[SOLVED] Problem with long array synthesis with implemented buffers

[am85]

Hi,
I am trying to implement a buffer to store 512 bytes before writing this block to an external memory. I tried implementing it in the following 2 ways:

type buffer is array(511 downto 0) of std_logic_vector (7 downto 0);
OR
signal buffer : STD_LOGIC_VECTOR (4096 DOWNTO 0);

and in both cases the synthesis takes so long. So should it be taking that long due to the big size of the buffer or there is a more efficient way to do it. Is there a specific way I should use to write to this buffer to speed up synthesis time or this is irrelevant ?

Thanks a lot.

 

[TrickyDicky]

Re: Array synthesis time

with something that large, you should really look at creating a ram rather than an array of registers. Check out the coding guidelines for your particular manufacturer for infered ram.

 

[std_match]

"buffer" is a reserved word in VHDL, so you should change the name.

I agree with TrickyDicky, you should use a RAM block to store the data, if possible.

 

[am85]

Thanks for your suggestion. I have changed the implementation to infer RAM and now the synthesis is just a few minutes. However, I checked the synthesis report and it is still not implemented as an inferred RAM but as 512 8-bit registers. The problem is that I would like to write to the buffer 3 bytes in one clock cycle, because the value i want to store is 24 bits. So i use three addresses then the implementation is registers and not RAM of course. The question is would it make a difference in resources utilization or performance if it is implemented as registers or RAM ?
Thanks.

 

[TrickyDicky]

with registers, you use register resource, with ram you use ram resource. A ram implemented in registers will take a large % of registers.
I suggest instead of providing 3 simultanous addresses, you provide 1 address and a 24 bit data word, then it should infer a ram.

 

[am85]

you are right but I am writing to an SD card and therefore i need to write one byte at a time and not 24 bits,but my values are 24 bits, so I need the buffer to be the same as the SD card (512 x 8 bits)to be able to write easily, that's why I write 3 bytes.

 

[TrickyDicky]

A Ram in this situation is much more appropriate.
I suggest you work out a method to get the words written in as 24 bits, and read out 8 bits at a time. Usually you can just enable the read every 3 clock and mux the data.

 

[am85]

I will try that then . Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[FvM]

There are various ways to implement block RAM with different port widths for read and write.