Test & Measurement FPGA Value Proposition
The traditional FPGA value proposition can be broken down into three categories: shorter time-to-market, lower total cost of development, and flexibility.
Shorter Time-to-Market
FPGAs allow you to start software development 6 months earlier than ASIC engagement. Additionally, there are no ASIC-type re-spins required and you can get your products to market generally 6 to 12 months earlier than with an ASIC development.
Lower Total Cost of Development
The total cost of an FPGA engagement, from development to production, is lower than an ASIC development. FPGA developments require no non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs and require significantly lower software tools cost. Additionally, once the design goes to production, there are no inventory costs as associated with ASICs.
Flexibility
Since up to 50 percent of all product features could be added to a test-box after the system has shipped to the end-customer; design flexibility for the test and measurement sub-segment is a business requirement. For Altera test and measurement customers, two major business processes are enabled through design flexibility:
- Provide in-field upgrades to end-customers in the form of feature upgrades and bug fixes
- Leverage the same R&D investment to deliver multiple-personality systems into the market place—low-end, mid-range, and a high-end systems
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