Die space for m68k on FPGA?

[Hattig]

I' curious if an 80386 + VGA can be implemented on the existing FPGA Replay.

The FPGAArcade implementation will have RTG (i.e., VGA) as well as AGA. The level of 2D acceleration (i.e., hardware acceleration of graphics.library) in the RTG card might not be high, depending on the space available for implementation, and yaqube's time.

It will also have a CPU core that is roughly 68020/030 compatible (I believe a data cache is the main differentiator between these chips) and running at a higher speed. My fuzzy memory recalls something about 10 MIPS, maybe that was something else.

80386 had under 300,000 transistors, and I believe that the 68030 is comparable. Some of that will be cache or registers, hence using the FPGA SRAM rather than logic units.

[Hattig]

I believe that you can buy FPGAs that have an on-board PowerPC core - that would seem to me to be the best solution to getting a PowerPC processor alongside the system implemented in the FPGA.

[Hattig]

I thought I read that FPGA was meant as a way of prototyping a complex circuit so you you don't waste silicon making prototypes that don't work. Once you have your working FPGA you then lay it into a faster more economical silicon. The reason for keeping it in FPGA is that it can be changed if needed.

Any hint as to the truth in this rumor?

Why do you call it a rumour? It's one of the use cases of an FPGA.

Howevermaking an ASIC is really expensive. For small quantities of logic you may implement using an FPGA even in the end product.