Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Altera Europe | Subject: Quartus II Version 7.2
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 02 October 2007
Software speeds compiling
A Quartus II software user working with a multiprocessor computer will experience, on average, a 20% reduction in compile times over single-processor computers.
Altera has released Quartus II software version 7.2, designed to improve compile times Designers using Quartus II software version 7.2 can expect their Stratix III FPGAs' compile-time advantage to grow to three times that of competing high-end 65nm FPGAs
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 27 Jun 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Handsets ease ticketing process
MAX IIZ CPLDs manage several peripherals in the P1200 handsets, including an RFID reader, an infra-red data association (IRDA) sensor, a Bluetooth interface and LED control.
Software upgrade provides speed boost
Customers using the 8.0 release to design Altera's 65nm Stratix III FPGAs on Windows platforms will see compile times reduced by up to 50%.
Joe Jacob, President of Quasar Systems said "Using Altera's Quartus II software tool suite, I was able to build and test a PCI Master/Target system with DMA and memory interfaces in a single day that would have taken four to six weeks using competitive tools".
"The Quartus II software enables me to finish my designs quicker than other tool suites".
"Our customers today are increasingly concerned about designer productivity, so they look for tools that give them a competitive edge", said Chris Balough, Altera's Director of Software and Embedded Marketing.
Further reading
Shrink to 40nm increases FPGA capabilities
The Stratix IV family has up to 680K logic elements, 2x bigger than Altera's Stratix III family, which currently comprise currently the largest FPGAs on the market.
FPGAs support serial gigabit interface
Stratix III FPGAs are the industry's first programmable logic devices able to support Gigabit Ethernet SGMII on LVDS pins.
Low-cost FPGAs are enhanced for communications
Increased performance transceivers drive serial interfaces at speeds from 600Mbit/s to 3.125Gbit/s and reduce static power consumption by up to 20%.
"With our latest Quartus II software, our productivity advantage has improved from 2X to 3X compared to our competitor's solutions, enabling our customers to compile their designs faster and meet their aggressive time to market goals".
Quartus II software version 7.2 includes productivity and performance-focused enhancements that enable designers to achieve faster compile times and meet performance requirements.
A Quartus II software user working with a multiprocessor computer will experience, on average, a 20% reduction in compile times over single-processor computers.
Enhanced place-and-route algorithms enable Stratix III customers to meet their high-performance requirements and offer a two-speed grade advantage versus competitors.
The addition of real-time pin-out validation allows faster verification of pin placement and assignments.
New automatic insertion of adapters makes finishing Avalon Streaming designs quicker and easier.
In addition, the revamped component editor includes a faster GUI for adding custom components and support for Avalon Streaming.
Altera is the only FPGA vendor to support both Windows Vista 32- and 64bit editions with its Quartus II software.
Signal Tap II offers enhanced segmented acquisition for better use of the memory buffer, allowing for easier hardware verification.
A new clock-as-data feature enables designers to analyse timing when clock signals are used as data.
TimeQuest's new waveform viewer enables designers to visualise timing relationships for faster timing closure.
Altera offers a new unified download and installation for Quartus II Subscription Edition on the Linux operating system to support faster software upgrades.
Both the Subscription Edition and free Web Edition of Quartus II software version 7.2 are now available for download from the Altera website.
The Subscription Edition is also available in DVD format.
Altera's software subscription program simplifies obtaining Altera design software by consolidating software products and maintenance charges into one annual subscription payment.
Subscribers receive Quartus II software, the ModelSim-Altera edition and a full licence to the IP Base Suite, which includes ten of Altera's most popular IP (DSP and memory) cores.
• Altera Europe: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
