--- umairsiddiqui0800 <> wrote: > > Sir, > Soft IP Processors (my questions is from fpga prospective > not from (....) and advocacy > of "soft ip processors vs microcontrollers". (...) You v'got it: In my opinion (I have significant experience with ucontrollers, tiny in IP cores) the IP core is worth to consider if you already have a need of FPGA in your circuit. This is, in my opinion, the only case when FPGA can beat ucontroller in terms of cost, development complexity/time, and, what is very important in most of ucontroller market - current consumption. In my experience the current consumption is the most important FPGA killer - note, this is not rare for ucontrollers to run from below 1 mA (one mA). On the advantage of IP core stands that you have great flexibility. But if and only if the IP core is supplied with source code. This is not rare in ucontrollers world to have bugs in silicon. The $ put in silicon chip development enforces very tight quality checking. I would suspect, that soft IP cores can be more buggy - not only because of developpers faults but because of toolchain complexity, including tools which are used at end user site to actually implement this core. Having source code you may tune it to your needs. Same for software development tools. Did you ever experienced this nice, warm feeling: F#$%&! This darn compiler has a bug! And this job has to be done until tomorow! In summary : I will use IP core only if following coditions will be meet: 1. Current consumption is either not important or ucontroller based solution is anyway in 100mA region; 2. PCB Board is complex because of large number of _digital_ companion logic. Shame, there is no analog fpga's, or just equiped with quality ADCs. ucontrollers are usually well equipped with ADC/DACs; 3. I will have IP core on resonable price, with source code. The total 'entry cost' to start development in IP core market must be comparable to ucontroller; 4. The estimate cost of FPGA solution must be comparable with ucontroller based; ....Or ucontroller/DSP/discrete solution is not possible because of processing speed required :) Anyway, designing IP core is great fun and is a 'must do' for one to really understand how ucontroller works. regards, ===== Tomasz Sztejka POLON ALFA (work) http://www.polon-alfa.com.pl/ (private) http://www.sztejkat.prv.pl/ ___________________________________________________________ Moving house? Beach bar in Thailand? New Wardrobe? Win 10k with Yahoo! Mail to make your dream a reality. Get Yahoo! Mail www.yahoo.co.uk/10k |