Altera's Quartus Version 2000.02 Development System Enhances APEX Design Performance By More Than 40 Percent
- Enhanced Timing-Driven Compilation Algorithms Drive Dramatic Performance Improvement
- Timing-Driven Compilation Enhancement Also Maximizes System I/O Timing Performance
San Jose, Calif., February 2, 2000--Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) today announced the latest version of its QuartusTM development software. Altera's Quartus version 2000.02 features enhanced timing-driven compilation (TDC) algorithms and an improved internal timing estimator that on average increases design performance (fMAX) for high-density APEXTM 20K and APEX 20KE devices by over 40 percent. Altera's APEX 20K and APEX 20KE devices are an ideal platform for system designs in the communications infrastructure that require both fast time-to-market and high performance.
"Design performance and system bandwidth are critical factors for our customers today," said David Greenfield, Altera director of development tools marketing. "This latest Quartus release delivers a dramatic performance boost that will have an immediate positive impact on APEX devices."
Internal (Core) & I/O Timing Constraints
This version of the Quartus release also allows designers to set I/O timing constraints to optimize total system performance. With the new timing-driven compilation capability, designers may separately optimize timing for the I/O pins and the internal (core) logic. Setting timing constraints for I/O pins allows the Quartus software to compile for optimum I/O timing, thus enhancing overall system performance. For optimizing internal (core) timing, this version now features an extra effort mode. Switching to this new TDC algorithm improves design performance (fMAX) by over 40 percent on the flagship EP20K400E device.
About Quartus Development Software
Altera's Quartus software was developed to support system-level designs and features good as native links to industry leading, third party tools from Exemplar Logic, Model Technology, Synopsys, Synplicity, Viewlogic, and other leading EDA vendors. It also features the SignalTap™ embedded logic analysis tool for in-system hardware debugging. The Altera fourth-generation Quartus software meets the challenges of designing for multi-million gate devices and enables system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) design methodology. It supports major operating systems, including Windows NT, Windows 98, Sun Solaris, and HP-UX.
Pricing & Availability
The Quartus version 2000.02 design software will be available to customers this month, and is a part of the Altera development tools subscription package. Altera's software subscription program simplifies the process of obtaining Altera development tools by consolidating all software products and maintenance charges into one annual subscription payment. For a $2000 single-user license, an annual subscription entitles a customer to receive the latest version of MAX+PLUS® II and Quartus development tools, as well as all software updates for twelve months. Customers may obtain a software subscription directly from Altera or one of its authorized distributors. Customers in North America may also obtain a software subscription from the Programmable eStore on the Altera web site, http://www.altera.com.
About Altera
Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions CompanySM, was founded in 1983 and is a leading supplier of programmable logic devices and associated logic development software tools. Programmable logic devices are semiconductor chips that can be programmed on-site, using software tools that run on personal computers or engineering workstations. User benefits include ease of use, lower risk, and fast time-to-market. Altera's CMOS-based programmable logic devices address high-speed, high-density and low-power applications in the telecommunications, data communications, computer peripheral, and industrial markets. Altera common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol ALTR. More information on Altera can be obtained on the Internet at http://www.altera.com.
CONTACT:
Rhondalee Rohleder
Director of Communications
Altera Corporation
(408) 544-8296
E-mail: rrohlede@altera.com
