Re: Altera or Xilinx

For low-end projects that need things like ethernet or other high-end macros I would look at Lattice. I haven't had the opportunity to use any of their hardware or software but it seems that they offer more to lower-end customers.


---Matthew Hicks


Hi all,

For a new project we will need an FPGA and need to select one, so the
question is: Altera or Xilinx?

At least, it is my impression that those two are the major fpga
companies today. Or did I mis something?

I have searched this group and have called distributors for both, but
there seems te be not much difference between them. Not in devices,
EV-kits, free tools or price of the payed tools.

Searching this group with google (starting from 2006-01-01 as I think
much older information will be outdated by now) I found only found 87
messages containing both Altera and Xilinx. Most of those are in a
thread that starts it's focus on Nios vs Microblaze and than soon
derails unfortunately.

The some meaningless statistics:
Searching for Altera or Xilinx alone, also from 2006-01-01 to
2007-07-24:
Altera : 2140
Xilinx : 11200
Searching older messages gives simular results.
My previous experience with FPGA is rather old (+10 jears) and was
with Actel and Quicklogic. Both seem to still be around, but seem far
less in use than Xilinx or Altera. My latest experience with
programmable logic is with a Xilinx CPLD (XC2C128), 2 1/2 jears ago.

Although I'm trying to find the "best" choice for not only this
project, but also for future projects, I will give some info on the
current project.

The designs needs a serial bus with automatic module enumeration (2 -
12 changeable modules, not hotplug), access control (master slave
probably), buffers at each module (< 1kB), fixed timing, 10 - 40 Mbs.
The master module will need aditional buffering, ethernet and a
processsor (probably next to the fpga, not inside, but who knows).
Slaves may or may not require a (simple) processor. And in future
there may be a need for digital signal filters in some new slaves, but
that could also be implemented in a DSP.

My guess is that if it wasn't for the buffers, it could probably fit
inside a CPLD.

Any insights in what is the best FPGA for this (and other)
application? What is the major difference, are the differences,
between Altera and Xilinx?



.

Relevant Pages

  • Altera or Xilinx
    ... For a new project we will need an FPGA and need to select one, ... messages containing both Altera and Xilinx. ... Slaves may or may not ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)
  • Actel vs. Xilinx and Altera
    ... Xilinx Virtex IIe parts and was quite happy with them... ... Altera was doing as well, and while it always seemed to me that for DSP ... Where I am now there's been some historical use of the Actel 54SX parts, ... FPGA fabric. ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)
  • Re: Actel vs. Xilinx and Altera
    ... would suggest you have a look at Temento's Dialite which is an FPGA ... > Altera was doing as well, and while it always seemed to me that for DSP ... > applications Xilinx tended to have the edge, in many ways Xilnx and Altera ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)
  • Re: July 20th Altera Net Seminar: Stratix II Logic Density
    ... In both cases, of course, Altera will look worse then they are. ... Please note that in above press-release Xilinx talkes of 200.448 ... I think LEs are counting in the first place in a FPGA. ... > LUTs, oblivious to all the more exciting aspects of FPGAs. ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)
  • Re: Is free-to-use IP included with downloadable FPGA tools?
    ... ....and I don't think so, since searching for IP in the Altera IP Megastore shows that there are only reference designs available for SDRAM, but not a freely-licensable SDRAM controller. ... Here's a link to the IP Megastore from Altera: ... Xilinx also has an IP search engine: ... By searching for SDRAM on the Xilinx website, this shows the Memory Interface Generator: ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)