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Messages from 6600

Article: 6600
Subject: Re: New Reconfigurable Computing newsgroup?
From: Ray Andraka <randraka@ids.net>
Date: Wed, 04 Jun 1997 18:31:44 -0400
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Martin Mason wrote:
> 
> How about comp.arch.fccm

This one, I like.  Makes some sense to me.

-Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930     Fax 401/884-7950
email randraka@ids.net
http://www.ids.net/~randraka
Article: 6601
Subject: FS: CADKEY '97 -100+ Available- Save $HUNDRED's EACH!!!
From: Karl Kristianson <KarlKristian@ntr.net>
Date: Wed, 04 Jun 1997 20:14:59 -0600
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
FS: CADKEY '97 -100+ Available- Save $HUNDRED's EACH!!!

Hello!

A new copy of Cadkey 97 is selling on the street for $1,195. 
To guarantee updates for the next year costs $350 more, 
bringing it up to $1,545 total!

We have available over 100 NEW unopened, shrinkwrapped 
copies of Cadkey 6.0 on CD for DOS which can be upgraded to 
Cadkey 97, INCLUDING the year's worth of free updates, for 
the street price of $595; that's $950 less than the normal 
street price!

Or, maybe Cadkey 6.0 has enough power for you with no 
upgrade at all! (Cadkey '97 is basically Cadkey 8.0)

I'm selling these for best offer, one or all.

If you would like more info on Cadkey 97, here's Cadkey 97's 
Web page: http://www.cadkey.com/cadkey/index.htm

Thanks!

Karl Kristianson
Article: 6602
Subject: Re: VHDL PCI FPGA Implementation
From: "Austin Franklin" <darkroo4m@ix.netcom.com>
Date: 5 Jun 1997 04:44:29 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Stuart,

The Xilinx PCI design is a good starting point to some degree.  It is
'well' documented, and has some nice 'features'.  I don't know what kind of
a deal they cut with High Gate for them to do the design, but I didn't
really want much $$$ from them in the first place (I believe it was 10k),
so I never really understood what happened, they just literally dropped it
on the floor and never got back to me.  'Someone' probably told Xilinx they
could do a 'better' job or something like that... ;-)

It is tough to make a 'generic' PCI interface for a Xilinx.  Most of the
work (%70) is in interfacing the PCI to the back end.  You can make
'generic' configuration registers and a kind of generic target state
machine, but there is a lot of logic that has to be tailored to the back
end functionality/design that can't really be made generic, if you want to
make it fast (PCI cycle wise) and make timing.

Master timing is the hardest to make, because you have to use almost all
the signals straight off the PCI bus.

I just found an interesting PCI bug having to do with the Intel chip sets. 
When a target issues STOP, it is required that the master (Intel chip set)
release FRAME in the next cycle.  Well, some Intel chip sets don't.  What
this means is a target state machine can spin on it self if it assumes
FRAME will be removed (per spec) deterministically!  In order to avoid this
situation, you need to use the raw FRAME right off the PCI bus, which,
requres you to only go though one FMAP and make sure the logic is placed
correctly if you want to make timing.

The probable reason this has not been a problem for most designs, is
because there is another requirement to keep STOP issued until FRAME is
de-asserted...therefore most target state machines will spin in state
BACKOFF until FRAME is de-asserted, instead of just 'visiting' backoff
'knowing' FRAME will only be valid for one more cycle....

Austin Franklin
darkroom@ix.netcom.com



Article: 6603
Subject: Re: The Advanced FPGA Design Demonstration at DAC
From: "Dr. Endric Schubert" <endric@exemplar.com>
Date: Wed, 04 Jun 1997 22:35:35 -0700
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Adam J. Elbirt wrote:
> 
> Viewlogic will be presenting the Advanced FPGA Design Demonstration at DAC.
> 
[deleted]



or ...


		        Got G.E.T.?

                  Galileo Extreme Technology 

    See us at Booth 852 - Design Automation Conference

               June 8-10 in Anaheim, California



and ...

                   bring the designs with you, 

                       you know, the ones

             that you were never able to run through 

                       with other systems!




-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Nils Endric Schubert                          schubert@exemplar.com
Exemplar Logic
815 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 105
Alameda, CA 94501

Tel.: (510) 337 3761
Fax.: (510) 337 3799

http://www.exemplar.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Article: 6604
Subject: Re: New Reconfigurable Computing newsgroup?
From: Achim Gratz <gratz@ite.inf.tu-dresden.de>
Date: 5 Jun 1997 08:50:15 +0200
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Martin Mason <nospam_mtmason@ix.netcom.com> writes:

> How about comp.arch.fccm
> 
> Those of us remotely involved in the industry know this term - right ???

Yes.  But you also see how an FCCM need not be an RPU and therefore
would not fit the original proposal.  I have some sympathy for this
idea, but the proponents would need to rework their agenda for it to
fly.


Achim Gratz.

--+<[ It's the small pleasures that make life so miserable. ]>+--
WWW:    http://www.inf.tu-dresden.de/~ag7/{english/}
E-Mail: gratz@ite.inf.tu-dresden.de
Phone:  +49 351 463 - 8325
Article: 6605
Subject: NEED YOUR HELP - IN RETURN COULD WIN FREE ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
From: Jan Muska <jmuska@postoffice.worldnet.att.net>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 01:02:50 -0700
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
We are doing a survey on anti-virus software for one of 
the major manufacturers and would like to include your 
opinions,IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED VIRUS DETECTION SOFTWARE 
WITHIN THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

In return for your participation, you have the chance 
to receivea free copy of the latest virus detection 
software from one of the leading manufacturers.

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST 200 PEOPLE TO COMPLETE THE
SURVEY, AND GIVE US EITHER A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS OR 
PHONE NUMBER, YOU WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR 
THE ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE.

The survey is located at:
  http://www.market-research.com/triton/HRC103/index.html

Please, we are not trying to sell you anything. All we 
want is your help.  You will not be contacted by anyone
except (in some rare cases) to validate responses, or 
to deliver the software you have won.  All of your 
answers will be kept completely confidential.

Horizon Research Corporation is an independent research
firm, not associated with any particular manufacturer. 
For further information about our company, email us at 
info@market-research.com .

Thanks in advance for your help.
Article: 6606
Subject: Re: Altera Versus Xilinx
From: Iakovos Stamoulis <I.Stamoulis@Sussex.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 09:49:48 +0100
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
> >From reading this posting, it looks like Altera documentation has
> been
> >misread by another NG member.
> >
> >Read the documentation fully. I did. So I would suspect have most
> >others following the thread where we started and finished this one.
> >
> >Altera FLEX10K is not PCI compliant.
> >Every device they have shipped is not compliant.
> >Every part sitting with their disti network is not compliant.
> >Every piece coming off the line is not compliant.
> >
> >End of story. Dead, buried, WORM FOOD.

Alright, but what exactly makes Altera's non-PCI compatible ???

Here, we have used both FLEX8000 and FLEX10K
successfully to make prototype PCI boards. I do agree,
that if does work, is NOT necessary PCI-Compiant.
We have used our own VHDL PCI interface and not
Altera's Free or Megacore.

> Stuart
> A Lucent distributor speaking for himself.

  You may be pleased to hear since then, we have
switched to ORCA 2C40s which IMHO are by far
more sophisticated FPGAs/CPLD.

Regards

Jac

Article: 6607
Subject: Re: New Reconfigurable Computing newsgroup?
From: gordon@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Gordon Brebner)
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 12:55:12 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
I wholeheartedly support Michael's proposal for a comp.arch.rpu group.
I do not regularly read comp.arch.fpga for precisely the reason he
mentions - the substantial emphasis on FPGA hardware and CAD - and so
I no doubt miss out on interesting contributions on reconfigurable
computing, which is my main research area.  So, the sooner the better,
as far as I'm concerned.

Gordon.
Article: 6608
Subject: Qualis Verilog Training
From: lindab@qualis.qualis.com (Linda Boyd)
Date: 5 Jun 1997 14:06:54 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Qualis Design Corporation has released the Fall schedule for our many
hands-on, application-focused courses in Verilog- and VHDL-based design.
Our courses are like no other -- just take a look at our lineup:

   Verilog System Design
   ---------------------
        Introductory:
            High Level Design Using Verilog (5 days)
            System Verification Using Verilog (5 days) 
            Verilog for Board-Level Design (5 days)
        Elite:
            ASIC Synthesis and Verification Strategies Using Verilog (5 days) 
            Advanced Techniques Using Verilog (3 days)

   Verilog Synthesis
   -----------------
        Introductory:
            Verilog for Synthesis: A Solid Foundation (5 days) 
        Elite:
            ASIC Synthesis Strategies Using Verilog (3 days) 
            Behavioral Synthesis Strategies Using Verilog (3 days) 

For more info on our suite of HDL classes, to review our Fall schedule,
or if you're interested in an on-site class, check out our web site at
http://www.qualis.com or call Michael Horne on our hotline at 888.644.9700.

Qualis Design Corporation
8705 SW Nimbus Suite 118
Beaverton OR 97008 USA
Ph: +1.503.644.9700  Fax: +1.503.643.1583
http://www.qualis.com

Copyright (c) 1997 Qualis Design Corporation

Article: 6609
Subject: Qualis VHDL Training
From: lindab@qualis.qualis.com (Linda Boyd)
Date: 5 Jun 1997 14:09:35 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>


Qualis Design Corporation has released the Fall schedule for our many
hands-on, application-focused courses in VHDL- and Verilog-based design.
Our courses are like no other -- just take a look at our lineup:

   VHDL System Design
   ------------------
        Introductory:
            High Level Design Using VHDL (5 days) 
            System Verification Using VHDL (5 days) 
            VHDL for Board-Level Design (5 days) 
        Elite:
            ASIC Synthesis and Verification Strategies Using VHDL (5 days) 
            Advanced Techniques Using VHDL (3 days) 

   VHDL Synthesis
   --------------
        Introductory:
            VHDL for Synthesis: A Solid Foundation (5 days) 
        Elite:
            ASIC Synthesis Strategies Using VHDL (3 days) 
            Behavioral Synthesis Strategies Using VHDL (3 days) 

For more info on our suite of HDL classes, to review our Fall schedule,
or if you're interested in an on-site class, check out our web site at
http://www.qualis.com or call Michael Horne on our hotline at 888.644.9700.


Qualis Design Corporation
8705 SW Nimbus Suite 118
Beaverton OR 97008 USA
Ph: +1.503.644.9700  Fax: +1.503.643.1583
http://www.qualis.com

Copyright (c) 1997 Qualis Design Corporation

Article: 6610
Subject: Send thousands of Posting to the Newsgroups at once with Mailloop
From: asklfdlsjd@;asjflsd.com
Date: 5 Jun 1997 14:37:39 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Mailloop v3.0 is an industrial strength bulk mailer.

Mailloop v3.0 is a bulk mailing program for the internet. It can take a single message and
broadcast it to either a listing of e-mail addresses or to a listing of newsgroups. 
Creates custom newsgroup lists by filtering NNTP servers. Creates custom e-mail lists by 
extracting them from newsgroups. Can also extract e-mail addresses or newsgroup names from
other protocols. Built-in NNTP, SMTP, POP, FTP, HTTP, EXEC, CGI, WHOIS and FINGER clients. 
Anti-cancelbot feature. Automatically processes remove requests. Includes extensive on-line help. 
The most powerful bulk mailer available. Requires Windows 95 or NT 3.51+ and internet access.

The "Program" Mailloop is only available in English.



For more info goto:  http://205.199.4.219
 		     
		     http://205.199.4.219


Using it is easy:

1) Create a message ( http://205.199.4.219/editor.htm ) 
...by using the pull down menus or
...by using any editor

2) Create a newsgroups list ( http://205.199.4.219/news3.htm )
...by filtering an NNTP server or 
...by importing from any text file or 
...by manually creating with any editor or
...by extracting from any FTP file or 
...by extracting from any HTTP file 

3) Create an e-mail list ( http://205.199.4.219/em3.htm )
...by extracting from newsgroups or
...by importing from any text file or
...by manually creating with any editor or
...by extracting from a WHOIS response or
...by extracting from a fingering response or
...by extracting from a UNIX  response or
...by extracting from any FTP file or
...by extracting from any HTTP file or

4) Broadcast the message 
...to the e-mail list or ( http://205.199.4.219/embc.htm )
...to the newsgroup list ( http://205.199.4.219/ngbc.htm ) 

5) Then process the remove requests
...by using the mailbox processor ( http://205.199.4.219/pop.htm )

6) If you want you can use the Newsletter Sever
...The Newsletter Sever will allow you to have an topic-specific newsletter that other can subscribe
   and unsubscribe to.
...Customizing this server response files ( http://205.199.4.219/response.htm )
...Creating a new newsletter ( http://205.199.4.219/create.htm )
...Creating and Updating a newsletter the actual newsletter ( http://205.199.4.219/update.htm )


For more info visit http://205.199.4.219
		 
		    http://205.199.4.219

	
Article: 6611
Subject: Re: Fine Pitch PQFP : anyone any hassles?
From: ghamilton@chrysalis-its.com (Garnett Hamilton)
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 16:40:54 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
On 3 Jun 1997 18:56:37 GMT, johnm@Newbridge.COM (John McDougall)
wrote:

>>>>2) What is the feeling about attempting to re-solder such pins if a
>>>>connection seems to be flakey? Am I wasting my time trying to fix it?
>>>>Maybe if some pins have flakey connections then others on the same
>>>>chip are likely to (eg. if some are bent down too much, then obviously
>>>>the others are at a different level...).
>>>>
>>>
>>Resoldering can be done, but I am no good at it.  Sometimes the chip has
>>to be removed and the board traces will only handle 3-4 removals before
>>the traces separate from the board.  
>>
>>The easiest solution for me was to go with the Altera 208PQFP socket since
>>I'm using an OTP FPGA.
>
>I use a hot-air gun with a small nozzle. Works great.
>
Emulation Technology makes a produces called ChipQuik which consists
of a heavy-duty flux and special low-temp alloy.  All you have to do
is apply the flux to the pins of a part you want to remove and then
apply a bead of the alloy, effectively shorting all the leads
together.  You then heat the PWB from the back-side with a heat gun
and pick up the offending device with a vacuum pen.  I'm sure an IR
rework station would also work.  Remove the excess alloy with solder
wick and it's ready to go.

It's quick, easy, and results in ZERO damage to the PWB.  If you are
careful you can even re-use the device you are removing.  Cost of the
kit is $47Cdn.  I can remove a 144-pin TQFP and have the sight clean,
ready for new part, in 10 minutes.

	Garnett
===================Safeguarding the Keys to Electronic Commerce
     Garnett Hamilton             Chrysalis-ITS, Inc.
     Sr H/W Designer              200-380 Hunt Club Rd
Tel.: 613-731-6788 ext 120        Ottawa ON  K1C 1V1
Fax: 613-731-1013                 http://www.chrysalis-its.com
Eml: ghamilton@chrysalis-its.com
Article: 6612
Subject: Re: Your recommendation needed
From: cpuff@viewlogic.com (Christopher Puff)
Date: 5 Jun 1997 17:20:55 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
In article 1@sahand.usc.edu, jlou@sahand.usc.edu (Jinan Lou) writes:
> Hi, all,
> 
> We are about to make a decision on purchasing a FGPA synthesis tool.
> The candidates are FPGA Express from Synopsys and Synplify from
> Synplicity. The target FPGA is Lucent OR2C40A (40k gates), and the design
> is about 100k in size.
> 
> We would like to know which one can handle the size of the design well,
> which one will produce a better result, and which one will run faster.
> Your comments are really appreciated.
> 
> 
> Please send your comments to Jinan.Lou@tanner.com.
> 
> 
> Thank you in advance
> 
> 
> Jinan
> 
> 


Hi Jinan,

You should also take a look at ViewSynthesis by Viewlogic.  Viewlogic 
has worked extensively with Lucent, as well as other FPGA vendors, to
optimize designs to the specific vendor family.  ViewSynthesis will have
no problem handling your 100k gate design.

ViewSynthesis is available as part of the Workview Office tool suite.
In addition to FPGA synthesis there is schematic capture, VHDL and gate
level simulation, and an FPGA design flow manager called IntelliFlow.  
IntelliFlow integrates the simulation, synthesis and the vendor place
and route in to one design environment.  It effectively creates a push
button FPGA design process.

Check out ViewSynthesis and IntelliFlow at DAC or visit the Workview 
Office website at www.workviewoffice.com.  You can also download a 
demo of ViewSynthesis from www.workviewoffice.com/WVOffice/viewsynthesis
/synthdownload.asp. 

Chris



Article: 6613
Subject: Re: New Reconfigurable Computing newsgroup?
From: rhodes@gigaops.com
Date: 5 Jun 1997 19:13:02 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Why not comp.arch.fpga.rpu ?  ...which would keep it close to the current group and
would make the name more understandable, since "rpu" is not yet a well known acronym.
Article: 6614
Subject: Re: VHDL PCI FPGA Implementation
From: wen-king@myri.com (Wen-King Su)
Date: 5 Jun 1997 12:18:21 -0700
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
In a previous article "Austin Franklin" <darkroo4m@ix.netcom.com> writes:

;I just found an interesting PCI bug having to do with the Intel chip sets. 
:When a target issues STOP, it is required that the master (Intel chip set)
;release FRAME in the next cycle.  Well, some Intel chip sets don't.  What
:this means is a target state machine can spin on it self if it assumes
;FRAME will be removed (per spec) deterministically!  In order to avoid this
:situation, you need to use the raw FRAME right off the PCI bus, which,
;requres you to only go though one FMAP and make sure the logic is placed
:correctly if you want to make timing.

Rule 5 on page 42:

    Whenever STOP# is asserted, the master must deassert FRAME# as soon
    as IRDY# can be asserted. 

There is no rule that says IRDY# must be asserted in the next cycle, so
FRAME# does not have to be deasserted in the next cycle.  So the Intel
chip set is not technically in error.

However, I do PCI implementation on FPGA as well, and what I find is that
due to the constraints of FPGA, we are forced to operate in a region of
legal PCI behavior space that is rarely visited by the more common ASIC
PCI implementations.  Thus we keep running into bugs in systems that
otherwise works well with devices using ASIC PCI implementations. 
Article: 6615
Subject: Re: Fine Pitch PQFP : anyone any hassles?
From: Pascal Dornier <pdornier@pcengines.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 14:29:42 -0700
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Garnett Hamilton wrote:

> Emulation Technology makes a produces called ChipQuik which consists
> of a heavy-duty flux and special low-temp alloy.  All you have to do
> is apply the flux to the pins of a part you want to remove and then
> apply a bead of the alloy, effectively shorting all the leads
> together.  You then heat the PWB from the back-side with a heat gun
> and pick up the offending device with a vacuum pen.  I'm sure an IR
> rework station would also work.  Remove the excess alloy with solder
> wick and it's ready to go.

A hot air gun is cheaper, and won't leave you with some questionable
alloy on the pads. I loop some non-insulated wire (26 AWG) under the
pads of the device, and hold up the board by the wire. When the chip
gets hot enough, it will come off without board damage.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pascal Dornier   pdornier@pcengines.com     http://www.pcengines.com
Your Spec      + PC Engines            = Custom Embedded PC Hardware
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Article: 6616
Subject: Re: Fine Pitch PQFP : anyone any hassles?
From: eteam.nospam@aracnet.com (bob elkind)
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 22:58:44 +0100
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
HTD said...
> On Mon, 26 May 1997 20:47:42 GMT, stuart.summerville@practel.com.au
> (Stuart Summerville) wrote:
> 
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I have a 208pin PQFP fpga  (0.5mm pitch) on a board. I am having
> >problems with pin connections to the board. Attempting to re-heat the
> >solder to make a clean connection seems to create problems with
> >surrounding pins - it doesn't take much to get a minute solder bridge
> >between two pins.

...
 
> Apparantly you can get soldering iron adaptors which have a sphere on
> the end which makes the solder pearl thus preventing shorts. I've
> never seen one but everybody who has thinks it's the best thing since
> sliced white.
> 
> Check Weller and Ersa maby they can help. Anything else is a mess.

If you want to get serious about soldering/desoldering fine-pitch
surface mount parts, you *really* need to check out *METCAL*.
You will live longer, your blood pressure will go down, etc.
Once you try a Metcal, you realize once again the value of
having the "right tool for the job".

-- Bob

****************************************************************
Bob Elkind                              mailto:eteam@aracnet.com 
7118 SW Lee Road               part-time fax number:503.357.9001
Gaston, OR 97119           cell:503.709.1985   home:503.359.4903
****** Video processing, R&D, ASIC, FPGA design consulting *****
Article: 6617
Subject: Re: Fine Pitch PQFP : anyone any hassles?
From: rhodes@gigaops.com
Date: 5 Jun 1997 22:40:20 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
In <3389f515.2357106@news.on.net>, stuart.summerville@practel.com.au (Stuart Summerville) writes:
>Hi all,
>
>I have a 208pin PQFP fpga  (0.5mm pitch) on a board. I am having
>problems with pin connections to the board. Attempting to re-heat the
>solder to make a clean connection seems to create problems with
>surrounding pins - it doesn't take much to get a minute solder bridge
>between two pins.
>
To engineers and technicians concerned with QFP208 soldering problems/techniques
 -

QFP208s and QFP240s are soldered by hand by technicians in the South Bay 
(SF bay) by a drag technique which some in this thread have described.  

I'm going to add my two cents by describing our procedures. I believe our procedures 
need significant improvement, and I'm eager to hear from those who can offer 
advice toward better techniques, but I can see from this discussion that we have 
some useful experience to offer here.

QFP240s are applied with stencil and reflow on our "G900" PCI interface cards. 

QFP208s are applied to our "Xmod" FPGA-computing modules by hand
in a second stage of assembly after the rest of the card is robot  pick-and-placed 
and reflowed. 

Inspection is done under 10x or 20x microscope with a fiberoptic ring lamp.  
Using a "probe" (a flexible scribe, or a needle in an Exacto chuck) every pin on the 
FPGA is pushed on the side of the foot with about 12-16oz. of pressure.  The 
probe's flexing can be calibrated against a scale.  With a little practice the inspector 
can repeatedly produce 14oz, +-1oz, even with his eyes closed.  

This probing reveals solder joints which were inadequately heated, usually by the 
reflow oven, occasionally by hand.  The joint may look perfect to visual inspection, 
with well-sloped fillets all around the foot, but underneath the foot there may be 
un-fused solder paste, or no solder.  With pressure held on the side of the foot for 
1-2 seconds, the foot in a defective joint will slowly twist or slide off the land.  It 
does not pop off; it slides as if held by soft fudge.  Usually the toe holds best while 
the heel lets go.  

I have a design in mind for doing this probing by machine, and I'm told I'm not the 
first to do it.  Motorola is said to have had such a device for in-house use many 
years ago.  Xray would also be revealing, but this equipment is usually beyond the 
reach of a technician in an engineering dept.  We are looking for better joint testing 
methods.

Hand soldering is done here with a Haako 939 station  ($360) using an "A1249" tip, 
which is a cone with a beveled elliptical face as described earlier in this discussion. 
Our assembly technicians in the South Bay tend to use Metcal stations which are 
three times more expensive.  Both stations exhibit good temperature control with 
fast recovery times.

The first time I saw an assembler apply a QFP208 with the drag technique, my jaw 
dropped open.  It is very fast and it works well if it is done at the right speed and 
with just the right amount of solder.  

Some technicians produce consistently high quality results with good heel fillets and 
no bridging.  Other techs are not so consistent.  We are choosy: we specify 
particular techs for this work and it pays off at inspection time in much-reduced 
re-work.  However, it is a skill which can be learned with some practice and some 
well-focused attention.  

As mentioned before, liberal fluxing of the territory is mandatory.  The liquid flux 
causes the solder "wetting", and the resulting surface tension of the solder on the 
joint is very powerful. That and the correct amount of solder are the keys to 
freedom from solder bridges.

The solder we use for this hand work is Kester organic core flux "331" with an .020" 
diameter. The flux used is a water soluble flux "2331-ZX" from Kester.  These 
products make a big difference.  We clean with Citra-Solv and hot water, followed 
by a distilled water/alcohol rinse, and a hot air dryer.

The drag technique is to pull a small solder pool across the toes of the pins from 
one end of the row to the other, using the elliptical bevel of the tip with its long axis 
in line with the row.  The solder is shared by two to three pins at a time.  As the 
elliptical bevel of the tip slides across the toes, the surface tension of the solder 
ball pulls most of the solder with the tip, leaving the joint behind with its own solder 
without a bridge.  Each new joint sucks up a little more solder from the pool.  Since 
as many as three joints may be sharing a molten pool as it passes, the solder tends 
to distribute evenly by virtue of the balance of surface tension as each new joint 
heats up and "wets" and each old joint pulls free and cools.  As you see each pin 
heat up, a silver sheen will climb up the leg a ways, as the heat, flux, and solder 
"tin" the pin.  When that happens, it is time to keep moving along.  A row of 52 pins 
can be soldered in about 30 seconds by this method.  Since three pins are heated 
simulatneously this gives about 2 seconds dwell on each pin. (30/(52/3)).  Tip 
temperature here is set at 670F/354C.

Too much solder will produce bridging in spite of liberal flux. Too little solder will 
produce inadequate heel fillets.  As several here have observed, you may be left 
with a bridge to clean up on the last pair of pins, if you've added too much solder.  
Often, the last bridge can be removed by distributing the solder back up the row for 
a few pins, or by sliding the tip down off the ends of the toes of the last pair of pins, 
which takes the excess solder with the tip. 

The standard we use is ANSI/IPC-A-610, rev B, class three.  This is documented 
with excellent color prints and available from The Institute for Interconnecting and 
Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC) in Northbrook, Illinois, 1-708-509-9700.  

We have also reviewed NASA's  "NAS 5300.4(3M) workmanship standard for surface 
mount technology" and adopted only one item from it which is curiously missing from 
the IPC standard: Figure D-5 specifies that no part of the foot may be more than 
0.010" from the land. Otherwise, the NASA standard seemed pretty similar to the 
ANSI/IPC. The IPC standard document is well worth buying.

To see what you are doing, I recommend some magnification, 2x-4x lenses for 
soldering and 10x-20x microscope for inspection.  I see technicians working without 
magnification, but they are young and experienced, so they have better eyesight 
than I do, and they know what they are looking for.

Reza Ghaffarian at JPL has done, and is doing, long-term extreme thermal cycling 
of these gull wing joints.  He reports that, after 1500 cycles, they are quite robust, 
but the usual place of failure is across the heel fillets.  You can find some reports 
of his work on the web.

I hope this information is of use to technicians new to 20 mil pitch gull wing parts.  
And I hope someone who knows better ways to do this, especially solder joint 
inspection/testing, will contribute to this thread and/or email us directly.  A testing 
lab would be appreciated, and probably hired.

Rhodes Hileman
Director of Manufacturing
GigaOperations Corporation
Berkeley, California
rh@smsys.com
www.gigaops.com
Article: 6618
Subject: Don't Design With Altera Parts... Altera Obsolete Parts
From: robert bible <robert@aei-sandiego.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 17:05:42 -0700
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Everyone designing with FPGAs or CPLDs should stay away from altera if
they expect a long product life for their design. I am sure that I am
not the only person who is being burned by the discontinuing production
of the EPX 880 EPX 8160... Altera is completely irresponsible shutting
off production with minimal notice. What are we supposed to do. Redesign
working items in production because Altera refuses to support their
customers.

Think about what life would be like if all the semiconductor companies
acted like Altera.  I guess they do give EE job security. But I have
better things to do than migrate designs from one device to another
because of Altera marketing decisions.

                        Robert Bible
                        San Diego

Article: 6619
Subject: Re: VHDL PCI FPGA Implementation
From: "Austin Franklin" <darkroo4m@ix.netcom.com>
Date: 6 Jun 1997 03:16:46 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>


Wen-King Su <wen-king@myri.com> wrote in article
<5n73dt$c2v@neptune.myri.com>...
> In a previous article "Austin Franklin" <darkroo4m@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> 
> ;I just found an interesting PCI bug having to do with the Intel chip
sets. 
> :When a target issues STOP, it is required that the master (Intel chip
set)
> ;release FRAME in the next cycle.  Well, some Intel chip sets don't. 
What
> :this means is a target state machine can spin on it self if it assumes
> ;FRAME will be removed (per spec) deterministically!  In order to avoid
this
> :situation, you need to use the raw FRAME right off the PCI bus, which,
> ;requres you to only go though one FMAP and make sure the logic is placed
> :correctly if you want to make timing.
> 
> Rule 5 on page 42:
> 
>     Whenever STOP# is asserted, the master must deassert FRAME# as soon
>     as IRDY# can be asserted. 
> 
> There is no rule that says IRDY# must be asserted in the next cycle, so
> FRAME# does not have to be deasserted in the next cycle.  So the Intel
> chip set is not technically in error.
> 
> However, I do PCI implementation on FPGA as well, and what I find is that
> due to the constraints of FPGA, we are forced to operate in a region of
> legal PCI behavior space that is rarely visited by the more common ASIC
> PCI implementations.  Thus we keep running into bugs in systems that
> otherwise works well with devices using ASIC PCI implementations. 

In the bug I found, IRDY was already asserted, and therefore,  /FRAME
should have been de-asserted in the next cycle following /STOP.

It is shown in the PCI spec in the diagram on page 45, Disconnect B that
/FRAME must be de-asserted in the next cycle following the assertion of
/STOP.  It shows an edge sampled /STOP, and /FRAME de-asserted off this
edge… Since /IRDY is asserted when /STOP is issued, rule 5 says that too.

Go to p. 335 of Solari, PCI Hardware and Software…  Section DISCONNECT WITH
DATA ACCESSES.  Last paragraph says "The assertion of the TRDY# and STOP#
signal lines indicates that the present access is the last access of data
for this cycle.  The Disconnect with data termination request causes the
PCI bus master to immediately deassert the FRAME# signal line…"

If you go to the next page, it discusses the conditions under which FRAME#
may not be immediately de-asserted, and that is only when IRDY# is not
asserted yet….which is not the case here.  I do not assert TRDY# until
IRDY# is asserted, so I will never have to account for IRDY# not being
asserted, and it cannot be pulled until at least one data phase has
completed (p. 40, #4 states "Once a master has asserted /IRDY, it cannot
change /IRDY or /FRAME until the current data phase completes.".

The bug I found had nothing to do with this being an FPGA implementation,
it had to do with a literal interpretation of the spec, and a bug in the
Intel chip sets.  This bug has not shown up in other designs (that I know
of) because most people just blindly copy the PCI state machines as done in
the PCI spec with out understanding in great detail how they function.

And, this is the only bug I have ever run into in a PCI implementatin that
I have been using for 4 years now.  No, I believe this is a bug in the
Intel chip sets, not a technicality.

Austin Franklin
darkroom@ix.netcom.com


Article: 6620
Subject: Re: FPGA gate counting: No truth in advertising
From: john@customer1st.com (John Sievert)
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 22:34:19 -0500
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Now that you have beat that to death, got anything to say about the
summary judgement?  (My originial topic....)  That might actually be
interesting. ;-)


<Blair@QuickLogic.com> wrote:

> Let me see, you signed your name and your company and your domain and you
> are in the MN phone book and you supplied your email address,  yep you
> are correct you did supply that information.  I just wanted to clarify
> your identity without users having to search for your name, company,
> domain, email or the MN phone book in order to be aware of that
> particular piece of un-obvious information. Now, if that is a personal
> attack then you are a pretty sensitive kind of guy.
> 
> Regards,
> Ben Blair
> Manager Field Applications
> QuickLogic Corporation
> 
> The above comments are my own and in no way express the views of
> QuickLogic Corporation.  (Typical legal disclaimer) :^)
> 
> 
> In article <19970531210528300253@1cust93.max1.minneapolis2.mn.ms.uu.net>,
>   john@customer1st.com (John Sievert) wrote:
> >
> > Nothing hidden here!
> >
> > Let me see, I signed my name, my company name is in my domain name, both
> > my name and my company's name are in the phone book,  and the POP I
> > connected from is listed right in the email.  What's wrong with being
> > the sales engineer here?  Aren't you a QL employee? Aren't we all
> > involved in this industry?
> >
> > The issue isn't who works for who, but what's in the summary judgement -
> > and therefore, who owns what. That isn't mud slinging, its a fact and
> > now a matter of public record.   How is that mud slinging? What's your
> > problem?
> >
> > If you've got something to say on this case, I'd be interested in
> > hearing it.  This court case is complex, but interesting and worthy of
> > discussion.  If you want to make personal attacks, I guess I'd consider
> > that a waste of time.  But, if that's the image you want to project for
> > you and your company, I guess that's your business.
> >
> > Regards
> > John Sievert
> > Customer 1st, Inc.
> >
> > <Blair@QuickLogic.com> wrote:
> >
> > > In article <19970526224329123272@cust4.max1.minneapolis.mn.ms.uu.net>,
> > >   john@customer1st.com (John Sievert) wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Technology, which it appears, probably came from Actel (per summary
> > > > judgement against QuickLogic on patent infringement.).
> > > >
> > > > <kevintsmith@compuserve.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > In this case, it's not marketing hype, just superior
> > > > > technology.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Regards,
> > > > John Sievert
> > >
> > > Aren't you the Actel Manufacturers Rep in the MN area?
> > >
> > > It would behoove you to not sling mud and try to hide your identity.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Ben Blair
> > > Manager Field Applications
> > > QuickLogic Corporation
> > >
> > > -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
> > >       http://www.dejanews.com/     Search, Read, Post to Usenet
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > John Sievert
> 
> -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
>       http://www.dejanews.com/     Search, Read, Post to Usenet


-- 
Regards,
John Sievert
Article: 6621
Subject: Actel Designer Series 3.1 and NT 4.0?
From: ees1ht@ee.surrey.ac.uk (Hans Tiggeler)
Date: 6 Jun 1997 07:49:37 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Does anybody know how to get Designer Series 3.1 working under NT4.0? Perhaps 
too much to ask, what about WorkView Office 7.2 under NT 4.0?

Thanks,
Hans Tiggeler

Article: 6622
Subject: Re: New Reconfigurable Computing newsgroup?
From: adm@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Alan Marshall)
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 13:27:12 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
alexander@eecs.wsu.edu wrote:

: Do people agree that there's a difference between reconfigurable
: computing and FPGAs?  Do these topics warrent separate discussion
: spaces?  (Comments?)

I think that the two topics overlap, but neither is a subset of the other.

The overlap is clear, because much reconfigurable computing work is done
using e.g.  Xilinx 4000 series devices, and so understanding the devices
and the tools needed to program them is part of the reconfigurable
computing toolkit. 

An example of reconfigurable computing not overlapping with FPGAs is
UCB's GARP reconfigurable computing architecture, which could not
really be described as an FPGA because it's optimised for implementing
arithmetic and other multi-bit operations, rather than gates.  

So I support the idea of a separate group for reconfigurable computing
in principle, though I don't think the volume of traffic in comp.arch.fpga
at the moment is high enough to make it urgent to split the group.

The multiple uses of the term "reconfigurable" in the computing world
is a pain in general.  It would be useful if somebody in the FPGA-based
computing community came up with a different term for that approach.

But failing that, comp.arch.reconfig(urable) seems to be a good name 
for the new group.  As to whether the pure FPGA group should then be
pushed out of comp.arch as having nothing to do with computing, I don't
have a strong opinion.


-- Alan Marshall


*--------------------------------*---------------------------------------*
|                                |    Alan Marshall,                     |
|    ########  /   #########     |    Hewlett Packard Laboratories,      |
|   #######   /       #######    |    Filton Road, Stoke Gifford,        |
|   ######   /__   ___ ######    |    Bristol BS12 6QZ    UK             |
|   #####   /  /  /  /  #####    |                                       |
|   #####  /  /  /__/   #####    |    Email:  adm@hplb.hpl.hp.com        |
|   ######      /      ######    |    HPDesk: Alan MARSHALL / HPC600     |
|   #######    /      #######    |    Phone:  +44 (117) 922 8207         |
|    ######## /    #########     |    FAX:    +44 (117) 922 8925         |
|                                |    Telnet: 312-8207                   |
*--------------------------------*---------------------------------------*
Article: 6623
Subject: Re: Actel Designer Series 3.1 and NT 4.0?
From: "Adam J. Elbirt" <aelbirt@viewlogic.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 1997 10:09:12 -0400
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Hans Tiggeler wrote:
> 
> Does anybody know how to get Designer Series 3.1 working under NT4.0? Perhaps
> too much to ask, what about WorkView Office 7.2 under NT 4.0?
> 
> Thanks,
> Hans Tiggeler

Hans,

Actel tech support has a document on how to get Designer 3.1 working under NT 
4.0.  The upshot is:

1.	Set the system variables ALSDIR, OS_ROOTDIR to C:\ACTEL
2.	Set the system variable ODI_SERVER_DIR to C:\TEMP
3.	Set the system variable to OS_LOCAL_HOST=LOCAL_HOST
4.	Include C:\ACTEL\BIN in your path.
5.	If you NT machine does not have a network installed, set OS_AUTH=12
6.	From a DOS shell run:
	start osserver -con -i
	and answer yes to initializing the transaction log file.
7.	Create an icon in your startup menu that runs:
	c:\actel\bin\osserver.exe -con

This should solve the Actel problem.  Workview Office 7.2 runs on NT 4.0 out 
of the box.  If you have any troubles, see our web site for known NT 4.0 
interaction issues since the OS wasn't released when WVO 7.2 was released.

Regards,

Adam J. Elbirt
Senior Programmable Solutions Engineer
Viewlogic Systems, Inc.
Article: 6624
Subject: flex10k100
From: dmulvang@idt.ntnu.no (Dag Magne Ulvang)
Date: 6 Jun 1997 14:42:48 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
I have been studing the datasheet og the Altera flex10k and have some questions regarding global nets / clocknets.

The chip have 6 dedicated input pins connected to fast I/O-blocks that can be connected to 4 global nets.

The I/O-blocks are connected through a peripherial net with 12 lines the can be used as clock, clear or output enable. There are also 2 clock nets thar connect the I/O-blocks.

Are the 2 clock nets in the I/O-blocs 2 of the 4 global nets?

If I want to connect a internally generated clock-signal to one of the global nets, do I have to go through a I/O-block?

I have also not been able to find information regarding konfiguration through JTAG pins.

I hope someone have got a clearer understanding of the global nets and the pheripheral net (with the 2 clocknets) of the I/O-blocks in the flex10k.

Dag Magne


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