Training classes are a great way to get up to speed quickly when learning how to use MathWorks products, especially one with as many features as HDL Coder has. So in this video, you will hear from Senior Training Engineer Brian Bagenstose about our Generating HDL Code from Simulink course. You will hear about the different topics the course covers and also learn where HDL Coder can be used. 

Implementing an algorithm on an FPGA or ASIC can be a long, time-consuming, error-prone process. And if you are not getting the results you expect, you may have a difficult time determining if it is due to a conceptual error (such as multiplying by 2 when you meant to multiply by 3) or an HDL-specific error (such as not balancing the delays across all input to output paths when you add pipelines.) Using Simulink and HDL Coder can separate these errors out and make them easier to fix.

First, model your algorithm in Simulink. Unit testing is much easier in Simulink than in HDL, and you do not need to connect to hardware to do it. This will help you find your conceptual errors much more quickly. Then use HDL Coder to generate HDL, either VHDL or Verilog, from your model. The HDL results will match the results you acquired in Simulink and HDL Coder will take care of things like pipeline delay balancing for you, so you do not need to worry about those details.

To get started with this process, the two day generating HDL Code from Simulink training course is a great way to learn about many of the workflows for using HDL Coder. We talk about how to convert your Simulink models to be compatible with HDL Coder and then about various optimizations to the code we generate, such as pipelining and resource sharing. You will also learn how to verify your existing HDL code using HDL Verifier and Simulink blocks as your test bench. And you will have an instructor who is an expert on MathWorks tools and HDL concepts. They will give you personal attention in the classroom and can answer many of your questions. 

Here are some resources about the product and the class: 

Information about the HDL Coder product

Upcoming training schedule