FPGA Workshop 4: Behind the Scenes

2009-11-04T22:48:51Z

Eightdot: /* Attendees */

[[Image:Fpgaeditor.png|thumb|240px|right|FPGA Editor]]
{{Workshop
|title=FPGA Workshop 4: Behind the Scenes
|when=Sunday November 8th 2009, 14:00-19:00+
|where=/tmp/lab
|intro=We don't need no stinkin' synthesizer!
|by=[[User:lekernel|lekernel]]
}}

= Description =
In the previous workshops, we have seen that FPGAs can emulate any logic circuit without moving (mechanical) parts.

FPGAs are however not magic nor mystical devices and this workshop will shed light on how they work internally. After theoretical explanations on their functioning, we will program them very close to the "bare silicon" by configuring manually each logic element on the chip, without any Verilog or schematics.

This will give you a better understanding of the challenges involved with writing open source programming tools, reverse engineering existing FPGA designs, injecting backdoors into FPGA bitstreams, and squeezing the most performance out of an FPGA chip.

Draft slides available at http://lekernel.net/presentations/FPGA_Workshops/091108_tmplab/scenes_draft.pdf - comments welcome.

= Prerequisites =
For the hands-on part:
* Bring your laptop
* IMPORTANT: Install Xilinx ISE. The installation takes a long time that we cannot waste during the workshop.
* Bring a Xilinx FPGA board such as the [http://www.em.avnet.com/spartan3a-evl Spartan 3A Evaluation Kit ($49)] used in previous workshops.
* The board must have a Xilinx FPGA. Boards with non-Xilinx chips cannot be used.
* Your board must have at least 2 pushbuttons and 2 LEDs.
* Bring any required programming (JTAG) cable and try to make sure that it works (driver installed etc.) before coming.

You can come to the workshop without a board, but obviously you might be unable to perform the manipulations yourself.

= Attendees =
Please subscribe to the workshop by editing this list! or send an email to sebastien dot bourdeauducq at lekernel dot net.

# [[User:Lekernel|lekernel]]
# Nina
# Uros
# [[User:proppy|proppy]]
# Kiniou
# Benoit
# legreffier
# Olivier
# Norman
# Matthias
# Sebastian
# texane (surement)
# Raul
# dermiste
# eightdot

= Nerd Week end =
You are also welcome to attend the "[[Développement logiciel embarqué sur Milkymist]]" workshop (in French) the day before.

Hackers at CERN

2009-10-18T19:42:45Z

Eightdot: /* Waiting list */

= What =
A group visit of CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory close to Geneva.
More info: http://outreach.web.cern.ch/outreach/visits/ (please check out this page if you think about coming)

= Sold Out! =
Sorry - you're coming too late. All 48 slots are taken.

= When =
We have to give a 4-6 month advance notice, which probably brings the visit to February/March 2010.

= How =
We have to organize ourselves for sharing cars, finding accommodation, etc.

= Who =
== Registered ==
# Organizer: lekernel (FR) (Paris)
# jm* (pieddemammouth) (FR) (Paris)
# Alexandre G. (FR) (Toulouse)
# Marc (FR) (Toulouse)
# Angst (FR) (Toulouse)
# Lucas (FR) (Toulouse)
# Hellekin (FR) (München)
# Padawan (FR) (Paris)
# Fabien (FR) (Paris)
# Phil_praxis (FR) (Paris)
# Nina (FR) (Rennes)
# Marc F6ITU (FR) (?)
# Peter (DE/EN) (Bonn/Köln)
# Thalunil (DE/EN) (Bonn/Köln)
# Benoit (FR) (RP)
# Marie (FR) (RP)
# James (FR) (RP)
# Steve (FR) (Luxembourg)
# Bartek (FR/EN) (Luxembourg)
# Georges (FR/EN) (Luxembourg)
# Fish_ (EN) (Randomdata, Netherlands)
# Vis (EN) (Netherlands)
# LMamane (FR/EN/...) (Luxembourg)
# Blueloop (DE/EN) (Karlsruhe)
# David (DE/EN) (Karlsruhe)
# Philipp (DE/EN) (Karlsruhe)
# gmc (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# blokje, depending on dates (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# blokje his brother his GF, depending on dates (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# larstiq (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# cinder (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# tim (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# bamieater (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# FooBar (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# Turiphro (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# Gohla (EN) (revspace, Netherlands)
# Clark (EN) (codinflu, Turkey)
# GeorgesT, depending on dates (FR/EN) (Luxembourg)
# Marlene, depending on dates (FR) (Luxembourg)
# Jerome (FR/EN) (Grenoble, France)
# Nicolas (FR/EN) (Paris, France)
# Marcus (SW/EN) (Coopet, Switzerland)
# Margaret (EN) (Paris, France)
# Raffael (FR/EN) (CCC Munich/Luxembourg)
# dermiste (FR) (Paris, France)
# Beretta Vexee (FR/EN) (Paris, France)
# Guyzmo (FR/EN) (Paris, France)
# luja (DE/BY/EN) (Munich, Bavaria, Europe, Earth)

48 persons maximum.
You should protect against editing. Some black hats may come to change the order....

== Waiting list ==
# zkyp (EN) (Randomdata.nl, Netherlands)
# Carina (DE/EN) (Bonn, Germany)
# Massoud (FR) (/tmp/lab, France)
# Eightdot (EN) (HackZwolle, Netherlands)

== Meet at 26C3 ==
If some of you come to the 26. Choas Communication Congress it would be nice to meet you before the visit.

you can add your name here and we we choose place&time on demand.

# derPeter
# lekernel
# luja
# Massoud (/tmp/lab)

== Reminder ==
* Maximum 48 persons
* First come, first serve
* One person per line
* Give contact information in the wiki, it will be useful to organize car sharing!

Tmplab - User contributions [en]

FPGA Workshop 4: Behind the Scenes

Hackers at CERN