Getting Starter NIOS

[Altera_Forum]

I'm a ALTERA Quartus II 4.0 user and I very interested in developped NIOS. 

I've worked for years with microcontrollers and now I'm working with Altera FPGA's.  1º.- What Software I'll need? 2º.- How I can compile? 3º.- Wich languaje is used ? C? VHDL?  Thanks in advance.

[Altera_Forum]

You have Quartus so all you need is the NIOS II core (there is an eval copy you can download from Altera). 

 It creates the hardware for you so you don't need to do any VHDL/Verilog.  You write the code in C/C++ or assembly (or Java is even possbile).

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks for your response, 

 - Is NIOS core the same thing than SOPC Builder or NIOS IDE? - After I have written the .C source file this software compile such another microcontroller? - Can I simulate behaviour and debug performance?  Thanks in advance again.

[Altera_Forum]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div> 

--- Quote Start ---  - Is NIOS core the same thing than SOPC Builder or NIOS IDE? - After I have written the .C source file this software compile such another microcontroller? - Can I simulate behaviour and debug performance?[/b]  --- Quote End ---   1. No. The Nios Core is a cpu. Sopc Builder is part of Quartus and is a tool that allows you to add componentsto it and then create a system with those components. The Nios II IDE allows you to debug software running on your board or through the ISS. The IDE also allows you to use the flash programmer to flash your board. The IDE can be used for MANY other things, I&#39;m just touching on a few. The Nios II KIT includes a Nios II cpu and other peripherals (memory, Uart...).  2. not sure what you&#39;re asking. If you have c code that you want to run on your board (that contains a Nios II) you just follow the tutorial or manual and you can have your code running in no time (well first time it will take a bit longer).  3. You can simulate using Modelsim or the ISS. You can debug software through the IDE.  Does that answer the questions. More info on each product can be found on the Altera web site under dev kits.  Also I call the Nios II a cpu, it&#39;s really a soft embedded core configurable processor. (straight from the web page!)