Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Register Log in

best FPA soft processor implementation for learning purposes

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

shaiko

Advanced Member level 5
Advanced Member level 5
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
2,644
Helped
303
Reputation
608
Reaction score
297
Trophy points
1,363
Activity points
18,302
Hello people,

I want to learn integrating soft processors on FPGAs.
Not interested in either Nios or Microblaze as they're platform dependent.

I'm looking for a free, platform independent alternative with good C compiler support.

This is solely for learning purposes - so the capabilities of the device don't matter

What soft CPU should I begin with?
P.S: I write in VHDL
 

Is ARM a bad choice? If so why?
 

I would go for Altium Designer.
You might think it is only a schematic/PCB design software, but you can also create complete soft processors in FPGA (you can choose from different kind of processors), includes a C compiler, libraries to control ethernet and such, etc.
They can also supply a complete development environment for soft processor FPGA development, named NanoBoard.
For a NanoBoard introduction go here: **broken link removed**
 
  • Like
Reactions: shaiko

    S

    shaiko

    Points: 2
    Helpful Answer Positive Rating
Thanks Marcel.

Do you have to use the Altium designer software to integrate the soft CPU? or it can be done with text .vhd files only?


tariq,
I don't know of any ARM soft processor implementations that are free and plattform independent...
 

Browse the processor section on OpenCores. 8, 16 or 32 bit CPU would depend on how simple/complex architecture you feel comfortable starting with. Pick a re-implementation of a well known CPU, and finding a decent C compiler for it shouldn't be too hard. Pick one that's already used in other project(s), and you have sample application if needed.

For example:

  • Amber (ARM-compatible)
  • AVR Core
  • cpu6502_tc
  • miniMIPS
  • OpenRISC 1000
  • Plasma
  • RISC5x
  • T65
  • T80
  • TG68
 

Can you recommend one? Which of the above has the best C compiler support?
Which one is the most used?
 

The whole soft processor in Altium Designer is 'transparent' to the user. Basically you are not aware that is implemented into a FPGA for that matter. You can even run-time debug the (C) application you have written for that soft processor. Setup of connections (internally/externally) and use of soem of the predefined 'libraries' is mostly done in a graphical manner.
If you only implement the soft processor in the FPGA, then the user will not even be aware of any vhdl/verilog code. Although it is possible I think to use your own vhdl code, it is not typical in this design process.
 

Do I have to own a licence for Altium designer in order to implement it?
 

Yes, Altium designer is not free, nor do they have a 'lite' (free) version (as far as I know). Not sure if they have special student licenses.
If I'm not mistaken, you get a 1 year 'free' subscription of Altium designer if you buy a NanoBoard. Not sure this will be a subscription for the full product or just the 'soft' design part (you have to check that out yourself by reading the information at Altium; a year ago or so it was not the full product).
 

what about the msp430 ?
 

Altium Designer does not support the MSP430 directly, but maybe the TSK165 is 'compatible' with it (it is based on a 16-bit RISC). The TSK3000 is a 32-bit RISC processor.
For soft designs, independent from the FPGA used, you are limited to the devices like TSK51, TSK52, TSK80, TSK165, TSK3000 (these are the 8051/8052/Z80/165x/3000 equivalents).
If you are using a specific FPGA then you can also build software for Actel COREMP7 (ARM), Altera NIOS2, Xilinx MICROBLAZE, Xilinx POWERPC (additional licenses of the FPGA manufacturer may be needed I think, unless the processor is already build in, like the PowerPC for Virtex FPGA's).
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top