08-02-2012 02:38 PM
I purchased the Arduino Labview bundle from sparkfun.com (registered as a hobby user) and I am having lots of fun, so thank you NI dudes!
However, I would like to know if NI and sparkfun are going to offer a cheap FPGA board and Labview FPGA package at any point in time like the LIFA package that is not an evaluation?
I know you guys have the ELVIS but that model is way too expensive and for university students only.
Thanks
RB
08-02-2012 06:00 PM
About the lowest cost FPGA development board I have seen is a Digilent Basys2. See:
<http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,400,790&Prod=BASYS2>
Digilent shows a $49.00 student price.
I don't know what you gain by using Labview with the Basys2. But maybe you can create a Labview interface to Diligent's Adept utility program.
08-02-2012 07:05 PM
LIFA is free because it was essentially developed for fun (hobby). FPGA is a totally different story. (Note that I am not an emplyee but this is the way that I understand it).
Oh, and FYI, there is no "hobby" version of LabVIEW. It is a student version and requires that you are a student (legally). It would be awesome if they actually did have a "hobby" version though. The last time that I saw, this suggestion was made to NI but they said that it was not going to happen. Maybe that will change in the future.
08-02-2012 07:49 PM
Programming an FPGA in a Hardware descriptive language (HDL) is like programming a microcontroller in assembly( not too fun). But to program it in Labview FPGA now thats fun. hrh1818 I already own that board but thanks.