I just built my own CPU out of logic gats

[XDroidie626]

18 hours ago, Stefan1024 said:

So at school I have the lecture "embeded hardware and software". For 4 month we got an FPGA board with some periphery to do your howework.

Today I set up an SoPC (System on Programmable Chip) and it includs a CPU made of logic gates and registers. Have a look (use the PDF to zoom in all the way):

 

That's how a simple CPU looks like. It is made of approximate 2000 logic gates and 1300 registers.

To be honsted I used an IP block provided by Altera and didn't build it from scratch. I could, but it will take me several weeks working full time on it.

 

 

CPU.pdf

I would have loved to have done something like this.

Next conquest for you, take down Intel!

[Stefan1024]

6 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

That's ridiculous that you call that simple. I've been trying to build a 74xx series 8 bit machine for about 6 months now, but I always get hung up and this is proving to be a very hard subject to self study. 

Doing this with 74xx, wires and solder is nearly impossible.

In the FPGA you can programm all the stuff within seconds. When you have the schemaic you are finished.

 

2 hours ago, XDroidie626 said:

I would have loved to have done something like this.

Next conquest for you, take down Intel!

There is no way an FPGA will run faster than a very sofisticated ASIC. This CPU is 16 bit and runns at 50 MHz. I could run faster but the external RAM can't keep up.

[baseplate]

On 2/25/2016 at 2:27 AM, Stefan1024 said:

So at school I have the lecture "embeded hardware and software". For 4 month we got an FPGA board with some periphery to do your howework.

Today I set up an SoPC (System on Programmable Chip) and it includs a CPU made of logic gates and registers. Have a look (use the PDF to zoom in all the way):

 

That's how a simple CPU looks like. It is made of approximate 2000 logic gates and 1300 registers.

To be honsted I used an IP block provided by Altera and didn't build it from scratch. I could, but it will take me several weeks working full time on it.

 

 

CPU.pdf

Hey Stefan, if you dont mind me asking, which school are you in and in which course are you enrolled in?

Ps: dang nice cpu tho'

[Coaxialgamer]

So , i can buy an older altera cyclone 4 ( based on 60 nm lp process ). I might go for it , just for the lulz

 

[straight_stewie]

Just now, Stefan1024 said:

Doing this with 74xx, wires and solder is nearly impossible.

That's why I specifically said a very simple 8 bit computer. Check out Magic-1(homebrew cpu) to see what my goals are there.

[Stefan1024]

14 hours ago, baseplate said:

Hey Stefan, if you dont mind me asking, which school are you in and in which course are you enrolled in?

Ps: dang nice cpu tho'

 

I'm at the university of applied science Zürich in Switzerland. I'm studying electronic engineering and the calss is called "embedded hard- and software".

Or how we call it in German: Zürcher Fachhochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft (ZHAW).

https://www.zhaw.ch/en/engineering/

 

 

14 hours ago, Coaxialgamer said:

So , i can buy an older altera cyclone 4 ( based on 60 nm lp process ). I might go for it , just for the lulz

 

How many logic cells and registers does it have?

 

 

13 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

That's why I specifically said a very simple 8 bit computer. Check out Magic-1(homebrew cpu) to see what my goals are there.

It's not impossible, but takes a big effort.

[Coaxialgamer]

2 hours ago, Stefan1024 said:

 

How many logic cells and registers does it have?

has 150K logic elements , couldn't find any info about the registers though.

[Stefan1024]

Just now, Coaxialgamer said:

has 150K logic elements , couldn't find any info about the registers though.

That's a huge FPGA. If you can afford it, do it.

[Coaxialgamer]

Just now, Stefan1024 said:

That's a huge FPGA. If you can afford it, do it.

yeah , found it used for relatively cheap. Just have to make sure it's not a scam first.

[Coaxialgamer]

7 minutes ago, Stefan1024 said:

That's a huge FPGA. If you can afford it, do it.

also , it says UP to 150K logic elements . Have to look up what exactly what that means first

[Stefan1024]

1 minute ago, Coaxialgamer said:

also , it says UP to 150K logic elements . Have to look up what exactly what that means first

Do you have the model number? Or the link to sale page?

[Coaxialgamer]

Just now, Stefan1024 said:

Do you have the model number? Or the link to sale page?

what concerns me most is that this is aliexpress. People have mixed feelings about that site .

you can view the shop link here

 

 

[Stefan1024]

8 minutes ago, Coaxialgamer said:

what concerns me most is that this is aliexpress. People have mixed feelings about that site .

you can view the shop link here

 

 

It's probably not a scam, but it uses the lowest spec. FPGA of the lineup with 6272 logic elements.

Still nice to start, but you will likely runn out of space for big projects. Still to learn VHDL is perfectly fine.