Homebrew PCBs

Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.

I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
that I can learn on using VHDL?


thanks,
Chris


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The Papilio looks pretty cool, for $50:

http://papilio.cc/





On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 11:41 AM, Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@...>wrote:

> **
>
>
> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?
>
> thanks,
> Chris
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

El 16/06/11 17:41, Chris Kleeschulte escribi\ufffd:
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?
I recently got a Digilent/Xilinx FPGA dev board, it has a 200K gate 
Xilinx Spartan, some static RAM, platform flash, various switches and 
buttons, PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, RS232 port, VGA port and 7-segment 
LEDs and indicator LEDs plus three 40-pin IDE style connectors for 
connecting whatever you like to the board. It's straightforward and does 
what it says on the tin. Cost is $140

http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,400,799&Prod=S3BOARD

digilentinc.com has a good selection of boards at a pretty good price. I got started with their boards.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@...> wrote:

>
> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
> 
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?
> 
> 
> thanks,
> Chris
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

David:


EXACTLY what I was looking for. Simply awesome.


thanks again,
Chris

On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 12:45 PM, David Mitchell <gossiphog@...>wrote:

> The Papilio looks pretty cool, for $50:
>
> http://papilio.cc/
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On 16 Jun 2011, at 09:41, Chris Kleeschulte wrote:

> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
> 
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?
> 

You can have my Terasic DE0 (http://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=56&No=364) for $50 + postage if you want. I'm planning on moving to a Xilinx EDK kit (http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards-and-kits/DK-S6-EMBD-G.htm) so it's surplus. Works just fine.

Cheers
	Simon


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Simon:


I think I the Papilio one is probably something I can start with, but I
really appreciate the offer.


Chris


> You can have my Terasic DE0 (
> http://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=56&No=364)
> for $50 + postage if you want. I'm planning on moving to a Xilinx EDK kit (
> http://www.xilinx.com/products/boards-and-kits/DK-S6-EMBD-G.htm) so it's
> surplus. Works just fine.
>
> Cheers
> Simon
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On 16/06/2011 17:41, Chris Kleeschulte wrote:
> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?


The Digilent boards are good value, I have one of their Xilinx Spartan-3 
boards. If you want something really cheap, there are often some Altera 
Cyclone boards on Ebay. I've got one and it works OK, but it's a 
double-sided board to keep the cost down and won't be suitable for 
serious stuff.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

At 10:41 AM 6/16/2011, Chris Kleeschulte wrote:
>Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
>people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>
>I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
>computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
>VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
>that I can learn on using VHDL?

I have what might be a surprising suggestion: Open Logic Sniffer from 
www.seeedstudio.com>

Its a joint design collaboration between Dangerous Prototypes and The 
Gadget Factory (who make the Papilio) and I think that its simply awesome.

Here's why I suggest it:

1) Its a great little open-source logic analyzer.  All code and 
hardware is completely open.

2) It has a USB PIC on-board for getting FPGA code onto the 
board.  The PIC can be used as-is or you can customize it to your 
specific requirements.

3) The FPGA has 32 i/o lines brought out to headers.  16 of those 
lines are currently input-only because they have a 5V-tolerant buffer 
feeding them.  The other 16 lines are not touched in any way - they 
can be inputs or outputs.  Note that they are NOT 5V tolerant as 
inputs and their logic 1 output is derived from 3.3V FPGA supply.

4) You can turn it back into a logic analyzer when you are finished 
with it as a FPGA dev board.

I suggest that you check it out - you might be pleasantly surprised.

dwayne

-- 
Dwayne Reid   <dwayner@...>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd    Edmonton, AB, CANADA
(780) 489-3199 voice          (780) 487-6397 fax
www.trinity-electronics.com
Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing

Brilliant suggestion. I would have never thought of that device. thanks!


Chris


> I have what might be a surprising suggestion: Open Logic Sniffer from
> www.seeedstudio.com>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Do you have a project in mind to get started?


On 6/16/2011 2:55 PM, Chris Kleeschulte wrote:
>
> Brilliant suggestion. I would have never thought of that device. thanks!
>
> Chris
>
> > I have what might be a surprising suggestion: Open Logic Sniffer from
> > www.seeedstudio.com>
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chris

See:
<http://www.ami.ac.uk/courses/programmes/overview-amic.asp#modules-and-awards>
for online course material, the first three modules of each are free to access, they will give you a good grounding in VHDL (I helped write some of them) and other technologies also

Malcolm

I don't suffer from insanity I enjoy it!

--- On Thu, 6/16/11, Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@...>
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] FPGA dev board recommendationa
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, June 16, 2011, 5:41 PM







 



  


    
      
      
      Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the

people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.



I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a

computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and

VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board

that I can learn on using VHDL?



thanks,

Chris



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





    
     

    
    


 



  





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jeff:


I was intrigued with the rise of Bitcoin and Namecoin. Politics and backroom
snickering aside, I am totally unaccustomed to NOT being able to solve a
problem (well at least) using a CPU. One can't compete in the realm of this
problem domain without the power of a GPU, FPGA or ASIC. OpenCL is nice, but
I would love to learn about how FPGA's work. So, the project is to make a
custom FPGA board tailored to solving these sorts of hashes without making
the feds think I have a grow house in my basement.


Chris

On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 2:57 PM, Jeff Heiss <jeff.heiss@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Do you have a project in mind to get started?
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:59:42 -0000, you wrote:

>digilentinc.com has a good selection of boards at a pretty good price. I got started with their boards.

Hamilton-avnet has a board that's reasonable in price, has a xilinx
3AN 50K FPGA on it.  Think it also has a processor on it for touch
inputs and programming via USB.

Harvey

>
>--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@...> wrote:
>>
>> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
>> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>> 
>> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
>> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
>> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
>> that I can learn on using VHDL?
>> 
>> 
>> thanks,
>> Chris
>> 
>> 
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

On Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:41:28 -0400, you wrote:

>Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
>people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>
>I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
>computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
>VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
>that I can learn on using VHDL?

Also remember that VHDL is concurrent, not a procedural language.
Things do not happen after each other, they happen at the same time.
Once you master components, you have a real good approach to design.

The nice thing is that you don't design the part, you just tell VHDL
what to do, and it does it.

Harvey

>
>
>thanks,
>Chris
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Vhdl can be either concurrent or sequential. You can even mix and match
components using either.

sent from my android device. thumb mistakes should be expected.
On 2011-06-16 6:01 PM, "Harvey White" <madyn@...> wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:41:28 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like
the
>>people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>>
>>I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
>>computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA
and
>>VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
>>that I can learn on using VHDL?
>
> Also remember that VHDL is concurrent, not a procedural language.
> Things do not happen after each other, they happen at the same time.
> Once you master components, you have a real good approach to design.
>
> The nice thing is that you don't design the part, you just tell VHDL
> what to do, and it does it.
>
> Harvey
>
>>
>>
>>thanks,
>>Chris
>>
>>
>>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------
>>
>>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
Photos:
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This one looks pretty good for the price - $89

http://www.em.avnet.com/evk/home/0,4534,CID%253D62855%2526CCD%253DUSA%2526SID%253D32214%2526DID%253DDF2%2526LID%253D32232%2526BID%253DDF2%2526CTP%253DEVK,00.html?SUL=s6microboard

Not so many IOs available, but it has RAM and ethernet!

James

On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 2:41 AM, Chris Kleeschulte <laconia@...>wrote:

> **
>
>
> Please excuse me for asking a completely off topic question, but I like the
> people on this list a lot and I trust their answers.
>
> I am getting into VHDL for the purpose of programming FPGA's. I am a
> computer scientist by trade, so I am really green when it comes to FPGA and
> VHDL. Does any have a recommendation for a low cost FPGA development board
> that I can learn on using VHDL?
>
> thanks,
> Chris
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]