Arduino + Amani 64 CPLD Shield = WOW!

Hi!

I am not expert in electronics hardware neither firmware developer, but I think this Amani 64 CPLD Shield can overcome the performance limitation of Arduino to run special math or something like it. Maybe implementing in CPLD something like a graphic display with 3D print visualization could be possible... Or maybe just do some suuuper fast math with it...

[cgi.ebay.com]

I don't have much experience wit programmable logic so I have my fingers crossed that the big firmware guys see this and get exited...

While that is a nice board it is really not capable of doing 3d graphics or of super fast math. CPLDs just don't have the functionality. What you want to do those types of functions is a FPGA and possibly some additional ram. Papilio for Arduino looks like what you are looking for, but it does not look like it is going to reach its funding target.

Actually I was just brainstorming a little bit. Using Papilo idea is interesting too since it provides additional SRAM. SRAM would be very important to run more complex algorithms. Of course it would not be trivial, it would be very challenging to use FPGA or CPLDs to implement complex functions but, with some creativity I think it could achieve great results.

Any ideas?

I'm not a electronics expert but i think FPGA or CPLDs are the way to go since for the most part the difficult math is done on a computer before a print, leaving the micro controller within its limits as far as running the machine and as far as expanding what it can do you would probably be much better with dedicated hardware like a usb controller or lcd controller that will take care of all the complicated things you would want a FPGA to do for this application. As wall as the possibility of offloading tasks such as stepper driver control would most likely be better off with a 8bit micro of some sort rendering a FPGA not very cost effective.

thanks


matty

The FPGA and CPLD are pretty interesting indeed. Main difference would be that there are no interrupts and all things just happen all at once. However it would require writing all software from scratch, which would be a major entreprise. Also i think this sort of programming is slightly more tedious than our arduino, as there are so many gates to program and keep track of.

Many ppls say are attracted so much to FPGA, but none seems to be attracted enough to just getting started with it. There is no prior advantage if one would know other programming stuff or not. In fact, probably even better if one doesnt know anything as there would be no leading misconceptions and a empty mind, and open, is better than one already half occupied.

Nothing stops a person from learning a hardware programming language (VHDL) and just doing a fpga reprap. Again i dont think prior programming knowledge is of any advantage. It would require some serious investment, both in money (hardware) and in time spent (lots) for something like that.

The CPLD shield:
About that CPLD shield, in particular, i dont see it bringing any difference to arduino, since it does need arduino to start with, and so still there are interrupts, etc, so basically in this arhitecture it cant make any significant difference for any purpose i can think of.