FPGA for dummies

[freqmax]

As freqmax said, it's probably better to start a new thread

I did not say that.

However some people should pay attention to people working with FPGAs in depth.

[hairy]

Oh, sorry! I misunderstood.
I thought you intended that when you said "it might be less confusing to not include it in the discussion".

[freqmax]

Not include != Make new thread.

[smerf]

Hi,

At least you gave it a perfect title for the people on Amiga.org

"FPGA for dummies"

smerf

[Thorham]

Not include != Make new thread.

You're absolutely right. A discussion about different forms of emulation, and what is and what is not emulation, definitely belongs in another thread (it's just too easy to get sidetracked sometimes, but no offense intended .

[freqmax]

No, XMOS jus complicates the subject of the thread.

[trekiej]

Sorry, I did not read the whole thread.
I look at it this way. It is between emulation and an Asic.
Emulation -> Reconfigurable Logic -> Asic
VHDL looks like programming but I bet it is a bit pattern when done.
After looking at the difference between Hard Wired and Microcode on the web, I feel it is more toward being hardware than software.
Having the Amiga OS on hardware without a software layer below it is the whole idea to me. The software layer being another Os.

[trekiej]

Some have used an eeprom to act like a pla. An eeprom can fall behind in speed when trying to keep up with ttl counterparts. It would be cool to use a 10 ns sram that would get loaded with a pattern and run much faster than the 70 ns eeprom.
I wonder if anyone has made a descrete component version of a fpga?
I looked up micro-code on Wikipedia, there goes my credibility. It talked about how it is horizontal and vertical. I did not know that some cpu's still had the ability to have is mcode changed.( core2 duo  and game cube ) It seemed to revolutionized the building of cpus.
Edit:
It would be interesting to see a computer boot up in a 16 bit mode and then load micro-code to run 32 bit apps.

[Fats]

With the few people in this thread that understand FPGA's better than the average bear, this is a good place to ask what the differences are between FPGA's and the XMOS programmable chips.

I follow EE Journal they often discuss newest development in ASIC, FPGA and embedded. They have also an article on XMOS from a year or two ago here.

greets,
Staf.

[Everblue]

Anyone else sees the irony that a thread called "FPGA for dummies" ended up like this (jargon fest)?

[Thorham]

Anyone up for answering this question? It has nothing to do with any kind of emulation debate, and the only emulation I'm talking about here is a software based switch logic emulator (probably in 680x0 on the Amiga).

If I made a parallel switch emulator, where you have two kinds of switches (normal and inverted), that behave like relays and have four pins, then how difficult would it be to translate such virtual circuitry to FPGA circuitry?

The emulation doesn't emulate electricity and simply uses 0 and 1 as signals, and signals are never amplified in any way.

Anyone else sees the irony that a thread called "FPGA for dummies" ended up like this (jargon fest)?

Yes, and it's my fault. I wanted to make a point about emulation and thought quickly looking up some 'stuff' would help me make my point. I was wrong

[Everblue]

I bet you made the original poster cry.

[freqmax]

FPGAs implement the connectivity and logic gate setup that the HDL-code (VHDL/Verilog) specify. It will be slightly slower than a plain ASIC because the extra circuitry to make it possible to change function on the fly.

Thus the HDL-code specify connections and gate setup. The only exception are special builtin blocks that deals with phase locking, I/O modes etc.

It won't emulate, simulate, run any code or anything else. All that is plain misunderstanding.

There are analog FPGAs but they are limited. Other than that, other circuitry is just a mix of these technologies.

[Thorham]

It won't emulate, simulate, run any code or anything else. All that is plain misunderstanding.

Except for emulation. It actually applies to all programmable chips, and it basically comes down to how far the concept of emulation reaches, and this is debatable. Of course, this really does belong in another thread.

[amigadave]

I follow EE Journal they often discuss newest development in ASIC, FPGA and embedded. They have also an article on XMOS from a year or two ago here.

greets,
Staf.

Thanks Fats,

I am a little surprised that more people have not researched XCore and the XMOS chips in detail, since they are included in the newest flagship of the AmigaOne line.

I know not everyone can afford one, but I thought maybe some of the X1000 beta testers could comment on what the XMOS chips is and what it can and cannot do, without infringing on their NDA's with A-Eon.

Just a general statement or two about how they differ from FPGA's, since both appear to be programmable chips.  One using VHDL, or Verilog and the other using the "C" language with X extensions to program them.

I guess the people that know are too busy to be reading this thread.  I will have to do more research on my own, but was hoping one of the experts would chime in.

Where are you Steve Solie?  You might not be an expert on XMOS, but I'll bet you can shed some light on my questions.

[mongo]

Thanks Fats,

I am a little surprised that more people have not researched XCore and the XMOS chips in detail, since they are included in the newest flagship of the AmigaOne line.

I know not everyone can afford one, but I thought maybe some of the X1000 beta testers could comment on what the XMOS chips is and what it can and cannot do, without infringing on their NDA's with A-Eon.

Just a general statement or two about how they differ from FPGA's, since both appear to be programmable chips.  One using VHDL, or Verilog and the other using the "C" language with X extensions to program them.

I guess the people that know are too busy to be reading this thread.  I will have to do more research on my own, but was hoping one of the experts would chime in.

Where are you Steve Solie?  You might not be an expert on XMOS, but I'll bet you can shed some light on my questions.

The XMOS chip is a CPU. It contains no programmable logic and is nothing at all like a FPGA.