Help me with choosing a FPGA or a CPLD board

[mindthomas]

FPGA/CPLD Programming and board development

Hi everyone.
I've now worked with FPGA's for about 2 weeks, and I would like to make a board my self. It doesn't have to be a FPGA board, it can be a CPLD board too.
Currently I've got Digilent's Basys2 board, and the Digilent FullSpeed USB JTAG programmer.

1. The thing I want to know is if anybody knows if it's possible to use this USB JTAG programmer with other devices like Altera, Lattice, Actel? I know it's possible to open SWF files with the Digilent programmer software, but does that mean that it can program other chips too?

2. I would also like to know what you would recommend to use as FPGA or CPLD.

3. I thought about trying the XC2C64A 64-macrocell CPLD from Xilinx, but then I saw the Actel FPGA's and they are cheaper.
So is it possible to program Actel FPGA's, like other FPGA's, or do they have some kind of protection?

4. Finally, if I want to go with Altera CPLD's, which one would you recommend?


Please check out my blog to see some of my current FPGA projects, which I made when I started learning VHDL. Remember I got the board and started learning about 2 weeks ago ;-)
**broken link removed**


Best Regards
Thomas Jespersen

 

[Jack// ani]

Re: FPGA or CPLD Board

Is there any specific reason for you willing to learn CPLDs, if not, I find no reason why you should move to CPLD from FPGA.

If can program FPGA, CPLDs will be piece of cake. In general CPLDs are cheaper, less complex, have deterministic timing and can retain its configuration in internal EEPROM.

 

[mindthomas]

Re: FPGA or CPLD Board

Because if I want to make my own board, it's easier to solder a 64-pin VQFP package than a 144-pin FPGA package!

 

[Jack// ani]

Re: FPGA or CPLD Board

Interesting, then I would suggest the one you mentioned by Xilinx will be good place to start.

Why? Because somehow I'm inclined towards user friendly ISE.

Good luck

PS: Your blog is pretty cool, keep up the good work. ;-)

 

[mindthomas]

Re: FPGA or CPLD Board

Interesting, then I would suggest the one you mentioned by Xilinx will be good place to start.

Why? Because somehow I'm inclined towards user friendly ISE.

Good luck

PS: Your blog is pretty cool, keep up the good work. ;-)

Thank you...
I've uploaded a schematic of the new project with the CPLD, which is going to be a Dice game - with endless possibilities of course ;-)
**broken link removed**

Thomas