Good VHDL reference book? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 01:08:30 pm
content: Years ago I lost my VHDL language reference book. I would like to replace it but I can't seem to find a good one. Any suggestions for a VHDL language reference? The book 'A Guide to VHDL Syntax' looks promising but maybe there are others with better availability.

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 01:14:21 pm
content: If you want a reference reference, why not grab the IEEE Standard VHDL Language Reference Manual. I sometimes use the verilog / systemverilog equivalent when I want to be sure about some syntax details. Or do you just want something specifically for synthesis?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 02:58:54 pm
content: My goal is synthesis but I would like to avoid a book which takes digital circuits and converts those into VHDL. IMHO that is a bit limited. OTOH the raw specification is probably what it is: a raw specification which is hard to read.

author: andersm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 02:59:55 pm
content: I like Peter Ashenden's "The Designer's Guide to VHDL."

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 04:22:45 pm
content: Jeri ellsworth usually doesn't recommend a lot of books but if it's good enough for her, it's definetly good enough for me:@1:10"HDL Chip Design", she says the industry calls it the blue book and hard to find.I don't have it but I wouldn't mind purchasing one.Reviews at amazon are good:http://www.amazon.com/Hdl-Chip-Design-Synthesizing-Simulating/product-reviews/0965193438Edit: maybe a bit dated (1998)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 11:25:03 pm
content: But she also says 'if you think in schematics then this is the book you need to have'. Thinking in schematics in combination with VHDL is what I'm trying to avoid.

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 11:38:30 pm
content: Drawing the hardware you intend might be a good idea. That prevents the "I'll write it like I do software, and lets see what happens" you sometimes see. Also known as shitty and poorly performing. Butbutbut, I meet timing at 100 MHz. Yeah, yeah.Nothing wrong with thinking in schematics, just don't do schematic design entry...

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 12:24:39 am
content: QuoteYou can always write your own.

author: Kohanbash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 01:26:30 am
content: HiI have looked at a bunch of VHDL books and I dont know of any that I would say are great.The one that I liked best is Circuit Design with VHDL by Volnei A. Pedronihttp://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Design-VHDL-Volnei-Pedroni/dp/0262162245I did a small write up about it herehttp://robotsforroboticists.com/books-electronics-fpga/

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 10:41:33 am
content: Quote from: andersm on March 12, 2014, 02:59:55 pmI decided to buy this book. From the comments on Amazon it seems this book is probably what I want.

author: TerminalJack505
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 11:38:34 am
content: Quote from: Kohanbash on March 13, 2014, 01:26:30 amThat's a good book. I learned VHDL from it.It isn't a VHDL reference book, however, which is what the OP is wanting.

author: Kohanbash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 12:49:03 pm
content: Quote from: TerminalJack505 on March 13, 2014, 11:38:34 amIf the OP wants a reference document The VHDL Golden Reference Guide is pretty goodhttp://www.fpga.com.cn/hdl/training/Vhdl_Golden_Reference_Guide.pdf

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2014, 07:24:29 am
content: Quote from: Kohanbash on March 13, 2014, 12:49:03 pmThank you for that, it covers VHDL '87 and VHDL '93 not VHDL 2008 but I have my settings on 93 so that will work great for my tasks. Haven't even looked up what VHDL 2008 can do other than external signal support that I don't really care about right now.

author: TerminalJack505
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2014, 01:46:09 pm
content: This is little off topic since it isn't a reference book but I thought I should mention it for anyone looking for a free beginner's book...Free Range VHDLI haven't read it but it looks pretty good. Especially for the price.

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2014, 02:15:18 pm
content: Thanks for that link. I noticed they also havepoorly curated ip cores. If you are desperate enough(*)you might find something useful there. Too bad you cannot sort/filter on status, because"Planning stage, started somewhere in 2009"is not something I need to tire my eyeballs with.(*)Or just want a change of pace from the opencores induced desperation.And of course the first core I sample is one that's originally from opencores. Doh!