Support software for XC3042

Hi All,

I was able to get a bunch of Xilinx XC3042 FPGAs from a dealer and am trying to find if there is any support software out there still for the chip. I looked at the current ISE offerings from Xilinx, but none state they support the XC3042. Does anyone know of anything for the XC3042?

Thanks, J Silverman

Do yourself and everybody on this newsgoup a favor and get rid of these
chips in an environmentally acceptable way.
Then overcome your frugality and spend a few dollars on a modern chip
evaluation board. Spartan3 or 3E comes to mind.
You will get ever so much more enjoyment out of that choice.
The XC3042 was introduced in 1988, 17 years ago. According to my 15:1
rule, that makes it the equivalent of a 255 year old senior citizen.
Would you ask that tottering poor guy to do your work?
The silicon would work perfectly, but is small and slow. The software
is no longer supported and is slow and clumsy and only runs on archaic
computers. Forget it.

Peter Alfke, Xilinx.

Hi Peter,

I realized after doing some searching of these chips that they are ancient, but would be perfect for the project I'm building. I do not need anything more complicated than these. I'd really like to use them somehow instead of just throwing them away. Do you know of any other third party software that would support these chips? All I need is a way to create the configuration bitstream from some VHDL so I can program a flash chip with it.

Thanks, J Silverman

Unless you have some sentimental attachment, there is no reason to even
think of using such obsolete parts for a new project.
Would you start a music library on 8-tracks?
Would you go on vacation with a super-8 movie camera ?
Would you buy a car with an SU carburator and drum brakes( except for
reasons of nostalgia)?
You are lacking not "just software": software is the most crucial
ingredient.
The smallest and cheapest Spartan3 chip runs circles around the 3042.
If you need even less, use CoolRunner CPLDs, they are great and work
with microamps...
Peter Alfke, Xilinx Applictions from home

Hi Peter,

The main reason why I want to use these FPGAs is because they're in a simple enough package (PLCC84) that I could breadboard them directly with an adapter. And I also do not need anything more complicated than them in the number of gates and such. The project I'm working on is an intermediate step, which will be replaced with much newer and more powerful parts when I'm able to. A way to be able to program these FPGAs somehow would be great for what I need.

Thanks, J Silverman

I can only repeat: you will be much happier with a low-cost evaluation
bord, where you can concentrate on the uniquness of your design,
instead of being bogged down by software issues and soldering mishaps.
For real simple circuits, look at CoolRunner CPLDs.
Peter Alfke

On Fri, 17 Mar 2006 13:25:59 -0800, J Silverman wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I was able to get a bunch of Xilinx XC3042 FPGAs from a dealer and am
> trying to find if there is any support software out there still for the
> chip. I looked at the current ISE offerings from Xilinx, but none state
> they support the XC3042. Does anyone know of anything for the XC3042?
> 
> Thanks, J Silverman

The tools that you are looking for never existed. The only thing that was
available at the time were crude schematic entry tools which ran on DOS or
maybe Windows 3.1, I don't remember which. I wrote my own synthesis tools
in Gnu Lisp which converted ABEL (a now dead language for PALs) into XNF
format (the old Xilinx Netlist Format), rather then use the schematic
tools.

Take Peter's advice and get a modern development board.

Peter is being diplomatic.  He has to.  (I liked the comment about SU
carbs.)

If it's not supported in a recent web-pak, don't use it.

$.02

Josh Rosen wrote:

> The tools that you are looking for never existed. The only thing that was
> available at the time were crude schematic entry tools which ran on DOS or
> maybe Windows 3.1, I don't remember which.

I think XACT 5 was dos and 6 was windows.
It was a cruel tool.
Ran for days if you were lucky.

> I wrote my own synthesis tools
> in Gnu Lisp which converted ABEL (a now dead language for PALs) into XNF
> format (the old Xilinx Netlist Format), rather then use the schematic
> tools.

Wow. Sounds like XACT was at least good as a muse.

> Take Peter's advice and get a modern development board.

Yes J.,
either that, or take this break
in the action to learn to code and sim your
design in an HDL. That way you can
check the form, fit and function with
your next device before you buy it.

             -- Mike Treseler

On Fri, 17 Mar 2006 13:25:59 -0800, "J Silverman" <g1powermac@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>I was able to get a bunch of Xilinx XC3042 FPGAs from a dealer and am
>trying to find if there is any support software out there still for the
>chip. I looked at the current ISE offerings from Xilinx, but none state
>they support the XC3042. Does anyone know of anything for the XC3042?
>
>Thanks, J Silverman


First, take Peter's advise.

Second read this:

   http://www.fpga-faq.org/FAQ_Pages/0009_Xilinx_sw_versions.htm

Third, take Peter's advise.


Cheers,
Philip Freidin