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I know in our Computer Architecture class we designed a MIPS-like processor. I don't remember what software we used, but we ran it in simulation and imaged it

by Tobani 11y ago

I know in our Computer Architecture class we designed a MIPS-like processor. I don't remember what software we used, but we ran it in simulation and imaged it on to an FPGA board at the end of class. We learned how to build all the components from smaller (maybe slightly higher than transistor level logic) parts. It was a great learning experience.

gedrap 11y ago
We did similar. In year1, we completed a MU0 design (based on 1950s architecture, can't remember which computer exactly... http://digitalbyte.weebly.com/processor-design/the-mu0-processor-datapath http://digitalbyte.weebly.com/processor-design/the-mu0-proce... ). We were given a half-working design, so it was pretty simple. Then we built a micro controller mimicking some simplified early ARM designs in year 2 (ARM was very widely used at the school, I guess the fact that Steve Furber works there played a role). Starting with ALU, decoding, etc. Was pretty awesome :) In year 3, we built a simple VGA chip and uploaded it to an FPGA with a monitor connected to it. It could only draw rectangles, lines and circles but seeing it actually working was totally amazing. Definitely the best project while at the school. We were using Verilog and Xilinx toolchain, and that happened at the University of Manchester.
- Tobani 11y ago
  Yeah its funny how alumni play the a role in the tech that gets used. I know that there was a lot of Xilinx in use on campus. I didn't do anything with FPGAs outside of the one class so I wondered how much of that was based on technical merit, etc. vs the fact that one of the Xilinx co-founders was a Rose-Hulman Alumn.
  - chrisdbaldwin 11y ago
    That class and Xilinx still haunt me. My team failed that project. Two of my three teammates couldn't grok Xilinx and gave up. That class catalyzed my decision to transfer out of Rose-Hulman.

by Tobani 11y ago

gedrap 11y ago

We did similar. In year1, we completed a MU0 design (based on 1950s architecture, can't remember which computer exactly... http://digitalbyte.weebly.com/processor-design/the-mu0-processor-datapath http://digitalbyte.weebly.com/processor-design/the-mu0-proce... ). We were given a half-working design, so it was pretty simple. Then we built a micro controller mimicking some simplified early ARM designs in year 2 (ARM was very widely used at the school, I guess the fact that Steve Furber works there played a role). Starting with ALU, decoding, etc. Was pretty awesome :) In year 3, we built a simple VGA chip and uploaded it to an FPGA with a monitor connected to it. It could only draw rectangles, lines and circles but seeing it actually working was totally amazing. Definitely the best project while at the school. We were using Verilog and Xilinx toolchain, and that happened at the University of Manchester.

Tobani 11y ago
Yeah its funny how alumni play the a role in the tech that gets used. I know that there was a lot of Xilinx in use on campus. I didn't do anything with FPGAs outside of the one class so I wondered how much of that was based on technical merit, etc. vs the fact that one of the Xilinx co-founders was a Rose-Hulman Alumn.
- chrisdbaldwin 11y ago
  That class and Xilinx still haunt me. My team failed that project. Two of my three teammates couldn't grok Xilinx and gave up. That class catalyzed my decision to transfer out of Rose-Hulman.