Parallelism and Computing: ParaLLeLLa - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 10:56:40 am
content: Zynq SOC (FPGA + ARM A9) + 16-core Epiphany RISC on a chip: anyone has already played withparaLLeLLa?It's a bit weird that anyone hasn't yet implemented OpengGL on the Epiphany co-processor chip/FPGA.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 05:06:56 pm
content: Quote from: legacy on February 27, 2019, 10:56:40 amAre you suggesting OpenCL?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 05:38:50 pm
content: Although I've eyed this board a few times, never actually gotten around to play with it.One thing that I noticed regarding the Epiphany processor is that it supports only single-precision FP from what I've gathered.So might not be ideal for heavy computational stuff depending on what you do.But that certainly looks like a fun platform to play with!

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 07:29:58 pm
content: Quote from: technix on February 27, 2019, 05:06:56 pmOpenGL, graphics stuff

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 07:38:23 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 27, 2019, 05:38:50 pmOpenGL is not supported, neither implemented, but it would be interesting and useful since the card comes with a uc-HDMI channel (optional, so not shown in the above pic, but it's available(1)). Anyway, we are thinking about using a couple of these boards for A.I. stuff, so the board looks adequate, and the single precision is not a real problem for this application.In the meanwhile, I am readingthisbook, which at least teaches the minimal foundations.(1) total cost, with uc-HDMI, is 98 GBP, including VAT and S/HNot bad.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 07:39:16 pm
content: I know they are not exactly in the same category, but have you also considered XMOS products?

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 07:50:38 pm
content: Yup, but here we enter into "personal tastes"Besides, a premium value is that ParaLLeLLa comes with Erlang support, and that's great!

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 08:15:10 pm
content: Are you going to do OpenGL stuff in Erlang?

author: hamster_nz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 08:52:26 pm
content: I've got one in a box on the shelf. I've never really played with it in anger, as the Zynq devboards I ahve are are more convenient to use.From a distant memory I think that there is also cooling issue or PSU issue that stops you from working it too hard.http://forums.parallella.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=849

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 09:20:46 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 27, 2019, 08:15:10 pmLOLwell, I'd like to play with Mnesia in Erlang, it would be super cool

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 09:26:21 pm
content: Quote from: hamster_nz on February 27, 2019, 08:52:26 pmoh, that explains the reduced priceanyway, on DTB we are using a liquid cooled router overclocked @ 900Mhz(1) just for compiling MIPS32/BE stuff and nothing can prevent us from applying the same kind of crazy hack to the ParaLLeLLa.(1) the uptime is currently 259 days and 11 hours

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 09:31:20 pm
content: QuoteI will probably ask in the ParaLLeLLa forum, but an interesting point about new kits is that they are already shipped with a *BIG* heatsink that covers both the Zynq and Epiphany chips.

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 11:30:43 pm
content: Quote from: hamster_nz on February 27, 2019, 08:52:26 pmQuote from: legacy on February 27, 2019, 09:20:46 pm

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 08:42:07 am
content: Quote from: legacy on February 27, 2019, 10:56:40 amI see nothing weird. OpenGL is a behemoth to implement so no one will do it for fun and no one will do it commercially because purpose-made GPUs surely beat that thing.Would it even run Crysis?

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 09:29:35 am
content: @NorthGuywhat? is the point?

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 09:31:14 am
content: Quote from: magic on February 28, 2019, 08:42:07 amThe NVIDIA TX2 kit costs 650 euro. It's another planet about performances, but it costs a lot.

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 09:36:21 am
content: OpenGL is a huge or monstrous creature, and it's always problematic. Even for the Ci20: guys announced the support ongoing, but after 5 years it's still not clear if it will be really released or not

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 01:52:44 pm
content: Quote from: legacy on February 28, 2019, 09:29:35 amIt's a joke. Erlang as a method to avoid overheating ...

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 03:03:53 pm
content: Does it support Java?

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 04:33:12 pm
content: Quote from: NorthGuy on February 28, 2019, 01:52:44 pmahhhh, you meant that

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 04:36:36 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 28, 2019, 03:03:53 pmNo. There is no love for Java. But as a consolatory thing, I can say that neither my HPPA has java, nor my PPC. So, the ParaLLeLLA is not aloneAnyway, the SDK has a lot of good support for the Epiphany co-processor chip, and that's good.

author: legacy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 04:42:08 pm
content: p.s. about JavaCode:ls /opt/ibm-jdk-bin-1.6.0.8_p1tinijava-80C390-jdk-bin-1.3.0.0This runs on my macmini/ppc. It's an old binary for ppc, released in 2007, adapted to modern stuff.It cross-compiles for 80C390. So ... time ago there was Java support for weird things, even for an 8bit MPU.Things do change, anyway.