FPGA Specifications

Introduction

The FPGA Specifications page is a list of special considerations to make when writing VHDL for FPGAs and CPLDs

To get full effect of the architechcture inside the FPGA or CPLD it is essential to know the architechture and thus be able to write Your code to comply with this architechture.

Xilinx and Altera are the current FPGA market leaders and long-time industry rivals. Together, they control over 80 percent of the market, with Xilinx alone representing over 50 percent. They tend to switch place as technology leader every now and then as the development moves forward.

The internal architecture of the FPGAs from Xilinx and Altera are fundamentally different and a good knowledge of these differences will help You utilize the full potential of the FPGAs. Both Xilinx and Altera provide free Windows and Linux design software which help using the FPGAs full potential, but a good knowledge of the internal architechture can make things a lot easier and faster and help You fulfill the goals of Your design.

A number of small competitors exist:

• Achronix (RAM based, 1.5 GHz fabric speed) who will be building their chips on Intels' state-of-the art 22nm process
• Actel (antifuse, flash-based, mixed-signal)
• Lattice Semiconductor (SRAM based with integrated configuration Flash, instant-on, low power, live reconfiguration)
• QuickLogic (handheld focused CSSP, no general purpose FPGAs)
• SiliconBlue Technologies (extremely low power SRAM-based FPGAs with option integrated nonvolatile configuration memory)
• Tabula (Announced in March 2010, their new FPGA technology that uses time-multiplexed logic and interconnect for greater potential cost savings for high-density applications)

Some notable CPLD suppliers

• Altera (Max-II)
• Atmel
• Cypress Semiconductor
• Lattice Semiconductor
• Xilinx (CoolRunner-II)

This page will be split into sections each discussing a special brand of FPGA or CPLD and their main differences. A short description of the tools supplied by the chip manufacturer will be included discussing the flexibility and the ease of use of the tools.

Contents

1. Achronix
2. Actel
3. Altera
• FPGA
• CPLD
• Design Tool
4. Atmel
5. Cypress Semiconductor
6. Lattice Semiconductor
• FPGA
• CPLD
• Design Tool
7. QuickLogic
8. SiliconBlue Technologies
9. Tabula
10. Xilinx
• FPGA
• CPLD
• Design Tool

Achronix

Actel

Altera

FPGA

The Altera FPGA is sectioned into XXX which contains 16 LUT's each. Within these XXX's it is possible to create very fast synchronous logic (counters etc.) but when crossing between two XXX's the speed is reduced considerably due to routing delays

Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA Altera FPGA

CPLD

Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD Altera CPLD

Design Tool

The Altera Design Tool is named Quartus-II and is available with either a chip limited free license or a non limited licens for a small fee

Atmel

Cypress Semiconductor

Lattice

FPGA

Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA Lattice FPGA

CPLD

Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD Lattice CPLD

Design Tool

The Lattice Design Tool is named Lattice Diamond and is available with either a chip limited free license or a non limited licens for a small fee

QuickLogic

SiliconBlue Technologies

Tabula

Xilinx

FPGA

The Xilinx FPGA is designed as one big matrix of LUTs which gives a more uniform timing through the FPGA.

Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA Xilinx FPGA

CPLD

Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD Xilinx CPLD

Design Tool

The Xilinx Design Tool is named ISE and is available with either a chip limited free license or a non limited licens for a smaller fee