aisc v/s fpga
Hello Raghu,
There are several differences - ASIC vs FPGA
1. In ASIC you worry about DSM issues. In FPGA you don't (vendor takes care of it)
2. In ASIC you can implement analog ckt. Not in FPGA
3. ASIC are faster than FPGA
4. FPGA no NRE (and tools are cheap). ASIC you pay huge NRE and tools are expensive.
5. In ASIC you have to verify (simulate or emulate or equivalency checking) at so many stages - pre-synthesis, post-synthesis, post P&R. In FPGA you do it once after post-layout and then incircuit.
6. In FPGA you often don't do floor-planning (tool does it often efficiently). In ASIC you have do it.
7. FPGA has lots of Macros, built in Architecture modules, DCM etc etc.
8. Important in ASIC you insert DFT, in FPGA you rarely do that.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
eda_ak (... still learning)