VHDL Tutorials etc

A

Andy Evans

Hi,

I'm new to VHDL and would like some recommendations as to the best (free)
web tutorials on the subject please.

Also any book recommendations.

Cheers,

Andy.
 
B

Balogh Viktor

Ralf said:
I would not recommend Ashendens VHDL Cookbook for beginners, because
there are several traps and pitfalls in it, as I have already stated in
<http://groups.google.de/group/comp....HDL+Cookbook+Ashenden&rnum=1#7a161bd3f6569328>.


Ralf

Hi!

I know it is not a very kind attitude of a first-poster to
criticize sy :), but I will do that.
My first VHLD book was Ashenden, and I had no problem with
it. It describes the concept of the language -- and let's be
honest, VHDL is far more than a language for synthesis. It
is a complete HDL. I agree -- it is not a tutorial for
writing synthesizable code. Because synthesis tools speak
some odd derivates of VHDL.
VHDL is a *language*. What you say is not always useable. I
guess linguists have a term for it -- I do not remember it
anymore. You do not have to stick to Ashenden after you have
understood the concepts. I left it, and now I use 1076a.
If somebody wants to learn VHDL we should encourage him/her
to *understand* the language and should not train him to be
a kind of script kiddy.

Vitya
(e-mail address removed)
 
R

Ralf Hildebrandt

Balogh Viktor wrote:

....
My first VHLD book was Ashenden, and I had no problem with it.

The Cookbook or another book?
It
describes the concept of the language -- and let's be honest, VHDL is
far more than a language for synthesis. It is a complete HDL. I agree --
it is not a tutorial for writing synthesizable code. Because synthesis
tools speak some odd derivates of VHDL.
VHDL is a *language*. What you say is not always useable. I guess
linguists have a term for it -- I do not remember it anymore. You do not
have to stick to Ashenden after you have understood the concepts. I left
it, and now I use 1076a.
If somebody wants to learn VHDL we should encourage him/her to
*understand* the language and should not train him to be a kind of
script kiddy.

Well, for me the it is far more useful to learn first the synthesizable
subset of a HDL and then go deeper into the language. This might be,
because I aim for synthesizable code. Writing it in a very good style
comes second - together with writing efficient testbenches. Simple, but
very effective testbenches can be done also with the synthesizable
subset of a HDL.
I would go so far, that: "If beginners would learn the three basic
elements of hardware (flipflop, latch, comb. logic) and the ideas to use
them (e.g. state machines), a lot of questions here in the newsgroup
would disappear." For myself I have to say, that I asked the same
questions, when I was a beginner - because no one guided me to "coding
styles for synthesizable code".

Ralf
 
K

krby_xtrm

You might also want to try Active HDL Tutorial, not only will you get
Lessons but a Free Demo of their HDL tools.
 
M

MB

Balogh Viktor wrote:



The Cookbook or another book?


Well, for me the it is far more useful to learn first the synthesizable
subset of a HDL and then go deeper into the language. This might be,
because I aim for synthesizable code. Writing it in a very good style
comes second - together with writing efficient testbenches. Simple, but
very effective testbenches can be done also with the synthesizable
subset of a HDL.
I would go so far, that: "If beginners would learn the three basic
elements of hardware (flipflop, latch, comb. logic) and the ideas to use
them (e.g. state machines), a lot of questions here in the newsgroup
would disappear." For myself I have to say, that I asked the same
questions, when I was a beginner - because no one guided me to "coding
styles for synthesizable code".

Ralf

That said (and I agree) what first book would you recommend Ralf?
Martin
 
R

Ralf Hildebrandt

MB wrote:

That said (and I agree) what first book would you recommend Ralf?

Douglas J. Smith: HDL Chip Design was very helpful to me - 1st, when I
was learning VHDL, and 2nd when I had to do a project in Verilog later.
It is not a "perfect" book, but nice to read with helpful examples.

For text I/O for testbench purpose I could provide some more examples,
but the book provides enough to learn the basic stuff.
And for synthesizable design I would add a chapter about the three basic
things you need in a HDL: flipflops, combinational logic and latches. It
is helpful to repeat, that all other stuff bases on only these 3 things.

HDL Chip Design explains VHDL and Verilog by examples. If you are an
advanced user, that wants to know all the other language contructs,
Ashendens VHDL Cookbook may be an option. Unfortunately he uses the
bit(_vector) for all examples and his big CPU example is only a
simulation model and very far away from beeing synthesizable.

Ralf
 
K

krby_xtrm

Yes I agree with that, it presents code very well, explains it with
detail, but most of all it gives notes on different implementations.
Presents simulations which are very helpful indeed.

A must have for every VHDL developer!
<Circuit Design with VHDL Volnei A. Pedroni>
 

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