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To: Straight Vermonter; nwrep; ShadowAce; shadowman99; RadioAstronomer; RightWingReader; FairOpinion; ..

How do they do that?

This seems like a major deal!


4 posted on 07/30/2004 6:34:41 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
How do they do that?

The precursor to this technology has been around for some time. In fact, I'm currently designing something using it. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). It's a collection of unconnected logic blocks on a chip. You write a "program" that defines the functionality you want, and translation software figures out how to implement it in the logic available on the chip. You program the chip with the connections the software creates for you and, presto, you've got a custom chip. You can create anything you want, within the limitations of the number of logic blocks available and the input/output pins. Some people have even implemented replacements for obsolete microprocessors so that old software can continue to run. Some really fancy designs will even load different connections "on the fly" so that the FPGA can take on different roles at different times. Very cool stuff.

9 posted on 07/30/2004 6:43:20 PM PDT by John Jorsett
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

1's and 0's


19 posted on 07/30/2004 7:36:06 PM PDT by Master of Orion
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