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There is only so much mindshare that can fit in a headline, but don't forget that there is also a 28k logic cell FPGA on that ARM processor. This board has abo
by jws 14y ago
There is only so much mindshare that can fit in a headline, but don't forget that there is also a 28k logic cell FPGA on that ARM processor.
This board has about everything you could want in a hardware hacking board.
• Normal, well supported, ARM processors for the easy stuff. USB and HDMI in case you want to interact.
• Gigabit ethernet. Most ARM boards you find are 100mbit.
• Sanely programmable array of processors for bulk processing.
• FPGA for heavy hacking. Also very handy for interfacing to devices, let it handle the low level timing sensitive stuff.
• About 40 GPIO, but since they are connected to the FPGA you can turn them into higher level interfaces. It appears that the HDMI output is built this way.
• Community momentum. There are 3400 people behind this already. 5 signed up while I was spell checking this comment.
- dkhenry 14y agoHowever if I read their block diagrams correctly you can't use the FPGA and the Epiphany at the same time ( e.g. they use the FPGA to interface with the Epihpany Core ). Still if they give easy access to reprogram the FPGA they not only made an awesome Parallel computer, but also the only platform I know of to easily get into FPGA hacking. The FPGA is the most under reported part of this project.
- adapteva 14y agoWe didn't focus on the FPGA because the project was more about parallel programming methods, but it's an open platform so the adventurous ones can hack and modify it freely.
- jws 14y agoIn the Kickstarter updates there is a link to a paper about using the FPGA to both interface to a digital radio front end and the Epiphany, so I assume that the Epiphany logic doesn't consume the whole FPGA and that they make source available for you to extend.
- lonetech 14y agoThe FPGA is indeed doing the glue logic to the Epiphany, but that's only one of its functions; there's plenty of space left for other jobs, one of which is HDMI output. They do plan easy access to reprogram the FPGA, but since Xilinx synthesis tools are only available on x86, you'll also need a PC to make new FPGA configurations.