Seti@Home optimized science apps and information

Optimized Seti@Home apps => Discussion Forum => Topic started by: MarkJ on 01 Aug 2012, 06:48:11 am

Title: FPGA's
Post by: MarkJ on 01 Aug 2012, 06:48:11 am

There is this (http://www.fpgaathome.org/) blog where Terry Stratoudakis is trying to drum up support for running stuff (Seti in particular) on FPGA's. He has a bit of experience with FPGA development, but not with Seti or BOINC.

If anyone would like to help you can contact him by leaving a comment on his blog or email him at terrystratoudakis (at) gmail (dot) com

Title: Re: FPGA's
Post by: skildude on 07 Aug 2012, 05:39:43 pm

Does anyone here have an FPGA to run on?  I'm not familiar with the Chips and assume they aren't in a PC.  According to wikipedia they are energy hogs and don't run as well as programmed chips.  maybe this guy can figure out how to make them more efficient.  the chips, as I read, have been around since the 1980's.  I'm wondering if this is just a pipe dream

Title: Re: FPGA's
Post by: Raistmer on 08 Aug 2012, 10:05:16 am

It's special hardware that can be more energy efficient and much more productive than programmable chips but require flashing (programming on hardware level). I see expansion of such chips and courses that teach how to program them. The biggest their drawback is their price. But it drops AFAIK. With wider distribution it can become feasible to create SETI-specific chip indeed.
How really close we to that point- actually no clue, but any such initiative should be encouraged and supported IMHO.

Title: Re: FPGA's
Post by: skildude on 08 Aug 2012, 04:45:55 pm

I'd love to see it happen. 

THey have the seti code.  Its just a matter of being able to get it running on the FPGA. 

Title: Re: FPGA's
Post by: Ex on 30 Nov 2012, 06:50:26 pm

FPGAs are cool little devices. And using parallel processing like crunching with a video card, they could compete with Processors when it comes to crunching.

Field Programmable Gate Array, IIRC. I have some similar devices known as CPLDs but they lack the required parts to be a true FPGA and as such I cant help much here.

Altera Cyclones are FPGA chips IIRC and they can be had for as little as 100$... Now I'm wishing I had one to help out here, but I've already got enough projects going at the moment.

Title: Re: FPGA's
Post by: MarkJ on 01 Dec 2012, 09:42:00 pm

Look like terry has hit a brick wall. No new posts to his FPGA blog since the 7th of August.

Maybe we're wasting our time optimising SETI apps given they already have too much processing power now. Perhaps we should look at optimising apps for other related projects such as Einstein and Asteriods?