Beginning Xilinx FPGA Tutorials?

Where to find Tutorials for using Xilinx FPGA? How to learn about Xilinx FPGAs, use ISE 6.3i and EDK 6.3i tools?

Folks, I am trying to learn how to program Spartan II (XC2S100-5PQ208C) and Spartan 3 (XC3S400-4PQ208C) Xilinx FPGAs. I looked at the data sheets for these parts, and the more I do the more mystified I get. I have never done this before. I come from a software background, but have dabbled in hardware a little. I would like to learn how to program, design, and add external hardware to FPGAs. What is the best way to go about this?

I have looked at some of the documents related to ISE and EDK, but have not been able to understand a great deal because of the different terminology and concepts they use (e.g. OPB v2.0 bus, Slices, Pulse Width Modulation). These ideas have little meaning to me having never seen them before. I did see the training classes on the web, but don't have $20K to shell out to take them all, being a broke chump and all.

Anyway I have the ISE and EDK 6.3i tools, and have been trying to read the documentation, but again I have the same issues.

Based on these descriptions, about how long does it take to write simple VHDL programs that work, or become fluent enough to know a good design from a chip fryer?

Thanks,

-HT

Reply to
Herb T
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"Herb T" wrote in news:1111071427.730695.188390 @f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

If you are just learning about FPGAs and want to implement a few simple designs using the ISE, then take a look at this tutorial:

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We don't have a tutorial that covers the EDK, yet.

A couple of hours if you use the VHDL language templates found in ISE.

I still can't do that.

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Dave Van den Bout
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Reply to
Dave Vanden Bout

You don't need to read the chip's data sheet in order to know how to program it. All you need to know is the I/0 pin assignment on your FPGA board.

good

Start simple. Start building a 2 input AND gates. That shouldn't take more than a few minutes. The tool should have the feature to connect the input and output of your AND gate to any I/O available in the FPGA chip. Digilent (an FPGA board vendor/

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has a video tutorial on programming their FPGA board. You can also look at
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Look at lab1. The author has a good tutorial on programming an FPGA board. He used Verilog, but the procedure for VHDL should be similar. Good Luck!

Hendra

Reply to
Hendra

Start the software. In the menu, find Help -> Tutorial. Then follow the tutorial step by step.

No need to read data sheet, since you are not working on somehow difficult work for a software guy, such as, designing system, evaluating whether the chip fits your need, designing off chip logic, interfacing the chip, designing PCB...

vax, 9000

Reply to
vax, 9000

uh... Yes I am trying to design a system, and need to design off chip logic including interfacing to the chip. Later I will move to design the PCB, and try to fit the system to the lowest power consumption.

I cannot at this point say, "I've had problems with signal noise using this part in past design xxx2000, so I'll go with this other part instead. Or say connecting the board components caused this failure last time, so I know to do it the other way."

I would like to be able to say, "These sets of tools works really well, needing Chipscope for this, ModelSim for that, and Architecture Wizard, iMPACT for this that and the other ... and they helped me get the design done much faster for this situation."

Anyway, I'll start with AND gates, and the ISE tutorials. One thing I don't really understand is what the EDK does for me aside from the fact that sources can be written in C and run using the on chip microblaze processor. This is still magic to since I don't really understand the underlying architecture of how instructions are being executed.

I was hoping get a prototype within two months, so you get to laugh at how a clueless nob asks stupid questions and says stupid things as I progress. I'll try and do as much of the homework before pesting.. ;-). Thanks for your help,

-HT

Reply to
Herb T

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