Beginer to Programmable Logic Chips

[marifhossain]

I want to reduce number of logic chips in my design. So I found that PAL, GALs, FPGAs can help.

I need some good documentations to start and understand the differences of PAL, GAL, FPGA etc.

I am a C programmer. Can I program GALs, PALs & FPGAs with C?

If I can (with C) is there any software preferably free or demo to start?

If I need to learn VHDL some good documentations are adviceded and also some VHDL interpreter or compiler (may be)?

I have a universal programmer which has the capability to program Programable logics.

 

[Sparc]

For documentation on PAL, GAL, FPGAs Google them. Good documentation is also available at www.altera.com.
They can be programmed with SystemC. Some Tools using C are still in research.
Free demo versions using VHDL/Verilog is available from ModelSim (starter edition) & ActiveHDL.
A good Documentation for VHDL is available at
**broken link removed**

 

[echo47]

PALs and GALs are getting old. Go with FPGA if you can.

C isn't a parallel processing language. There are some exotic C-to-FPGA tools, but you'd be better off with VHDL or Verilog.

I like Xilinx FPGAs. You can download their free ISE WebPACK develoment tools. It supports their smaller FPGAs.
**broken link removed**

 

[sp]

just read some portion of it...very good on fpga architecture....

a sample chapter 3 from

FPGA-Based System Design
Wayne Wolf, Princeton University
ISBN: 0-13-142461-0
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Copyright: 2004
Format: Cloth Bound w/CD-ROM; 576 pp
Published: 06/15/2004

**broken link removed**

Architectures of FPGAs.
SRAM-based FPGAs.
Antifuse-programmed FPGAs.
Programmable I/O pins.
FPGA circuits: logic and interconnect.

hav a look... u dont wanna miss it....

regards,
sp

 

[freeinthewind]

i 'm afraid u should know verilog HDL or VHDL. it's used widely and proved the best way so far . system C and Handle C is a new way and the relative software tools can't work properly so far.

 

[billjoy]

I dont think a C programmer can easy to learn VHDL(RTL) programming,
for RTL, it's mention about HW implement ( loic design(DFF,Latch,MUX, FIFO, RAM, ROM))...
maybe a good firmware programming is easy to learn VHDL, but for C programming
I suggest you read login Design Principle/Computer Architecture first, the key point is not how to use GALs, PALs & FPGAs, the key point is the Concept of Computer Architecture/Logic Design Principle!