FPGA development

T

thunder

Guest
Hello

I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).

I would like to map some designs onto FPGA's as a starting point. I
want to experiment with the complete FPGA flow, starting with writing
the design in VHDL/Verilog and getting it programmed onto a target
FPGA (it doesn't matter which FPGA for the time being).

I was looking for free/cheap FPGA developement s/w what i could run on
my home PC and better understand the process of mapping a design to an
FPGA target.


Any pointers for SW or developement tools would be appreciated.

Thanks

JO
 
Hi Jo,

You can download and use the free web-pack kits for Xilinx and Altera
(and maybe Actel and Lattice have free kits). In these kits you can map
your VHDL/Verilog code to the selected FPGA device. The disadvantages of
the kits are that they do not support all (especially larger) devices
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.

The VHDL/Verilog code can be entered in a text-editor. The kits have
maybe a graphical editor but I have no experience with them. I am also
not aware of a free graphical editor.

Succes,

Devas

On 10/21/2011 12:41, thunder wrote:
Hello

I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).

I would like to map some designs onto FPGA's as a starting point. I
want to experiment with the complete FPGA flow, starting with writing
the design in VHDL/Verilog and getting it programmed onto a target
FPGA (it doesn't matter which FPGA for the time being).

I was looking for free/cheap FPGA developement s/w what i could run on
my home PC and better understand the process of mapping a design to an
FPGA target.


Any pointers for SW or developement tools would be appreciated.

Thanks

JO
Click to expand...
 
thunder wrote:
On Oct 21, 12:02 pm, devas <geve...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Jo,

You can download and use the free web-pack kits for Xilinx and Altera
(and maybe Actel and Lattice have free kits). In these kits you can map
your VHDL/Verilog code to the selected FPGA device. The disadvantages of
the kits are that they do not support all (especially larger) devices
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.

The VHDL/Verilog code can be entered in a text-editor. The kits have
maybe a graphical editor but I have no experience with them. I am also
not aware of a free graphical editor.

Succes,

Devas

On 10/21/2011 12:41, thunder wrote:







Hello
I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).
I would like to map some designs onto FPGA's as a starting point. I
want to experiment with the complete FPGA flow, starting with writing
the design in VHDL/Verilog and getting it programmed onto a target
FPGA (it doesn't matter which FPGA for the time being).
I was looking for free/cheap FPGA developement s/w what i could run on
my home PC and better understand the process of mapping a design to an
FPGA target.
Any pointers for SW or developement tools would be appreciated.
Thanks
JO

Hi Devas

THank you for the pointer.

Best regards

JO
Click to expand...
Just an additional note. Many home computers run Windows 7 or other
"home" editions, and may have limited support from the FPGA software.
I'd suggest looking at the OS support matrix at the FPGA manufacturer
web-sites to see if your system is sufficient. Windows XP Pro and
RedHat Linux are supported for most if not all of these tools.

-- Gabor
 
On Oct 21, 12:02 pm, devas <geve...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Jo,

You can download and use the free web-pack kits for Xilinx and Altera
(and maybe Actel and Lattice have free kits). In these kits you can map
your VHDL/Verilog code to the selected FPGA device. The disadvantages of
the kits are that they do not support all (especially larger) devices
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.

The VHDL/Verilog code can be entered in a text-editor. The kits have
maybe a graphical editor but I have no experience with them. I am also
not aware of a free graphical editor.

Succes,

Devas

On 10/21/2011 12:41, thunder wrote:







Hello

I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).

I would like to map some designs onto FPGA's as a starting point. I
want to experiment with the complete FPGA flow, starting with writing
the design in VHDL/Verilog and getting it programmed onto a target
FPGA (it doesn't matter which FPGA for the time being).

I was looking for free/cheap FPGA developement s/w what i could run on
my home PC and better understand the process of mapping a design to an
FPGA target.

Any pointers for SW or developement tools would be appreciated.

Thanks

JO
Click to expand...
Hi Devas

THank you for the pointer.

Best regards

JO
 
Gabor <gabor@szakacs.invalid> wrote:

thunder wrote:
On Oct 21, 12:02 pm, devas <geve...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Jo,

You can download and use the free web-pack kits for Xilinx and Altera
(and maybe Actel and Lattice have free kits). In these kits you can map
your VHDL/Verilog code to the selected FPGA device. The disadvantages of
the kits are that they do not support all (especially larger) devices
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.

The VHDL/Verilog code can be entered in a text-editor. The kits have
maybe a graphical editor but I have no experience with them. I am also
not aware of a free graphical editor.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by graphical editor?

JO

Just an additional note. Many home computers run Windows 7 or other
"home" editions, and may have limited support from the FPGA software.
I'd suggest looking at the OS support matrix at the FPGA manufacturer
web-sites to see if your system is sufficient. Windows XP Pro and
RedHat Linux are supported for most if not all of these tools.
Click to expand...
I second that. Nowadays I do FPGA development on a Linux machine.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply
indicates you are not using the right tools...
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.)
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:02:41 +0200, devas wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On 10/21/2011 12:41, thunder wrote:
Hello

I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).
---- snip ----
Hi Jo,

---- snip ----
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.
---- snip ----
Click to expand...

The Xilinx web-kit includes download software, but you need hardware, of
course. There are some basic hardware development kits available for
reasonable prices ($150 range, IIRC). You won't end up with the biggest
or fastest parts, but it'll be an FPGA.

--
www.wescottdesign.com
 
Nico Coesel wrote:


Just an additional note. Many home computers run Windows 7 or other
"home" editions, and may have limited support from the FPGA software.
I'd suggest looking at the OS support matrix at the FPGA manufacturer
web-sites to see if your system is sufficient. Windows XP Pro and
RedHat Linux are supported for most if not all of these tools.

I second that. Nowadays I do FPGA development on a Linux machine.

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
Click to expand...
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time
I checked.)

Jon
 
Jon Elson <elson@pico-systems.com> wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:



Just an additional note. Many home computers run Windows 7 or other
"home" editions, and may have limited support from the FPGA software.
I'd suggest looking at the OS support matrix at the FPGA manufacturer
web-sites to see if your system is sufficient. Windows XP Pro and
RedHat Linux are supported for most if not all of these tools.

I second that. Nowadays I do FPGA development on a Linux machine.

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time
I checked.)
Click to expand...
I'll stick to 32 bit for the following years. Unlike Windows Linux has
an excellent solution to use more than 4GB without needing a 64bit OS.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply
indicates you are not using the right tools...
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.)
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:52:45 -0500, Jon Elson wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:



Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is due
to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time I checked.)
Click to expand...
Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, where it detects the 64-bit OS and exits, to comment out
the exit... Then it will install and just work without further problems.

Tested with Webpack 10.1 to 13.1 inclusive, on OpenSuse 11.0 to 11.4.
(I adopted OpenSuse because 11.0 offered to install the 32-bit libs and
simply worked, and I haven't looked back). Will probably work with most
other recent Linuxes (you may have to find/install a few libraries).

- Brian
 
Jon Elson <elson@pico-systems.com> writes:

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time
I checked.)
Click to expand...
I doubt that, at least Altera includes 64-bit binaries with their free
stuff.
 
In article <ddydnUM6upMAAD7TnZ2dnUVZ_vWdnZ2d@giganews.com>, elson@pico-
systems.com says...
Nico Coesel wrote:



Just an additional note. Many home computers run Windows 7 or other
"home" editions, and may have limited support from the FPGA software.
I'd suggest looking at the OS support matrix at the FPGA manufacturer
web-sites to see if your system is sufficient. Windows XP Pro and
RedHat Linux are supported for most if not all of these tools.

I second that. Nowadays I do FPGA development on a Linux machine.

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time
I checked.)

Jon
Click to expand...
I installed the Xilinx Web Pack Version 13.2 onto my Windows 7
Professional system with no issues what so ever. It's been running very
well even through the recent Windows 7 Service Pack 1 installation.

--

Michael Karas
Carousel Design Solutions
http://www.carousel-design.com
 
In article <eKadnZv5ZpEeAzzTnZ2dnUVZ_umdnZ2d@web-ster.com>,
tim@seemywebsite.com says...
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:02:41 +0200, devas wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On 10/21/2011 12:41, thunder wrote:
Hello

I am very new to FPGA's (background being ASIC design).
---- snip ----
Hi Jo,

---- snip ----
and I am not sure if you can program your device (but in that case you
need also a development board). But they are a very good starting point.
---- snip ----

The Xilinx web-kit includes download software, but you need hardware, of
course. There are some basic hardware development kits available for
reasonable prices ($150 range, IIRC). You won't end up with the biggest
or fastest parts, but it'll be an FPGA.
Click to expand...

I have acquired a number of these Spartan-3E boards for some FPGA
prototyping work:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xilinx-Spartan-3E-XC3S500E-PQG208-4M-FPGA-
develop-board-/330622667940

The price is right and these are nice because you can simply add on the
96 pin connectors (32 x 3) in order to connect them up to your other
development prototype hardware. I use the DIN 41612 type right angle
connectors on the board and then use the corresponding mate on the
prototype board.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/AVX/208478096031029/?
qs=sGAEpiMZZMvkWeVFEbAjO1%2fOh4Ta3l5B5KRtNT%252bhvxk%3d

Also from eBay you can get these boards if you can live with a smaller
FPGA and a potentially lower lower price:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xilinx-Spartan-3E-FPGA-Development-
Board-/110761828790?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item19c9eb61b6#ht_1455wt_
1396

--

Michael Karas
Carousel Design Solutions
http://www.carousel-design.com
 
On Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:38:35 +0000, Brian Drummond wrote:

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:52:45 -0500, Jon Elson wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:



Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time I
checked.)

Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, ...
Click to expand...
minor correction; ISE13.1 Webpack installs and runs "out of the box" on a
64-bit system. On OpenSuse 11.3 at least; I haven't tried any others.

- Brian
 
rickman wrote:
On Oct 28, 5:20 am, Brian Drummond<br...@shapes.demon.co.uk> wrote:
On Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:38:35 +0000, Brian Drummond wrote:
On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:52:45 -0500, Jon Elson wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time I
checked.)

Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, ...

minor correction; ISE13.1 Webpack installs and runs "out of the box" on a
64-bit system. On OpenSuse 11.3 at least; I haven't tried any others.

- Brian

It's hard to even buy a PC with less than 4 GB of memory which means
it has to have a 64 bit version of a Windows OS. If FPGA vendors
don't want to support 64 bit OS how can they expect customers to work
with their larger devices? I guess they just don't expect them to be
using the free versions of their tools. So they have to maintain two
completely different tool sets? I know the way the simulation vendors
sell tools with different levels of performance is to sell everyone
the same code and to turn on the "cripple" factor on the low end
tools. I would think the FPGA vendors would be providing the same
software to everyone and just using a license to enable the higher end
features of the paid for software. I guess they could turn off 64 bit
support too... but that would be too strange.

Rick
Click to expand...
Windows comes with a virtualized XP on board. You can expose it with the
Microsoft VM "client" or something like VMLite.

--
Les Cargill
 
On 10/29/2011 06:02 PM, rickman wrote:

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is
due to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time I
checked.)

Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, ...

minor correction; ISE13.1 Webpack installs and runs "out of the box" on a
64-bit system. On OpenSuse 11.3 at least; I haven't tried any others.

- Brian

It's hard to even buy a PC with less than 4 GB of memory which means
it has to have a 64 bit version of a Windows OS.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. See:
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

In Linux, up to 64GB is supported this way. In most Windows versions,
support is however limited to 4GB (with a few exceptions for
"Datacenter" editions).
 
On Oct 28, 5:20 am, Brian Drummond <br...@shapes.demon.co.uk> wrote:
On Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:38:35 +0000, Brian Drummond wrote:
On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:52:45 -0500, Jon Elson wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:

Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's.  I think this is
due to US export regulations.  (At least this was true last time I
checked.)

Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, ...

minor correction; ISE13.1 Webpack installs and runs "out of the box" on a
64-bit system. On OpenSuse 11.3 at least; I haven't tried any others.

- Brian
Click to expand...
It's hard to even buy a PC with less than 4 GB of memory which means
it has to have a 64 bit version of a Windows OS. If FPGA vendors
don't want to support 64 bit OS how can they expect customers to work
with their larger devices? I guess they just don't expect them to be
using the free versions of their tools. So they have to maintain two
completely different tool sets? I know the way the simulation vendors
sell tools with different levels of performance is to sell everyone
the same code and to turn on the "cripple" factor on the low end
tools. I would think the FPGA vendors would be providing the same
software to everyone and just using a license to enable the higher end
features of the paid for software. I guess they could turn off 64 bit
support too... but that would be too strange.

Rick
 
On 10/23/2011 3:38 AM, Brian Drummond wrote:
On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:52:45 -0500, Jon Elson wrote:

Nico Coesel wrote:



Note that the WebPack does not support 64-bit OS's. I think this is due
to US export regulations. (At least this was true last time I checked.)

Not officially...

But if your 64-bit OS has the correct 32-bit compatibility libraries
installed, Webpack will run just fine. You just have to modify the
install script, where it detects the 64-bit OS and exits, to comment out
the exit... Then it will install and just work without further problems.

Tested with Webpack 10.1 to 13.1 inclusive, on OpenSuse 11.0 to 11.4.
(I adopted OpenSuse because 11.0 offered to install the 32-bit libs and
simply worked, and I haven't looked back). Will probably work with most
other recent Linuxes (you may have to find/install a few libraries).

- Brian
Click to expand...
I'm running 64-bit Webpack v 13.1 on Windows 7.

Rob.
 
rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

(snip, someone wrote)
minor correction; ISE13.1 Webpack installs and runs "out of the box" on a
64-bit system. On OpenSuse 11.3 at least; I haven't tried any others.
Click to expand...
I have ISE13.2, I believe the 64 bit webpack.

It's hard to even buy a PC with less than 4 GB of memory which means
it has to have a 64 bit version of a Windows OS.
Click to expand...
Well, the hardware supports 36 bit real addressing even in 32 bit
mode, though a single task can't address more than about 3GB.

If FPGA vendors don't want to support 64 bit OS how can they
expect customers to work with their larger devices?
Click to expand...
The free versions don't support the larger devices. The line
keeps moving, though, and even small devices P&R faster with
more memory.

I guess they just don't expect them to be
using the free versions of their tools. So they have to maintain two
completely different tool sets? I know the way the simulation vendors
sell tools with different levels of performance is to sell everyone
the same code and to turn on the "cripple" factor on the low end
tools. I would think the FPGA vendors would be providing the same
software to everyone and just using a license to enable the higher end
features of the paid for software. I guess they could turn off 64 bit
support too... but that would be too strange.
Click to expand...
As far as I know, it is usually a compile time option to generate
the 32bit or 64bit instructions.

-- glen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top