[sdiy] CPLD

[Matt Jones]

--- mark verbos <a0284520 at addcom.de> wrote:
> Is a CPLD an ic containing "software gates" or a
> programmable logic 
> array? I don't really get this stuff (never done any
> programming) but I 
> always wonder if you could replace huge seas of
> logic with a single chip 
> that you load software into.

Pretty much. Some of the biggest FPGAs available 
can replicate the function of 3-4 million logic gates.

> Is it something like drawing the schematic on the
> screen and then 
> dumping it into the chip? That would be great for
> "updating" designs.

Depending on the software used to program the chip,
you can either draw out the schematic or describe it
using a hardware description language. In both cases,
the software takes the circuit description and 
generates (much like compiling a program) a bit 
pattern for the logic device.

> 
> Where can I get real beginner's information on this
> stuff? Do I have to 
> go to Technical College?
> 

A quick Google search turned up this paper:

http://www.eecg.toronto.edu/~jayar/pubs/brown/survey.html

Or else you can go to any of the major manufacturers
(altera.com, xilinx.com) and see what they have.

Personally, Xilinx has been quite impressive recently,
releasing a free version of it's design software and
offering direct web sales of single devices.

Latre..

  --mdj


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