Will FPGAs replace micro-controllers?

[vamsi2krishna]

will fpga replace microcontroller

Hi,
I am Vamsi.

Will FPGAs replace the micro-controllers.If Yes can you tell me the advantages and disadvantages between them

Thanks
Vamsi

 

[karper1986]

fpga and microcontrollers

Hi vamsi2krishna,

FPGA is mainly for programmable logic but microcontroller is mainly for hardcore processing. Microcontroller is running sequencially regardless of how fast the controller is. In digital signal processor, the hardcore would enhance the harward architecture by increasing pipelining to certain level of parallel instruction processing. Instead, FPGA is totally hardware based programmable. The parallel processing in FPGA is not depends to the pipelining, but it is hardware based parallel architecture. For general application, microcontroller is good enough for system implementation. However, in some critical arimethic processing such as dsp algo would need real-time processing that is time critical. In this case, FPGA would be the best solution.


I think if you are working on low power design then micro-controller is the best. Second advantage is readily available and tested building blocks like ADC,Timers,DMA,UART. Nowdays low power FPGA's also available but you need to spend lots of time on optimization.
But FPGA wins when it comes to complex algorithms,DSP calculations.

you could take a microcontroller core and make it on an FPGA. you could use an AVR core on an FPGA. FPGAs could contain a multitude of things at the same time. the bigger ones can even have two PowerPC microprocessors running at the same time in the same FPGA.

Best regards,
Karper

 

[vamsi2krishna]

“will fpgas replace micro-controllers?”

HI Karper,

Thanks for your quick and fast replay.

I have a one more question.

FPGAs being manufactured in the 65 nm technology.

FPGAs too can now compete with micro-controllers in performance criteria such as speed and better standards .


Thanks
Vamsi

 

[eltonjohn]

advantages of fpgas over micro controllers

WILL SCREWS replace Nails? .Two different solutions .For two similar applications .
The cycle development with FPGA is more costly than with CPU ..(time and tools) .So for some application CPU will always be prefered.

 

[vamsi2krishna]

micro processer and fpga

Thanks for your reply.

In that case which one is better when compare with following aspects?

suitable parameters:-

Design Time, Power consumption, Area, Man Power, Speed, Initial Cost, Application, Resources required, Life cycle of the product, Flexibility.

Regards,
Vamsi.

 

[karper1986]

microcontroller replace fpga

Hi Vamsi,

You can see some difference between fpga and microcontroller:

Best regards,
Karper