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:
- Have you considered FPGAs as ASIC/ASSP replacements in volume production?
- 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.