VHDL 101: Everything you need to know to get started

VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language) is a hardware programming language commonly used for FPGA (Field Programable Gate Array) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) designs. FPGAs and the like are often found within larger applications such as cell phones, medical imagers, and personal media devices. As these devices are becoming more ubiquitous so the need for engineers fluent in VHDL design grows.

Engineers commonly face an immediate need to learn a language or technique quickly and this book answers that requirement. Bill Kafig of industry leader Xilinx, swiftly brings the reader up to speed on techniques and functions commonly used as well as commands and data management.

Extensive simple, complete designs are accompany the content for maximum comprehension. The book concludes with a section on design re-use which is of utmost importance to today's engineer that needs to meet a deadline and lower costs per unit.

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Writing tweet messages with telegraph

How to brake the limit of tweet messages. Typing with keyboard eats it very fast. The only solution to make this limit too bit is to change typing habits. What about telegraphing a Morse code? This should do.

So here it is – a Tweetargraph that captures dots and dashes from telegraph line. I wander if you can find a working telegraph these days. Building one would be faster than finding. Another part of this device is an Arduino that talks to Processing. Processing is used for communicating with Twitter API. Once set up you can start real twittering like its been during World War II.

OpenPicus IDE and Framework to be released

OpenPicus, the open source hardware and software platform for wireless Apps, reaches the biggest milestone on 20th January at 10am italian time.

The new IDE and the software Framework will be available for download on www.openpicus.com

This is a great step for the project, FreeRTOS was ported on the FlyPort Wi-Fi module and the Framework let you develop your apps even without any experience in embedded programming or communication protocols.
The core team from Rome declare : “we have finally our IDE and our Framework. It has been tested from November from several Universities around the world that joined our Campus program. We’ll also have a website restyling and a surprise for our community”.

Micrel Launches 4/5-port Layer-2 Switch-on-a-Chip ICs

Micrel launched the KSZ8895/8875/8864 series. The devices are low-power, highly integrated, 4/5-port Layer-2 switch-on-a-chip ICs. Leveraging Micrel’s latest green physical transceiver and switch technology, the product family achieves a 50 percent reduction in power consumption compared to the previous generation. Meeting the increasing demands for Ethernet connectivity in consumer and industrial applications, the family features advanced power management and sophisticated Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities. Pricing and samples are available upon inquiry with volume production starting in Q1, 2011.

The devices support a single 3.3V power supply with an internal 1.2V LDO, with options for 3.3V, 2.5V or 1.8V IO voltages. Further power savings are supported by advanced power management, including the device’s “Energy Detect Power Down” mode. This mode is activated when the cable is unplugged, and the “slow oscillator” mode is activated when the device is not in use.

The product family provides flexible host processor and PHY interfacing via MII or RMII. Flexibility is also provided in terms of copper or fiber media interfaces. On-chip termination, and internal generation of the 50MHz RMII clock further reduces bill of materials cost and enables a small package size (64-pin QFN for KSZ8864RMN).

More information about 4/5-port Layer-2 switch-on-a-chip ICs can be found at Micrel Website

Join the global science fair!

To help make today’s young scientists the rock stars of tomorrow, the first global online science competition is live: the Google Science Fair!

It’s open to young people around the world between the ages of 13-18. All you need is access to a computer, the Internet and a web browser!

In partnership with Google, Inc., Scientfic American, National Geographic and CERN the LEGO Group today Tuesday 11 January took part in the launch event in New York.

See videos about the science fair here.

More news will follow about this great project!

Play well,