Lattice announces ECP3

A lot of empty columns in the timing specifications, but
already errata listed for two devices of the family.

Worth a look:

http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/newscenter/newsletters/newsfebruary2009/ecp3.cfm

Regards,
Gabor

On Feb 24, 4:48=A0pm, Gabor <ga...@alacron.com> wrote:
> A lot of empty columns in the timing specifications, but
> already errata listed for two devices of the family.
>
> Worth a look:
>
> http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/newscenter/newsletters/newsfebru...
>
> Regards,
> Gabor

it seems they even have working silicon :)
well PCIe was already offered in ECP2

so Xilinx will be the 3rd company shipping low cost
FPGA with serdes (I assume Arria's are also shipping at the moment)

Antti

On Feb 27, 2:59=A0pm, "Antti.Luk...@googlemail.com"
<Antti.Luk...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 24, 4:48=A0pm, Gabor <ga...@alacron.com> wrote:
>
> > A lot of empty columns in the timing specifications, but
> > already errata listed for two devices of the family.
>
> > Worth a look:
>
> >http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/newscenter/newsletters/newsfebru...
>
> > Regards,
> > Gabor
>
> it seems they even have working silicon :)
> well PCIe was already offered in ECP2
>
> so Xilinx will be the 3rd company shipping low cost
> FPGA with serdes (I assume Arria's are also shipping at the moment)
>
> Antti

This announcement doesn't change the order of low-cost serdes
offerings.  The ECP2M family has been around for a while now...

On Mar 2, 5:57=A0pm, gabor <ga...@alacron.com> wrote:
> On Feb 27, 2:59=A0pm, "Antti.Luk...@googlemail.com"
>
>
>
> <Antti.Luk...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > On Feb 24, 4:48=A0pm, Gabor <ga...@alacron.com> wrote:
>
> > > A lot of empty columns in the timing specifications, but
> > > already errata listed for two devices of the family.
>
> > > Worth a look:
>
> > >http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/newscenter/newsletters/newsfebru.=
..
>
> > > Regards,
> > > Gabor
>
> > it seems they even have working silicon :)
> > well PCIe was already offered in ECP2
>
> > so Xilinx will be the 3rd company shipping low cost
> > FPGA with serdes (I assume Arria's are also shipping at the moment)
>
> > Antti
>
> This announcement doesn't change the order of low-cost serdes
> offerings. =A0The ECP2M family has been around for a while now...

Antti knows that.  He's just using an opportunity to take a jab at
Xilinx.  Heck, who doesn't want to do that once in awhile?

Rick

On Feb 27, 4:59=A0pm, Antti wrote:
> it seems they even have working silicon :)
> well PCIe was already offered in ECP2

I am not familiar with the Lattice world. Would it be reasonable to
design a board with the ECP3 at this point if I want to be selling
them in two months or so? For other vendors I would wait at least a
year before doing something like this. Though the Lattice site already
has a "buy samples" link on the ECP3 page, it doesn't return any
results.

-- Jecel

Lattice ECP3 devices are available to order.
Well at least the first two devices of the family.

The evaluation boards for ECP3 has "Coming Soon" listed.


Jecel wrote:
> On Feb 27, 4:59=A0pm, Antti wrote:
> > it seems they even have working silicon :)
> > well PCIe was already offered in ECP2
>
> I am not familiar with the Lattice world. Would it be reasonable to
> design a board with the ECP3 at this point if I want to be selling
> them in two months or so? For other vendors I would wait at least a
> year before doing something like this. Though the Lattice site already
> has a "buy samples" link on the ECP3 page, it doesn't return any
> results.
>
> -- Jecel

On Mar 3, 1:07=A0pm, Jecel <je...@merlintec.com> wrote:
> On Feb 27, 4:59=A0pm, Antti wrote:
>
> > it seems they even have working silicon :)
> > well PCIe was already offered in ECP2
>
> I am not familiar with the Lattice world. Would it be reasonable to
> design a board with the ECP3 at this point if I want to be selling
> them in two months or so? For other vendors I would wait at least a
> year before doing something like this. Though the Lattice site already
> has a "buy samples" link on the ECP3 page, it doesn't return any
> results.
>
> -- Jecel

I don't have any experience with Lattice new introductions, but I
think Xilinx is the only FPGA maker that has introductions and won't
sell to small companies for 6 months or more.  Altera seems to pride
themselves on being more conservative with introductions, waiting
until the product is nearly ready to ship to distributors before they
announce.  I think Lattice is like that too.  I know nothing about
Actel.  Do they *have* new products?

Rick

rickman wrote:

> I don't have any experience with Lattice new introductions, but I
> think Xilinx is the only FPGA maker that has introductions and won't
> sell to small companies for 6 months or more.  Altera seems to pride
> themselves on being more conservative with introductions, waiting
> until the product is nearly ready to ship to distributors before they
> announce.  I think Lattice is like that too.  I know nothing about

I think that the introductions are more market driven. For example
Stratix IV was announced long before there were any chips available,
quite probably due to the V5 pressure.

On the other hand some Xilinx chips have been available for big
customers before the official introduction. I think on the long run all
the vendors are quite equal in their introductions. If the situation
is tight they announce early, and if they are comfortable it is enough
to announce the chips to big customers and test with them the samples.

--Kim

Kim Enkovaara wrote:
> rickman wrote:
> 
>> I don't have any experience with Lattice new introductions, but I
>> think Xilinx is the only FPGA maker that has introductions and won't
>> sell to small companies for 6 months or more.  Altera seems to pride
>> themselves on being more conservative with introductions, waiting
>> until the product is nearly ready to ship to distributors before they
>> announce.  I think Lattice is like that too.  I know nothing about
> 
> I think that the introductions are more market driven. For example
> Stratix IV was announced long before there were any chips available,
> quite probably due to the V5 pressure.
> 
> On the other hand some Xilinx chips have been available for big
> customers before the official introduction. I think on the long run all
> the vendors are quite equal in their introductions. If the situation
> is tight they announce early, and if they are comfortable it is enough
> to announce the chips to big customers and test with them the samples.
> 

My impression is that Altera says they introducing a new device when 
they have internal test samples, then give a timetable for rolling out 
the devices.  When Xilinx says a device is "available", they really mean 
that the marketing brochures are available (assuming you are a very 
large customer)...

Either way, it's always best to check with your distributor - they 
should know the real situation.

I have worked for Lattice until lat year. It looks like only the first
two devices are available.
I know that  Lattice has done at least one respin on the silicon. So I
assume it might be a good idea to first ask for samples. If they let
you sign an acknoledgement paper, I wouldn't start a board with ECP3,
but ECP2M is a good alternative.
You can try to let them drop the price to ECP3 level.

Regards,

Luc

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 10:07:06 -0800 (PST), Jecel <jecel@merlintec.com>
wrote:

>On Feb 27, 4:59&#4294967295;pm, Antti wrote:
>> it seems they even have working silicon :)
>> well PCIe was already offered in ECP2
>
>I am not familiar with the Lattice world. Would it be reasonable to
>design a board with the ECP3 at this point if I want to be selling
>them in two months or so? For other vendors I would wait at least a
>year before doing something like this. Though the Lattice site already
>has a "buy samples" link on the ECP3 page, it doesn't return any
>results.
>
>-- Jecel