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Platform forum

Sniper2 , 01-04-2024, 06:27 PM

So this series was a nice cheap one but it is still viable this year or is it just not practical since it is sort of old?
Also i did not design the daughter board yet not wrote toe Verilog , would writing that down first help with /ic selection?
my design is not that complex and i only need to output like 4 precise PWMs and maybe a serial + some I2C/SPI data to be read from the motherboard ADCs....?
Is there another series i should look into that is sort of beginner friendly wit free dev tools?

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:25 PM

ICE40 FPGA is definitely good place to start even in 2024. What series, daugther board you are talking?

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:26 PM

i was thinking of the olimex board and the motherbard will be my design

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:27 PM

What olimex board? What are you tring to achieve?

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:27 PM

since i want to use the FPGA as a controller, and compare with a few MCU maybe

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:27 PM

it is a digital controlled SMPS

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:28 PM

Im pretty sure you don't need FPGA for that.

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:28 PM

i am considering buing this: https://www.olimex.com/Products/FPGA/iCE40/iCE40HX1K-EVB/open-source-hardware

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:28 PM

well it is more like to compare how it done not in be woth in $ then again ice40 is MCU lvl cheap

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:30 PM

like c++ vs verilog up to a point would be a nice thing to try

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:31 PM

then again i am studding dual active bridges and i am not sure what would be easyer to implement since i didnt not find much about actual compensation and controll input frequncy

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:31 PM

I don't know about the board, but it's definitely cheap. I personally don't like the design.

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:32 PM

Where are you from?

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:32 PM

romania, why?

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:32 PM

Was wondering about the verilog part. Usually Europe seems to use VHDL.

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:34 PM

well my skills are basic at best and i have a few friends with work with verilog so i can ask there

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:34 PM

Anyway if you are looking information about FPGA visit "nandland.com". He has a lot of information about FPGA in verilog and VHDL. He has his own development board and he is using ICE40k as well. A lot of projects there. He also recently published whole book about FPGA.

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:35 PM

thx

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:35 PM

btw

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:35 PM

a low of PWM sincronised on a MCU seems scary to code so that is why i am considering a cheap FPGA

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:36 PM

i know that nandland i saw some tutorials and it was manageble, that is why i am considering this chip and verilog

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:37 PM

Yes nandland is place i can recommend.

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:39 PM

and well ultimately i want to integrate all in a single PCB but untill then with aproach where i can switch the controller is ok since i am not sure how well stuff will work with the MCUs +no scope at home so haveing the digital logic signals on display on a fpga virtual test bench will help a lot

Mini , 01-06-2024, 05:43 PM

I don't see a reason why you can't do that with MCU, you can output PWM with MCU as well. But you can always try with FPGA.

Sniper2 , 01-06-2024, 05:53 PM

well phase shifting them seems hard atm ( only at HW design stage) also i am not sure i can get good enough resolution at 100-500kz