DC vs PrimeTime

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aifi

Joined: 02 Mar 2006
Posts: 35

14 Nov 2006 8:24 difference design compiler primetime

hi all...

why we need DC if we can only use PT for synthesis?

research235

Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Posts: 293
Helped: 16

14 Nov 2006 11:33 what is primetime used for

hello aify

Using DC r PT depends on wat exatly u will be working on .... for STA PT is best .

suresh

sree205

Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 421
Helped: 30

14 Nov 2006 11:38 design compiler vs primetime

Hi,
DC has a timing analysis engine and generates reports on setup, hold violations and slack analysis, but its not as accurate as PT. as far as synthesis goes, according to my knowledge, PT can't synthesize.

Last edited by sree205 on 14 Nov 2006 12:23; edited 1 time in total

rsrinivas

Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 419
Helped: 36
Location: bengalooru

14 Nov 2006 11:42 primetime timing between cdc

I had heard tat PT is for timing verification and DC for synthesis.
formality for formal verification

research235

Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Posts: 293
Helped: 16

14 Nov 2006 11:58 difference timing dc prime time

hello every one

well according to me .. DC is the only one which can perform the syntheis. and PT can only do timing analysis ..

please let me know if I am wrong
suresh

rsrinivas

Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 419
Helped: 36
Location: bengalooru

14 Nov 2006 14:21 why primetime

yes only DC from those mentioned by aifi
other tools like leonardo spectrum is also popular

research235

Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Posts: 293
Helped: 16

14 Nov 2006 14:55 timing engine, dc pt

ohh yeah ,,

This leonardo spectrum .. is it widely used .. ?

suresh

mingcol

Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Helped: 1

14 Nov 2006 15:14 timing differences between pt and dc reports

DC is for synthesis, and can do some simple timing analysis.
but only PT can be a final sign-off STA tool.
PS. they have different algorithm for STA inside themselve.

asic_bh

Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 8

14 Nov 2006 15:23 synopsys design compiler complete timing analysis

DC is synthesis and can do timing analysis also, PT cannot synthesis but PT is good for timing analysis. and PT should be used for STA sign off

sarath51

Joined: 11 Dec 2002
Posts: 143
Helped: 7

14 Nov 2006 15:23 what is bc_wc

DC is indusrtey standard tool for synthesis and PT is for Signoff

rameshsuthapalli

Joined: 27 Jun 2006
Posts: 163
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Location: bangalore,india

15 Nov 2006 9:28 primetime design compiler 차이

Hi all,

the DC contains the algorthems used in primetime but those r not much accurate as primetime.the DC is mainly ment for the timing optimisation ratherthan timing calculation.

regards,
rameshs

rsrinivas

Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 419
Helped: 36
Location: bengalooru

15 Nov 2006 11:42 primetime ocv

hi
the DC contains the algorthems used in primetime but those r not much accurate as primetime.the DC is mainly ment for the timing optimisation ratherthan timing calculation.

regards,
rameshs
Right.
DC and primetime are both from synopsys and it
contains the libraries of PT to support it. leonardo
spectrum is widely used but is not as popular as
synopsys DC.By the way the only tool synopsys
got recognition in the industry was from DC.

gong.kidd

Joined: 24 Oct 2006
Posts: 19
Helped: 2

15 Nov 2006 12:11 prime time and dc difference

DC is a widely used synthesis tool for ASIC, and it can do some simple timing analysis; PT is a very effective STA tool.

zhangpengyu

Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 177
Helped: 2

16 Nov 2006 8:45 static timing analysis bc_wc

PT is to do STA,not for synthesis

maks10

Joined: 09 Jun 2005
Posts: 49
Helped: 3
Location: Bangalore, India

16 Nov 2006 9:22 dc prime time

synopsys, Cadence , Magma & Mentor Graphics are some leading EDA tool companies .First of all thers' no single tool which does the whole flow except in the case of Magma. Each of these companies excel only in a particular area in Design flow. In analog side Cadence is the leader in the whole flow. While in digital side its a combination of all these companies.For doing synthesis synopsys has Design Compiler (commonly called DC). Mentor Graphics synthesis tool is Leonardo spectrum. Cadence synythesis tool is called Build Gates. Magma's well known for their physical design tool. In a synthesis tool there is an internal timing analysis engine which checks whether timing parameters are met or not. But It s not tht accurate. Hence for doing timing analysis a seperate tool is used.
Prime time from synopsys is the industry standard tool for doing it.

bharat_in

Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 78
Helped: 2

16 Nov 2006 10:04 algorithm used in primetime

what does STA stand for?

aifi

Joined: 02 Mar 2006
Posts: 35

16 Nov 2006 10:41 synopsys dc vs pt

STA stand for static timing analysis

copper230230

Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 8

17 Nov 2006 5:40 synopsys design compiler leonardo

Dear sirs,
But I still don't know exactly the difference between DC & PT.
The PT STA is more accurate than DC. Can take a example?
From the PT refference maual, I know the PT is powerful than DC.
For example, PT can do chip variation analysis. DC seem not.
If I only use the basic function to do STA, for example only
setup/hold time check. Do they still have great difference??
Thanks for your anaswer!!

shiv_emf

Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 641
Helped: 16

21 Apr 2007 15:08 DC vs PrimeTime

nice discussion on DC and PT

I am interested to knw algorithms !! what are the algorithms used in PT for STA ?

thanks
Shiv

energeticdin

Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 126
Helped: 4

22 May 2007 13:02 Re: DC vs PrimeTime

DC is only for synthesis

PT is for STA(Static Timing analysis)

In PT we will get the input as Synthesis netlist, libraries, Parasitic data information, and SDF

Dinesh

shiv_emf

Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 641
Helped: 16

22 May 2007 15:57 DC vs PrimeTime

its nt possible to do synthesis in PT...
thats true...

shiv

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dozy_walia

Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 147
Helped: 1

23 May 2007 19:08 DC vs PrimeTime

what is PT?

nandhika

Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 43
Helped: 2

24 May 2007 6:42 DC vs PrimeTime

hi dozy,

PT means Prime Time.......

as all are discussing its used for Timing analysis

Kul_priya

Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 1

29 Dec 2008 11:41 Re: DC vs PrimeTime

I am very new to STA & PT. I just started with PT, i am using the same constraints as given to DC. I am getting violations in PT and no violations in DC.

I did a small study and found that the violations in PT are because, we are giving min & max latencies for the clocks while we do create_clock. DC is taking same latency for both Launch & Capture paths but PT is taking the max value for the Launch path and min value for the Capture path (which is the worst case and PT is doing the right thing i guess). This PT run is just after synthesis even before CTS is done, so what is the significance of this min & max latencies? We have given max latency as 1.20ns & min as 40% of it i.e. 0.48ns which is making a difference of 520ns?

Also in PT if the analysis type is set as bc_wc or single, PT also considers same clock latency for both Launch & Capture, but for OCV it takes min 7 max values as said above. So do i need to fix the violations? are they real?

Sorry for the long mail Smile

santhosh007

Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 122
Helped: 26
Location: Bangalore

31 Dec 2008 6:26 Re: DC vs PrimeTime

Kul_priya wrote:

DC is a synthesis tool for asic where as leonardo spectrum should be a synthesis tool for the FPGA designs.
all the synthesis tools(DC,Cadence RC, Magma) can do the timing analysis to the some extent. Basically the synthesis tools try to optimize design based on the timing/power/area constraints supplied by the user. So this timing is some what ok.
PT is purely a timing analysis tool, we do the timing analysis after the place and route so you will have complete parasitica info and the wire length, so you will have complete timing info . STA is a path based timing analysis.

We need to analysis the each path in the design into different mode like functional, test mode and so on, iof any violations you need to fix the either by upsizing the cell or polacing the buffer to meet the timing. if you the violation is too large then you need to go back to place and route or even synthesis level adjust the constraints.

OCV will provide the extra timing margins even the synthesis tools can also support the OCV measures to some extent.

ljxpjpjljx

Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 533
Helped: 12
Location: Shang Hai

31 Dec 2008 7:12 Re: DC vs PrimeTime

for the timing analysis , the PT is more powerful! the DC is for the synthesis and make a preview of the timing!

hareeshravi

Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 3

03 Jul 2009 10:39 Re: DC vs PrimeTime

Hi,

Being a synthesis tool, the main aim of DC is synthesis. It does require some information on timing, but it is not always required. Also custom designed moduled are implemented as such and DC cannot handle post-layout timing analysis.

PT is a good tool in the sence it has a lot of options for Timing analysis. False-paths, CDC, timing with clock phase differences, delay annotated designs e.t.c. can be handled by PT effectievely. Hence it can be used even after Place and Route. That is the reason why PT is preffered for timing analysis..

Regards,
Hareesh