Looking for FPGA with processor (pros and cons of types)

[nyep]

FPGA with Processor

Hi people!!

I'm a student, who's currently doing a research for my professor. I am supposed to look for FPGAs with processor. Can anyone tell me which manufacturer has such FPGA? If possibe, can anyone recommend me which FPGA with processor is better? Any reply would be high appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Johnson]

FPGA with Processor

The prcessor in FPGA has two different kind: Soft and hard. The soft processor uses processors VHDL or Verilog code and implement them on FPGA logic resource. So you do not need special hardware, and this type do not restrictd to specific vendor. Example are Xilinx Microblaze, PicoBlaze. Ana generic 32-bit and 8-bit processors are ready at web, example: Pacoblaze.

Second type is the processor which is implemented in FPGA fabric not logic, example are Xilinx PPC in Virtex II Pro familay, Virtex4-FX familay,

Datasheet and demo board are available at Xilinx.com,

Also take a look at Niose in Altera.com

 

[hcet]

Re: FPGA with Processor

Also Lattice's soft cores LatticeMico8 and LatticeMico32.

ep20k

 

[salma ali bakr]

Re: FPGA with Processor

as johnson said, it depends on which type of processor you want to use; softcore or hardcore...
you have microblaze for soft
and powerpc for hard
these are both available from xilinx

altera has the nios II processor which is a soft processor

there's also the cortex processor, developed by ARM in collaboration with Actel

 

[sp]

FPGA with Processor

please check out the altera nios II, it's really cool how you make your own customized processor (soft one)...

i didn't try xilinx before, can't comment...

 

[FINALFANTASYFAN]

FPGA with Processor

uhm, I wonder wat the difference bt softcore and hardcore is?

IF wat Johnson wrote is right, wat is the deference bt a hardcore in an FPGA and a "true" processor which is made to be proccessor?

Thanks and best regards

 

[samcheetah]

FPGA with Processor

There is no difference between a hardcore microprocessor in an FPGA and a "true" microprocessor. In an FPGA the hardcore microprocessor is surrounded by LUTs, BRAMs, Multipliers and DCMs etc.

I hope that helps

 

[waka]

Re: FPGA with Processor

A possible real difference can be found in the execution speed.
True micro has it's own limits, but FPGA can implement (if well designed) same structure of a true micro but with more optimizations.....1 clock 1 instruction & so on...
XX

 

[FINALFANTASYFAN]

FPGA with Processor

1stly, thanks 4 ur explanations!

But I'm still confused. U said that soft one loads configuration implemented from a VHDL design and hard one does not need cause it was fabricated. So it means it's "hard", there's no need to reconfig. just buy one and use. So how can classify it as reconfigurable one? It's just a type of uP with higher frequency performance than the ordinary.

 

[hcet]

Re: FPGA with Processor

1stly, thanks 4 ur explanations!

But I'm still confused. U said that soft one loads configuration implemented from a VHDL design and hard one does not need cause it was fabricated. So it means it's "hard", there's no need to reconfig. just buy one and use. So how can classify it as reconfigurable one?

Lets stay for example with a Virtex-II Pro. This is a FPGA with one or two IBM PowerPC 405 cores in one Package on one die. Each PowerPC can not be changed in its logical structur -> not reconfigurable!
But you can change the logic you implemented in the FPGA part as often as you want -> reconfigurable!
For example, you could implement a MicroBlaze soft processor into the FPGA part of this device.

It's just a type of uP with higher frequency performance than the ordinary.

You have a higher frequency performance in the PowerPC 405 cores compared to the FPGA part.

ep20k

 

[FINALFANTASYFAN]

FPGA with Processor

oh, I'm now clarified. It's a hybrid structure. Thanks you all!