( DAC 00 Item 8 ) ---------------------------------------------- [ 7/13/00 ]
Subject: Synplicity 'Certify', Synopsys 'FPGA Compiler II'
GUILTY AS CHARGED: I messed up. I forgot to ask about FPGA tools in the
survey! Managed to scrounge up two quotes, but I'm ashamed to say that I
couldn't find any Exemplar stuff. It's not their fault -- *I'm* the one who
messed up by not asking! Aargh.
"What about FPGA Synthesis? Bad John! You didn't survey on it! I can
sum it up as this: FPGA Compiler II mostly the same as last year, except
with BLIS (which I have had in DC for years). Synplicity, appears to be
delivering on their roadmap. After seeing the roadmaps this year, I
really question whether FPGA Compiler II will be around (except for it
being a freebie out of the FPGA vendors box). With FPGAs finally
starting to make inroads into ASIC territory, I cannot figure out why
Synopsys continuously ignores this product area. Absolutely crazy!"
- an anon engineer
"Synplicity:
I had a demo regarding the Certify tool. This is used for compiling our
design into multiple FPGA's for prototyping our ASICs. The inputs would
be the RTL and a board constraint file. This is not a simple plug and
chug tool. It would require board design and someone to work on the
compile to FPGA. I think that prototyping is a step we are going to
have to take. Now that we have the CMP architecture we can plug a
prototype into the system and get pre fabrication hardware experience.
We could save lots of money on re-spins and fibs. The current FPGA
technology is approaching our requirements and might have already
arrived. For example 90 MHz clock speed with HSTL drivers. We must
look into this further."
- an anon engineer
|
|
