17 Oct
2025
17 Oct
'25
12:02 p.m.
Paul
You are quite correct regarding the utility and limitations of Amd and Lattice's
offerings.
Like you I have "dead" Lattice CPLD designs. Where clone's won't serve
a respin to XO2 being necessary. Best not to ask how long the XO2 licence will be gratis.
I was once assured by an FAE that the "cheap" way to obtain IP was as an element
of a support bundle : training credits, IP and tools licenses for an N kilo quantity of
currency. Not cheap enough for /work.
Martin
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Koning [mailto:paulkoning@comcast.net]
Sent: 17 October 2025 12:59
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Cc: Martin Bishop <mjd.bishop(a)emeritus-solutions.com>
Subject: Re: [cctalk] Classic computing - earliest years
On Oct 17, 2025, at 7:17 AM, Martin Bishop via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Both Xilinx and Microchip have linux builds of their tools. Also, news to me that Linux
or Windows FPGA tools cost money, not for "simple" devices see
https://www.fpgadeveloper.com/list-of-fpga-dev-boards-dont-require-license/ .
Note that "simple" devices are pretty complex : Artix, Zynq 030, UltraZynq 7EV,
etc see
https://www.amd.com/en/products/software/adaptive-socs-and-fpgas/vivado/viv…
Yes, Xilinx seems to be quite good about free licenses for most anything hobbyists are
likely to use.
As for PALs Lattice support for anything prior to the
XO2's is priced at legacy support rates, the users are expected to be performing long
term support of obsolete systems (cheaper to pay than redesign) for the obvious client
list, I suspect the tools would otherwise have been orphaned. Hard pressed to see what
else you might use a PAL for in 2025.
I used to pay Lattice for license renewal for CPLD design I did occasionally. Finally
dropped it when the pricing got out of hand.
For hobby purposes, it's occasionally frustrating that somewhat more advanced IP
isn't available in hobbyist form. I would like to do a software defined radio with
modern front end chips, but they are all JESD and the Xilinx IP for that is only available
under an expensive commercial license, not a hobby or even academic license last I looked.
And trying to spin my own JESD might be doable but certainly seems quite hard.
paul