Frontier

Gold Panning in Webcasts

I don't know about you, but when I attend a webcast, I just want to hear "the good stuff". You know, the gold nuggets. I don't want to sit there and waste my time saying "Yeah, Yeah, OK, OK, say something I don't know already."

Don't get me wrong, simple concepts can be important. But I want to know not just what "in theory" you can do, but what action you can take based on that concept. We are very busy creatures, and I want to be able to take action based on my 60 minute investment in attendance. When the webcast's over, I want to know that my time was well spent, and that it's caused a change in my (sometimes stubborn!) thinking.

Our next webcast is on Wednesday, March 28. The topic is "Tips for FPGA Timing Closure." The presenter will be Troy Scott, from our software marketing group.

Please attend or pass along an invitation to attend by registering at:
http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/webcasts/tipsforfpgatimingclosure/index.cfm

Let me know how Troy does in his quest for solid gold!
 

FPGAs: Replacing ASICs?

It wasn't too long ago that common engineering wisdom dictated that FPGAs were only good for system prototype and initial production, and that ASIC/ASSP replacements would have to be up and running before commencing full production.

That may still be true for some systems that are ultra-low-cost, ultra-high-performance or ultra-high-volume. However, FPGAs are increasingly becoming a vehicle of choice for many systems.

The LatticeECP2M Family of FPGAs significantly lowers the price point for devices that provide advanced system-level connectivity (DDR/DDR2 DRAM interface, PCI-Express and Gigabit Ethernet etc.) with reasonable general purpose I/Os, programmable logic and memory resources.

What are your thoughts and experiences in using FPGAs for production volumes, rather than ASICs/ASSPs? We would like your feedback:

1. Have you considered FPGAs as ASIC/ASSP replacements in volume production?
2. Do you have an example of an FPGA attribute that "forced" you to go the ASIC/ASSP route?

Our goal is to provide the best Programmable Logic Devices for system development. So, we look forward to hearing potential improvements that would enable us to better meet your needs - at a lower overall cost and faster time to market.