Re: Some discussion points open source friendly graphics [was: HARDWARE:Open-Source-Friendly Graphics Cards -- Viable?]

[Timothy Miller]

linux-os wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Oct 2004, Daniel Phillips wrote:
>
> > On Monday 25 October 2004 18:45, Timothy Miller wrote:
> >
> > > My intention is to include a bit of logic in the FPGA which can be used
> > > to reprogram the prom.  You would then cycle power to get the FPGA to
> > > load the new code.
> >
> >
> > Power cycle the whole machine, or software-reset the card?
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Daniel
>
>
> The FPGA requires a physical reset-pin toggle to load new
> bits into the gate-array. This could be software-toggled,
> but that would require at least one external gate. This
> is because the power-reset needs to reset the chip before
> its bits are loaded plus some pin, after loading, needs to
> be an output to its reset pin also. Therefore, you need
> the external gate that is always present.


Generally speaking, more chips == bad.  If reprogramming the FPGA were a 
regular event, I'd see the point, but I hope that MOST users would NEVER 
have to reprogram it.

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