FPGA basic devtool options and prices?

[Morten Leikvoll]

I know this is a complex issue and that tool providers won't talk loud about
it, but Im trying to find effective tools (and their cost) without having to
call the providers and having them constantly knock on my door to apply
pressure on the selection process.

I know of the standard Xilinx/Altera tools, and a few others, but I have no
overview, especially not when it comes to prices (once and recurring). I
guess the prices will be relative high because of the low volumes of this
kind of sw, so Im not scared about that if it can speed up development.

I do NOT like cost reducing limitations in tools so they are not really an
alternative.
I am however interested in different programming languages, even
non-traditional.
I will be using FPGA's only.. No ASIC..

Any opinions anyone?
Thanks

 

[Jon Elson]

Morten Leikvoll wrote:

I know this is a complex issue and that tool providers won't talk loud
about it, but Im trying to find effective tools (and their cost) without
having to call the providers and having them constantly knock on my door
to apply pressure on the selection process.

I know of the standard Xilinx/Altera tools, and a few others, but I have
no overview, especially not when it comes to prices (once and recurring).
I guess the prices will be relative high because of the low volumes of
this kind of sw, so Im not scared about that if it can speed up
development.

I do NOT like cost reducing limitations in tools so they are not really an
alternative.
I am however interested in different programming languages, even
non-traditional.
I will be using FPGA's only.. No ASIC..
Xilinx has webpack, free, available for MS and Linux systems, 32-bit

only (due to export restrictions). It will not handle the very
largest FPGAs, but those cost several thousand $ anyway.

I am somewhat confused by your question, so I may not have added
anything.

Jon