Modelsim vs VCS & IUS

[Poojan Wagh]

Hi, all.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for an HDL
simulator. I'm considering Mentor ModelSim, Synopsys VCS, and Cadence
IUS (NC-Sim).

If you had to chose between the 3 for FPGA work, which one would you
chose?

It seems that there's a huge variance in the pricing I'm getting from
the respective EDA vendors and am wondering if the more expensive
simulators are worth it.

Also, I'm mostly a Verilog programmer. Does anyone see a big downside
to getting the ModelSim Verilog-only version?

Background information:
I'm aware of http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.verilog/browse_thread/thread/c12a37ded957f3c/
"
which commercial HDL-Simulator for FPGA?", so I was going to go with
ModelSim. However, I'm scratching my head wondering why VCS and IUS
are so much more expensive. I'd like to know what I'm giving up before
I make the plunge.

I've been using Icarus Verilog for simulation up to this point. I'm
also looking at Verilator. However, I've just been given some outside
IP that is compiled (for ModelSim) or encrypted (for VCS or IUS). As a
result, I will need a commercial simulator.

In addition, the IP provides a board-functional model (BFM). My
understanding is that I need a commercial simulator to do this level
of simulation.

 

[Charles Gardiner]

Poojan Wagh schrieb:

Hi, all.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for an HDL
simulator. I'm considering Mentor ModelSim, Synopsys VCS, and Cadence
IUS (NC-Sim).

If you had to chose between the 3 for FPGA work, which one would you
chose?

I would chose Aldec Riviera and none of the above. If you prefer working
under windows only, then there is also Aldec ActiveHDL

It seems that there's a huge variance in the pricing I'm getting from
the respective EDA vendors and am wondering if the more expensive
simulators are worth it.

Too true. Unless you are a company planning high tens or hundreds of
licences if not more, I think you will find the above vendors don't
really take you seriously. Aldec is not cheap either, but their support
is excellent. From the functionality, with the exception of
systemVerilog, it is as good as any of the above. But their
SystemVerilog support is making leaps and bounds with each new release.
SV in the latest release is 'good enough' for many scenarios. One big
plus (but maybe not for you, if you only plan on using verilog) is that
their mixed language support is standard. You don't need two licences
for a mixed-language design.

 

[perich]

Hi,

Just a suggestion.
If you are interested in FPGA work and want to choose between the
simulators you mentioned, I think that Xilinx has a free ModelSim
version (ModelSim XE) that you could try out (not time-limited).
You will have to register and it's only available for the windows
platform (and probably with much lower performance than the 'real
deal').

If you like it, but need more performance..etc, you could always buy
the complete software.
And if you don't like it, you will have lost nothing (other than time
invested).

I don't mean to suggest that ModelSim is 'the way to go', it's just to
give you options.

Regards

 

[Poojan Wagh]

On Feb 9, 2:31 pm, perich <patrick.er...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,

Just a suggestion.
If you are interested in FPGA work and want to choose between the
simulators you mentioned, I think that Xilinx has a free ModelSim
version (ModelSim XE) that you could try out (not time-limited).
You will have to register and it's only available for the windows
platform (and probably with much lower performance than the 'real
deal').

If you like it, but need more performance..etc, you could always buy
the complete software.
And if you don't like it, you will have lost nothing (other than time
invested).

I don't mean to suggest that ModelSim is 'the way to go', it's just to
give you options.

Regards

Thanks! That's a very good suggestion. I didn't see it with my ISE
disk. Do I have to contact Xilinx for it?

 

[perich]

Yes, you have to create an account with Xilinx.

Here is an overview of the tools available from Xilinx:
http://www.xilinx.com/support/download/index.htm

ModelSim XE is all the way at the bottom.
If you download and install it, I think there is an entry in the
(windows) start-menu item (for Modelsim) that helps you to obtain a
license file for the free version (I think it uses the MAC address of
your network card for that).
It also comes (or used to) with a licensing wizard to help you install
the license file you will get from Xilinx (by e-mail if I am not
mistaken).
I haven't used it for a while, so I hope this information is helpful
and not outdated.

 

[perich]

....I already replied, but I don't see the post, so here's another try:

Do I have to contact Xilinx for it?
Yes, you have to create an account with Xilinx for that.
An overview of all the tools available from Xilinx (free or non-free)
can be found here:
http://www.xilinx.com/support/download/index.htm

ModelSim XE is all the way at he bottom.
If you download and install it, I think there is a (windows) start-
menu item that assists you in obtaining and installing a license file
for the free Xilinx Edition version of ModelSim.
(I think it's called "Licensing Wizard" or something like that.)

I haven't used it in a while, so I hope this information is helpful
(and not outdated).