I rarely use FPGAs. I mostly have stuck in other embedded development environments during my career. But, how are you using FPGAs these days?
Cabe
I rarely use FPGAs. I mostly have stuck in other embedded development environments during my career. But, how are you using FPGAs these days?
Cabe
I am using FPGAs as an interfacing/clock domain crossing device. Typically has a PCI target block in it for communication with a master device.
I am also working on using an FPGA as a memory controller, that I am also developing a custom softcore processor on (just getting my feet wet with that). I am finding that developing my own custom features are much easier than buying a uC or uP and reading a 2000+ page User's Manual to figure out how to use the device. With the FPGA, I just develop my own functionality as I need it. Not saying that the FPGA trumps the uC or uP, it's just a preference of mine. 
I am using FPGAs as an interfacing/clock domain crossing device. Typically has a PCI target block in it for communication with a master device.
I am also working on using an FPGA as a memory controller, that I am also developing a custom softcore processor on (just getting my feet wet with that). I am finding that developing my own custom features are much easier than buying a uC or uP and reading a 2000+ page User's Manual to figure out how to use the device. With the FPGA, I just develop my own functionality as I need it. Not saying that the FPGA trumps the uC or uP, it's just a preference of mine.
Nice, yes the learning curve for that particular softcore is sometimes "taxing" to say the least. However, Id rather avoid the uC "manual": the Renesas RX62N literally has a User's Manual that is 2014 pages long....ouch.
I haven't used NIOS yet, but I work with people that are using it and have great things to say about it. Apparently the softcore Microblaze (I am more familiar with Xilinx) was developed by some college students in California (silicon valley, I am sure) which blows my mind. But I guess I am trying the same thing. 
