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From: john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Advice for active FPGA forums
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:01:19 -0700
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On Fri, 11 Oct 2024 21:57:16 +0100, Mike Perkins <spam@spam.invalid>
wrote:

>I am currently using an Intel Cyclone V, a 5CEBA2F23C8N and a LPDDR2 memory.
>
>The reason for this initial choice is due to a Terasic development board 
>that used a Altera/Intel high end Cyclone V device with a functioning 
>LPDDR2 IP. Some code was breadboarded here.
>
>Unfortunately I can't get the LPDDR2 IP to work on my PCB. I get errors 
>and I have given up.
>
>So I have made my own interface. This 'can' function fine without error, 
>but as the design has become more complex I now struggle for the memory 
>to function at 225MHz clock speed, being the minimum speed I need for a 
>32bit DDR2 memory. I can select clock phase for the internal clock, 
>memory clock and DQS strobes.
>
>I'm struggling with setting clock speed and appropriate timing where the 
>timing simply fails, despite setting the options to max speed. The 
>delays are simply too many ns.
>
>In short I am throwing in the towel with a view to reconsidering 
>alternative architectures and FPGAs. I should be able to reuse most of 
>my code.
>
>I was wondering if anyone could recommend a generic type of forum that 
>could assist with feedback. Yes I know there are AMD and Intel FPGA 
>sites but they are very specific to those makes.
>
>There is comp.arch.fpga but that's pretty much defunct.
>
>Any suggestions?

Don't know about forums, but we are using the Efinix parts lately.
They are cheap and dumb and fast.

One of my FPGA designers says that the Efinix software tools look like
they were developed in somebody's garage. He meant that as a
compliment.