Who wants to have FPGA fun for free?

@Peter & John

I think it might depend on where you start: I started with VHDL and am currently getting up to speed on Verilog because to is very widely used and I have to support customers using it, or bits of IP wrritten in it.

I HATE Verilog !

VHDL is based on ADA and System Verilog (no one uses just plain Verilog) is based on C and a dog's breakfast.

This comment refers to ADA  and C but is just as relevant to VHDL and Verilog:

"I would rather learn to code in VHDL than to debug in Verilog"

Of course in real life it's more complex than that but I would recommend that you start in VHDL (it forces you to think more about the underlying hardware).

MK

I would be interested.

I am currently working on a 3d Printer accessory based on Ardiuno that requires a ton of speed which FPGA offers. This module has to handle 10 RGB LED modules that are multiplexed on 1 serial bus.

Bob

Hey Drew,

I'd love to be on the list !!

At some moment Lattice was giving away the eval boards for the new iCE40 FPGAs, pretty cool low power/density FPGA.

Also if you want to play with some entry level CPLD stuff these guys put together a nice board. I backed them on Kickstarter but I believe they are now selling the board on their site. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/545073874/bora-the-binary-explorer-board

Cheers

Jorge

As a budding controls engineer, I'd like to have some experience under my belt in dealing with FPGA.  One of the projects I have in mind is a semi-autonomous 1:144 scale fleet for airsoft combat; another would be home automation/security.

Michael Kellett wrote:

 

@Peter & John

 

I think it might depend on where you start: I started with VHDL and am currently getting up to speed on Verilog because to is very widely used and I have to support customers using it, or bits of IP wrritten in it.

 

I HATE Verilog !

 

VHDL is based on ADA and System Verilog (no one uses just plain Verilog) is based on C and a dog's breakfast.

 

This comment refers to ADA  and C but is just as relevant to VHDL and Verilog:

 

"I would rather learn to code in VHDL than to debug in Verilog"

 

Of course in real life it's more complex than that but I would recommend that you start in VHDL (it forces you to think more about the underlying hardware).

 

MK

IMO it depends a lot on how you write your Verilog.  I use "just plain" Verilog as a register-transfer language and avoid the behavioral constructs that get in the way of my understanding of the logic.  If you write it this way it matches the hardware quite closely.  Others prefer to use highly behavioral notations and I find that code to be practically unreadable -- the phrase "dog's breakfast" is apt.  Of course, others might say the same for my code

Perhaps Verilog -- like C -- permits more abuse than VHDL or Ada.  I don't have enough experience with the latters to form an opinion.

My favorite HDL written by other people is Altera's AHDL, which is a very clean register-transfer language.  I used it for some (IIRC) 6000-series FPGA design and it went very well.  I don't think they support it any more

There's a fundamental problem with both VHDL and Verilog: neither was created as a design language for synthesizing logic.  From what I recall, VHDL was created as a specification language for VLSI chip behavior, so it's a good language for simulation.  Similarly, Verilog was created for test pattern generation and checking, so again it emphasizes behavior and simulation.  I think there's plenty of room for a language that's better suited for describing and synthesizing hardware rather than behavior.

jamodio wrote:

 

Also if you want to play with some entry level CPLD stuff these guys put together a nice board. I backed them on Kickstarter but I believe they are now selling the board on their site. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/545073874/bora-the-binary-explorer-board

Attractive price on the Bora.  I'm glad they upgraded to the XC9572XL.

There's also the Guzunty Pi board which plugs into a Rasberry Pi.  It uses the same CPLD as Bora but in a PLCC so it can be socketed.  Guzunty Pi is sold as a kit with all through-hole components.

First of all thank you for the generous offer!! I am really impressed with the ability and power of this board. Until now I have not heard of it, but once I saw the demo's I absolutely have to get one. The things I will be able to teach my kids and others about development boards will be priceless. I would love the opportunity to try this out!

Dale W

I took the names that posted saying they wanted the board, coverted to lower case and sorted:

and I took position #1 after the list was randomly sorted:

Congrats to Tom Forajter!

Tom: please accept my contact request so that you can Private Message me your shipping addres.

Thanks,

Drew