FPGA SDRAM prototyping

E

Edmond Cote

Guest
Hi,

I currently have access to a large number of FPGA prototyping boards through
my University. Unfortunately these boards are quite simple, wire-wrapping
would need to be used to prototype memory or other peripherals. While
ordinarily this wouldn't pose too much of a problem for me, I require a
rather large amount of RAM (of the order of ~4Mbytes) for this project I
will be working on.

Looking through electronic catalogues, I quickly realized that for one it is
nearly impossible to find DRAM IC's in DIP packages (and that even if I
could find them I would need a hella-lot of those 64Kb chips). The DRAM I
could find is obviously only availible in surface mount type packaging.
Ideally I'd love to get a custom PCB developped and get someone who could
solder to work, but in my case I don't think it is an option as I don't have
the time/money/experience/talent? to do so.

So basically does anyone have any suggestions?, do any vendors have a SDRAM
protoboard (something like a couple MB of SDRAM on a board with prototyping
headers)? how about using DIMMs instead of individual ICs?.

As a last resort, I might need to purchase an FPGA board from Memec, Xess,
but personally I'd much rather work with a 1M+ Virtex devices availible from
school then to have a fund such a board myself, which would be of much
lesser quality. Does anyone have any other vendors to suggest, my
requirements are having at least 2Mb of RAM and under 300$, and well at
least 100k gates.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Ed.
 
It is possible that our University Access Program(UAP) may be able to help
depending on your timescales. We have only just announced this for UK and
Europe and North America is a few months away it's official launch and
support. But if you are interested have a look here
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk/news.html .

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk

This message is the personal opinion of the sender and not that necessarily
that of Enterpoint Ltd.. Readers should make their own evaluation of the
facts. No responsibility for error or inaccuracy is accepted.

"Edmond Cote" <edmond_cote@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:40e60e46$1_2@aeinews....
Hi,

I currently have access to a large number of FPGA prototyping boards
through
my University. Unfortunately these boards are quite simple, wire-wrapping
would need to be used to prototype memory or other peripherals. While
ordinarily this wouldn't pose too much of a problem for me, I require a
rather large amount of RAM (of the order of ~4Mbytes) for this project I
will be working on.

Looking through electronic catalogues, I quickly realized that for one it
is
nearly impossible to find DRAM IC's in DIP packages (and that even if I
could find them I would need a hella-lot of those 64Kb chips). The DRAM I
could find is obviously only availible in surface mount type packaging.
Ideally I'd love to get a custom PCB developped and get someone who could
solder to work, but in my case I don't think it is an option as I don't
have
the time/money/experience/talent? to do so.

So basically does anyone have any suggestions?, do any vendors have a
SDRAM
protoboard (something like a couple MB of SDRAM on a board with
prototyping
headers)? how about using DIMMs instead of individual ICs?.

As a last resort, I might need to purchase an FPGA board from Memec, Xess,
but personally I'd much rather work with a 1M+ Virtex devices availible
from
school then to have a fund such a board myself, which would be of much
lesser quality. Does anyone have any other vendors to suggest, my
requirements are having at least 2Mb of RAM and under 300$, and well at
least 100k gates.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Ed.
Click to expand...
 
You may want to look at Emulation Technologies' website. They
have a line of prototyping adapters that convert most SMT
packages including 54-pin TSOP (SDRAM x4 x8 and x16 available
in this package) to through hole on 0.1" centres.

http://www.emulation.com/catalog/off-the-shelf_solutions/prototyping_adapters/tsop/

"John Adair" <newsreply@loseinspace.co.uk> wrote in message news:<LowFc.42$5_.8@newsr2.u-net.net>...
It is possible that our University Access Program(UAP) may be able to help
depending on your timescales. We have only just announced this for UK and
Europe and North America is a few months away it's official launch and
support. But if you are interested have a look here
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk/news.html .

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk

This message is the personal opinion of the sender and not that necessarily
that of Enterpoint Ltd.. Readers should make their own evaluation of the
facts. No responsibility for error or inaccuracy is accepted.

"Edmond Cote" <edmond_cote@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:40e60e46$1_2@aeinews....

Hi,

I currently have access to a large number of FPGA prototyping boards
through
my University. Unfortunately these boards are quite simple, wire-wrapping
would need to be used to prototype memory or other peripherals. While
ordinarily this wouldn't pose too much of a problem for me, I require a
rather large amount of RAM (of the order of ~4Mbytes) for this project I
will be working on.

Looking through electronic catalogues, I quickly realized that for one it
is
nearly impossible to find DRAM IC's in DIP packages (and that even if I
could find them I would need a hella-lot of those 64Kb chips). The DRAM I
could find is obviously only availible in surface mount type packaging.
Ideally I'd love to get a custom PCB developped and get someone who could
solder to work, but in my case I don't think it is an option as I don't
have
the time/money/experience/talent? to do so.

So basically does anyone have any suggestions?, do any vendors have a
SDRAM
protoboard (something like a couple MB of SDRAM on a board with
prototyping
headers)? how about using DIMMs instead of individual ICs?.

As a last resort, I might need to purchase an FPGA board from Memec, Xess,
but personally I'd much rather work with a 1M+ Virtex devices availible
from
school then to have a fund such a board myself, which would be of much
lesser quality. Does anyone have any other vendors to suggest, my
requirements are having at least 2Mb of RAM and under 300$, and well at
least 100k gates.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Ed.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Gabor,

Thanks for your reply. I should of specified these were already out of
the question due to their extravagent cost! Besides semiconductor fabs do
anyone actually use these kinds of adaptors?

"Gabor Szakacs" <gabor@alacron.com> wrote in message
news:8a436ba2.0407060523.2d137a96@posting.google.com...
You may want to look at Emulation Technologies' website. They
have a line of prototyping adapters that convert most SMT
packages including 54-pin TSOP (SDRAM x4 x8 and x16 available
in this package) to through hole on 0.1" centres.


http://www.emulation.com/catalog/off-the-shelf_solutions/prototyping_adapters/tsop/

"John Adair" <newsreply@loseinspace.co.uk> wrote in message
news:<LowFc.42$5_.8@newsr2.u-net.net>...
It is possible that our University Access Program(UAP) may be able to
help
depending on your timescales. We have only just announced this for UK
and
Europe and North America is a few months away it's official launch and
support. But if you are interested have a look here
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk/news.html .

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk

This message is the personal opinion of the sender and not that
necessarily
that of Enterpoint Ltd.. Readers should make their own evaluation of the
facts. No responsibility for error or inaccuracy is accepted.

"Edmond Cote" <edmond_cote@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:40e60e46$1_2@aeinews....

Hi,

I currently have access to a large number of FPGA prototyping boards
through
my University. Unfortunately these boards are quite simple,
wire-wrapping
would need to be used to prototype memory or other peripherals. While
ordinarily this wouldn't pose too much of a problem for me, I require
a
rather large amount of RAM (of the order of ~4Mbytes) for this project
I
will be working on.

Looking through electronic catalogues, I quickly realized that for one
it
is
nearly impossible to find DRAM IC's in DIP packages (and that even if
I
could find them I would need a hella-lot of those 64Kb chips). The
DRAM I
could find is obviously only availible in surface mount type
packaging.
Ideally I'd love to get a custom PCB developped and get someone who
could
solder to work, but in my case I don't think it is an option as I
don't
have
the time/money/experience/talent? to do so.

So basically does anyone have any suggestions?, do any vendors have a
SDRAM
protoboard (something like a couple MB of SDRAM on a board with
prototyping
headers)? how about using DIMMs instead of individual ICs?.

As a last resort, I might need to purchase an FPGA board from Memec,
Xess,
but personally I'd much rather work with a 1M+ Virtex devices
availible
from
school then to have a fund such a board myself, which would be of much
lesser quality. Does anyone have any other vendors to suggest, my
requirements are having at least 2Mb of RAM and under 300$, and well
at
least 100k gates.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Ed.
Click to expand...
 
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