The ability to choose the exact system (processor performance, peripheral mix, and system configuration) for your application is a unique advantage of the Nios® II embedded processor (refer to Figure 1). Furthermore, the development platform allows you to release a product quickly and feature-fill over time to meet emerging standards and changing customer requirements.
- Optimized Family of CPUs
- Customizable Peripheral Set
- Adapt to Changing Requirements
- Scalable Performance
- Flexible Development Suite
- Infield Upgradeability
Figure 1. Configurable Nios II processor
Optimized Family of CPUs
Choose from three available embedded processors: one for maximum system performance, one optimized for minimum logic usage, and one that strikes a balance between the two. The easy-to-use GUI allows you to configure caches, select debug options, and integrate custom instructions. Learn more about Nios II processor cores.
Customizable Peripheral Set
Use the SOPC Builder system design tool to choose from a menu of peripherals, communication interfaces, memory, and I/O to suit your application needs. This tool is tightly integrated with the Nios II Embedded Design Suite and automatically generates a complete custom board support package, including all required software drivers. Learn more about available peripherals and drivers.
Adapt to Changing Requirements
Add hardware features at any time in the product lifecycle without the need to redesign your board. Boost performance and add features, even late in the development stage, that help you adapt to changing requirements and reduce development time, insulating your product from the competition.
Blaupunkt
“The combination of Altera’s programmable solutions for the automotive industry and excellent development support shortened our design time by six months and made it possible for us to meet the demanding schedule we set for the TravelPilot Rome. We were able to reduce design complexity by replacing multiple standard components with a single Cyclone device hosting a Nios II embedded processor, which eased our development effort and increased our product quality and reliability.”
Georg Sandhaus
Director of System Engineering
See how customers are using the Nios II processor
Scalable Performance
Boost your software performance as requirements increase using hardware accelerators, custom instructions, and multiprocessors. You get all the tools you need to profile code to identify bottlenecks, accelerate software performance, effectively debug, and reuse drivers. Learn more about performance benefits.
Flexible Development Suite
Enhance your embedded development experience by using the tools the way you like, be it GUI-based or command-line driven. Choose from Altera or a host of embedded software partners for debuggers, compilers, operating systems, and middleware that support the Nios II processor.
Infield Upgradeability
Deploy bug fixes, feature enhancements, and service upgrades for systems in the field, on site or remotely, by downloading a new firmware image on the target system.
Download the Remote Configuration Over Ethernet With the Nios II Processor application note (PDF)
Other Benefits
- Reduce your system costs
- Protect your software investment from processor obsolescence
- Improve your productivity
- Scale system performance to meet your needs
