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  • Author Author: rscasny
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FPGA/Programmable Device Content: Seeking your feedback on what you are interested in

Besides running roadtests (and reading all those applications), hosting webinars, and anything else that needs being done (people like to stop by my desk), I try to work with people to get content written on topics of interest. Right now I'm working on getting some FPGA / programmable device content written. I've drawn up a rough content topic list. All the topics relate to FPGAs or other programmable logic devices. I would appreciate you voting or offering a suggestion. Thanks.

 

Randall

-element14

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  • I'm glad Douglas brought up the FPGA learning curve, which is what I see as the highest barrier to using FPGAs.  I often refer to that "curve" as the Cliffs of Insanity, a reference to The Princess Bride.

     

    I highly recommend this 2014 discussion: Barriers to designing with FPGAs?

     

    I also highly recommend Lucie Tozer's DEO-NANO series showing what it's like for a new FPGA user to get started.  Here's the first part: Entering The World Of FPGA's with a DEO-NANO P0082 - Part 1

     

    I've done a lot of Xilinx FPGA design professionally using various Spartan families.  I started with Spartan-II, which is a very clean architecture.  The latest I've used is Spartan-6.  Each family added more features and got more complex, and the software tracked accordingly.  I am very glad I started with Spartan-II, because the software was a whole lot easier.  Starting with Spartan-6 software would have been very challenging.

     

    Most of my projects nowadays use the Lattice iCE40.  It's a simple architecture and good for beginners, and has the huge advantage that you can use the open-source IceStorm tools which are much simpler than vendor tools.  IceStorm tools run on both Intel and ARM computers, including Raspberry Pi.

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  • I'm glad Douglas brought up the FPGA learning curve, which is what I see as the highest barrier to using FPGAs.  I often refer to that "curve" as the Cliffs of Insanity, a reference to The Princess Bride.

     

    I highly recommend this 2014 discussion: Barriers to designing with FPGAs?

     

    I also highly recommend Lucie Tozer's DEO-NANO series showing what it's like for a new FPGA user to get started.  Here's the first part: Entering The World Of FPGA's with a DEO-NANO P0082 - Part 1

     

    I've done a lot of Xilinx FPGA design professionally using various Spartan families.  I started with Spartan-II, which is a very clean architecture.  The latest I've used is Spartan-6.  Each family added more features and got more complex, and the software tracked accordingly.  I am very glad I started with Spartan-II, because the software was a whole lot easier.  Starting with Spartan-6 software would have been very challenging.

     

    Most of my projects nowadays use the Lattice iCE40.  It's a simple architecture and good for beginners, and has the huge advantage that you can use the open-source IceStorm tools which are much simpler than vendor tools.  IceStorm tools run on both Intel and ARM computers, including Raspberry Pi.

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