AMD Completes Acquisition of Xilinx - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EverydayMuffin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2022, 06:36:17 pm
content: Xilinx are now the "AMD Adaptive and Embedded Computing Group".https://www.amd.com/en/press-releases/2022-02-14-amd-completes-acquisition-xilinxIt will be interesting to see what AMD does with Xilinx's lower-end devices like CoolRunner, Spartan, Artix and Zynq-7000...

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2022, 09:18:23 pm
content: Not a good day for me. That's not a good news to hear. But we will see.I like Xilinx's devices. I have several projects based on Spartan3 and Spartan6

author: FlyingDutch
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 12:01:01 pm
content: OMG! It is like a curse ...

author: woofy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 12:32:00 pm
content: AMD used to have its own programmable logic line in the form of the mach1, 2,3,4 & 5 devices. I have used both mach 1 and 2 parts in the past.They sold their vantis subsidiary to Lattice in 1999 for $500m.With intel buying Altera, its not surprising AMD wants its own top end FPGA technology. Otherwise if intel ever fused x64 with FPGA, AMD would be left behind.

author: Beta_vulgaris
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 06:01:00 pm
content: Quote from: woofy on February 15, 2022, 12:32:00 pmAMD also have had their Am2000/Am3000 FPGA (LCA) family, second-source of Xilinx, but aborted in 1989.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 06:13:32 pm
content: Quote from: Beta_vulgaris on February 15, 2022, 06:01:00 pmThey did PALs and such ages ago. Did they buy MMI?

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 06:19:25 pm
content: Each such consolidation usually means an unimaginable big amount of money. But I don't get the economics. This is not just a startup selling all as a good exit, to get an early retirement.What happens with that pile of money afterwards?Did the buyer sends a barge full of cache, or what?And what does the seller do with a pile of money?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 06:20:17 pm
content: Next thing we know both FPGA branches get split off into one company and we get Xiltera. Honestly I don't see how Altera fits with Intel and how Xilinx fits with AMD. In the past both companies have bought so many other companies to end up either killing it or selling it again.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 07:49:21 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on February 15, 2022, 06:19:25 pmThe AMD/Xilinx deal was all stock, no cash money transfer.QuoteThe buyer (AMD) issued shares of its stock, which it gave to Xilinx shareholders in exchange for those shareholders' Xilinx stock. The former Xilinx shareholders now own part of AMD.QuoteWell, what wouldyoudo with a pile of money?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 08:06:35 pm
content: Next thing is AMD merges with Intel.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 08:14:24 pm
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on February 15, 2022, 07:49:21 pmIn that case it would be rather a merge than an acquisition, but I won't nitpick about the terms.\[\star\ \star\ \star\]Quote from: Bassman59 on February 15, 2022, 07:49:21 pmThat's such a tempting thought, way too nice not to dream about it.I'll probably build a top notch research facility, then invite as many great minds as possible. Not as employees, but invite them to join in what would be like a paid sabbatical decade, or so. In short, a Scientific Research Heaven.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 10:15:34 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on February 15, 2022, 08:14:24 pmWhy only a decade? I used to work at such a place; it is called a research institute and those exist already. If only the work didn't drift towards doing software engineering... A couple of months ago I visited a EU research center. The toys they have over there! Where is the drool smiley?

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 11:16:35 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on February 15, 2022, 10:15:34 pmA sabbatical is usually one year, but that's probably too little to put in practice a new idea.Ten times that, seems about right to mature something new, without overthinking it. More than 10 years would probably mean it's not the right technological time for that idea. And anyways, times changes, so most probably 20 or 50 years later the research theme would become irrelevant.The time frame was more about the theme/project than about the researcher.

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2022, 11:24:27 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on February 14, 2022, 09:18:23 pmHow can AMD possibly do worse than Xilinx when it comes to what matters, meaning actually delivering parts? Have you tried to buy any mainstream FPGAs lately?

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 01:17:11 am
content: Quote from: KE5FX on February 15, 2022, 11:24:27 pmDelivering parts is the easy part, current issues notwithstanding. The hard one is providing efficient environment and infrastrtucture for using these parts in the actual end products. Xilinx is the best on this front at this point, but we will see if it's going to stay that way in the future.

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 02:30:37 am
content: Quote from: asmi on February 16, 2022, 01:17:11 amNot sure what that means.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 02:37:39 am
content: Quote from: KE5FX on February 15, 2022, 11:24:27 pmCan you explain how the current shortage has anything to do with anything here?Is Xilinx doing any worse than others? I don't get it.At least with Intel, they have their own foundries, so I could understand why one could think that it could improve the situation (being less dependent on external foundries), but AMD does not AFAIK, so I can't see how that would change anything. Oh, and by the time the acquisition would have any real impact on day-to-day operations, we can hope that the shortage situation would be over anyway (although I admit the more time passes and the less I know when it will possibly end.)But feel free to give us more details.

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 03:15:47 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 16, 2022, 02:37:39 amTons of mainstream parts from both Xilinx and Intel/Altera are unavailable from authorized distributors. Tons of parts other than FPGAs from other vendorsareavailable. That's about the size of it.If you're actively in the market for semiconductors right now, you'd find it unnecessary to ask that question. If you aren't, count yourself lucky, and consider yourself envied.

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 12:03:24 pm
content: This would open a free and easy space for Chinese companies to destroy them both! With such aggressive pricing and High tech from chines companies it would be a matter of 10 years or less till we forget about Xilinx and Altera.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 12:17:21 pm
content: Unfortunately both companies are now in the hands of firms who are really only interested in the big devices, that they can incorporate into high performance servers and HPC clusters. That's where the demand, and the money, is.That means companies that rely on the smaller parts, to implement critical features that simply can't be done any other way than with an FPGA, are in serious trouble - and it's not going to get better with time. I'm genuinely concerned that the Altera parts I've designed in over, say, the last 10 years, may never be manufactured again.My to-do list for this week includes unpacking and getting started with the Efinix dev board that's sitting on my desk.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 01:14:33 pm
content: my order request is still in pending state:Tue Nov 17, 2020:"possible to order, delivery time on requestexpected to be available on 01-Sep-2021"Wed Feb 16, 2022"possible to order, delivery time on requestexpected to be available on 01-Nov-2022"WTF?!?, but also LOL

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 01:25:31 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 15, 2022, 08:06:35 pmThose two are the classic abusive relationship. They take from each other. They sue each other.Then they both complain that the neighbors house (ARM) is regarded as the best looking house in the street.Imagine just how great their house would be if they just fucking worked together.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 05:45:11 pm
content: Quote from: KE5FX on February 16, 2022, 03:15:47 amTons of parts are unavailable in general. The size of it is, it's everywhere.Quote from: KE5FX on February 16, 2022, 03:15:47 amI am, as many of us here are I guess. And shortage is everywhere, well beyond FPGAs. I even have better luck getting ahold of Lattice FPGAs at the moment than getting STM MCUs.And you never answered the question: what difference would AMD acquisition ever make to the shortage problem?Quote from: KE5FX on February 16, 2022, 03:15:47 amCount yourself lucky if a given part you need right now is available at all.

author: FlyingDutch
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 06:00:08 pm
content: Hi,but Gowin FPGAs are constantly available .Best regards

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2022, 09:36:58 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 16, 2022, 05:45:11 pmI don't need to answer the question, because I'm the one who asked it. ("What difference does it make? How can AMD be worse?") Any thoughts on that?