It seems the prices have come down in recent years, but still, the parts I have seen have no Flash. So you need to add in that cost. But the Sigma parts aren't really general purpose. They are good if you can make you app fit the DSP design, otherwise they aren't much use. I pursued them hard a few years ago until an FAE just threw in the towel and said I couldn't do my app on their part.
That makes no sense. There will always be some designs that a given part is a perfect fit for, but that doesn't mean different devices can't be compared. The question is what is the best fit for a given job. I am hearing some say that FPGAs aren't the best fit and I find they often are a better fit than an MCU. Much of it has to do with mis-information about what FPGAs can and can't do and what is required to make them run. Just read Joerge's post. Much of the stuff he objects to is specific to the individual devices he has worked with.
I have not found a big difference in software. The software is different, but those differences are not important. It all compiles my HDL fine (mostly because they often use the same third party tool vendors) and simulation just works anymore.
I don't know what devices you work with, but the ones I use are easy to program.
The CPU is the easy part to port, the compiler handles that for you. It is the drivers for the I/O that is harder. Their libraries have to have compatible interfaces and every port is a port. With FPGAs, all you need to do to switch between brands is normally a new pin list and timing constraints. The HDL just compiles to suit the new device. It has been a while since I ported between brands but it would make sense if they provide tools to port the timing constraints. That is the only part that might be any work at all.
Care to elaborate?
You can find a small number of DSPs with CD qualitity CODECs and the same for MCUs. I know, I did this search recently. I didn't find much and none that suited my other critera. So the redo of my board will likely have another FPGA on it.
I would appreciate a list of the MCUs/DSPs which have stereo CD quality CODECs on chip. The Sigma parts from ADI don't count because their DSPs can *only* be used for certain coding like filters, not general purpose use.
You are mixing apples and oranges. One manufacturer has many different families of FPGAs, no? Some are huge power hungry devices that burn a hole in your board. Others are much lower power and don't burn a hole in your pocketbook either.