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FPGA on Android

Started by Tim December 1, 2014
On 06/12/2014 15:08, rickman wrote:
> On 12/6/2014 9:56 AM, MK wrote: >> On 05/12/2014 12:09, rickman wrote: >>> On 12/2/2014 4:20 AM, MK wrote: >>>> On 01/12/2014 14:30, Tim wrote: >>>>> - non-volatile FPGA plus FTDI USB chip >>>>> - connects to an Android host mode USB port >>>>> - application software in Lua, with Java interface/driver >>>>> - high-level Gideros software for whizzy graphics >>>>> - FPGA firmware samples, including logic analyzer in source >>>>> >>>>> also works on a PC - useful for reprogramming the FPGA. >>>>> >>>>> Everything open source. >>>>> >>>>> www.bugblat.com/products/fan >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Tim >>>> Interesting - I'm slightly regretting you didn't use an ICE40 FPGA >>>> but I >>>> think I'll buy one. >>>> I'm really pleased to see the open source, VHDL, LUA and Android host - >>>> nice combination. >>> >>> I think you sent me an email, although it may have been intended for the >>> newsgroup. I tried to reply but the return address is bad and I can't >>> seem to make it good. >>> >> Hello, I meant to post to the group but I'm forever clicking the wrong >> button in Thunderbird. Sorry. >> >> I'm trying to get a couple of new ICE40 designs up and running (used an >> 'HX1k before with no real trouble) and having problems with PLLs (trying >> to simulate and also working out which pins the ref input can use - >> Lattice say any GBIN but the ICECube tools says only two pins near the >> PLL power pins). I was wondering if anyone has actually used the PLLs. >> I'm also having no joy in getting slave spi mode to work (on 'HX4k) - >> once again this was OK on the 1K part but there are still a few things >> to try. > > I feel your pain with regards to T-bird. I seldom make that mistake now > but at first it was a struggle. > > Keep us informed with your progress using the ICE40 parts. Maybe start > a new thread. > > I am on Lattice's distribution list for EOL's and such. I just got a > notice that they are deleting one of the two packages for the ultra > parts. They say they had *no* design wins in the 20 pin package. I'm > not entirely surprised with only 12 I/Os. They can't seem to find a > middle ground. > > The emphasis for FPGAs seems to be more on package size than low pin > count really. They don't go with any easier to use packages (read > larger or non-BGA) with lower pin counts, but rather small packages > regardless of pin count. I guess handheld is driving the market these > days. Space is at a premium while I/O counts still need to be generous. >
I'll try to post something on my web site - it needs some more interesting new technical stuff. Michael Kellett
On 06/12/2014 14:56, MK wrote:
> I'm trying to get a couple of new ICE40 designs up and running (used an > 'HX1k before with no real trouble) and having problems with PLLs (trying > to simulate and also working out which pins the ref input can use - > Lattice say any GBIN but the ICECube tools says only two pins near the > PLL power pins). I was wondering if anyone has actually used the PLLs. > I'm also having no joy in getting slave spi mode to work (on 'HX4k) - > once again this was OK on the 1K part but there are still a few things > to try. > > Michael Kellett. >
Does the ICE40 use the same hard macro as the XO2 and XO3? The XO2 slave SPI works well. We use it for configuration on our Raspberry Pi add-on board. We intended to use I2C, but the Pi cannot do I2C Restart so we had to fall back (!) to SPI for configuration. There's a clever hack to get I2C Restart to work on the Pi, but it relies on exact timing and jumping on the I2C bus at just the right moment. We passed on that. Pi I2C is just fine for regular (non-configuration) use where you can define a protocol that doesn't use Restarts. If it helps, our XO2 I2C code (VHDL) is here: https://github.com/bugblat/pif/blob/master/firmware/common/pifwb.vhd -- Tim
On 12/10/2014 9:36 AM, Tim wrote:
> On 06/12/2014 14:56, MK wrote: >> I'm trying to get a couple of new ICE40 designs up and running (used an >> 'HX1k before with no real trouble) and having problems with PLLs (trying >> to simulate and also working out which pins the ref input can use - >> Lattice say any GBIN but the ICECube tools says only two pins near the >> PLL power pins). I was wondering if anyone has actually used the PLLs. >> I'm also having no joy in getting slave spi mode to work (on 'HX4k) - >> once again this was OK on the 1K part but there are still a few things >> to try. >> >> Michael Kellett. >> > > Does the ICE40 use the same hard macro as the XO2 and XO3?
I don't know for sure if the SPI design is the same or not. The ICE40 was not designed by Lattice. It was done by Silicon Blue which was bought by Lattice a couple of years ago. Lattice made some tweaks to the ICE40 line, but I doubt that they replaced the SPI port module with their own.
> The XO2 slave SPI works well. We use it for configuration on our > Raspberry Pi add-on board. We intended to use I2C, but the Pi cannot do > I2C Restart so we had to fall back (!) to SPI for configuration. > > There's a clever hack to get I2C Restart to work on the Pi, but it > relies on exact timing and jumping on the I2C bus at just the right > moment. We passed on that. > > Pi I2C is just fine for regular (non-configuration) use where you can > define a protocol that doesn't use Restarts. > > If it helps, our XO2 I2C code (VHDL) is here: > https://github.com/bugblat/pif/blob/master/firmware/common/pifwb.vhd > > -- > Tim >
-- Rick
On Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:30:12 +0000, Tim wrote:

> - non-volatile FPGA plus FTDI USB chip > - connects to an Android host mode USB port > - application software in Lua, with Java interface/driver > - high-level Gideros software for whizzy graphics > - FPGA firmware samples, including logic analyzer in source > > also works on a PC - useful for reprogramming the FPGA. > > Everything open source. > > www.bugblat.com/products/fan
Wait a minute, what exactly is this? What am I - the user - capable of doing to the device with an Android? Can I reprogram the FPGA? I assume yes, but do I need a PC for that? In the sense "can I use only the Android phone to make a transition from Verilog/VHDL sources to a programmed FPGA"?