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FPGA arithmetic can be specified to the exact number of bits, not multiples of two bits. The difference with FPGAs is you don't need to carry around extra bits to make the accumulator a multiple of some word size. Still, that does not practically affect the IIR filter design appreciably. You have the same quantization effects to worry about whether you use a microprocessor with fixed point or an FPGA with fixed point. > -- --Ray Andraka, P.E. President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc. 401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950 email ray@andraka.com http://www.andraka.com "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin, 1759Article: 68001
I would recommend starting with Verilog...Verilog code is simpler, more concise... Once you are fluent with Verilog, learning VHDL becomes easy...Google with "Verilog tutorial" and you will see a big list of interesting websites... Kelvin "Jack" <dreamguy007@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:b7c82826.0403232250.4e3fbf5e@posting.google.com... > hi. i'm just starting out with fpga. maybe this question has popped up > many times. which one is more useful in the industry: verilog or vhdl? > which one do you recommend for starter? > > i'm also learning with a goal to implement dsp in hardware.Article: 68002
On 23 Mar 2004 22:50:34 -0800, dreamguy007@hotmail.com (Jack) wrote: >hi. i'm just starting out with fpga. maybe this question has popped up >many times. which one is more useful in the industry: verilog or vhdl? >which one do you recommend for starter? > >i'm also learning with a goal to implement dsp in hardware. VHDL is more useful. Verilog is somewhat easier to start to learn than VHDL, and is somewhat harder to master than is VHDL. Some geographic areas use more of one than the other. Some types of business use more of one or the other. Finding out what is used where you want to work might be the best idea. -- Phil Hays Phil_hays at posting domain should work for emailArticle: 68003
"Nial Stewart" <nial@nialstewartdevelopments.co.uk> wrote in message news:40615177$0$31711$fa0fcedb@lovejoy.zen.co.uk... > > Hi Nial, > > > > Quartus II 4.1 will be qualified to work on Opteron processors with > > Red Hat Enterprise and Red Hat 8.0. In the meantime there are two > > scripts that can be easily modified to avoid the problem. Here are the > > details on the changes to make it work on an Opteron. > > Subroto, > > I'll be installing Win2K, has everything always worked under > Windows? (From what Paul says above I think the answer's yes). > > > Nial. > > Yes, our products are tested to the best of our ability on the OS platforms we claim are supported. We fully support support WinNT 4 SP6, Win2K (Professional) and Windows XP. - Subroto Datta Altera Corp.Article: 68004
"Petter Gustad" <newsmailcomp5@gustad.com> wrote in message news:m3fzbyiph9.fsf@scimul.dolphinics.no... > "David Brown" <david@no.westcontrol.spam.com> writes: > > > Why are you so specific about the Linux distribution? I can fully > > understand that you only test and support Quartus under specific > > distributions, but having your scripts specifically check for pre-defined > > versions seems like you are going out of your way to make life hard for > > users. If you need specific features (say, a particular version of tcl), > > then make a single "check installation" script that checks the features > > required - and lets the user continue anyway, since maybe some parts work > > even if there are problems. > > I agree!!! (see http://tinyurl.com/22c86). I think it makes perfect > sense that a company only *qualify* a specific distribution, but I > hate to see that it checks for a specific string to match > /etc/redhat-release and quits with a message saying «unsupported > system» when it would most likely run on lets say a SuSE distribution. > > I've seen scripts checking dozens of permutations of > /etc/redhat-relese, various uname outputs etc. to figure out if they > are running on an X86 or IA64 based Linux. One could have included two > small hello world style precompiled binaries (compiled with the same > options, libraries, and features as the target application). One would > give the expected output, the other would crash (with cannot execute > binary or similar). > > > Petter > > -- > A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text. > Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? > A: Top-posting. > Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail? Hi Petter, I have given pointers in an an earlier post in this thread to what needs to be modified if anyone would like to try Quartus on a non-supported Linux platform. The changes are very minor, you can do them yourself and try them. - Subroto Datta Altera Corp.Article: 68005
"Subroto Datta" <sdatta@altera.com> wrote in message news:j8h8c.39754$Q31.12668@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com... > > "Nial Stewart" <nial@nialstewartdevelopments.co.uk> wrote in message > news:40615177$0$31711$fa0fcedb@lovejoy.zen.co.uk... > > > Hi Nial, > > > > > > Quartus II 4.1 will be qualified to work on Opteron processors with > > > Red Hat Enterprise and Red Hat 8.0. In the meantime there are two > > > scripts that can be easily modified to avoid the problem. Here are the > > > details on the changes to make it work on an Opteron. > > > > Subroto, > > > > I'll be installing Win2K, has everything always worked under > > Windows? (From what Paul says above I think the answer's yes). > > > > > > Nial. > > > > > > Yes, our products are tested to the best of our ability on the OS platforms > we claim are supported. We fully support support WinNT 4 SP6, Win2K > (Professional) and Windows XP. > > - Subroto Datta > Altera Corp. > > Nial, I missed an important point. Quartus has been tested on all the above Windows OS's have been tested on 32 bit Intel processors. We have customers who use it with 32 bit Athlon boxes running the same Windows systems, and to date we have not heard of any incompatibility. - Subroto Datta Altera Corp.Article: 68006
"Andy Peters" <Bassman59a@yahoo.com> skrev i meddelandet news:9a2c3a75.0403231442.1c57e5ee@posting.google.com... > "Spike" <me.hates:spam@me.net> wrote in message news:<YgD7c.53175$mU6.222519@newsb.telia.net>... > > Thanks for you tip, I'll take it under consideration. > > > > Has anyone tried this one: http://www.plxtech.com/tools/rdk/9030rdk-lite.htm > > I didn't use the RDK, but I did do a board based on the 9030. I wrote > a pretty damn complete bus-functional model of the 9030's local bus > (PLX wanted it but we wouldn't give it to 'em). It all came together > quite easily. > > > Does PLX PCI chips require some sort of EEPROM to store PCI configuration > > space or any other information, if so what kind of ROM is needed? > > Yes, you'll need a serial EEPROM. It holds not only the PCI > configuration info, but some other configuration info used by the chip > (things like local-bus sizes, wait state info, chip-select info, etc.) > Download the data sheets from PLX and everything will be revealed. > > -a A real newbie question: What is the difference between PCI Master/Slave device? Thanks alot! //SPikeArticle: 68007
Also, what does "SMARTarget I/O Accelerator" mean or is it just what PLX calls the 9030? //SPikeArticle: 68008
"Subroto Datta" <sdatta@altera.com> writes: > I have given pointers in an an earlier post in this thread to what needs > to be modified if anyone would like to try Quartus on a non-supported Linux > platform. The changes are very minor, you can do them yourself and try > them. Thank you for sharing the script fix I will try make the patch when I get my timeslice on the Opterons again. Petter -- A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?Article: 68009
Hi, how can I drive pull-up on external inout port (using VHDL) Thanks Regards, MatijaArticle: 68010
Antti, There is the possibility of "infant mortality" which is where an oxide or junction defect is just not bad enough to cause a failure until some short time (but much longer than any time spent here at Xilinx) after the part has been turned on and is in use. The process qualification certifies that these defects are to be below a certain point, and the testing that is done assures some acceptable quality level, but there is nothing to prevent one from getting an occasional out-lier that becomes toast. If you burn in a part for too long, you are actually shortening the life by any early stresses. If you burn in for too short a period, you have done nothing but wasted the electricity to power them (no customer benefit, and made costs go up!). So, the quality is more related to the process (which we monitor closely). I would call in to the hotline, and get an RMA, and the instructions for proper removal of the device. Once the part is properly removed, it can be sent back for failure analysis. You may also have some warranty if this is a new part, and a replacement may be issued thru your disti (depends on many factors, but if new, then this should be the deal). We can not prevent an occasional defect from destroying the occasional part, but we can respond, and get you running again. As for the IO diodes, they can handle close to 200 mA for short durations and not even feel any pain. Just look at the IBIS files for the diode curves. The 10 mA is for recommended operating conditions. Any more than that, and you have failed to design your signal integrity properly (unless it is the massive thump allowed by the PCI bus - which is a SI "compromise" and guaranteed by the PCI specs that we also adhere to meeting). And with 1000 IOs, at 10 mA each, that would be 10 amperes of current, so no, you can not do that. And the IO clamp is only enabled for certain IO standards, so without the clamp to Vcco, remember Vpin cannot be allowed to go beyond the data sheet absolute maximum voltage limits! This sounds like a complete crowbar caused by a defect, not something that was done to the chip, as it would have had to be something pretty ugly to cause this problem. On the other hand, a Failure Analysis may tell you something that you did not know (something is lurking in your board that kills FPGAs). Austin Antti Lukats wrote: >>: Usually a good data sheet will have a spec for how much current you >>: can safely dump into the clamp diodes. The footnote below the >>: Absolute Max Ratings table says 10 mA. >> >>: 2K7 on (5-3) V is under 1 mA. I'd be surprised if that damaged the > > chip. > >>: One way to kill chips is to do something that triggers latchup. >>: Have you put a scope on all the IO signals? Could a wire have slipped >>: while you weren't watching and dumped a lot of current into an IO pin? >> >>As these chips were used chips, unsoldered, then sold and reused by Anti, >>they have quite a long history of possible (miss-)treatment... >> >>Bye > > > there are no clamp diodes in XC2S200E !!! > the 2k7 resistors pulls the FPGA pin to 5V, but I assume there is almost no > current. that is surprising! > > The FPGA in question is brand new soldered to 6 layer PCB it was running a > Microblaze program when during that it started to heat! > there was no one around to drop any wires onto it > > I am still wondering why I have this dead FPGA > > antti > >Article: 68011
network lines wrote: > who has the lowest price > FPGA development kit with hardware and software included? > Most affordable? > Best Bang for the buck? > So, I can learn how to program FPGAs.. > please post here.. This is the wrong question. There is design software. Some of it, perhaps with reduced functionality, is freely down loadable. Then you need some time to become familiar with the software, not to be underestimated. As to the actual FPGA chips, there are different approaches, depending on the number of gates/Flipflop and the speed you require. Unless you design for greater series, the cost of the actual FPGA is negligible compared to the cost involved from the design of the hardware around the FPGA and the software inside the FPGA. What size and speed did you have in mind ? Rene -- Ing.Buero R.Tschaggelar - http://www.ibrtses.com & commercial newsgroups - http://www.talkto.netArticle: 68012
Martin, How many times have you been burned by a download? On the brighter side, if the first download doesn't succeed, download something different and try again! Someone I know well once said to me that the main advantage of an FPGA is that it enables the engineer to make mistakes faster. The faster they can make mistakes, the faster they can fix them, and the sooner the product makes it to market at any given quality level. Lot of truth in that. After you have done the best job you can, simulated, made test benches, emulated, etc. there is still the "unk unk" factor (unknown unknowns) and the faster they are resolved, the better. Up, down, of course it is all relative. It is related to the royal "we" in that the FPGA is obviously the center of the universe, and the but stream is sent to it in a third person formal sort of way. We need a break.... Austin Martin Euredjian wrote: > "Hendra Gunawan" wrote: > > >>typically how many times can I burn/download an FPGA before it becomes >>unreliable. > > > Burn. Only once. After the smoke is removed they are no longer usable. > > Download. As in bit-pattern loading on power-up, no limit. > > > Sometimes I wonder about this terminology. When was the last time someone > "burned" a bit pattern into a chip, really? A couple of decades ago? Also, > shouldn't "download" really be "upload"? :-) > > >Article: 68013
Hello, Has anybody had any success with Mandrake 10 Linux and installing the latest Xilinx ISE 6.2 tools on such an OS. I keep getting errors related to GLIBC_2.0 and libraries called commdlg44.so, whose origin lbrary package I am not too sure on... Any help would be immensely appreciated. SalmanArticle: 68014
Ok, I still get the same errors, even using the correct MGT quadrant this time. What could cause the nets to be driven by multiple signals? Thanks, Tony ********VHDL********: (same error with/without using the BUFG, USER_CLK_i correctly dissapears from the netlist if not driven by a BUFG) diff_clk_buff_i : IBUFGDS_LVDS_25 port map ( I => TOP_BREF_CLK_P, IB => TOP_BREF_CLK_N, O => TOP_BREF_CLK_i ); -- Bufg used to drive user clk on global clock net --user_clock_bufg_i : BUFG --port map ( -- I => TOP_BREF_CLK_i, -- O => USER_CLK_i --); USER_CLK_i <= TOP_BREF_CLK_i; ... refclksel_lane_0_i <= '0'; lane_0_mgt_i : GT_CUSTOM ... RXUSRCLK => USER_CLK, RXUSRCLK2 => USER_CLK, TXUSRCLK => USER_CLK, TXUSRCLK2 => USER_CLK, BREFCLK => TOP_BREF_CLK, BREFCLK2 => tied_to_ground_i, REFCLK => tied_to_ground_i, REFCLK2 => tied_to_ground_i, REFCLKSEL => refclksel_lane_0_i, ... ********system.ucf******** (same error setting the BREF_CLK_P/N net locations or not) # Timing Contraints for the MGT Recovered clock. These period constraints should match the # period used for your MGT reference clock (REFCLK, REFCLK2, BREFCLK or BREFCLK2). This # constraint controls the routing between each MGT's REC_CLK port and the phase align # module for that lane NET plb_gigacore_1/plb_gigacore_1/USER_LOGIC_I/auroracore_i/lane_0_mgt_i/RXRECCLK PERIOD=6.4 ns; ... # Sample user clock constraint # NET plb_gigacore_1/plb_gigacore_1/USER_LOGIC_I/USER_CLK_i PERIOD = 6.4 ns; NET plb_gigacore_1/plb_gigacore_1/USER_LOGIC_I/TOP_BREF_CLK_i PERIOD = 6.4 ns; ... # 156.25 MHz Diff Crystal Connection # NET BREF_CLK_P IOSTANDARD = LVDS_25; # NET BREF_CLK_N IOSTANDARD = LVDS_25; NET BREF_CLK_P LOC=B14; NET BREF_CLK_N LOC=C14; NET RXN LOC=A4; NET RXP LOC=A5; NET TXN LOC=A7; NET TXP LOC=A6; # Place lane_0_mgt_i at location X3Y1 INST plb_gigacore_1/plb_gigacore_1/USER_LOGIC_I/auroracore_i/lane_0_mgt_i LOC=GT_X3Y1; INST plb_gigacore_1/plb_gigacore_1/USER_LOGIC_I/auroracore_i/lane_0_mgt_i REF_CLK_V_SEL = 1; *******system.mhs******** ... PORT BREF_CLK_P = BREF_CLK_P, DIR = IN PORT BREF_CLK_N = BREF_CLK_N, DIR = IN PORT RXP = RXP, DIR = IN PORT RXN = RXN, DIR = IN PORT TXP = TXP, DIR = OUT PORT TXN = TXN, DIR = OUT ... BEGIN plb_gigacore ... PORT RXP = RXP PORT RXN = RXN PORT TXP = TXP PORT TXN = TXN PORT TOP_BREF_CLK_P = BREF_CLK_P PORT TOP_BREF_CLK_N = BREF_CLK_N END *******ERRORSs******** ERROR:NgdBuild:455 - logical net 'BREF_CLK_N_IBUF' has multiple drivers. The possible drivers causing this are: pin O on block ibuf_245 with type IBUF, pin PAD on block BREF_CLK_N_IBUF with type PAD WARNING:NgdBuild:463 - input pad net 'BREF_CLK_N_IBUF' has an illegal input buffer ERROR:NgdBuild:466 - input pad net 'BREF_CLK_N_IBUF' has illegal connection. Possible pins causing this are: pin O on block ibuf_245 with type IBUF ERROR:NgdBuild:455 - logical net 'BREF_CLK_P_IBUF' has multiple drivers. The possible drivers causing this are: pin O on block ibuf_244 with type IBUF, pin PAD on block BREF_CLK_P_IBUF with type PAD WARNING:NgdBuild:463 - input pad net 'BREF_CLK_P_IBUF' has an illegal input buffer ERROR:NgdBuild:466 - input pad net 'BREF_CLK_P_IBUF' has illegal connection. Possible pins causing this are: pin O on block ibuf_244 with type IBUFArticle: 68015
"Matija" <matija.habek@fer.hr> wrote in news:c3s994$p5$1@bagan.srce.hr: > Hi, > > how can I drive pull-up on external inout port (using VHDL) > Thanks > Regards, Matija > > > Here's a simple snippet that uses a pullup to implement an open-collector bidirectional I/O. entity foo is port( foo_pin: inout std_logic; foo_cntrl: in std_logic ); end entity foo; architecture arch of foo is component pullup port(O: out std_logic); end component; signal foo_pin_in: std_logic; begin u0: pullup port map(O=>foo_pin); -- place pullup on foo_pin foo_pin <= LO when foo_cntrl='0' else 'Z'; -- open-collector output foo_pin_in <= foo_pin; -- read the value on foo_pin input end architecture arch; -- || Dr. Dave Van den Bout XESS Corp. (919) 363-4695 || || devb@xess.com PO Box 33091 || || http://www.xess.com Raleigh NC 27636 USA FAX:(919) 367-2946 ||Article: 68016
Cheapest FPGA board seems to be http://www.fpga4fun.com/board_pluto.html but look here for more choices http://www.fpga-faq.com/FPGA_Boards.shtml JeanArticle: 68017
Hi, everybody. I am using Memec Spartan-3 3s400pq208-4 device. Now I want to route own system reset signal to Pin 207 which is available on board. But the ISE 6.1i mapping process failed and gave me this message: "ERROR:MapLib:681 - LOC constraint P207 on PROGRAMn_IP is invalid: No such site on the device. To bypass this error set the environment variable 'XIL_MAP_LOCWARN'." I do not know whether someone has idea how to solve it. Thanks in advance. yours: CCArticle: 68018
> : Usually a good data sheet will have a spec for how much current you > : can safely dump into the clamp diodes. The footnote below the > : Absolute Max Ratings table says 10 mA. > > : 2K7 on (5-3) V is under 1 mA. I'd be surprised if that damaged the chip. > > : One way to kill chips is to do something that triggers latchup. > : Have you put a scope on all the IO signals? Could a wire have slipped > : while you weren't watching and dumped a lot of current into an IO pin? > > As these chips were used chips, unsoldered, then sold and reused by Anti, > they have quite a long history of possible (miss-)treatment... > > Bye there are no clamp diodes in XC2S200E !!! the 2k7 resistors pulls the FPGA pin to 5V, but I assume there is almost no current. that is surprising! The FPGA in question is brand new soldered to 6 layer PCB it was running a Microblaze program when during that it started to heat! there was no one around to drop any wires onto it I am still wondering why I have this dead FPGA anttiArticle: 68019
Thank you for all these answers ! The only thing I would know is how many bits wide should I take for the intermediate results when I use an IIR filter. The input data is 24 bit. Should I use more than 24 bits to calculate the partial products, or not ? Thank you ! SamArticle: 68020
Ray Andraka wrote: > FPGA arithmetic can be specified to the exact number of bits, > not multiples of two bits. The difference with FPGAs is you > don't need to carry around extra bits to make the accumulator > a multiple of some word size. Still, that does not > practically affect the IIR filter design appreciably. > You have the same quantization effects to worry about > whether you use a microprocessor with fixed > point or an FPGA with fixed point. Well, on a 16 bit processor the discussion goes something like: "Is 16 bits enough, no, is 32 bits enough, yes." In the FPGA case you have to ask about the cost and benefit of each extra bit. (I was considering 2 bit/CLB architectures, but even there you don't need to use both.) One possibility is to choose an FPGA and then increase the bit width of intermediate values until it doesn't fit. -- glenArticle: 68021
ADVERTISEMENT Hi All I need some help from someone that has worked with the Xilinx Spartan-3 products. I need to measure a "Time Of Flight" (TOF) of a laser pulse. The measurement time will be between 6ns and 250ns. ( Ranges from 3-125 feet) The system has two PIN sensors - One indicates the start of pulse leaving the laser and the second receives the return pulse from the reflection of the laser off the target. I'm trying to avoid using ECL and TAC analog systems for this. I only need 1ns resolution. I have two ideas how to do this but don't know enough about the Spartan-3 products to know if it will work. 1) Create Four 8-bit shift registers each running off a different phase clock source (IE: 0-90-180-270) and run them at 250mhz. All four would be feed by the same input signal. Then store the data from the registers in the ram. I will need to de-interlace the data. Once the samples have been taken, go back any search the ram for the edge of the return pulse. This should give me a 1ns resolution in time for the samples. How fast can a Spartan-3 shift data ? Will this basic concept work ? Is the clock/sampling jitter to large to expect separate input to sample at this rate ? etc ? What is the Max shift rate of the Spartan-3 FPGA's ? 2) Create Four counters with each one running off a different phase clock source (IE: 0-90-180-270) and run them at 250mhz. Start the counter at the same time and stop them using the input signal from the laser receiver signal. Once they stop I will evaluate the 4 counter for the one with the lowest value and determine the actual TOF from it. Same basic question from above ? Any other suggestions for making these type of measurements ? Thanks MarkArticle: 68022
mindy <mindy@hotmail.com> wrote: : : ADVERTISEMENT : : : Hi All : I need some help from someone that has worked with the Xilinx : Spartan-3 products. : I need to measure a "Time Of Flight" (TOF) of a laser pulse. The : measurement time will be between 6ns and 250ns. ( Ranges from 3-125 : feet) ... : Any other suggestions for making these type of measurements ? Look for a TDC, e.g. www.acam.de -- Uwe Bonnes bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de Institut fuer Kernphysik Schlossgartenstrasse 9 64289 Darmstadt --------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------Article: 68023
dreamguy007@hotmail.com (Jack) wrote in message news:<b7c82826.0403232250.4e3fbf5e@posting.google.com>... > hi. i'm just starting out with fpga. maybe this question has popped up > many times. which one is more useful in the industry: verilog or vhdl? > which one do you recommend for starter? > > i'm also learning with a goal to implement dsp in hardware. Take a look at the Douglas Smith book on HDL design for synthesis, the big blue hardcover, it used to be $100 IIRC, probably one of the best books around but not a lang ref manual for either. It gives examples of 100s of small projects in schematic, state diagram, explanation, Verilog & VHDL side by side. From that you can figure which one is more natural and which fits your style. FWITW I'd choose Verilog as its more C syntax but thats overstated too often. The ASIC world has been mostly Verilog if thats where you are headed. The FPGA world and .edu, dod, and EEC has been more VHDL if thats where you are from. One of the things I do all the time is to code RTL style in Verilog but with care so that the same code can be cut n pasted into C for cycle simulation. Its not as trivial as that sounds since Verilog syntax is far more wire/logic capable, where C uses lots of shifts & masks. Why do I do this, so I can run cycle simulations 100...x faster than most simulators. VHDL would be a more onerous translation I am sure. VHDL is a far bigger language and the war may be moot, long term Verilog or SystemVerilog is stealing most of the remaining features it never had from VHDL & C. For entry level work in FPGAs the free SW from X & A seems to support both about evenly. regards johnjakson_usa_comArticle: 68024
Sam (rép. sans -no-sp-am) wrote: > Thank you for all these answers ! > > The only thing I would know is how many bits wide should I take for the > intermediate results when I use an IIR filter. The input data is 24 bit. > Should I use more than 24 bits to calculate the partial products, or not ? > > Thank you ! > > Sam Yes -- Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get. ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
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