I have used Xilinx FPGAs in the past and ISE is familiar. So I started to browse Xilinx's CPLD devices for an easy start. (What a mistake...)
Based on specs a small XPLA3 is what I need . I only need a few IOs, a few counters, etc. and the logic is pretty simple. I was a bit confused not to find XPLA3 as a product on the Xilinx (AMD or what ever) web page. CoolRunner II and 9500 yes, but not XCR30xx devices. Some generic docs are there tho. So it must be a recognized product on some level.
But no worries, lets take another approach and update ISE the next and see how everything else will sort out. Well... the W10 installation package does not install and it seems to be some sort of VM package anyway. Older 14.x version looks to work somehow but there are issues. I am not going to download multiple 15GB packages to try if any of them happen to work enough for me.
I downloaded Vivado, but the lab version does not look give the same functionality as ISE. I have zero knowledge of Vivado, so maybe the licensed version is the one that includes the whole dev functionality.
Also I was a bit surprised not to find a single reference circuit, evaluation board or even a sample verilog/vhdl... And this is for XPLA3. For other Xilinx CPLD devices I found a few.
I took a look at Altera's options. What prices they have!
Sorry for the ranting. Is there a CPLD/small FPGA brand that "everyone" is using nowadays and I just have missed the memo?
A
Based on specs a small XPLA3 is what I need . I only need a few IOs, a few counters, etc. and the logic is pretty simple. I was a bit confused not to find XPLA3 as a product on the Xilinx (AMD or what ever) web page. CoolRunner II and 9500 yes, but not XCR30xx devices. Some generic docs are there tho. So it must be a recognized product on some level.
But no worries, lets take another approach and update ISE the next and see how everything else will sort out. Well... the W10 installation package does not install and it seems to be some sort of VM package anyway. Older 14.x version looks to work somehow but there are issues. I am not going to download multiple 15GB packages to try if any of them happen to work enough for me.
I downloaded Vivado, but the lab version does not look give the same functionality as ISE. I have zero knowledge of Vivado, so maybe the licensed version is the one that includes the whole dev functionality.
Also I was a bit surprised not to find a single reference circuit, evaluation board or even a sample verilog/vhdl... And this is for XPLA3. For other Xilinx CPLD devices I found a few.
I took a look at Altera's options. What prices they have!
Sorry for the ranting. Is there a CPLD/small FPGA brand that "everyone" is using nowadays and I just have missed the memo?
A