FPGA Central

Hi Folks,
I am currently in the process for selecting an FPGA for one of my
projects. I have always used Xilinx FPGAs but now am considering using
Altera. The Altera Cyclone III FPGAs looks like a very cost effective
device but I have no idea how well it compares performance wise (will
be used for DSP application) to a Spartan3E.
I would be very grateful if someone would be able to provide me few
pros and cons of Cyclone III.

Thanks
Sudhir

On Jun 27, 3:39*pm, Sudhir Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> I am currently in the process for selecting an FPGA for one of my
> projects. I have always used Xilinx FPGAs but now am considering using
> Altera. The Altera Cyclone III FPGAs looks like a very cost effective
> device but I have no idea how well it compares performance wise (will
> be used for DSP application) to a Spartan3E.
> I would be very grateful if someone would be able to provide me few
> pros and cons of Cyclone III.
>
> Thanks
> Sudhir

it is matter of taste and preferences

but if you compara S3E and C-III
i see no reasons not to prefer C-III
but as said its a question of taste, or possible corporate policy

I would recommend C-III over S3E

but my most argument is SPI multiboot capability
C-III has it, S3E doesnt

of course the amount of BRAM too smallest device
CIII has 46 compared to 8K in S3E

Antti

Sudhir

It's a matter of luck which works out cheaper for a given project.
Some designs will have a better fit in an Altera and some conversely
Xilinx. Pricing will also vary a lot if it's a "volume" project. On
the xilinx front it would also be worth considering the Spartan-3A or
Spartan-3A DSP. If your manufacturing doesn't start for 6 months or so
Spartan-6 will be a good option as well. Not to leave them out Altera
will no doubt be offering some competition to Spartan-6.

You can try a lot of these device out for fit in the fre versions of
ISE and Quartus respectively.

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd.- Home of Craignell. The DIL FPGA Solution.

On 27 June, 13:39, Sudhir Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> I am currently in the process for selecting an FPGA for one of my
> projects. I have always used Xilinx FPGAs but now am considering using
> Altera. The Altera Cyclone III FPGAs looks like a very cost effective
> device but I have no idea how well it compares performance wise (will
> be used for DSP application) to a Spartan3E.
> I would be very grateful if someone would be able to provide me few
> pros and cons of Cyclone III.
>
> Thanks
> Sudhir

Hi,

Also, you can better compare C3 to more "modern" offerings from Xilinx, like
S3A(N) or S3A-DSP.

--

Jaime Andres Aranguren C.
SanJaaC Electronics
Soluciones en DSP
www.sanjaac.com


<[email protected]> escribió en el mensaje
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On Jun 27, 3:39 pm, Sudhir Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> I am currently in the process for selecting an FPGA for one of my
> projects. I have always used Xilinx FPGAs but now am considering using
> Altera. The Altera Cyclone III FPGAs looks like a very cost effective
> device but I have no idea how well it compares performance wise (will
> be used for DSP application) to a Spartan3E.
> I would be very grateful if someone would be able to provide me few
> pros and cons of Cyclone III.
>
> Thanks
> Sudhir

it is matter of taste and preferences

but if you compara S3E and C-III
i see no reasons not to prefer C-III
but as said its a question of taste, or possible corporate policy

I would recommend C-III over S3E

but my most argument is SPI multiboot capability
C-III has it, S3E doesnt

of course the amount of BRAM too smallest device
CIII has 46 compared to 8K in S3E

Antti

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your replies.

John, its interesting that you suggested Spartan-3A DSP and Spartan-6
coz I had enquired with a distributor about these two devices just
today. Hopefully Spartan-3A DSP will have a good pricing.
We have to have the boards fabricated in 4 months time so Spartan-6
may be no-goer at this stage.

I didn't realise that CIII's LUTs can not be configured as distributed
memory.

Cheers
Sudhir

Sudhir

One other Xilinx advantage can be the SRL16 construct where the LUT is
used as a shift register rather than just a ram. The SRL16 alone can
shrink some designs by a lot if the design can make use of it.

For boards in 4 months Spartan-6 would be very difficult to get, if
not impossible, and Spartan-3 is the way for a Xilinx offering in that
timeframe.

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Darnaw1 the FPGA PGA Solution.

On 29 June, 14:05, Sudhir Singh <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Guys,
> Thanks for your replies.
>
> John, its interesting that you suggested Spartan-3A DSP and Spartan-6
> coz I had enquired with a distributor about these two devices just
> today. Hopefully Spartan-3A DSP will have a good pricing.
> We have to have the boards fabricated in 4 months time so Spartan-6
> may be no-goer at this stage.
>
> I didn't realise that CIII's LUTs can not be configured as distributed
> memory.
>
> Cheers
> Sudhir