Altera

Altera, now integrated into Intel as Intel’s FPGA product line, developed a variety of programmable logic devices. These included FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), SoCs (System on Chips), and CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices), which continue to be essential in data processing, networking, and embedded applications.

Overview of Altera FPGAs

Altera was a major FPGA vendor that was acquired by Intel in 2015. Their FPGAs include:

• Stratix Series – High performance FPGAs with transceivers for demanding applications.
• Arria Series – Mid-range FPGAs balancing capability and cost.
• Cyclone Series – Low cost, high volume FPGAs suitable for consumer products.
• MAX Series – Tiny, low power FPGAs in compact packages.

Key capabilities of Altera FPGAs include:

• Configurable digital logic blocks for implementing custom functions
• Embedded memory blocks like RAM, ROM and FIFOs
• Digital signal processing (DSP) slices to accelerate math
• High speed I/O and transceivers up to 28 Gbps
• PLLs, oscillators, and clock management circuitry
• Hard IP for functions like PCIe, Ethernet, ARM cores
• Partial reconfiguration for dynamic logic adaption

This rich set of resources enables Altera FPGAs to meet requirements across a diverse range of applications and industries.

Here’s an in-depth look at the major Altera product families and their applications:

1. Stratix Series

• Overview: The Stratix family consists of high-performance FPGAs designed for applications requiring maximum speed and capacity, such as data centers, telecommunications, and financial computing.
• Variants:
  • Stratix 10: Incorporates Intel’s HyperFlex architecture, offering high performance and power efficiency for applications like AI, data analytics, and 5G infrastructure. Available as both FPGA-only and SoC models with embedded ARM cores.
  • Stratix V: Previous-generation FPGAs for high-performance applications, known for their high bandwidth and efficient transceiver technology.
• Key Features: These FPGAs provide high-speed transceivers, DSP blocks, and hardened IP for specific functions, supporting applications that require intensive data processing, low latency, and high throughput.

2. Arria Series

• Overview: Arria FPGAs offer a mid-range balance between performance and power efficiency, suitable for markets such as broadcast, industrial, and medical imaging.
• Variants:
  • Arria 10: Known for its power efficiency and flexible architecture, Arria 10 FPGAs support 10G to 100G transceivers, making them ideal for networking, automotive, and machine vision applications.
  • Arria V: Aimed at applications that require balanced performance, such as wireless communication, industrial control, and broadcast.
• Key Features: Arria 10 integrates hardened floating-point DSP blocks, enhanced memory options, and a variety of I/O interfaces, enabling robust performance while maintaining power efficiency.

3. Cyclone Series

• Overview: Cyclone FPGAs are cost-effective, low-power devices designed for applications with lighter performance requirements, such as automotive, consumer electronics, and IoT.
• Variants:
  • Cyclone 10: Split into Cyclone 10 GX (for FPGA applications needing higher performance) and Cyclone 10 LP (for low-power, cost-sensitive applications).
  • Cyclone V: Combines low power consumption with the flexibility to handle diverse tasks, making it well-suited for industrial and automotive applications.
  • Cyclone IV and III: Early generations that continue to be used in cost-sensitive applications due to their low power and high reliability.
• Key Features: Cyclone devices offer efficient processing power with low static power consumption, making them suitable for consumer electronics and applications where cost and power efficiency are critical.

4. MAX Series (CPLDs)

• Overview: The MAX family consists of CPLDs that provide non-volatile, small-form-factor programmable logic for simpler applications.
• Variants:
  • MAX 10: Offers flash memory integration, which eliminates the need for an external configuration device, reducing board space and cost.
  • MAX V and MAX II: Previous-generation CPLDs, used for simple glue logic, control path logic, and system management tasks.
• Key Features: MAX CPLDs provide instant-on capability, non-volatile configuration, and low power consumption, making them suitable for simple control and interfacing tasks in industrial, automotive, and consumer applications.

5. Intel Agilex FPGA Series (Post-Altera)

• Overview: Developed after the Intel acquisition, the Agilex series represents the next generation of FPGAs, combining Altera’s architecture with Intel’s process technology.
• Variants:
  • Agilex F-Series: Focused on applications requiring high memory bandwidth and fast interconnects, such as data analytics and networking.
  • Agilex I-Series: Designed for edge computing and AI inference applications, with optimized power and performance balance.
  • Agilex M-Series: Targeted at high-performance computing and workloads requiring extensive floating-point processing, ideal for machine learning and 5G base stations.
• Key Features: Agilex devices support Intel’s EMIB (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge) technology, providing high-speed communication between different die elements within the package. They also integrate support for AI and other high-performance workloads.

6. SoC FPGA (System on Chip) Families

• Overview: SoCs integrate an ARM processor alongside FPGA fabric, allowing software and hardware programmability in a single device. This combination supports applications requiring both processing and flexibility.
• Variants:
  • Arria 10 SoC: Integrates a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with FPGA resources, supporting networking and embedded applications that require complex computation and control.
  • Cyclone V SoC: Provides a cost-effective SoC solution with an ARM core and FPGA fabric for automotive, industrial automation, and IoT applications.
  • Stratix 10 SoC: Offers high-end compute capabilities with ARM processors for data-intensive applications, ideal for telecom and data center infrastructure.
• Key Features: These SoCs allow seamless integration of control software with custom hardware logic, enabling faster response times and efficient processing for embedded applications.

7. Development Tools and Software

• Quartus Prime Software: Altera’s primary development suite for FPGA design, which includes advanced features like synthesis, simulation, timing analysis, and debugging. Quartus Prime also supports Intel’s FPGAs post-acquisition.
• Intel’s OneAPI: A programming model that unifies development across different Intel architectures, including CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs, allowing developers to target multiple devices with a single codebase.
• DSP Builder for Intel FPGAs: Integrates with MATLAB and Simulink, enabling DSP and model-based design flows for FPGA-based DSP applications.

Applications of Altera’s Product Families

Altera’s (Intel FPGA) products support a wide range of applications, including:

• Data Centers: Altera FPGAs support high-throughput tasks such as network acceleration, AI inference, and data analytics.
• Telecommunications: FPGAs and SoCs are essential for processing data in 5G, wireless infrastructure, and optical networking.
• Industrial Automation: Used in factory automation, robotics, motor control, and industrial IoT, providing the processing power needed for real-time control.
• Automotive: Cyclone and Arria SoCs are used in ADAS, autonomous driving systems, and infotainment applications.
• Aerospace and Defense: High-reliability FPGAs like the Stratix family are used in secure communication, avionics, and radar systems.

Altera’s product families, now under Intel, continue to provide flexible, high-performance, and cost-effective solutions across diverse markets, from low-power, cost-sensitive designs to high-performance computing and AI acceleration.

Example FPGA Projects

Some example projects to help get started with an Altera development kit:

• Blinking LEDs – Basic project flashing the onboard LEDs
• 7-Segment Displays – Display numbers by driving the 7-segment displays
• Buttons and Switches – Read button presses and toggle LEDs
• PWM and servos – Generate PWM waveforms to drive RC servos
• SPI flash – Store and retrieve data from onboard SPI flash chips
• Video filters – Apply real-time video effects to VGA output
• Nios II system – Deploy a Nios II soft processor and create embedded C programs
• DDS waveform generator – Generate analog waveforms like sine waves using DDS
• Interval timer – Implement an adjustable periodic timer for blinking LEDs
• SPI ADC readout – Use the SPI interface to read analog input data
• UDP data logger – Send sensor measurements over Ethernet to log remotely

The wide range of peripherals on the development kits enables building practical embedded systems showcasing FPGA capabilities. More complex projects are also possible by combining FPGA programmability with ARM-based SoC chip integration.

Altera FPGA Development Kits – FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about working with Altera FPGA development boards:

How are Altera FPGAs programmed?

Altera FPGAs are programmed by loading configuration data in the form of SRAM object files (.sof) generated by Quartus Prime. These are loaded via USB Blaster, JTAG, or passive serial modes.

What tools are used to develop for Altera FPGAs?

The Quartus Prime software provides a complete IDE for FPGA programming and logic design. The free Web Edition has all features needed. ModelSim or other simulators can also be used.

What programming languages can target Altera FPGAs?

In addition to vendor specific languages like AHDL and VHDL, standard languages like Verilog, SystemVerilog and C/C++ can also be used with Altera FPGAs.

How are Altera FPGAs debugged?

Internal signal states can be probed using the SignalTap analyzer. More advanced scenarios use Platform Designer for system-level debugging. External logic analyzers can also connect to I/O pins.

How are Altera FPGAs updated remotely?

Partial reconfiguration enables updating just a portion of the FPGA remotely over a network link while the rest continues operating. This allows field upgrades.

Altera FPGA Board Listing