Papilio FPGA-Baby steps

[djsb]

Anyone used the Papilio FPGA board? Are there any VERY BASIC tutorials out there on how to start using it? Would anyone consider doing a getting started guide (video or blog etc)? I won't be buying one until the Papilio Pro comes out in a few months

http://www.gadgetfactory.net/gadgetforum/index.php?topic=409.30

I dont want to use the retroCade synth mentioned.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13588168/retrocade-synth-one-chiptune-board-to-rule-them-al


I just want to learn the basics (flashing LED's, responding to switch inputs, serial comms etc) to start with.
Anyone know of any such resources?
Thanks.

David.

[papo]

Hello David

You might find the web site http://www.fpga4fun.com/ interesting. In my opinion, the information there are rather scarce but it is quite hard to give a good introduction without referring to a book. My introductory book to FPGAs was "FPGA Prototyping By Verilog Examples" by Chu et al. Both of these are not specific to the board you mentioned but you may want to check them out nonetheless.

Regards

Matt

[TerminalJack505]

I'm guessing you probably want to 'keep things simple' and treat the Papilio board like people treat Arduinos.  However, since you don't even have a board yet and won't for a couple of months, you can use that time and prepare yourself by getting a digital electronics textbook and watching this lecture series.  This will cover the necessary digital electronic fundamentals.

Then I suggest you get a textbook that covers VHDL and learn it (or Verilog.)  Here's a free VHDL book.

Once you've done this you'll be able to use the Papilio (or any FPGA board) much more effectively.  You'll be able to do much more than just 'hack out' something or 'engineer' something via cut-and-paste.  You'll actually understand what you are doing, unlike, I suspect, much of the other people that buy one of these boards.