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  • Author Author: ajkatz83
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FPGAs and Xilinx

ajkatz83

 

Taking that FPGA intro that was under the learning essentials has really got me curious now. During my introduction to this 8-bit re-innovation and revolution make new ways to work with 8-bit machines, so far with the Commodore SX-64 I have here, I have two replacement chips that are of a modern vintage inside.

 

One was a replacement for the PLA, which was known to get hot and burn out, ever so common. Now I find a simply Xilinx chip has been programmed and handling the device timing.

 

The Second, just recently, was the SID (Sound Interface Device) or MOS6581, which heats up very nicely too, and was scorching when I pulled just this evening because my diagnostic cartridge said it was bad and plus the nails in the coffin for it was simply no audio out. Again, a PLD type device was made up for the MOS6581 called a SwinSID I believe which gets close to the audio out of the original though there is no paddle control if this route is implemented. I didn't care to much seeing I never had paddle games anyways.

 

Third, this has been rather inspiring for my studies at Cleveland Institute of Electronics seeing I am on digital electronics course presently, and all this supplemental information I have gotten here has been beneficial from element14, though now stepping head 36 years later, what sort of FPGA dev board would be fun to experiment with? The SoC got my attention a bit seeing it looks like embedded applications would be easier an Arduino might not always be needed. SO simply, what do you think would be good to play with for an electronics student?

 

  • I have been involved in several instances where a chip that a company had engineered into a product went obsolete. Given this problem there are a couple of solutions:

    1) re-design the product, removing the obsolete part.

    2) engineer a replacement part, using a programmable logic device.

    3) attempt to find available parts from surplus inventories and/or other gray market places.

     

    Depending on the complexity of the component being replaced will help guide you to what type programmable part to use.  Simple logical devices can be 'cloned' using a CPLD, while more complex devices might require a FPGA.  For the cloning process to be successful you need to completely understand to the logic of the device.  This can be the most difficult part of the task.  In one instance we were attempting to replace an IEEE 488 controller chip.  While the device was described in quite a bit of detail in the specification and use manuals, there were huge areas of the behavior that were not specified.  Here we had to use a logic analyzer to capture 'normal' operational timing and responses to routine sequences of operations.  Using specified and observed behavior we were eventually able to 'clone' the part (through several iterations, finding and fixing errors, until we were successful) and continue to product the product.

     

    Good luck with your learning experience.

    Gene

  • Hi Aron,

    you can find many useful posts about FPGAs here on Element14 you can start from to get an idea on what could be more suitable for you.

    Try having a look at Not-as-expensive FPGA Boards for example, which contains many useful suggestions for boards you can start experimenting with.

    Also, you can check the FPGA Group for many more interesting articles on the subject.

    I hope this helps.

    Fabio.