How to use MatLab to program DSPs and FPGAs ?

[vinicius]

MatLab

In which ways i can use MatLab math programing capabilities to program DSPs or FPGAs ? Is there any program that link matlab and the programmer in order to just pass matlab's code, properly changed, to the device? Thanks

 

[echo47]

MatLab

For FPGA, System Generator may save you some time in some projects:
**broken link removed**

I tried it. I prefer HDL.

 

[emrek]

Re: MatLab

The toolboxes of matlab for specific embedded cards may be useful for you. Look for realtime workshop embedded coder tool in matlab.

 

[zhaoyimiao]

MatLab

matlab maybe not efficient for FPGA and DSP coding.

 

[swahlah]

Re: MatLab

Dear vinicius,
MATLAB is designed for Simulation while DSP and FPGA has their own design rules.
But i think you can get something which will link all these three.
First DSP:
You write your program in MATLAB and then convert this program into C Code using the MATLAB Compiler i think the command name is mcc or something like this but you can check it in MATLAB using
help mcc
Then when you get the C Code compile it on the DSP compiler specific to your DSP board and you will get the DSP executable which you can upload in your processor but remember you have to specifically optimize as per the architecture of that particular Processor otherwise you will not get the optimum performance...

Second FPGA:
FPGA is more tricky to handle.
Now a days the FPGA trends have changed to processor based solutions where you can write a C code and the Compiler of FPGA will convert it into HDL code.
So when you get the C code from mcc you recompile it using FPGA compiler...

I think this path may help you a lot.

Sincerely,

 

[mobile-it]

Re: MatLab

Dear vinicius,
MATLAB is designed for Simulation while DSP and FPGA has their own design rules.

Second FPGA:
FPGA is more tricky to handle.
Now a days the FPGA trends have changed to processor based solutions where you can write a C code and the Compiler of FPGA will convert it into HDL code.
So when you get the C code from mcc you recompile it using FPGA compiler...
quote]

I have a question about this part; since I know some C programming and I am new to VHDL can you give me some links to documents where there is information about programming in C for FPGA devices? I want to start learning this.

thanks in advance.

 

[echo47]

MatLab

You don't want to learn how to convert C to FPGA. The tools are expensive and not very good. Instead of trying to pound a square peg into a round hole, you should learn good digital design, and then implement your design using HDL.

If you have experience in C, you may find it easier to learn Verilog than VHDL.

 

[swahlah]

Re: MatLab

Dear mobile-it,
Verilog is very similar to C language so i will recommend you to re-write the C code in behaviour design model of Verilog and in this case you will get the implementation of your algorithm in verilog HDL. Definitly behaviour level will not give you much control on the low level modules of your design but for first go i think it's suitable for you as going to Verilog from C will not take couple of days as far as the question of syntex but definitly for design concepts you have to learn the digital logic design and hardware optimization technique.

Regards

 

[alexfeng]

Re: MatLab

matlab maybe not efficient f
or FPGA and DSP coding.

why do you say that?
have you try it on?
could you talk more about it
3x

 

[helios]

Re: MatLab

matlab maybe not efficient f
or FPGA and DSP coding.

why do you say that?
have you try it on?
could you talk more about it
3x

hea .... matlab is not the most efficient method to program DSP / FPGAs

It adds a lot of redunacy in code and the development process is very slow ...
most often the tool crashes with a absurd error

i dont feel matlab is good for programming DSP/FPGA

 

[swahlah]

Re: MatLab

Dear alexfeng,
MATLAB is basically a simulation tool and it's designed for the devlepment testing and simulation of algorithms in different fields and you have to not to care about the resources utilized and the processing power/memory used.
while DSP and FPGAs are targetted devices for the end products where you have to take care of the resource usage on the chip both cycles and the memory.
Also the design methodology is one of the biggest factor in the implementations of the DSP and FPGA and both have different paradigms for architecture development.

I would recommend to not to confuse the MATLAB with DSP and FPGA.
Yes you can generate the C code from matlab but then you can use it to redesign the software / hardware architecture of DSP/FPGA respectively.

-Regards