History:
Decades ago when I used to work for a living, I think it was Ferranti who invented the Field Programmable Gate Array or FPGA. I suppose this could be said to be the start of a family of what is known as Programmable Logic. There is a whole mass of abbreviations, a few of which are:
FPGA's Field Programmable Gate Array (Ferranti)
FPLD's Field Programmable Logic device
EEPLD's Elecronically Erasable programmable logic device (re-usable)
ISR's In System Re-programmable (Lattice)
PAL's Programable Array Logic - one shot devices - (Cypress Semi,Lattice-Vantis,Philips Semi, ....)
GAL's Generic Array Logic ((R)Lattice Logic) - Electrically erasable CMOS and re-usable. therefore good for prototypes.
PLD's Programmable Logic Device
CPLD's or CMOS Programmable Logic Device. (Altera,Lattice,Xilynx,Zetex(offshoot of Ferranti)
Present Status:
We are concerned with the later CMOS devices. There are of course several manufacturers of these types of device. Lattice Logic, Altera etc. The basic device is cheap and the decision for a Radio Amateur, of which to choose, is largely based on low cost one off production. This is mainly on the cost of design and programming the device. Fortunately the manufactuirers are keen to get people using there devices and make available some inexpensive and sometimes free software to aid this process.
Projects to date:
(last updated: 2003 October 15)