hi, i do have some experience in some embedded projects and want to dip
my toes into fpgas.

like every beginner, i will start with a simple led blinking project
etc, but i would like to have the possibility to play with:

- pci dma (from a desktop)
- try to build a gameboy emulator (and later on a ps1 emulator)

don't want altera, which is what misterfpga uses.

i narrowed my choices and so far it seems i have two options:
- Puzhi FPGA Development Board Xilinx Kintex-7 XC7K325T XC7K410T FMC
PCIE 4K HDMI
- Sipeed Tang Mega 138K

which one would you pick? any other suggestions? budget is 500 usd max.
what concerns me about these two brands is the reliability.

since i am not an expert i expect things to work, and if there's a bug somewhere it must be from me / the code that i wrote, and not from the hardware - i read some have hardware problems.

what i would like it to have:
- pci slot (for that dma project, don't know yet, just want to try it)
- hdmi (makes playing / testing graphics easier)
- usbc

if you also think i should start with something small (tang 9k) and
later on upgrade just let me know, i came here to hear from the experts.

thanks in advance

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Thu, 9 Oct 2025, fpaz wrote:
"[. . .]

[. . .] any other suggestions? [. . .]
what concerns me about these two brands is the reliability.

[. . .] i expect things to work"

Hi,

Welcome! I advocate VHDL. Cf.
HTTPS://SynthWorks.com

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/11/25 12:23 PM, Niocl s P¢l Caile n de Ghloucester wrote:

On Thu, 9 Oct 2025, fpaz wrote:
"[. . .]

[. . .] any other suggestions? [. . .]
what concerns me about these two brands is the reliability.

[. . .] i expect things to work"

Hi,

Welcome! I advocate VHDL. Cf.
HTTPS://SynthWorks.com

tf is that?
i better ask chatgpt then

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

VHDL is a strongly typed Hardware-Description Language.

As for asking ChatGPT, read
news:9a17f136-ba5a-4585-4fe9-aae1ae614be7@irrt.De
(
Subject: Re: AI for FPGA design
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:29:17 +0200
)
and
LinkedIn
about Ms. Sharada Yeluri and ChatGPT and Verilog.

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Thu, 9 Oct 2025 22:30:26 +0200, fpaz <cquy19muw@relay.firefox.com>
wrote:

hi, i do have some experience in some embedded projects and want to dip
my toes into fpgas.

like every beginner, i will start with a simple led blinking project
etc, but i would like to have the possibility to play with:

- pci dma (from a desktop)
- try to build a gameboy emulator (and later on a ps1 emulator)

don't want altera, which is what misterfpga uses.

i narrowed my choices and so far it seems i have two options:
- Puzhi FPGA Development Board Xilinx Kintex-7 XC7K325T XC7K410T FMC
PCIE 4K HDMI
- Sipeed Tang Mega 138K

which one would you pick? any other suggestions? budget is 500 usd max.
what concerns me about these two brands is the reliability.

since i am not an expert i expect things to work, and if there's a bug >somewhere it must be from me / the code that i wrote, and not from the >hardware - i read some have hardware problems.

what i would like it to have:
- pci slot (for that dma project, don't know yet, just want to try it)
- hdmi (makes playing / testing graphics easier)
- usbc

if you also think i should start with something small (tang 9k) and
later on upgrade just let me know, i came here to hear from the experts.

thanks in advance

The efinix parts are cheap and the tools are free, I think.

My FPGA guys say that the efinix dev tools look like they were written
in a garage. They mean that as a compliment.


John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

The efinix parts are cheap and the tools are free, I think.

My FPGA guys say that the efinix dev tools look like they were written
in a garage. They mean that as a compliment.

thanks for the suggestion. i will skip this for now as i need something
that holds my hand - as a beginner i need something more common. i took
notes though and consider this for when i know a little bit more.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)