What's Stopping You Building Your Next Project with an FPGA? (Please, Don't Blame the Cost!)

I have to say for me it is I don't really know where to start.  I've looked at a couple of tutorials and can follow them to a point, but without knowing more about the different boards, its hard to decide what to buy.  Then there is the software, what should I use?  is it the best choice? will it support only certain boards or will it support any?  If I take the time to learn one way, will I be able to use it anywhere. 

I will say its a field I'd like to learn, but I'm not sure how to get into it without having a project in mind to build.  It would be nice if there were a small course for it that included the required hardware for a small fee. 

Thanks

Dana.

I understand what you are saying. It isn't as easy as picking a project and then implementing it with an FPGA. You could use your favorite search engine and search for FPGA projects. Something interesting might come up.

For me it sort of fell into place. A fellow poster at another group mentioned that a fellow on eBay was selling Altera DE1s for $75, and accepting offers. That, in conjunction that the seller was local and open to pickup, motivated me to offer $65USD. He accepted the offer and I got eh FPGA. I know of a project using this product where the Color Computer 3, a Tandy/Radio Shack computer of the 80s, is being replicated using the DE1, so I have where to go to make use of this FPGA.

The logic behind using programmable hardware is having a project that uses digital logic that can be bunched up together in one device. I may have some logic that uses NAND gates, a multiplexer and some flip flops. Instead of using 5 or 6 discrete chips, I can think of bunching that logic into one device. Of course, a product like the DE1 is overkill, but there are other programmable devices, such as CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Device) or in some cases when it is simple logic, even  PALs and GALs can be used (although more modern solutions are preferred). The key to getting started is to not let the technology overwhelm you. Check out paces like Hackaday to see if other people have projects using FPGAs or other programmable logic devices.

Good luck with your endeavor!

I understand what you are saying. It isn't as easy as picking a project and then implementing it with an FPGA. You could use your favorite search engine and search for FPGA projects. Something interesting might come up.

For me it sort of fell into place. A fellow poster at another group mentioned that a fellow on eBay was selling Altera DE1s for $75, and accepting offers. That, in conjunction that the seller was local and open to pickup, motivated me to offer $65USD. He accepted the offer and I got eh FPGA. I know of a project using this product where the Color Computer 3, a Tandy/Radio Shack computer of the 80s, is being replicated using the DE1, so I have where to go to make use of this FPGA.

The logic behind using programmable hardware is having a project that uses digital logic that can be bunched up together in one device. I may have some logic that uses NAND gates, a multiplexer and some flip flops. Instead of using 5 or 6 discrete chips, I can think of bunching that logic into one device. Of course, a product like the DE1 is overkill, but there are other programmable devices, such as CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Device) or in some cases when it is simple logic, even  PALs and GALs can be used (although more modern solutions are preferred). The key to getting started is to not let the technology overwhelm you. Check out paces like Hackaday to see if other people have projects using FPGAs or other programmable logic devices.

Good luck with your endeavor!

I've been using programmable logic since the 1970's; back then it was OTP (One Time Programmable) so you really had to do your homework to ensure you wouldn't program a dud.

The easiest way to implement a relatively complex design is to use an overpowered and over featured FPGA and then get the design to fit into the smallest FPGA for production.

Like electronics, one normally doesn't use Maxwell's equations for circuit design and the same is relatively true for Programmable logic design where the fitting is automated.

If you're just learning, then you can use Schematic capture with one additional task - the assignment of the I/O pins to your design.