| Author |
Message |
ronydc
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 148
|
 12 Feb 2009 20:12 fpga projects |
|
|
|
|
DEAR FRIENDS..
any one has the projects for fpga programming for 7segments and leds and stepper motors ( as we do in the 8051 case) ..?
i know with VHDL we can make FPGA to behave like that we programmed for but after that what .?
has any one worked after that for making any system like we do in the case of the microcontroler 8051. ( or others) if not so then what is the purpose of all this FPGA programming
can some one clear my concepts .? and send me a few examples as i requested . plz .?
-- Rony
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
eltonjohn
Joined: 22 Feb 2002
Posts: 1751
Helped: 28
|
12 Feb 2009 22:51 seg motor |
|
|
|
|
Let's start with the name FPGA .It stands for field programmable gate array .It means more or less a LOT of GATES or logical blcoks that can be interconnected .Is not a PROCESSOR .But because processors can be made up with gates .An FPGA can also be configured as a PROCESSOR .Maybe what for you is a source of problem is the word programmable .Just change that for CONFIGURABLE . A FPGA is a component with a lot of resources or CONFIGURABLE blocks that can be used to IMPLEMENT logic operations (before you had to buy logic chips to do the same CMOS or TTL logic) of any sort .And all this in a small piece of SILICON .Now where FPGAs are better that MCU is in the fact that a CPU though a programmable machine still is a SEQUENTIAL one.
FPGA have resources that can work in parallel .This makes the tremendously much faster .But also much complex to program .In fpgas you dont run a program you synthetise the code that will configure the resources to implement a determined function.All this demands a good undesrtanding of logic design as well as proficiency on a HDL language like VERIOLOG or VHDL
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Google
AdSense
|
12 Feb 2009 22:51 Ads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ronydc
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 148
|
15 Feb 2009 15:04 fpga projects |
|
|
|
|
yeah friend i got it wht u said it.. but after all all all you said,
whts the end use of making or synthesize those VHDL programs ON FPGA.? just because it works faster .? or -- just we need not to use more chips .?
whts the fun making a microcontroller through VHDL in an FPGA -- whn we can GET highly reliable and fastest microcontrollers easily from the market...
we can do almost any task performed, by programming a latest microcontroller ..!!!
i dont feel we jsut select making a cpu inside a FPGA by programing jsut to achive jsut more speed ..!! and same space..!!
--> if you say -- with FPGA programming we can simulate different ics of a system on a single FPGA.. it feels sensible..
but even though when the different ics in a system are avilable easily and fast enough, its sensible to use those in a system instead of generating those ic's BY VHDL programing in an FPGA...!!
jsut take an exmple.
if we make NOT gate ( ic 7414) by VHDL programing in a FPGA, then after that whts the usage of that gate .? ( thts my basic question since begening.) if ew can use those gates as a simpe not gate ics with the FPGA pins then its meaningfull i feel.
and more in that -- i know that FPGA does not CONTAIN any flash memory. so as soon as the power goes away the programming ( as in our example the NOT Gate) WIPES OFF ..!!
SO to protect again we need to use the BOOT ROM with FPGA.. ( and thts again leads us using the saperate ics..)
so pleaase comment on this.
-- Rony
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
eltonjohn
Joined: 22 Feb 2002
Posts: 1751
Helped: 28
|
15 Feb 2009 20:52 fpga projects |
|
|
|
|
| Code: |
whts the fun making a microcontroller through VHDL in an FPGA -- whn we can GET highly reliable and fastest microcontrollers easily from the market...
|
Is not the market products that determine the SOLUTION for a given NEED .Some of the chips on the MARKET are more than enough to process a given PROBLEM in a given time .But what about if is not the case . Processors in the market are general purpose machines .The can add and multiply ,is well know .But they are not optimized .If you require 100 millions of multiplications per second or more ,that right there disqualifies thouthands of those micros in the market .Then you will have to look for high end micros .And you will be now paying for stuff that you don't need .Because after all these will always be general purpose architectures .On FPGAs on the other hand you can design and OPTIMIZE just what you need and the solution is cheaper than an ASIC .With the add on benefit that you can always change anything to upgrade it .This by all means doesn't mean that for certain low requirements the MCUs are not a BETTER fit .IS all a matter of NECESSITY and PRICE .
There is an expression that goes like this :
"IF THE ONLY TOOL THAT YOU KNOW IS THE HAMMER .THEN YOU HAVE A TENDENCY TO SEE ALL THE PROBLEMS AS NAILS" that says it so well
| Quote: |
| we can do almost any task performed, by programming a latest microcontroller ..!!! |
YOU CAN ALSO GOTO THE NEAREST STAR SYSTEM being powered by a CHINESE fire cracker .But i think MOST SCIENTISTS will THINK FIRST TO use an ANTI MATTER PROPULSION SYSTEM
MOST ALGORITHMICAL SOLUTIONS TO NATURES PROBLEM'S .ARE OF A PARALLEL NATURE ,NOT SEQUENTIAL . OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE A SINGLE CELL BRAIN . FPGA takes us closer to that PARADIGM . DIVIDE AND CONQUER .
SO BOTH DEVICES CONFIGURABLE AND PROGRAMMABLE HAVE A LEGITIMATE AREA OF OPERATION ...THE SAME WAY THAT WE USE RISC CHIPS INSTEAD OF CISC .Is to optimize the prodessing DEVICE.The same way we PARLLELIZE NOW some of the FUCTIONS .LEAVING NOW BEHIND THE MCU ALTOGETHER .
NOW for the final part WHY TO IMPLEMENT STANDART ARCHITECTURES INSIDE A FPGA .. WELL IS TO REPLACE A LOT OF STUFF ..YOU REPLACE A CHIP AND STILL HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES LEFT TO IMPLEMENT VERY THIGHT PERIPHERALS. YOU NEED SERIAL YOU NEED ETHERNET ,YOU NEED SDRAM ,FLASH ETC ,ETC
SO FPGA EMBEDDED BASED ARCHITECTURES ARE VERY COMPACT . ONCE AGAIN VERY HARD TO BEAT!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ronydc
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 148
|
18 Feb 2009 19:21 projects on led |
|
|
|
|
ok i agree with u friend.
but still making the healthy discussion hope u dont mind.
if FPGA is so powerfull and capable as u described,
why why CPLD's are there in the market.
you didnt discuss the thing i mentioned about FPGA's that --- the memory goes wiped as soon as we shutt off the power..!! for overcoming that problem we again need to use a boot ROM with that.
and dosent that increase the overall PCB area .?
no chances for the failure of the boot ROM .?
if ASIC is COSTLY , surely we need not to build it but it does not mean that -- shoud use FPGA instead.
and -- instead of writing the code for creating a complex microcontroller in FPGA .. and creating a RAM , ROM area in FPGA and writing complex algorithams for generating a communication chip INSIDE A FPGA, better use utilizing the brain for developing the END applications by using readymade ( ONCE WORKED UPON BY THE DESIGN ENGINEERS SO HARD) Required -- CHIPS.
any way this was my belief. surely u know much more about FPGA's and my be all your sayig is correct.
but i m still not convinced unless i see any very simple but practical application created by FPGA programing. that simply uses the FPGA pins even to lit an LED.
-- Rony.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wake4rick
Joined: 28 Feb 2009
Posts: 1
|
28 Feb 2009 23:15 fpga led |
|
|
|
|
I am using a Digilent Nexys 2 in one of my classes. I am not sure if this is what you are looking for, It has SSeg displays, switches and many add on boards.
h**p://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfmNavTop=2&NavSub=451&Prod=NEXYS2
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ronydc
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 148
|
04 Mar 2009 20:37 very recent fpga projects |
|
|
|
|
yesssssssssssssss this is wht i needed...
eltonjhon.. please see this link..!!
this ppl have provided the bord for each and every peripheral..!!
great link..!! thanks man..!!
-- rony
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
