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fpga help

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robo_boy

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hello guys,
can anybody here has some ideas about the fpga's and plz send me some material abt that............. and will it be fine to use the fpga's instead of microcontrollers in any of my projects!!!!!!!!


thanks for any help!!!!!
 
In many cases it is much easier to use a microcontroller. They are cheaper, easier to get, easier to work with, easier to get the software to work with, and easier to mount since they almost always have less pins. If you don't know digital logic design, then you probably won't be able to make anything with an FPGA.

FPGAs are cool though.
 
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An fpga is a programmable logic array that replaces discrete logic. It can only replace a microcontroller where you could also replace a microcontroller with discrete logic.
 
An fpga is a programmable logic array that replaces discrete logic. It can only replace a microcontroller where you could also replace a microcontroller with discrete logic.

Actually you can embed a microcontroller into an FPGA. My last company had a whole library suite of core designs that you could cut into your own VHDL. There are many outfits that offer IP core designs.

Free IPs, Free Cores

OpenCores
 
thanks for quick replies

hi guys,
thanks for some quick replies, can anybody please tell me some info. about the ip cores, and what are they actually?????

thanks in advance for any of your replies.......
 
IP cores are precoded sets of FPGA code that will produce pre-designed circuits inside the FPGA for various function. Similar to software libraries in C/C++.
 
hi,
can you please tell me that the ip cores are some way written in the vhdl or any other language, and how could i get the ip core of 8051 microcontroller!!!!!!
 
Not everything has an IP core. FOr somebody to have an IP core of the 8051, they would have needed to get licensing rights to the insides of the processor. Also, while there are many IP cores that are free, there are many that are not free and very expensive. YOu could try Googling the 8051 IP Core. THey exist, I don't know if there are free ones though.

IP Core can be written in VHDL or Verilog. THere may be other languages too.

5 minutes of Googling and I found this free 8051 IP core:
Oregano Systems
 
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OpenCores
Many opensource cores (including 8051) and MANY sophisticated cores, I think it's mixed VHDL and verilog cores.
 
thanks for some cool links and info.

sorry to say guys but i have still so many confusions about those fpga's and vhdl........ may be a beginner needs time to be moderator!!!!!

i will try to utilize that ip core,, and can you please suggest me the which fpga i should use and which development board i should purchase, currently i am watching over the sparten 3E starter board from digilent inc.

will it be good for me as beginner???
 
If you've never even used a micro controller before I wouldn't recommend an FPGA at all. If you have some knowledge of electrical and programming methods already though the Spartan boards are VERY nice. If you don't, start with a micro controller and more basic electronics first.
 
Yeah, FPGAs require a lot more background to use and they are very unfriendly compared to microcontrollers. I wouldn't jump into them until you at least got the feel for micros and digital logic circuits.
 
Way back when, my introduction to programable logic was with simple cpld's and using PALASM software. Later on I moved up to bigger devices and learned ABEL. Lastly I was thrown into the firepit with a XILINX Virtex part and had to get a book on VHDL and learn on my own. Best learning tool was making simple files and running the simulations, did all debugging in sims, I did this for quite awhile long before ever needing to program a part.

PALASM on the net. Really ancient.
**broken link removed**

Some other sw links.
CAD - CAE Software Vendors; Computer Aided Engineering, Computer Aided Design
 
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