Jason Tang wrote:

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:
"7" <website_has_email@www.ecu.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ZCIUc.157338$28.31228@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:


fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?



Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the

software

for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the
Coolrunner development board and found it quite useful for relearning
VHDL.

That board only runs with windosh ex-pee.
Anyone do same thing for GNU/Linux?


Naveed


Hi 7

I thought Xilinx did their development software for Linux and Unix
systems?
check this link http://www.xilinx.com/ise/marketing/new.htm

Naveed



The ISE Foundation and ISE BaseX versions run under Linux. However,
they are not free ($650 - $2500). And for that price, you may want to
evalute both Xilinx ISE and Altera's Quartus (which also runs under
Linux) before deciding which is best for you.

Wouldn't be able to get that kind of expense authorized
without draggin it through meetings.

The FREE ISE WebPack only runs under Windows.

I do, however, remember hearing of some people having success running
earlier ISE WebPack versions under WINE in Linux. That may be a
possible alternative.

Jason

 

[7]

Alex Gibson wrote:

"7" <website_has_email@www.ecu.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ZCIUc.157338$28.31228@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
The Man With The Harmonica (formerly MNQ) wrote:

fpga> wrote in message
news:41234974$0$18191$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?


Hi Fpga

Look at the xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com they have a number of
development boards for CPLD and FPGA's plus you can download the
software
for their development and simulation for free. I have bought the
Coolrunner development board and found it quite useful for relearning
VHDL.

That board only runs with windosh ex-pee.
Anyone do same thing for GNU/Linux?

Naveed

Look in comp.arch.fpga the thread
Announcing JOLT - Yet Another Xilinx Programming Tool


there is now a tool for programming fpgas from
linux without having to run wine.
http://www.science-and-technology.nl/research/jolt/
Supposedly works fine with the new xilinx spartan3 starter kit.

Will still have to run wine for design and implementing in webpack.

For those that don't know

fpga - field programmable gate array
(large programmable logic chip)
A programmable logic chip in a high density of gates. There are a variety
of FPGA architectures including programmable logic blocks, programmable
interconnects and switches between the blocks.

or

High density PLD containing small logic cells interconnected through a
distributed array of programmable switches. This type of architecture
produces statistically varying results in performance and functional
capacity, but offers high register counts. Programmability typically is
via volatile SRAM or one-time-programmable antifuses.

cpld - complex programmable logic device
CPLDs are a class of programmable logic devices. They feature the speed,
design simplicity, and predictability of PALs. Conceptually, they consist
of PAL-like function blocks that can be interconnected through a switch
matrix.

pal - programmable array logic

Wine - windows gui emulator for linux
latest versions can run most of the xilinx webpack.

Xilinx webpack - free cpld / pfga software that runs on windows.
nonfree versions run on windows , linux , solaris.
http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/designResources
ip_product_details.jsp?key=DS-ISE-WEBPACK

Altera also have a free version of their software Quartus II web edition
https://www.altera.com/support/software/download/altera_design/quartus_we
dnl-quartus_we.jsp

Alex Gibson

What is this web edition from both companies!?
Does it need web connection to run?
Does it pass any design information back through this web connection?
Sorry just being totally paranoid - no one likes their
designs stolen.

 

Check this page https://digilent.us/Education/videos.html

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?

 

[Alex Gibson]

"7" <website_has_email@www.ecu.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:J2lVc.166789$28.53281@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

What is this web edition from both companies!?
Does it need web connection to run?
Does it pass any design information back through this web connection?
Sorry just being totally paranoid - no one likes their
designs stolen.

No its the free versions of their software that can be
downloaded from their websites after you have registered with them.

Also can order a cd from xilinx or one of their local distributors.

No it doesn't need a web connection to run.

Alex

 

[Chris S.]

fpga wrote:

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way.
What would be your recommendation ?

I'm not personally into fpga's, but someone once recommended to me
www.opencores.org as a decent resource for open source hardware.

 

[en]

How about Xess ? http://www.xess.com/


"Chris S." <chrisks@NOSPAMudel.edu> wrote in message
news:ziOVc.2564$IO1.1454@trndny03...

fpga wrote:

I'm new to FPGA and would like to learn how to program/use FPGA in cost
effective way. What would be your recommendation ?

I'm not personally into fpga's, but someone once recommended to me
www.opencores.org as a decent resource for open source hardware.