Technical Publications
I/O Designer -- Uniting Disparate HDL, FPGA and PCB Design Flows
Programmable logic devices have become increasingly attractive for new design starts, as complex devices incorporating embedded processors, memory blocks, and DSP functions are now replacing entire ASICs. Design starts using ASICs have plummeted from a high of over 11,000 in 1997 to below 4,000 in 2003 (Source: Gartner Dataquest). This is because FPGA architectures not only provide excellent reprogrammability, reduced risk and lower development cost benefits compared to ASICs, but also enable quicker design turnarounds with a sufficiently competitive edge in the market and minimal compromise in terms of performance.
I/O Designer -- Uniting Disparate HDL, FPGA and PCB Design Flows
Programmable logic devices have become increasingly attractive for new design starts, as complex devices incorporating embedded processors, memory blocks, and DSP functions are now replacing entire ASICs. Design starts using ASICs have plummeted from a high of over 11,000 in 1997 to below 4,000 in 2003 (Source: Gartner Dataquest). This is because FPGA architectures not only provide excellent reprogrammability, reduced risk and lower development cost benefits compared to ASICs, but also enable quicker design turnarounds with a sufficiently competitive edge in the market and minimal compromise in terms of performance.
The Benefits of FPGAs: Are they consumed by the obstacles of integrating FPGAs on a PCB?
FPGAs have proven to be a valuable technology in today's electronic industry, offering performance, time-to-market, and cost advantages. Evidence of their pervasiveness is the fact that almost every Printed Circuit Board (PCB) now contains at least one FPGA. But, does the process of putting the FPGA on a PCB compromise those highly valued benefits? This paper examines the move from ASIC to FPGA technology, and the impact of FPGA on board integration today.