FPGA/ CPLD as a substitute for Microcontroller?

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RollingEEE

Joined: 25 Mar 2006
Posts: 208
Helped: 4
Location: Bangladesh

12 Nov 2008 18:56 cpld dip

Hi,

I was just wondering, is it possible for a hobbyst to switch from microcontroller to FPGA / CPLD s. I am somewhat familiar with verilog and vhdl. Is there any FPGA/CPLD chip available in DIP package? And how easy is the programming software?

niks109

Joined: 14 Nov 2008
Posts: 1

14 Nov 2008 15:51 dip fpga

no buddy ,fpga are not as efficient and fast as microcntrollers ,it is ok to use them for testing purpose but for long term use you need controller

RollingEEE

Joined: 25 Mar 2006
Posts: 208
Helped: 4
Location: Bangladesh

15 Nov 2008 6:26 fpga dip

But I thought FPGAs are faster, they have concurrent processing, and can beat the sequential processing of microcontroller with parallel processing

mostafa_amer

Joined: 24 Oct 2008
Posts: 12
Helped: 2

16 Nov 2008 9:19 dip cpld

I think FPGA is suitable for more complicated applications. Some application resides in the grey area between them and micros, in such a case u v to decide which technology to use.

About switching, it will not be complete switching as I said before different applications will need different technologies but it is very useful to learn FPGA (and very challenging to Very Happy

)

I used to work with Atmel's AVRs but switched to Xilinx FPGAs during my graduation project. You may consider getting a starter kit rather than seeking a DIP. I am not very sure but I don't think that FPGA is available as a DIP (any1 confirm plz)

FPGAs are nt exactly as micros,they arent programmed. They are connected to external PROM where your program is stored. Again, consider a kit. It will be very useful and u may get a decent one for 150~250 $

Best regards,
Mostafa Amer

RollingEEE

Joined: 25 Mar 2006
Posts: 208
Helped: 4
Location: Bangladesh

16 Nov 2008 11:38 fpga dip package

Well that's a shame they don't have on board EEPROMs. A 40 PIN FPGA with quick loader and onboard EEPROM would be great.

yousif

Joined: 02 Dec 2005
Posts: 85
Helped: 6

16 Nov 2008 13:32 digilent c-mod

See This :
AT17C002A-10JC
AT17LV256-10NI

FvM

Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 5160
Helped: 767
Location: Bochum, Germany

16 Nov 2008 15:06 xilinx cpld dip

You can get non-volatile FPGA (with integrated configuration flash) from Vendors as Lattice and Xilinx, also Altera MAX II devices are a kind of small flash based FPGA. As said, none of them has a DIL package, you need an adapter to convert the footprint.

Generally, I would consider FPGA, when the application speed requirements can't be achieved by a processor. Although FPGA can replace hardware processors by soft cores, it may be easier to use a FPGA and hardware processor combination.

Old Nick

Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 445
Helped: 49

16 Nov 2008 16:46 fpgas in a dip package

niks109 wrote:

no buddy ,fpga are not as efficient and fast as microcntrollers ,it is ok to use them for testing purpose but for long term use you need controller

I think you have that a bit wrong. FPGA's are generally faster in terms of clock speeds, and also because of the inherent parallelism of their operation. Microcontrollers aren't parallel.
And FPGA's are more efficient, as they can be configured/optimised for a specific application, whereas a microcontroller is alwasy a general purpose cicuit. An ASIC is the most efficient, but is not reconfigurable.

RollingEEE

Joined: 25 Mar 2006
Posts: 208
Helped: 4
Location: Bangladesh

16 Nov 2008 17:02 dip fbga

I know FPGAs are more sophisticated and faster. DSP filters are made with FPGAs. You can hardly imagine making a powerful DSP with a microcontroller. But without a DIP package it is very hard to be used by a hobbyst, especially without spending 50-100 dollars.

Old Nick

Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 445
Helped: 49

16 Nov 2008 17:57 cpld in dip package

You can get something like a Spartan 3 starter kit for not too much money, it can be programmed with relative easy via the serial port of a PC. If you want to integrate an FPGA onto a bespoke PCB then you're lookin at a considerable cost because of the packages they come in (BGA's are common), and the complex routing associated with them, often requiring blind via's.

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yego

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 154
Helped: 14
Location: Middle of Nowhere

17 Nov 2008 14:31 any dip package fpga

Take a look here : http://www.xess.com/prod035.php3 .
It has got most features you desired even the DIP header prototyping connector is provided. It's not a typical 40 pin DIP still ...

Also Digilent has got something like that for CoolRunner II CPLD with a 40 pin DIP format ( Digilent CMOD ) : http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Catalog.cfm?Nav1=Products&Nav2=Programmable&Cat=Programmable%20Logic.