Modelsim Starter Edition Usage Terms

[nfrancque]

I am investigating modelsim options and I see there is no license for the starter edition of modelsim provided by Intel.  Are there also no restrictions on usage?  For instance, if we use multiple FPGA vendors, can we simulate designs that go into each vendor's parts using the starter edition?

Also, is the 10,000 line limit a hard line or just a slowdown?  I have seen in previous versions a warning that design speed will be impacted, but the documentation reads more like it will actually crash if the design is larger than the allowed size.

[Kenny_Tan]

If you read in the document below:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/software/programmable/quartus-prime/model-sim.html

The performance should become slow rather than error. If you see error, you can report this here as bugs.

thanks

[nfrancque]

Thanks. Do you have any information on the other half of the question? Basically, I am wondering if there is any restriction on using it for designs that will go onto Xilinx or Microsemi parts.

[Kenny_Tan]

Each vendors will have their own libraries when simulating the design.

If you refer to the document, what you will notice is that vsim -L altera_mf -L cycloneIV....

Those are the libraries that you need take care when migrating the design from xilinx and other vendors.

[nfrancque]

Thanks, I am asking more from a licensing perspective though.  For the starter edition specifically, are there any limitations on which vendor libraries I am allowed to use?  I understand there is no technical hurdle to using any library, just making sure from a legal standpoint.  

It seems like it must be alright because as I understand there is no license at all for the starter edition?

[Kenny_Tan]

You are right, there are no license needed to use the libraries. Start edition of Modelsim does not need to pay as well.

However, if you want to use Intel FPGA IP(e.g. ethernet, tranceiver) you will have to pay for the license. https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/po/ss-quartus-comparison.pdf

[nfrancque]

Please be a bit more specific.  I want to make sure it is okay to use the starter edition provided by Intel if my designs exclusively use Xilinx parts.  Is there any contingency at all to using the starter edition?

[Kenny_Tan]

Yes, like I mention before, if you want to use Xilinx design in Quartus. You first need to do migration before you can do any simulation, you can look into the document here on how to do the migration: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/an/an307.pdf

Look for area:

3. FPGA Tools Comparison  4. Xilinx to Intel FPGA Design Conversion 

After that, you can just launch the modelsim mention in

3.3.12. Simulation 

[Kenny_Tan]

any further queries?

[Kenny_Tan]

We do not receive any response from you to the previous answer that we have provided. Please post a response in the next 15 days to allow me to continue to support you. After 15 days, this thread will be transitioned to community support. The community users will be able to help you with your follow-up questions.