[email protected] (Tom Hawkins) wrote in message
> I need a single chip solution for a control system and DSP
> application.

if you need true single chip solution it would only be possible
using full custom ASIC, this is out of the question.

> The primary consideration is board area. The second, cost.
> Here's what I'm looking for:
> - 5V supply and I/O.

most semicon industry people say there is no 5V any more.
even 5V tolerant device are vanshing

> - Embedded ADC (at least 1, preferably 8). Slow rate (50 Hz).

there is no FPGA with ADC (no real large FPGA at least)

> - Small FPGA fabric. About the size of a small spartan.

small like XC2S15?

> - Embedded block ram (4 KBytes).

most FPGAs have that amount

> - Flash FPGA. Would like not to have separate config prom.

there is only 2 Flash (or instant on) FPGAs
1) lattice xPGA (only in large BGA pacakge)
2) Actel ProAsic+

> - Low I/O count. I only need about 30 pins.

APA075, 100pin TQFP, 17EUR single qty, (price from mcs-ge.com)

> Does anything like this exist? If 5V I/O is not possible, what's
> needed to translate about 12 pins from 3.3/1.2 to 5V?

inputs series resistor
outputs direct connection
(in most cases)

> Also, what's envolved for FPGA based software defined radio? I'd like
> to build an RC (as in radio control airplane) receiver. Most FM
> radios hop between 2 frequencies to encode pulse widths which in turn
> drive the RC servos. So nothing digital. It just needs to extract
> the pulse train from the FM. I would consider trading an FM receiver
> chip for an external high-speed ADC and a larger FPGA if it buys
> enough flexibility.
>
> Regards,
> Tom

I hope Ray Andraka will reply on SDR side.

I have build model airplanes and I have build radio tranceivers and
transmitters. so the topic is kind interesting.

I guess you also need low power, right?

if you need low power then use TI MSP430 those are microcontrollers
that run out of wires plugged into an apple - no joke there was a demo
of webserver powered by an apple. Whatever you do with FPGA you need more
power.

you wanted single chip solution, this would be really hard!
www.cypressmicro.com advertises their products as Programmable SOC
well its RISC micro with configurable logic and analog blocks, but
the logic blocks are not PLD or FPGA unfortunatly.

you come to 3 chips so or so
1) radio front end
2) MCU or FPGA+config (or MCU holding FPGA config)

no way around it. very small micro could be run from internal memory
of ProAsic, then you could have, no still 3 chips, you need ADC


so use the radio chip
select some low power MCU (with ADC)
select some FPGA (possible loaded by the MCU)

antti