FPGAs!? Now What?

Dave Vandenbout

Still RelevantBeginner

There are numerous requests in Internet forums that go something like this: "I am new to using FPGAs. What are they? How do I start? Is there a tutorial and some cheap/free tools I can use to learn more?" The short answer is “Yes”. The long answer is this book. It will briefly describe FPGAs and then show you how to apply them to your problems using a low-cost board and some free software. My discussion will be oriented towards using Xilinx FPGAs, but most of what I'll say is applicable to other brands of FPGAs.

Summary

FPGAs!? Now What? is a hands-on 2013 guide by Dave Vandenbout that introduces FPGAs and shows how to apply them using low-cost development boards and free tools. The book covers practical workflows for Xilinx devices while teaching essential Verilog and VHDL techniques for beginners.

Key Takeaways

Understand what FPGAs are, when to use them, and common application examples.
Set up a low-cost FPGA development board and install free Xilinx toolchains for a complete toolflow.
Write, simulate, and synthesize basic designs using Verilog and VHDL.
Implement and test simple FPGA-based DSP functions and map them to Xilinx devices.
Use practical programming, debugging, and board bring-up procedures to get working hardware quickly.

Who Should Read This

Beginners — students, hobbyists, or embedded/firmware engineers who want a practical, low-cost introduction to Xilinx FPGAs, HDL design, and hands-on FPGA workflows.

Still RelevantBeginner