From: Rick Collins Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Altera free development tools Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 01:22:27 -0500 Organization: Arius, Inc Lines: 23 Message-ID: <3A307E23.9A81693E@yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: IKm0g35RSybKYEFRHdyec8PfEAGLI1V9hhnss52ZyA8= X-Complaints-To: abuse@rcn.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 8 Dec 2000 06:22:28 GMT X-Accept-Language: en X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.73 [en] (Win98; U) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.nextra.ch!news1.sunrise.ch!news.imp.ch!uni-erlangen.de!newsfeed.germany.net!news.tele.dk!4.1.16.34!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!feed2.news.rcn.net!feed1.news.rcn.net!rcn!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3198 I found that Altera has a free version of the Max+ development tools on their web site. They also provide free versions of LeonardoSpectrum and Synopsys FPGA Express synthesis tools. But I am sure that the synthesis tools have some limitations. Does anyone know what they are? -- Rick "rickman" Collins rick.collins@XYarius.com Ignore the reply address. To email me use the above address with the XY removed. Arius - A Signal Processing Solutions Company Specializing in DSP and FPGA design Arius 4 King Ave Frederick, MD 21701-3110 301-682-7772 Voice 301-682-7666 FAX URL http://www.arius.com ###### Message-ID: <3A30F6C2.46C7BABD@sqf.hp.com> Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 14:57:06 +0000 From: Nial Stewart Reply-To: nials@sqf.hp.com Organization: Agilent X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.75 [en] (X11; U; HP-UX B.10.20 9000/785) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Re: Altera free development tools References: <3A307E23.9A81693E@yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com X-Original-Trace: 8 Dec 2000 14:57:06 GMT, hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com Lines: 59 NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsqftk.sqf.hp.com X-Trace: 8 Dec 2000 07:57:54 -0700, hpsqftk.sqf.hp.com Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.ifi.unizh.ch!news.imp.ch!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!enews.sgi.com!sdd.hp.com!hp-corv.cv.hp.com!hpb10302.boi.hp.com!hpsqftk!hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3168 Rick Collins wrote: > > I found that Altera has a free version of the Max+ development tools on > their web site. They also provide free versions of LeonardoSpectrum and > Synopsys FPGA Express synthesis tools. But I am sure that the synthesis > tools have some limitations. Does anyone know what they are? Rick, I think they're just limited to Synthesising designs targeted at the Altera devices covered in the free version of Maxlus2. From their web site (OEM tools info link from the download page) > OEM Version Information > > FPGA Express-Altera version 3.5 is tailored for Altera devices. The feature > set is identical to standard FPGA Express software: > > Altera-specific architecture optimizations > Static timing analysis > Constraint management > Schematic viewer to view the register transfer level (RTL) code as a > schematic and inspect the design for inferred operators > Integrated FPGA Scripting Tool which supports a Tcl based command-line > language > > The full range of FPGA Express synthesis flows are supported: > > Push-button > Constraint-based > Hierarchical > Script-based synthesis > > Integration with Altera's Quartus[tm] tools is also provided, allowing the > ability to launch Quartus from within FPGA Express. I've downloaded this, but I've never used FPGA Express before so it's hard to say if it looks like the 'full' version or not. Note that the Altera tool set is only $2K and for that you get a version of Modelsim which isn't limited to any size of design (and is 50% quicker than Modelsim XE) and FPGA Express or Exemplar Spectrum with Quartus and Maxplus2 which between them allow any Altera device to be targeted. It also _isn't_ time base licensed, after a year you don't get any more free tool updates or suport but all tools (including third party) will continue to work and new designs can be started. There was some discussion about the stability of Quartus when it first came out but as that was over 18 months ago I would have expected it to be sorted by now. With this in mind an Altera tool licence seems a lot better value than the Xilinx tools. Nial. Nial. ###### From: "fred" Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Re: Altera free development tools Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 10:25:22 -0000 Organization: Customer of Energis Squared Lines: 24 Message-ID: <912a21$qmj$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk> References: <3A307E23.9A81693E@yahoo.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: modem-43.georgia.dialup.pol.co.uk X-Trace: news6.svr.pol.co.uk 976530305 27347 62.137.61.43 (11 Dec 2000 10:25:05 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 11 Dec 2000 10:25:05 GMT X-Complaints-To: abuse@theplanet.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.ifi.unizh.ch!news.imp.ch!fr.clara.net!NiOuZphide.fr.clara.net!grolier!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!diablo.theplanet.net!news.theplanet.net!newspost.theplanet.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3236 "Olivier R" wrote in message news:ee6ef70.1@WebX.sUN8CHnE... > Rick, > > Xilinx has also a free development tool (WEBpack ISE) based on Foundation ISE. It supports XC9500 family, CoolRunner Family, Spartan 2 Family and Virtex 300E. Note that Modelsim XE starter is also free from Xilinx Website. It is not a size design limited tool. However, it is slower than the Modelsim XE which is not slower than the Altera Modelsim. There is also no time limitation, means that tools will work even after 1 year use. > My license file for Modelsim XE starter has a 30day limit. If you are sure this is not time limited then please advise & I'll chase a correction. Anyone else? Dave ###### From: bob_42690@my-deja.com Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Re: Altera free development tools Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 02:25:26 GMT Organization: Deja.com - Before you buy. Lines: 31 Message-ID: <9142ah$ebo$1@nnrp1.deja.com> References: <3A307E23.9A81693E@yahoo.com> <912a21$qmj$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: 64.12.102.52 X-Article-Creation-Date: Tue Dec 12 02:25:26 2000 GMT X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.5; AOL 6.0; Windows 98) X-Http-Proxy: 1.0 x66.deja.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 64.12.102.52 X-MyDeja-Info: XMYDJUIDbob_42690 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.bme.hu!news.tele.dk!144.212.100.101!newsfeed.mathworks.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!nntp2.deja.com!nnrp1.deja.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3223 http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xil_prodcat_product.jsp? iLanguageID=1&iCountryID=1&ioid=-8883&isiod=-8883&ipoid=24380#XES The above link?? states that the XE Starter is appropriate for designs of less than 500 lines of HDL code, and the Modelsim XE evaluation version has a 30 day limit. > Note > that Modelsim XE starter is also free from Xilinx Website. > It is not a size design limited tool. However, it is slower > than the Modelsim XE which is not slower than the Altera > Modelsim. There is also no time limitation, means that tools > will work even after 1 year use. > > > > My license file for Modelsim XE starter has a 30day limit. > If you are sure this is not time limited then please advise > & I'll chase a correction. > > Anyone else? > > Dave > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy. ###### From: "Martin.J Thompson" Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Re: Altera free development tools Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 00:18:17 -0800 Organization: Deja.com - Before you buy Lines: 31 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: postnews.dejanews.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-Path: X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.5.3 To: Content-Disposition: inline X-DejaID: _xiz/AIPid6yegFioqHMF0GHP0mC/5pV9?= Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.ifi.unizh.ch!news.imp.ch!nntp-out.monmouth.com!newspeer.monmouth.com!xfer13.netnews.com!netnews.com!newspeer1.nac.net!news.maxwell.syr.edu!nntp2.deja.com!nnrp1.deja.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3332 Nial wrote: >Note that the Altera tool set is only $2K and for that you get a version of >Modelsim which isn't limited to any size of design (and is 50% quicker than >Modelsim XE) and FPGA Express or Exemplar Spectrum with Quartus and Maxplus2 >which between them allow any Altera device to be targeted. > >It also _isn't_ time base licensed, after a year you don't get any more >free tool updates or suport but all tools (including third party) will >continue to work and new designs can be started. > The Modelsim and Exemplar licenses *are* time based, at least according to my license file. When I queried our supplier about this, apparantly Mentor wanted it this way. :-( The other licenses are, as you say, just limited in how long you can have updates for - which seems fair. Cheers, Martin -- Martin Thompson BEng(Hons) MIEE TRW Automotive Advanced Product Development, Stratford Road, Solihull, B90 4GW. UK Tel: +44 (0)121-627-3569 mailto:martin.j.thompson@trw.com Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy. ###### Message-ID: <3A3DE0A2.12CCAE5@sqf.hp.com> Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 10:02:10 +0000 From: Nial Stewart Reply-To: nials@sqf.hp.com Organization: Agilent X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.75 [en] (X11; U; HP-UX B.10.20 9000/785) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.arch.fpga Subject: Re: Altera free development tools References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com X-Original-Trace: 18 Dec 2000 10:02:10 GMT, hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com Lines: 32 NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsqftk.sqf.hp.com X-Trace: 18 Dec 2000 03:02:39 -0700, hpsqftk.sqf.hp.com Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.ifi.unizh.ch!news.imp.ch!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!enews.sgi.com!sdd.hp.com!hp-corv.cv.hp.com!hpb10302.boi.hp.com!hpsqftk!hpqt0797.sqf.hp.com Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch comp.arch.fpga:3336 "Martin.J Thompson" wrote: > > Nial wrote: > > >Note that the Altera tool set is only $2K and for that you get a version of > >Modelsim which isn't limited to any size of design (and is 50% quicker than > >Modelsim XE) and FPGA Express or Exemplar Spectrum with Quartus and Maxplus2 > >which between them allow any Altera device to be targeted. > > > >It also _isn't_ time base licensed, after a year you don't get any more > >free tool updates or suport but all tools (including third party) will > >continue to work and new designs can be started. > > > > The Modelsim and Exemplar licenses *are* time based, at least according to my > license file. When I queried our supplier about this, apparantly Mentor wanted > it this way. :-( > The other licenses are, as you say, just limited in how long you can have updates > for - which seems fair. > > Cheers, > Martin I've been assured by an Altera FAE that all tools will be fully operational at the end of the year. It's partly on this understanding that I've just ordered the tools. Can you apply for another license file for Modelsim/Exemplar at the end of the first year with your current license number? Nial.