[sdiy] FPGA 2-OP FM MIDI Polysynth

[Scott Gravenhorst]

"Jason Tribbeck" <Jason.Tribbeck at ascom.com> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>> http://www.fpga.synth.net/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=FPGASynth.8vFM-2x4
>> 
>> Four 2 operator FM sound generators per voice, 8 voices (total of 64
>NCOs).
>>  Sound sample and source code for Spartan-3E Starter Kit.
>> 
>> The FPGA in this design is not even half full.  Next step will be to
>bump
>> it up to 16 voices of polyphony.
>
>That's very interesting - I'd just bought one of those Spartan 3E dev
>kits (arrived yesterday) for random projects; was thinking about synths
>with it, and you've just reminded me of what you've done.
>
>Are you using the free WebPackISE, or have you paid for some of the
>extras? I'm contemplating whether it's best to have the extras or not -
>if you've not needed them, then that'll add weight to not doing so.

The free WebPACK ISE, current version (10.1.03).  It's worked very well for me on
this and two other boards.  ChipScope is probably a good thing, but having never
used it I don't miss it.  I have several different techniques for troubleshooting -
mostly just using the LEDs.  There are also general purpose I/O pins that can be
used to attach a scope probe and watch an important signal.  Also ISE won't use
quite as much of the fabric of the FPGA as EDK and I'm sure there are other
differences as well.  For the kind of stuff I do, ISE has been quite wonderful.

-- ScottG
________________________________________________________________________
-- Scott Gravenhorst
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