AVR-Chat

----- Original Message ----- 

From: <BobGardner@aol.com>
To: <AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [AVR-Chat] Re: C programming on AVR


> Since you're an ASIC guy, maybe you could tell some of us mostly 
> programmer
> types how to get started in this field. I'm sure we feel the same way 
> about
> VHDL and expensive tools as beginning programmers feel about makefiles and
> regular expressions and other unixy traditions.

There are free versions of the Xilinx and Altera tools. Just buy a cheap 
starter kit ($99 for the Xilinx Spartan 3 kit), download the software and 
try it.

Leon
--
Leon Heller
Amateur radio call-sign  G1HSM
Yaesu FT-817ND transceiver
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
leon355@btinternet.com
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

Since you're an ASIC guy, maybe you could tell some of us mostly programmer  
types how to get started in this field. I'm sure we feel the same way about  
VHDL and expensive tools as beginning programmers feel about makefiles and  
regular expressions and other unixy traditions.
===================================================
 
In a message dated 3/23/2008 12:48:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
bronzefury@yahoo.com writes:

I know C  from a long time ago - during hobby programming projects and 
in college  classes so I've forgotten quite a bit.  Being an ASIC guy, 
learning  AVR assembly was quite easy but I don't think it can scale 
as easily to  more complicated projects.   






**************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL 
Home.      
(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Leon wrote:

>
>
> > Since you're an ASIC guy, maybe you could tell some of us mostly
> > programmer
> > types how to get started in this field. I'm sure we feel the same way
> > about
> > VHDL and expensive tools as beginning programmers feel about 
> makefiles and
> > regular expressions and other unixy traditions.
>
> There are free versions of the Xilinx and Altera tools. Just buy a cheap
> starter kit ($99 for the Xilinx Spartan 3 kit), download the software and
> try it.
>
> Leon
>
>
We should change the subject line if we are going to continue any 
further on the off-topic of FPGAs.
I will say this, though, that will relate the FPGA topic to my 
observations about not wanting to
get into an AVR C programming environment:
The Xilinx IDE is also horrendous for my old weak brain, and it is 
precisely because I have had to
keep up with each new version that I was disinclined to open a new, 
continuing, can of worms in
a C dev system; especially if there is no great advantage to be gained.

Programmers who are trying to be FPGA starters should use Altera; it is 
somewhat easier to use.
Also, programmers may find Verilog HDL will be similar to C in the 
arithmetic coding.
However, new FPGA designers will still have deal with: hundreds of IO 
pin assignments, many
clocks, many supply voltages, many types of IO descriptions;; etc.

Ken

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Ken Holt" <kholt@sonic.net>
To: <AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:05 AM
Subject: Re: [AVR-Chat] Re: C programming on AVR


> We should change the subject line if we are going to continue any
> further on the off-topic of FPGAs.
> I will say this, though, that will relate the FPGA topic to my
> observations about not wanting to
> get into an AVR C programming environment:
> The Xilinx IDE is also horrendous for my old weak brain, and it is
> precisely because I have had to
> keep up with each new version that I was disinclined to open a new,
> continuing, can of worms in
> a C dev system; especially if there is no great advantage to be gained.
>
> Programmers who are trying to be FPGA starters should use Altera; it is
> somewhat easier to use.
> Also, programmers may find Verilog HDL will be similar to C in the
> arithmetic coding.
> However, new FPGA designers will still have deal with: hundreds of IO
> pin assignments, many
> clocks, many supply voltages, many types of IO descriptions;; etc.

Yes, the Altera software is much easier to use. It seems to have been 
developed as a whole rather than cobbled together from lots of different 
applications.

Leon
--
Leon Heller
Amateur radio call-sign  G1HSM
Yaesu FT-817ND transceiver
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
leon355@btinternet.com
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

Nowadays, when it comes to ASIC Design, it seems to me that companies 
are looking for people who fulfill either of the following 
requirements..

1) 10+ years of experience

or 

2) live in India and have an EE degree

Don't believe me?  Just check monsterboard or yahoo jobs.

So, I think the notion of "how-to-get-started" is really a moot point 
if you're a North American engineer.  I'm just trying to enjoy the 
ride while I still can.. before I go into *gasp*.. Marketing

bronze

--- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, BobGardner@... wrote:
>
> Since you're an ASIC guy, maybe you could tell some of us mostly 
programmer  
> types how to get started in this field. I'm sure we feel the same 
way about  
> VHDL and expensive tools as beginning programmers feel about 
makefiles and  
> regular expressions and other unixy traditions.
> ===================================================
>  
> In a message dated 3/23/2008 12:48:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> bronzefury@... writes:
> 
> I know C  from a long time ago - during hobby programming projects 
and 
> in college  classes so I've forgotten quite a bit.  Being an ASIC 
guy, 
> learning  AVR assembly was quite easy but I don't think it can 
scale 
> as easily to  more complicated projects.   
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video 
on AOL 
> Home.      
> (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?
ncid=aolhom00030000000001)

> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>