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- From: LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA
- Newsgroups: sci.electronics
- Subject: Re: GAL LOGIC
- Message-ID: <92258.142438LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
- Date: 14 Sep 92 18:24:38 GMT
- References: <92253.131631LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
- <1992Sep9.200458.8595@adobe.com> <92254.103444LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
- <1992Sep13.184958.6583@adobe.com>
- Organization: Queen's University at Kingston
- Lines: 74
-
- In article <1992Sep13.184958.6583@adobe.com>, pngai@adobe.com (Phil Ngai) says:
- >
- >In article <92254.103444LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> <LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> writes:
- >
- >>I can't just go into a store and ask for 16V8 and expect the product
- >
- >Given your expectations, no. But you can't ask for a 16R4 and get
- >a generic product either. You can't ask for a 4 meg EPROM and get
- >a generic product. You can't even ask for a 1 meg DRAM and get
- >a generic product.
-
- >The problem is, you don't understand what GAL means, or what 16V8
- >means.
-
- 16: Max # of inputs
- V : variable (GAL only)
- 8 : Max # of outputs
-
- The problem is more I have a different definition for GAL. When I say
- GAL I mean both the functionality & programming specs for GAL. I have
- the programming specs for GAL sitting in a blinder right here. The
- PALCE ships cannot be programmed with the GAL specs and AMD is not
- a 2nd source for the line of product call GALs from Lattice.
-
- Furthermore the Engineer at AMD did agree that PALCE is NOT GAL.
-
- If you have a Universal programmer, this is a non-problem. On the
- other hand if you built something that only program GALs, than that's
- a big problem. At least 2 other people have the same problem emailed
- me.
-
- >>I wanted. On the other hand I did specify GAL16V8 and got PALCE16V8.
- >>I could have asked my Credit Card company to cancel payment as I
- >>didn't get what I specified. a Cyrus 486 is the same as an Intel 486?
- >
- >Yes, you did get what you specified, you just didn't specify
- >what you wanted.
-
- The recept says 2 03AMD GAL16V8A-15LP
- The parts I received say PALCE16V8H-15PC/4 on the chip.
-
- GAL16V8 should have been sufficient. I have no problems with GAL16V8
- from either Lattice, NS (and SGS Thomas). All of them have GAL16V8 on
- the package. On the other hand if the recept did say PALCE16V8, I am
- quite helpless. (I am not going to bother with $30 worth of chips)
-
- I wouldn't have made the same mistake if they put PALCE16V8 as a
- different product than GAL16V8 (they did that for PEEL) in the
- mail order catalog. I guess if I have an AMD databook along with
- their programming specs, I wouldn't make the same mistake. A company
- like Electrosonics lists alternative suppliers with the same part #
- separately. Given the limited info, I can only do so much.
-
- >But what does it MEAN? Until you understand, you are going to
- >keep getting in trouble like this.
-
- May be you can enlighten me here... What's the meaning then ?
-
- Most of the chips (analog & digital) are generic in the sense that a
- NE555 is similar enough to a LM555. That's true for products with all
- the specs published. It's a bit difficult when the companies stopped
- publishing all their specs (ie the programming spec, some even without
- the fuse map).
-
- It means the mail order people have a different naming convention
- and extra care should be used in the PLD area by both the consumers
- and suppliers.
-
- >My opinions are my own.
-
- My mistakes are my own, but they are not the only ones made here.
-
- K. C. Lee
- Elec. Eng. Grad. Student
-