Programmable Logic Devices

[littletransistor]

Hey there,

After I finished taking my Digital Electronics course, there's still something I am wondering about. Especially Programmable Logic Devices.

Well, I can't see the real-life application for this one. I know how it works, it's typically manipulating the AND or OR array gates, do some K-map and stuff like that. It's just better than filling up the board with those gates chips.

I thought Microcontrollers are there already? And I rarely heard people using PLDs?

Also, you know about those music thing happened to be present in those toys and greeting cards? Yes, it's a chip, and I'm wondering what is the circuit inside. How could they make music? I searched and searched in the Net but I found it saying 64-note ROM chip.

 

[Mikebits]

PLD or more like FPGA designers can implement microcontrollers into the device. They are also useful when you need lots of I/O or speed. You can actually get pentium core designs into an FPGA. Anyone who says FPGA's are useless does not understand them...

 

[tariq7868]

Hello, please could anybody suggest books from programming and interfacing PLDs like 16v8 ... ? Thanks

 

[Mikebits]

GALS and PALS like the 16v8 are pretty much obsolete these days. You may want to look into starting with CPLD's. Try this link.
**broken link removed**