FPGA VAX update

[woodelf]

Michael Sokolov wrote:

>The interesting question is whether the P&R function from Alliance could
>be ported to an FPGA.  Suppose we found an FPGA for which we have a
>complete definition of the routing fabric and configuration image format,
>or obtained this information for some common commercial FPGA through
>someone with the right connections or through reverse engineering.  We
>would still need a P&R tool, which is a very major task.  I wonder if
>the P&R function from Alliance could be adapted to the task.  But I don't
>know any of the fundamental theory behind P&R in ASICs versus FPGAs to
>know whether this could be done or if it's a totally different problem.
>
>Now if we only had the bucks to fab a real chip instead of screwing with
>FPGAs...  Then we could use Alliance and go completely open source from
>start to finish.  Does anyone know how much does it cost to fab a chip?
>
>  
>
I think fab a real chip would be a better idea -- but then how many 
people want a vax?
Ok, I don't . Looking at a different post the vax has large microcode, 
so a FPGA that
can have internal ram be configured as micro-code tables would be handy. 
Also some
extra ram for your register file too.

>MS
>  
>
No but they do here:
http://www.mosis.org/Orders/Prices/price-list-domestic.html