[Beowulf] [EXTERNAL] PLCC84, FPGA compute array.

[Lux, Jim (US 337K)]

PLCC 84 is a package size, is it not?  And a fairly small package to boot. So you’re not going to have a lot of FPGA fabric in that package.


So you’re trying to use this board to demonstrate some sort of architectural approach, but in a “small scale” fashion where the cost isn’t extreme?  Say, demonstrating a systolic array or something similar?

Cool idea.

It’s kind of like building a small cluster using RPi or Beagleboards – you get to fool with all the issues of cluster management, MPI, but with small cost.  Nobody is going to claim that this is computationally efficient compared to just buying a single faster computer.

For what it’s worth, there’s tons of “multi FPGA”  boards out there, although to be honest, not with small FPGAs – the boards tend to have the latest and greatest biggest whatever you can get (be it RTG4, Virtex 7, Kintex, etc.) since “off chip” comm always costs more (in power, speed, money) than “on chip” comm.  And those boards tend to be pricey (if you’re putting half a dozen $5000 parts on the board, and going to run it at max clock rate, it’s reasonable to charge a few $10k for the board)


From: Beowulf <beowulf-bounces at beowulf.org> on behalf of Darren Wise <darren at wisecorp.co.uk>
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 11:10 AM
To: "beowulf at beowulf.org" <beowulf at beowulf.org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Beowulf] PLCC84, FPGA compute array.

Hey guys,

I've been meaning to create an array of FPGAs using my own designed, printed, assembled breakout board for PLCC84 derived FPGAs(and other PLCC84s) in order to demonstrate basic compute functions via this array'd method.. Mainly for personal kicks but it also has a two-prong attack ending solution like everything I do.

I could utilise this project as a demo in itself in order to prove worth of buying my own branded breakout boards and such as well.

-The reason I'm boring you so, is if anyone else in the HPC, Beowulf, CoW groups knows of any other FPGA derived projects like the one I've mentioned above.. I'm so sure a project a couple of years ago did something of the same very well but I cannot seem to find any knowledge of it via web searching anywhere, eitherthat or I'm using the incorrect phrases!

Do or has anyone read about an FPGA array board which is used to compute something? I'd just like to read up on how their solution turned out, types of FPGAs they decided on and such.. I've a vast selection and good numbers of what I could use but I do have around 150 spare ACTEL chips and I could easily get another 4-500 very cheaply if needed.

I'd be happy to send anyone an PLCC-84 branded breakout board I've designed from the group the next time I go to print too, it's just a PCB, PLCC-84 socket and 4, 2x11 female headers but I have plenty more created within KiCAD and others to go to print as the breakout project moves forward.

Kind regards,
Darren Wise
--
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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