Getting Started with Intel® FPGA

June 2017

Get the latest version of this document at:

https://www.altera.com/support/training/course.html?courseCode=ORMF1000

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Using this Document

2

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Getting Started: Get your myAltera account for full access to information and

support

Research: See design examples, solutions, literature, or intellectual property (IP)

for your project

Preparation: Download the Intel Quartus® Prime design software and access

our range of training resources

Support: Troubleshoot your software installation and get support for your

project

Design Resources: Successfully complete and optimize your design

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Getting Started…

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What You Get With Registration

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Your myAltera account provides access to online services including:

▪ Training: view the complete Intel® FPGA Technical Training course catalog and register for courses online

▪ mySupport: online technical support allows you to interact with the Intel FPGA Technical Support team

▪ Software: get software licenses and download software

▪ Documentation: sign up for literature update notifications and request specific literature

▪ Reference Designs: available for download when you need them

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How to Create an Account

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Create your myAltera account:

1. From any page or the myAltera homepage:

2. Enter your e-mail address and

click Register or Create Account

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3. Enter or confirm your

contact information, select a

password and click Create

Account.

4. You have successfully

registered!

Click Log In on any Intel®

FPGA web page to use your

account.

Provide Registration Information

6

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Email Subscriptions

Enable subscriptions to product announcements and newsletters

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Research

▪ Design examples

▪ Reference designs

▪ IP

▪ System building tools

▪ Development kits

▪ Devices

▪ Technology center

▪ End-market solutions

▪ Webcasts

▪ Literature

▪ Searching for information

▪ Contacting a local distributor

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Design Examples

Many building blocks are available to help you better understand and easily use Intel® FPGA products, implement various functions, and address basic design needs.

▪ https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/design-examples.html

▪ HDL code samples included to help you get started using Intel FPGA products

▪ Design entry/tool examples highlight the design entry process

– Instantiating basic logic blocks

– Scripting

– Gate-level timing simulation tools

– Debugging

▪ Search by keyword(s) or product descriptions

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Reference Designs

▪ Available directly from Intel® FPGA and our partners

▪ Demonstrate efficient solutions for common system design problems

▪ Allow for design reuse and fast time to market by serving as technical sub-

system or system blueprints, often for targeted applications

▪ List by function or use the search box to search product descriptions and

keywords

▪ Download from

– https://www.altera.com/products/intellectual-property/reference-designs.html

– https://www.altera.com/products/reference-designs/all-reference-designs.html

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Intellectual Property (IP)

We have a large selection of IP cores optimized for Intel® FPGA devices

▪ Available from Intel FPGA and our partners

– https://www.altera.com/products/intellectual-property/ip.html

▪ IP cores included in the IP Base Suite are free with an active Quartus® Prime

Standard or Pro Edition subscription

– https://www.altera.com/products/intellectual-property/design/ip-base-suite.html

– Suite license can be purchased for use with the Lite Edition

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Intellectual Property (IP) (cont.)

Even without a license, evaluate Intel® FPGA IP cores and partner IP cores

using OpenCore Plus

▪ https://www.altera.com/en_US/pdfs/literature/an/an320.pdf

– Simulate the core within your system

– Verify the design and evaluate its size and speed

– Generate time-limited device programming files

– Program a device and verify the design in hardware

▪ For Intel FPGA IP Core technical support:

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/support-centers/interface-protocols.html

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System Building Tools

Qsys system design and integration tool

▪ Generates an FPGA-optimized network-on-chip system interconnect

▪ Delivers higher performance, more scalable systems, and support for

hierarchical design and design re-use

– https://www.altera.com/products/design-software/fpga-design/quartus-

prime/features/qts-qsys.html

DSP Builder

▪ Graphical design tool used to connect multiple digital signal processing (DSP)

design elements in MathWorks* Simulink* software

– https://www.altera.com/products/design-software/model---simulation/dsp-builder.html

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others

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System Building Tools (cont.)

Intel® FPGA SDK for OpenCL™

▪ Design environment for easily implementing highly parallelized applications,

optimized using OpenCL™ code, on FPGAs

▪ Combine the OpenCL™ standard programming model with an FPGA

architecture to achieve system acceleration

– https://www.altera.com/products/design-software/embedded-software-

developers/opencl/overview.html

OpenCL and the OpenCL logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. used by permission by Khronos

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Development Kits

There is a wide range of development kits available with everything you need to

create, implement, and evaluate

▪ All kits include software, reference designs, cables, and programming

hardware

– https://www.altera.com/products/boards_and_kits/all-development-kits.html

▪ For Intel® FPGA development kit technical support

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/support-centers/dev-kits.html

▪ Intel FPGA’s partners offer development platforms that address a wide range

of applications

– https://www.altera.com/solutions/partners/design-solutions-network/find-member-

board.html

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Design Store

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▪ Download complete design project

templates

– https://cloud.altera.com/devstore/platform/

▪ Find templates by:

– Device family

– Intel® Quartus® software version

– Development kit

– IP core

▪ Templates integrate directly into the Intel

Quartus Prime software

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Devices

▪ Wide range of device series and variants available

– https://www.altera.com/products/fpga/overview.html

▪ Device and Product Selector tools

– https://www.altera.com/products/product-selector-guide.html

– Find and compare Intel® FPGA devices

– Find and compare Intel FPGA and partner IP cores and development kits

– Filter down to specific products based on search specifications

– Compare products side-by-side by filtering the criteria you choose for analysis

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Technology Center

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Access to solutions for many common

applications

▪ https://www.altera.com/solutions/technology.html

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Industry Solutions

Intel® FPGA’s programmable solutions are flexible and can be used in almost any

end market

▪ To investigate Intel FPGA end-market solutions, visit the Industry Solutions

web site

– https://www.altera.com/solutions/industry.html

– Block diagrams and reference designs

– Intel FPGA partner solutions

– IP

– Industry trends and consortia

– Literature

– Webcasts

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Intel® FPGA Webcasts

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▪ View featured Webcasts on many

useful topics

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/

webcasts/wc-index.html

▪ Keep up-to-date by subscribing to the

Intel FPGA eNewsletter (discussed

earlier)

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YouTube Channel & Engineer-to-Engineer Playlist

Subscribe to the Intel® FPGA YouTube channel

▪ https://www.youtube.com/user/alteracorp

▪ Engineer-to-Engineer playlist

– Mostly short (less than 5 minute) videos introduce you to a topic and where to go for

more information

– https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0pU5hg9yniZn8VpD1jRNWK6dlAucCMDR

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Documentation

▪ Find detailed documentation on all Intel® FPGA devices, IP, and software

– https://documentation.altera.com/

▪ Types of documentation available:

– Device family details

– Design tools, IP, and design examples

– Application notes

– Data sheets

– User guides

– White papers

– Customer advisories, PCNs, and PDNs

– And many other forms of documentation!

▪ Can be viewed online as HTML or downloaded as a PDF

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Documentation: Design GuidelinesDesign Guidelines are available for all device families near the bottom of all device

Support pages

▪ Quick access through Devices link on documentation portal

▪ Design guidelines

– Improve productivity by helping you avoid common pitfalls

– Help with device selection

– Help with early system planning (such as early power estimation)

– Provide I/O and board considerations

– Discuss related Intel® Quartus® Prime software issues

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Documention: User Guides and White Papers

▪ User Guides provide additional help for:

– Devices

– Using IP

– Development kits

– https://www.altera.com/support/literature/lit-ug.html

▪ White Papers written by Intel® FPGA experts to explain:

– How a technology was developed

– How a technology is used

– Product operation for an application, market, or technology

– https://www.altera.com/support/literature/wp/lit-wp.html

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Keep Up to Date!

Receive weekly technical email updates to specific Intel® FPGA literature

including data sheets, applications notes, white papers, and errata

▪ Technical Updates center

– https://www.altera.com/myaltera/mal-emailsub/technical-updates.html

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Searching for Information

Search from the top of any Intel® FPGA web page

▪ Enter keywords in the search box

▪ Select a search from Suggestions list or hit enter

▪ Filter results to specific sections of the web site

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Contacting a Local Distributor

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Distributors have Intel® FPGA-trained and

certified field application engineers (FAEs)

to answer your technical questions

▪ Your distributor offers a variety of services to

help you use Intel FPGA products

▪ If you cannot find the answer to your technical

question using this document’s resources,

contact your local distributor

– https://www.altera.com/about/contact/contact.html

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Preparation

▪ Learn about design software and tools

▪ How to download design software and tools

▪ Getting a license

▪ Determining your design flow

▪ Intel® FPGA training resources

– Training curricula

– Online training

– Instructor-led training

– Virtual Classrooms

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Learn About Design Software and Tools

▪ Learn about Intel® Quartus® Prime design software

– https://www.altera.com/products/design-software/fpga-design/quartus-

prime/overview.html

▪ Decide if you need the Intel Quartus Prime Lite, Standard, or Pro Edition

Software Suite

– hhttps://www.altera.com/content/dam/altera-www/global/en_US/pdfs/literature/po/ss-

quartus-comparison.pdf

▪ Installation and licensing resources available to help you get up and running

quickly, including a licensing troubleshooter

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/design-software/licensing.html

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Download Design Software and Tools

Download the latest design software and tools at the Download Center

▪ https://www.altera.com/downloads/download-center.html

Download individual

components and earlier

software versions

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Get a License

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▪ View # of licenses

▪ View maintenance expiration dates

▪ View NIC IDs

▪ View # of seats

▪ Generate licenses

▪ Re-host licenses

▪ Apply renewals

▪ Add seat to floating license

▪ Split floating license

▪ View license history

▪ Assign users to license

▪ Share admin privileges

▪ Apply dev. kit license

▪ Companion licenses

▪ Check-out floating license

▪ View bundle

Self Service Licensing Center Tasks

Your one stop shop for software & IP licenses!

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License Types

Several types of licenses are available from the Self Service Licensing Center

▪ License types

– Intel® Quartus® Prime Subscription Edition software license

– Fixed license

– Floating licenses for PCs or Linux workstations

– IP licenses for functions downloaded or purchased from Intel FPGA

– DSP Builder license

– Nios® II processor license

▪ Software or IP must be purchased prior to licensing

▪ Installation and licensing resources are available to help you get up and running quickly

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/design-software/licensing.html

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Assigning a License

It’s easy to create and apply a license through the Self-Service Licensing Center

1. Select the product(s) to license

2. Assign a computer to the respective product

▪ License file will be mailed to the email address linked to your myAltera

account

▪ Point product to location of license file or use environmental variables

▪ See the installation and licensing documentation for details

– https://www.altera.com/content/dam/altera-

www/global/en_US/pdfs/literature/manual/quartus_install.pdf

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Intel® FPGA Training Resources

Intel FPGA offers training in all areas of FPGA design to meet your needs

▪ https://www.altera.com/training

Different types of training available

▪ Online training

– Recorded presentations and demonstrations

▪ Instructor-led courses

– Taught live by an Intel FPGA Technical Training instructor with hands-on exercises

▪ Virtual Classrooms

– Live instructor-led training taught over the internet with hands-on exercises

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Training Curricula

Seven easy-to-follow curriculum tracks help you identify the right training combination

▪ Software Development

▪ Fundamentals Part 1

▪ Fundamentals Part 2

▪ Advanced Hardware

▪ I/O Interfaces

▪ DSP

▪ Embedded Hardware

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/curricula.html

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Online Training (Just Like This One!)

Access hundreds of online trainings on a multitude of topics

▪ Courses range from short 20-30 minute presentations to full-day classes, many

with software demonstrations

▪ Most training viewable on a computer or any mobile device

▪ You control the pace of the course; pause at any time to practice what you’ve

learned!

▪ Free!!

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/catalog.html?courseType=Online

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Instructor-Led Training

Training helps you get the most from Intel® FPGA tools and devices

▪ Taught in North America by experienced instructors who can answer your

questions

▪ $695 per person per day in North America

– Can also be purchased with training credits

https://www.altera.com/support/training/credits.html

▪ View and sign up for upcoming North America classes

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/catalog.html?courseType=Instructor-Led

Only

▪ Contact our training partners outside of North America

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/partners.html

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Virtual Classrooms (VC)

▪ Conducted live over the Internet

▪ Interact directly with an Intel® FPGA Technical Training instructor

▪ Identical content to the instructor-led class

▪ Audio provided through Internet interface or separate telephone conference

call

▪ Classes taught in 4.5 hour sessions across consecutive days

▪ Exercises done through remote hands-on lab interface; no need to install any

software locally!

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Virtual Classrooms (VC) (cont.)

▪ $695 per person per class (over 2 days)

– Training credits may also be used as with in-person classes

▪ More information at:

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/types/virtual-classroom.html

▪ Register at:

– https://www.altera.com/support/training/catalog.html?courseType=Instructor-Led / Virtual Class

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Many Ways to Learn!

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Videos Online Training

Virtual ClassesInstructor-led Training

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Support

▪ Knowledge Base

– http://www.altera.com/support/kdb/kdb-search.jsp

▪ Altera Forum

– http://www.alteraforum.com/

▪ Altera® Wiki

– www.alterawiki.com

▪ mySupport (Accessed from myAltera)

– https://mysupport.altera.com/AlteraServReq/mySupportHomeClassesView.html

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Knowledge Base

Your questions are answered in the Knowledge Base

▪ https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources.html

– Scroll down to the “Self Help Resources” section.

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Altera Forum

Join a community forum that brings Intel® FPGA users together to learn from

each other

▪ Users share projects, news, and ideas about FPGA products to improve

experiences

– http://www.alteraforum.com/

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Nios® II processor & System on Chip (SoC) Sub-Forums

▪ Supporting the Nios II processor and SoC developer community

▪ Covers operating systems, software, and hardware acceleration

▪ Access from the Forum List on the left side of the main forum

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RocketBoards.org for SoC Linux Development

Online community dedicated to running embedded Linux on Intel® SoC devices

▪ https://rocketboards.org/

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Altera Wiki

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Note: Intel does not warrant the validity of content posted onto Wiki and does not

support questions about Altera Wiki content

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mySupport

If you cannot find the answer to your issue using the resources covered in this document,

use mySupport

▪ Web interface to submit technical questions or issues in a service request (SR)

– Use mySupport to update, view, and close previously submitted SRs

– Each SR is assigned to a factory specialist who takes ownership of your issue and works with

you to solve your problem

– SR progress is reported through email, and you will receive an email notification when your SR is

updated

– Access your myAltera account 24/7 to view SR updates

▪ To log into mySupport, you need a myAltera account

– http://www.altera.com/mysupport

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Create an SR ??

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Create an SR (cont.) ??

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Search Before Submit ??

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Submit the SR ??

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Getting Better Answers Faster

Make sure you can clearly and precisely describe your problem

▪ Describing the problem well helps the application engineer (AE) provide faster,

more accurate support

▪ Details to include in the Service Request

– Tool flow (including software version)

– Products and IP involved

– How to duplicate the issue

– Error (screen shots, log files, and other useful data)

– Expected result

– Actions already taken

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Getting Better Answers Faster (Cont.)

▪ Error messages may not be enough for the AE to resolve the issue

– May be necessary to obtain the design files to duplicate the issue (project archive)

– Some customers cannot release their design to Intel® FPGA

– Can a test case be generated that has the same problem?

▪ Monitor the SR progress periodically through email or mySupport

– AE may ask clarifying questions

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Design Resources

▪ Ensuring the Success of your Project

▪ Design and Support Resources Guide

▪ Initial Design Review

▪ Calculating Device Power Dissipation

▪ Pin Connections

▪ Device Review Worksheets

▪ Design Solutions Partners

▪ References

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▪ Educate yourself and your team

– Start with the resources identified in this

training

– Minimize delays and redesign due to

incorrect product assumptions

– Develop a highly skilled team

▪ Anticipate and keep issues out of your

critical path

– Understand your design flow

– Evaluate existing boards and solutions

– Plan your project for maximum efficiency

– Orchestrate internal resources and external

partners as required

▪ Conduct an initial design review

– A proactive design review may reduce

significant design mistakes before they

occur

– Contact your distributor FAE for an Initial

Design Review

Ensuring the Success of Your Project

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Design and Support Resources Guide

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Index of technical links guides you

through every step of your design

▪ Quickly connects you to important

information

▪ Great web page to bookmark!

https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/support-centers/spt-index-guide.html

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Design and Support Resources Guide

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▪ Each section has a number of sub-

sections

▪ Descriptions include web page links

to key content

▪ Recommended for new Intel® FPGA

users and seasoned designers!

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Initial Design Review

Examples of designs strongly recommended for design reviews

▪ Designs over 130K logic elements (LEs)

▪ Designs with a short design cycle

▪ Designs planned for high-volume production

▪ High-performance, high-density, and high-complexity designs

– >80% utilization in I/O pins and internal logic resources

– >200-MHz internal fMAX

– High-speed LVDS interfaces

– High-speed memory interfaces (e.g., DDR, QDR)

– SERDES interfaces over 3 Gbyte/s

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Calculating Device Power Dissipation▪ Power Distribution Network (PDN) Tool

– Graphical interface for all Intel® FPGAs to optimize the board-level PDN

▪ Device-specific PDN tools available for many FPGAs

– Includes on-die and on-package decoupling models for supported families

▪ Device-agnostic PDN tool available for families not supported by the device-specific PDN

tool

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/support-centers/signal-power-integrity/power-

distribution-network.html

User-entered parameters help derive an

effective decoupling capacitor solution

based on design requirements

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Calculating Device Power Dissipation (cont.)

▪ Power Resource Center has information on Intel® FPGA power tools, power

management basics, and other resources

– https://www.altera.com/products/power/resource-center.html

▪ PowerPlay power analysis estimates power consumption from early design

concept through design implementation

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Calculating Device Power Dissipation (cont.)

▪ PowerPlay early power estimator spreadsheets

– Complete spreadsheets for new project or import data for existing projects

– Spreadsheets are available for each device family

▪ Intel® Quartus® Prime PowerPlay power analyzer

– Accurately analyze and optimize both dynamic and static power consumption

As you provide more design details, estimation accuracy

is improved with PowerPlay technology

https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/operation-and-testing/power/pow-powerplay.html

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Pin Connections

▪ Download pin-out files for each Intel® FPGA device family

– https://www.altera.com/support/literature/lit-dp.html

▪ Understanding how to include an Intel FPGA on your board can be a complex

procedure

– Get recommendations for connecting pins for specific FPGA families from the Device

Pin Connection Guidelines page

– https://www.altera.com/support/literature/lit-dpcg.html

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Device Review Worksheets

▪ Device Schematic Review Worksheets

– Based off of respective device Pin Connection Guidelines and other referenced Intel®

FPGA literature applicable to board-level pin connections

– Important to consider when finalizing board schematics to help find mistakes

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/download/board-layout-

test/schematic-review-ws.html

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Device Review Worksheets (cont.)

▪ Device Layout Review Worksheet

– Based on guidelines found at the Board Design Resource Center

(https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/support-centers/board-design-

guidelines.html) and other referenced Intel® FPGA literature applicable to board

layout techniques and practices

– Important to consider when finalizing your PCB layout

– https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/download/board-layout-test/layout-

review-ws.html

▪ All worksheets are downloadable in Word .doc format

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Design Solutions Partners

▪ Sometimes it makes sense to outsource part or all of your project

– Due to resource limitations, experience, or skill set

▪ Use the Intel® FPGA network of independent design partners

– Trained and technically competent

– Knowledgeable about FPGA products and solutions

– https://www.altera.com/solutions/partners/design-solutions-network/find-member.html

FPGA Design Solutions Network (DSN)

members offer an extensive portfolio of design

services, intellectual property, and products

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Summary

▪ Lots of resources available to you before, during, and at the completion of the

design process.

▪ Use this training as a guide.

▪ Take advantage of them!

▪ We’re here to help you succeed with your design!

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Many Ways to Learn

VideosOnline Training

Virtual Classes

Instructor-led Training

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Give us your feedback

▪ When you registered for this training you received a confirmation email

▪ Please click on the link in the email to complete a short survey

▪ Your feedback is important to help us improve future trainings!

Thank you!