FPGA start?

Question

I want to start with Xilinx FPGA's. How does one start cheap? I see a development kit from Digilent for $99 US. It is for a Spartan IIE. But then I see there is a Spartan III but no development kit for this.

What are the options. Can the Spartan IIE 200K gate do a lot of designs. Is that enough gates?

-- Yours sincerely,

Bobi Mageroski Practel Pty. Ltd.

Tel: 61 2 9957 1797 Fax: 61 2 9957 2892

e-mail: snipped-for-privacy@practel.com.au

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Antti Lukats · Accepted Answer

Memec had Spartan III S50J kits but those are all sold out :( also notice that did use "J" version with only 2.5 IO and no BRAM more S3 kits from Memec are exptected but timeline unknown

thats a lot and pretty much enough :)

antti

Ben Popoola · Answer

Depending on your budget I would advice you to take a look at the modular development boards at

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As you become more experienced with FPGAs and your needs grow, these boards will offer you the opportunity to expand.

Ray Andraka · Answer

The Shortwave radio design I refer to on my website uses a 100K gate Spartan( Not so long ago, 200K gates was considered anenormous device.  At that time (about 6 years ago), I was using mostly 25K gateXC4025E's and doing some pretty sophisticated signal processing with 3 or fourof them on a board.  With that in mind, 200K gates should be ample for what youintend.bobi wrote:----Ray Andraka, P.E.President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.401/884-7930     Fax 401/884-7950email  "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little  temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."                                          -Benjamin Franklin, 1759

FPGA start?

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