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Messages from 91275

Article: 91275
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 14:03:54 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Jan Panteltje wrote:
> Interesting.
> here is something to think about from the libc.info from gcc C.
> maybe you already support these?
> I recently found out it is better to use these in C then 'int' and 'short',
> as some programs I wrote stopped working when compiled on AMD 64....
> (header file structures with 'int' and 'short' and 'BYTE' ).

The native types, including long long as 64 bit, are in the parser and
emit the expected word length. The current net list generator only
builds signed values which are width+1 in size. Properly implementing
unsigned is part of the next pass work at bring FpgaC inline with
expected normal C implementations.

One of the interesting parts of FpgaC is that

     int VeryWideInt:512;

will build a 512 bit plus sign integer ... which doesn't make a very
fast counter, as the carry tree is pretty slow, but you get the
precision asked for.

typedef is also currently missing from FpgaC's parser, and will be
added soon so that standard header files can also be imported into an
FpgaC project.


Article: 91276
Subject: crc code using vhdl found , few questions on it!!!
From: "ashwin" <achiluka@gmail.com>
Date: 2 Nov 2005 14:15:16 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Hello everyone,
 This link
 http://www.easics.be/webtools/crctool
 has the software to generate the vhdl code for the crc 32 polynomial.
But the data bus width is only upto 256 bits.

In the below code, crc is computed on only 4 bits of data.
  But i need to compute the crc on destination address, source address,
length, data. which could be 72 nibbles or more.
  My assumption, is that in each clock cycle i send 4 bits to this
combinational logic(logic in the attachment) and the previous new crc
becomes C in every  clock cycle.So after i am done sending all the
data, the final new crc will be the actual crc [32 bits] which is being
appended to the end of the frame.
Is this assumption right? I will change the variable assignment to the
signal assignment though.


NewCRC(0) := D(6) xor D(0) xor C(24) xor C(30);

NewCRC(1) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor C(24) xor C(25) xor
C(30) xor C(31);

NewCRC(2) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor C(24) xor
C(25) xor C(26) xor C(30) xor C(31);

NewCRC(3) := D(7) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor C(25) xor C(26) xor
C(27) xor C(31);

NewCRC(4) := D(6) xor D(4) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor D(0) xor C(24) xor
C(26) xor C(27) xor C(28) xor C(30);

NewCRC(5) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(5) xor D(4) xor D(3) xor D(1) xor
D(0) xor C(24) xor C(25) xor C(27) xor C(28) xor C(29) xor C(30) xor
C(31);

NewCRC(6) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(5) xor D(4) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor
C(25) xor C(26) xor C(28) xor C(29) xor C(30) xor C(31);

NewCRC(7) := D(7) xor D(5) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor D(0) xor C(24) xor
C(26) xor C(27) xor C(29) xor C(31);

NewCRC(8) := D(4) xor D(3) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor C(0) xor C(24) xor
C(25) xor C(27) xor C(28);

NewCRC(9) := D(5) xor D(4) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor C(1) xor C(25) xor
C(26) xor C(28) xor C(29);

NewCRC(10) := D(5) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor D(0) xor C(2) xor C(24) xor
C(26) xor C(27) xor C(29);

NewCRC(11) := D(4) xor D(3) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor C(3) xor C(4) xor
C(25) xor C(27) xor C(28);

NewCRC(12) := D(6) xor D(5) xor D(4) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor
C(4) xor C(24) xor C(25) xor C(26) xor C(28) xor C(29) xor
C(30);

NewCRC(13) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(5) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor
C(5) xor C(25) xor C(26) xor C(27) xor C(29) xor C(30) xor
 C(31);

NewCRC(14) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(4) xor D(3) xor D(2) xor C(6) xor
C(26) xor C(27) xor C(28) xor C(30) xor C(31);

NewCRC(15) := D(7) xor D(5) xor D(4) xor D(3) xor C(7) xor C(27) xor
C(28) xor C(29) xor C(31);

NewCRC(16) := D(5) xor D(4) xor D(0) xor C(8) xor C(24) xor C(28) xor
C(29);

NewCRC(17) := D(6) xor D(5) xor D(1) xor C(9) xor C(25) xor C(29) xor
C(30);

NewCRC(18) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(2) xor C(10) xor C(26) xor C(30) xor
C(31);

NewCRC(19) := D(7) xor D(3) xor C(11) xor C(27) xor C(31);

NewCRC(20) := D(4) xor C(12) xor C(28);

NewCRC(21) := D(5) xor C(13) xor C(29);

NewCRC(22) := D(0) xor C(14) xor C(24);

NewCRC(23) := D(6) xor D(1) xor D(0) xor C(15) xor C(24) xor C(25)
xor  C(30);

NewCRC(24) := D(7) xor D(2) xor D(1) xor C(16) xor C(25) xor C(26) xor
C(31);

NewCRC(25) := D(3) xor D(2) xor C(17) xor C(26) xor C(27);

NewCRC(26) := D(6) xor D(4) xor D(3) xor D(0) xor C(18) xor C(24)
xor C(27) xor C(28) xor C(30);

NewCRC(27) := D(7) xor D(5) xor D(4) xor D(1) xor C(19) xor C(25)
xor  C(28) xor C(29) xor C(31);

NewCRC(28) := D(6) xor D(5) xor D(2) xor C(20) xor C(26) xor C(29) xor
C(30);

NewCRC(29) := D(7) xor D(6) xor D(3) xor C(21) xor C(27) xor C(30) xor
C(31);

NewCRC(30) := D(7) xor D(4) xor C(22) xor C(28) xor C(31);

NewCRC(31) := D(5) xor C(23) xor C(29);


Article: 91277
Subject: Re: FPGA : PCI core needed
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 14:19:02 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Kevin Brace <sa0les1@brac2ed3esi4gns5olut6ions.com> writes:
>          If the number we presented is not satisfactory, we have several
> ideas to reducing the LUT count such as:
> 
> * Using multiplexer instead of internal tri-state buffers for
> configuration register part of the PCI IP core

Will that help?  Don't the synthesis tools translate use of tri-state
buffers into multiplexers on most of the newer Xilinx FPGAs anyhow,
since the parts don't have actual tri-state buffers?

Article: 91278
Subject: Re: Spartan-3E starter kit
From: "Peter Alfke" <peter@xilinx.com>
Date: 2 Nov 2005 14:20:17 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
I promised an answer. The digging took a bit longer...

The good news is that Xilinx has many thousands of S3e100 in TQ144, and
hundreds in vq100 packages, as well as many S3500 in several packages.
The bad new is that -today- these parts are still ES ("early silicon")
which distribution hates to touch, because  the parts will become
obsolete very soon, once the production version becomes available.

If you need them immediately, order them through your distributor or
your Xilinx sales folks. And realize that "6 to 8 weeks" is often
exaggerated.

Production S3e100 and 500s are expected this month, and 1600 soon
after. And the distis will love to sell them (which they consider their
job, even in Europe !).

I have held the almost final version of the S3e500-based evaluation
board in my hand. It is dynamite, loaded with features and peripherl
circuits, compatible with a slew of inexpensive Digilent add-on boards.
Availability starts in December. Well before that, there will be a
business-card-size eval board, packaged in a DVD-case, meant as a
super-low-cost S3e100 demonstrator.

Spartan3e is really rolling, and will soon be a big success. Too bad
that Marketing created expectations that were impossible to meet.
Keep the faith, Spartan3e is real, and it is coming!
Peter Alfke, Xilinx


Article: 91279
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 14:21:12 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Rene Tschaggelar wrote:
> Why are those guys so keen on C ? Suggesting compatibility with
> something while having least readability ?

air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> The description at the project page pretty much says it all:
> 
> "C provides an excellent alternative to VHDL/Verilog for algorithmic
> expression of tasks targeting FPGAs for reconfigurable computing."

That doesn't explain *why* it's an excellent alternative.  I can just
as easily state that "C provides a terrible alternative to VHDL/Verilog
for algorithmic expression of tasks targetting FPGAs for reconfigurable
computing".  So why is their statement any more accurate than mine?

Article: 91280
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 14:22:41 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> One of the interesting parts of FpgaC is that
> 
>      int VeryWideInt:512;
> 
> will build a 512 bit plus sign integer ... which doesn't make a very
> fast counter, as the carry tree is pretty slow, but you get the
> precision asked for.

Why is that any better than

	VeryWideInt: unsigned (511 downto 0);

in VHDL?  I expect that this can just as easily be expressed in Verilog,
too.


Article: 91281
Subject: Re: crc code using vhdl found , few questions on it!!!
From: Philip Freidin <philip@fliptronics.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 22:38:08 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
On 2 Nov 2005 14:15:16 -0800, "ashwin" <achiluka@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hello everyone,
> This link     http://www.easics.be/webtools/crctool
> has the software to generate the vhdl code for the crc 32 polynomial.
>But the data bus width is only upto 256 bits.

You have found the page that many of us have found useful as a starting
point. Typically for regression tests, you may want to set the width to
1 bit, and supply your data to the routine 1 bit at a time. This is the
simplest form of CRC hardware, and it is fairly easy to see how it maps
to the CRC polynomial. The downside is it computes CRC at only 1 bit
per clock cycle. At 10 MBits per second (10BaseT ethernet) this is no
big problem, but at 1000 Mbits per second (Gigabit ethernet) this would
be pretty much impossible to achieve (only 1 ns per cycle).

The solution is to calculate CRC in parallel. The easics crctool lets
you choose any width you like from 1 bit to 256 bits. You trade off
complexity for speed, with the complexity growing aproximately linearly
from 1 bit to 32 bits, then pretty much leveling off from 33 bits to
256 bits.

To use the widths other than 1 bit, you need to look at the bit serial
form of your data, and take it N bits at a time and feed it to the
parallel CRC circuit you have chosen. Due to the byte nature of the
data, using an "8 bit at a time" CRC circuit is a fairly natural choice.

>In the below code, crc is computed on only 4 bits of data.

OK, 4 bits at a time is good too. Has to run at 1/4 of the bit rate
or 2 times the byte rate.

>  But i need to compute the crc on destination address, source address,
>length, data. which could be 72 nibbles or more.

This works regardless of the packet length. You just take the data and
stream it into the CRC circuit at the appropriate rate and width.

>  My assumption, is that in each clock cycle I send 4 bits to this
>combinational logic(logic in the attachment) and the previous new crc
>becomes C in every  clock cycle.

Exactly right.

>So after i am done sending all the
>data, the final new crc will be the actual crc [32 bits] which is being
>appended to the end of the frame.

Go back and re-read my previous answer to you. The CRC is complemented
then bit reversed to become the FCS that is appended to the end of the
frame.

>Is this assumption right? I will change the variable assignment to the
>signal assignment though.

Pretty much.


Philip





Article: 91282
Subject: Re: FPGA : PCI core needed
From: "John_H" <johnhandwork@mail.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 22:49:00 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
I'm interested on this point, too.  If the core is provided as source, the 
synthesis will probably handle the conversion well.  If the core is an .ngo 
file like the Xilinx alternative, the Xilinx mapper ends up making the 
supstitution and the synthesis tool (SynplifyPro in my case) is stymied 
because the black box for the core doesn't have the information to allow the 
tristates in the core to be converted so the total conversion falls apart.


"Eric Smith" <eric@brouhaha.com> wrote in message 
news:qhsluelmll.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com...
> Kevin Brace <sa0les1@brac2ed3esi4gns5olut6ions.com> writes:
>>          If the number we presented is not satisfactory, we have several
>> ideas to reducing the LUT count such as:
>>
>> * Using multiplexer instead of internal tri-state buffers for
>> configuration register part of the PCI IP core
>
> Will that help?  Don't the synthesis tools translate use of tri-state
> buffers into multiplexers on most of the newer Xilinx FPGAs anyhow,
> since the parts don't have actual tri-state buffers? 



Article: 91283
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 14:49:19 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Eric Smith wrote:
> air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> > One of the interesting parts of FpgaC is that
> >
> >      int VeryWideInt:512;
> >
> > will build a 512 bit plus sign integer ... which doesn't make a very
> > fast counter, as the carry tree is pretty slow, but you get the
> > precision asked for.
>
> Why is that any better than
>
> 	VeryWideInt: unsigned (511 downto 0);
>
> in VHDL?  I expect that this can just as easily be expressed in Verilog,
> too.

I can build them at a schematic level too, so why is any HDL better?

I can even wire them out of TTL so why is using an FPGA better?

Heck, I can even wire them out of diodes or vacumn tubes, ....

So why waste people time bitching about others preferences, and the
tools
they use to implement them. If you like VHDL, certainly use it.

have a nice day ;)


Article: 91284
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 14:56:20 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> I can build them at a schematic level too, so why is any HDL better?
> I can even wire them out of TTL so why is using an FPGA better?
> Heck, I can even wire them out of diodes or vacumn tubes, ....
> 
> So why waste people time bitching about others preferences, and the
> tools
> they use to implement them. If you like VHDL, certainly use it.

I'm not the one claiming that any particular HDL is better than
another.  But I'm trying to understand the hype about using C as
an HDL.  Where is the actual benefit?


Article: 91285
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 15:08:33 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Eric Smith wrote:
> Rene Tschaggelar wrote:
> > Why are those guys so keen on C ? Suggesting compatibility with
> > something while having least readability ?
>
> air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> > The description at the project page pretty much says it all:
> >
> > "C provides an excellent alternative to VHDL/Verilog for algorithmic
> > expression of tasks targeting FPGAs for reconfigurable computing."
>
> That doesn't explain *why* it's an excellent alternative.  I can just
> as easily state that "C provides a terrible alternative to VHDL/Verilog
> for algorithmic expression of tasks targetting FPGAs for reconfigurable
> computing".  So why is their statement any more accurate than mine?

There are a few hundred thousand engineers on the planet that can
express large complex algorithms in C, and a few tens of thousands of
engineers that can express large complex algorithms in VHDL/Verilog,
and probably a few thousand that can actually grasp the test vector
space and simulation effort necessary to actually get a large
VHDL/Verilog design working for large complex alogoritsms. So access to
design talent is one.

There are clear advantages to being able write, test, and debug large
complex algorithms on a traditional processor with a source code
debugger and moving the nearly finished product to FPGAs for deployment
and performance. So access to advanced software development tools is
two.

The embedded logic analyzer cores are a very poor subsitute when
debugging complex algorithms with lots of state and data.


Article: 91286
Subject: Re: Spartan-3E starter kit
From: Mike Harrison <mike@whitewing.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:09:55 GMT
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
On 2 Nov 2005 14:20:17 -0800, "Peter Alfke" <peter@xilinx.com> wrote:

>I promised an answer. The digging took a bit longer...
>
>The good news is that Xilinx has many thousands of S3e100 in TQ144, and
>hundreds in vq100 packages, as well as many S3500 in several packages.
>The bad new is that -today- these parts are still ES ("early silicon")
>which distribution hates to touch, because  the parts will become
>obsolete very soon, once the production version becomes available.

So why not put them in the web store....

Article: 91287
Subject: Re: Spartan-3E starter kit
From: Pratip Mukherjee <pratipm@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 17:26:23 -0600
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
"Peter Alfke" <peter@xilinx.com> wrote in news:1130970017.548080.12630
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

> I promised an answer. The digging took a bit longer...
> 
> The good news is that Xilinx has many thousands of S3e100 in TQ144, 
and
> hundreds in vq100 packages, as well as many S3500 in several packages.
> The bad new is that -today- these parts are still ES ("early silicon")
> which distribution hates to touch, because  the parts will become
> obsolete very soon, once the production version becomes available.
> 
> If you need them immediately, order them through your distributor or
> your Xilinx sales folks. And realize that "6 to 8 weeks" is often
> exaggerated.
> 
> Production S3e100 and 500s are expected this month, and 1600 soon
> after. And the distis will love to sell them (which they consider 
their
> job, even in Europe !).
> 
> I have held the almost final version of the S3e500-based evaluation
> board in my hand. It is dynamite, loaded with features and peripherl
> circuits, compatible with a slew of inexpensive Digilent add-on 
boards.
> Availability starts in December. Well before that, there will be a
> business-card-size eval board, packaged in a DVD-case, meant as a
> super-low-cost S3e100 demonstrator.
> 
> Spartan3e is really rolling, and will soon be a big success. Too bad
> that Marketing created expectations that were impossible to meet.
> Keep the faith, Spartan3e is real, and it is coming!
> Peter Alfke, Xilinx
> 

Can't wait for December to come! Can I book my order from now?

-Pratip

Article: 91288
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 15:45:19 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Eric Smith wrote:
> That doesn't explain *why* it's an excellent alternative.  I can just
> as easily state that "C provides a terrible alternative to VHDL/Verilog
> for algorithmic expression of tasks targetting FPGAs for reconfigurable
> computing".  So why is their statement any more accurate than mine?

There are probably a few hundred billion statements of C/C++ IP for
designs which
contain easily reusable code segments (IE cores) in nearly every
application
area. Probably a few trillion, when you include privately held IP in
addition
to what is on SourceForge and other open source depositories.

I suspect, the total IP coded in VHDL/Verilog is three to four orders
of magnitude less.

So that is three reasons why C can be an excellent althernative for
reconfigurable computing projects, and for the home hobbyist that
already knows C and would like to use an FPGA for a reconfigurable
platform for their robotic or other project.


Article: 91289
Subject: Xilinx trouble opening ml40x_emb_ref_xx
From: "Brad Smallridge" <bradsmallridge@dslextreme.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 15:57:23 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Hello group,

First of all I have tried to download the reference design for the ML403 
twice today with no luck.  The download page is completely empty. Could 
somebody at Xilinx please fix this?

I can open the ml402_emb_ref_mb on my desktop but when I transfered the 
files to my laptop I get a "Can not find MPD for IP opb_uart16550 1.00.d  I 
have similar issues with the ml403 ref designs.

This seems to be a non free $ iconed IP on the System Pane. Is this a 
security issue?  Do I have to get a different registration number for my 
laptop?

Or is this an XP Professional Issue which is on my laptop and not on my 
desktop?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Peace,

Brad Smallridge at
aivision dot com
 



Article: 91290
Subject: Re: Xilinx trouble opening ml40x_emb_ref_xx
From: "Newman" <newman5382@yahoo.com>
Date: 2 Nov 2005 16:29:47 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Brad Smallridge wrote:
> Hello group,
>
> First of all I have tried to download the reference design for the ML403
> twice today with no luck.  The download page is completely empty. Could
> somebody at Xilinx please fix this?

Were you at :
http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards/ml403/powerpc_microblaze_demos_refsys.htm

-Newman
>
> I can open the ml402_emb_ref_mb on my desktop but when I transfered the
> files to my laptop I get a "Can not find MPD for IP opb_uart16550 1.00.d  I
> have similar issues with the ml403 ref designs.
>
> This seems to be a non free $ iconed IP on the System Pane. Is this a
> security issue?  Do I have to get a different registration number for my
> laptop?
>
> Or is this an XP Professional Issue which is on my laptop and not on my
> desktop?
>
> Thanks for your advice in advance.
> 
> Peace,
> 
> Brad Smallridge at
> aivision dot com


Article: 91291
Subject: Re: newbie question
From: "Udo" <WeikEngOff@aol.com>
Date: 2 Nov 2005 16:30:16 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Jeremy Stringer schrieb:

> It's not a website, but a good book on computer architecture would
> probably help in the kind of stuff that you're interested in.  Not
> FPGA-specific, but easy to apply in an FPGA.

Some books which are maybe helpfull:
- The Definitive Guide to How Computers Do Math:
  Featuring the Virtual DIY Calculator
  - http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471732788.html
  - http://www.soccentral.com/results.asp?EntryID=16144
- THE DESIGN WARRIOR'S GUIDE TO FPGAS
  -
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/699634/description#description


Greetings
Udo


Article: 91292
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Jim Granville <no.spam@designtools.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 13:31:46 +1300
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
air_bits@yahoo.com wrote:
> Eric Smith wrote:
> 
>>That doesn't explain *why* it's an excellent alternative.  I can just
>>as easily state that "C provides a terrible alternative to VHDL/Verilog
>>for algorithmic expression of tasks targetting FPGAs for reconfigurable
>>computing".  So why is their statement any more accurate than mine?
> 
> 
> There are probably a few hundred billion statements of C/C++ IP for
> designs which
> contain easily reusable code segments (IE cores) in nearly every
> application
> area. Probably a few trillion, when you include privately held IP in
> addition
> to what is on SourceForge and other open source depositories.
> 
> I suspect, the total IP coded in VHDL/Verilog is three to four orders
> of magnitude less.
> 
> So that is three reasons why C can be an excellent althernative for
> reconfigurable computing projects, and for the home hobbyist that
> already knows C and would like to use an FPGA for a reconfigurable
> platform for their robotic or other project.

  How about some examples, of some real applications, that can be coded
in either, and the resulting source examples, and the FPGA resource
mapping that results ?

  I presume a mixed-language design is possible ? - an example of that
as well, would assist understanding.

  Otherwise, it's all arm-waving.....

-jg


Article: 91293
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 16:33:34 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Eric Smith wrote:
> I'm not the one claiming that any particular HDL is better than
> another.  But I'm trying to understand the hype about using C as
> an HDL.  Where is the actual benefit?

You have it backwards. The intent is not to use C for hardware design,
but to use FPGA's for computing. There is a grey area in between, but
the view point is from completely different ends of the problem design
space.


Article: 91294
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: air_bits@yahoo.com
Date: 2 Nov 2005 16:44:47 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>

Jim Granville wrote:
>   How about some examples, of some real applications, that can be coded
> in either, and the resulting source examples, and the FPGA resource
> mapping that results ?
>
>   I presume a mixed-language design is possible ? - an example of that
> as well, would assist understanding.
>
>   Otherwise, it's all arm-waving.....

Most applications of reconfigurable computing are not hardware design
applications, so any pure HDL may be the wrong tool, as it's design
focus
is at the gate/register level.

Reconfigurable computing is about taking tranditional C/C++
applications and pushing the resource intensive parts into net lists
for a performance gain ... frequenly as much as 200 times the fastest
RISC/CISC processors by removing memory latency and ALU pipelines (both
of which are serial resources) from the critical path.

Moving the front end of web servers, router/classifier logic and TCP/IP
stacks into several large FPGA's ... VertexII-Pro's with rocket IO's
and PPC backend engines is one example. These applications are already
written in C, and get married to the external hardware with logic
typically written in VHD/Verilog.

Likewise, most protocol converters which interface different fibre
connections are freqently being pushed into fpga's to maintain wire
speed operation.

Mixed C, VHDL, Verilog, and schematic are all very likely. C is just
one
more implementation tool.


Article: 91295
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 17:43:43 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> There are a few hundred thousand engineers on the planet that can
> express large complex algorithms in C, and a few tens of thousands of
> engineers that can express large complex algorithms in VHDL/Verilog,

Of those few hundred thousand that know C, very few have any clue how
to design hardware.  If you turn them loose with C as an HDL, you're
going to end up with really crappy hardware, just like when programmers
are thrust into Verilog or VHDL.

It's not knowledge of the syntax of a particular language that's the
problem.  The semantics of hardware design are fundamentally different
from the semantics of sequential software design.

> and probably a few thousand that can actually grasp the test vector
> space and simulation effort necessary to actually get a large
> VHDL/Verilog design working for large complex alogoritsms.

Are you claiming that test vectors and simulation aren't needeed when
using C as an HDL?  I'd be very skeptical of any such assertion.

> The embedded logic analyzer cores are a very poor subsitute when
> debugging complex algorithms with lots of state and data.

What's that got to do with your choice of HDL?  If you want to know
what's going on inside your FPGA, that's not fundamentally any easier
with C as your HDL than it is with Verilog or VHDL.

Eric

Article: 91296
Subject: Re: FPGA C Compiler on sourceforge.net (TMCC derivative)
From: Eric Smith <eric@brouhaha.com>
Date: 02 Nov 2005 17:45:57 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
air_bits@yahoo.com writes:
> You have it backwards. The intent is not to use C for hardware design,
> but to use FPGA's for computing. There is a grey area in between, but
> the view point is from completely different ends of the problem design
> space.

You're right, I wasn't aware of that distinction.

Still, if you're going to use reconfigurable computing, surely each
configuration is a hardware design, and much better expressed in a
language optimized for hardware design, rather than a language optimized
for strictly sequential operation.

Eric

Article: 91297
Subject: Re: Xilinx trouble opening ml40x_emb_ref_xx
From: Jim Granville <no.spam@designtools.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 14:56:10 +1300
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Newman wrote:
> Brad Smallridge wrote:
> 
>>Hello group,
>>
>>First of all I have tried to download the reference design for the ML403
>>twice today with no luck.  The download page is completely empty. Could
>>somebody at Xilinx please fix this?
> 
> 
> Were you at :
> http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards/ml403/powerpc_microblaze_demos_refsys.htm

  From this part of the world, the whole Xilinx website is out to lunch
( and has been for a couple of days )?

  Altera and Atmel ( and everyone else ) web sites are fine, so seems to 
be a Xilinx specific problem.

-jg


Article: 91298
Subject: Re: Xilinx trouble opening ml40x_emb_ref_xx
From: Jim Granville <no.spam@designtools.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 15:00:22 +1300
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Jim Granville wrote:

> Newman wrote:
> 
>> Brad Smallridge wrote:
>>
>>> Hello group,
>>>
>>> First of all I have tried to download the reference design for the ML403
>>> twice today with no luck.  The download page is completely empty. Could
>>> somebody at Xilinx please fix this?
>>
>>
>>
>> Were you at :
>> http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards/ml403/powerpc_microblaze_demos_refsys.htm 
>>
> 
> 
>  From this part of the world, the whole Xilinx website is out to lunch
> ( and has been for a couple of days )?
> 
>  Altera and Atmel ( and everyone else ) web sites are fine, so seems to 
> be a Xilinx specific problem.
> 
> -jg

Just tested again - it has improved slightly.
  Now, Firefox can open www.xilinx.com OK, but the same URL pasted into 
Netscape, chokes with "page has no data" ....

-jg




Article: 91299
Subject: Re: Spartan-3E starter kit
From: "Brian Davis" <brimdavis@aol.com>
Date: 2 Nov 2005 18:03:50 -0800
Links: << >>  << T >>  << A >>
Peter wrote:
> I have held the almost final version of the S3e500-based evaluation
> board in my hand.

 Any chance of releasing the user manual before the boards show up?

> It is dynamite, loaded with features and peripherl circuits,
> compatible with a slew of inexpensive Digilent add-on boards.

 Does that mean Xilinx stuck with the (hopelessly outdated) 40 pins,
one ground (Note 1) I/O connector pinout of the older Digilent boards?

 Cheap evaluation boards are great resources, but continuing to
design and ship evaluation boards for sub-ns edge rate CMOS parts
with such a poorly grounded I/O header is just plain silly.

 Is there a decent high speed I/O connector provided? ( Doesn't even
have to be anything fancier than a dual row 0.1" header, just ground
one row of the connector, and properly route some diff pairs out )

or, as I suggested when the S3 board came out:
>
> The pinout probably was picked to match that of the the older
>Digilent boards; however, it looks like there's enough room on the
>layout to add a third row of ground pins so the end user could snip
>off the pre-stuffed two row headers and use a three row header instead.
>
> An I/O connector with diff. pair routing and provision for VRP/VRN
>resistors and VREF bank pins would also be handy.
>

Brian

(Note 1) and for anyone counting VCC pins as returns, the S3 eval kit
   has one plane VCC pin, no bypass caps nearby, with IO connector
   traces merrily crossing  VCC plane cuts




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