ModelSimTM Xilinx Edition
Updated June 21, 2000
Xilinx and Model Technology have teamed together to deliver the ModelSim Xilinx Edition (XE) VHDL / Verilog Simulator to Xilinx customers as part of the Xilinx EDA ALLSTAR Program.  ModelSim XE is a complete HDL simulation environment that enables you to verify the source code and functional and timing models of your designs using a common "self-checking" testbench.
ModelSim XE simulation is available from Xilinx in two product configurations: the ModelSim XE Starter which is available for free to all registered, in-warranty Xilinx customers, and ModelSim XE which Xilinx sells as a Development System Option for $995.00 under a Xilinx Time-Based License model. For customers who wish to evaluate the performance and capacity of ModelSim XE, ModelSim XE Evaluation is also available directly from the MXE CD.  Browse through the following sections to learn more about the benefits of HDL verification, the ModelSim family of products, and how you can become a more productive designer.   Why use an HDL Simulator? Risk Free Upgrade Program What's New with MXE 5.3d? Obtaining a Copy of ModelSim XE EDA ALLSTAR Program Product Details / Feature Chart The ModelSim Family of Products Contacts

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Why use an HDL Simulator? The benefits of a full HDL design flow that includes HDL simulation follow: You can quickly generate highly verified designs, simplifying the test and integration task.  You can discover problems earlier in the design process. Your productivity is improved. Designs are consistently more robust and more competitive.  Design flows are more effective. Designs get to market faster. Using a full HDL design flow that includes HDL simulation, you get fully debugged designs working in the system faster. Here's how: HDL simulation allows you to debug your design at the source code level, pinpointing design problems directly to the line of code responsible for the failure. For example, you can stop the simulation whenever a variable changes, or step through a piece of code line by line, or trace a signal flow through a design.   HDL simulation supports reusable HDL testbenches throughout the verification process. It is easier to let the testbench inspect the design for failures as a way to improve design quality. You can write tests in VHDL or Verilog which apply stimulus to your design and check for the correct response. The same “self-checking testbenches” can be used before synthesis, after synthesis, and after place-and-route.    HDL simulation allows you to explore alternatives and quickly determine design tradeoffs. You can create designs with thousands of logic gates with just a few small modules of high level VHDL or Verilog code. And, you can make major changes to the design quickly and simulate those changes without running any synthesis or implementation tools. [Go to top of page] What's New with MXE 5.3d?   ModelSim Xilinx Edition (MXE) is an entry level HDL simulation product that has the same feature set and GUIs as ModelSim PE. To optimize the HDL simulators performance when running timing simulations, ModelSim XE includes precompiled libraries that work in conjunction with a specific version of Xilinx implementation tools. The 5.3d release of MXE has been optimized to work best with the Xilinx 3.1i development systems. For the 3.1i release, performance has increased to 30% of ModelSim PE. The capacity has increased to 8,000 statements; double the capacity delivered with v2.1i. MXE 5.3d is appropriate for up to ~120,000 system gates (V100). Higher density designs will require a more powerful solution. MXE seamlessly integrates with the Foundation Series ISE environment as well as Alliance and Foundation Series software and only works with v3.1i tools. [Go to top of page] The Xilinx EDA ALLSTAR Program The Xilinx EDA ALLSTAR Program takes its name from the joint development and marketing of EDA ALLiance STARter solutions to design Xilinx devices. Starter level products are included free within the Xilinx development systems in order to demonstrate the benefit of the chosen EDA technology within the context of the Xilinx design environment. If after using an ALLSTAR product, you want to upgrade its capabilities, you can purchase an upgrade in performance and/or capacity directly from the EDA ALLSTAR partner. [Go to top of page] The ModelSim Family of Products Xilinx and MTI have developed special versions of Model Technology's industry leading simulator. In addition to these special versions of ModelSim, Xilinx and MTI continue to work together to ensure that the full line of ModelSim products are optimized to use in the Xilinx design process.  The complete line of ModelSim simulation products to develop Xilinx designs include the following.   Product Name Purchased From  Target Device Range ModelSim XE-Starter Free from Xilinx Simulate up to 500 lines of VHDL or Verilog ModelSim XE Xilinx XC9500, Spartan, and mid density Virtex and 4000X ModelSim XE Evaluation Free from Xilinx 30 day MXE trial license  ModelSim PE* MTI High density CPLD and FPGA designs ModelSim SE* MTI Very high density FPGA designs * Evaluation versions of ModelSim PE/SE are distributed on Xilinx' ModelSim XE CD. [Go to top of page] Risk Free Upgrade Program To make your investment in ModelSim XE risk free, Xilinx is including a $1,000 voucher from MTI with the purchase of your ModelSim XE product. This voucher is good towards the purchase of any ModelSim PE or ModelSim SE product from Model Technology. The voucher can be printed off from the MXE CD browser. Once the information is filled in, you can give the completed voucher to an MTI sales person. With the purchase of a product upgrade, you retain the right to use ModelSim XE through the remainder of the term of your Time Based License. Coupling your purchase of a ModelSim XE with an MTI upgrade means that your license to use ModelSim XE is free!  [Go to top of page] Obtaining a Copy of ModelSim Xilinx Edition The MXE CD is now included in all new product shipments of Xilinx Alliance and Xilinx Foundation Series programmable logic development systems. To purchase your copy of Xilinx Alliance Series or Xilinx Foundation Series tools, contact your local Xilinx Sales representative, or visit the Xilinx Silicon Xpresso Cafe. If you feel you are entitled to a copy of the MXE CD, and have not received one, please contact your Xilinx Customer Service representative. The ModelSim XE is exclusively distributed, sold, and supported by Xilinx and its distributors.  Included on the MXE CD are the ModelSim XE Starter, ModelSim XE, and evaluation versions of ModelSim PE and SE. A license for the ModelSim XE-Starter is available for free to all registered, in-warranty users. Licenses for the ModelSim XE product are sold by Xilinx as a development system option. Full license for the ModelSim PE is sold by MTI for $4,495 + maintenance. Full license for the ModelSim SE is sold by MTI for $19,000. [Go to top of page] Product Details / Feature Chart Each of the ModelSim tools includes a complete HDL simulation and debugging environment providing 100% VHDL and Verilog language coverage, a source code viewer/editor, waveform viewer, design structure browser, list window, and a host of other features designed to enhance productivity. The following table illustrates the features available from various ModelSim products.   Features   ModelSim Configuration     XE-Starter   XE*   PE   SE Available from    Xilinx    Xilinx   MTI   MTI 100% compliant VHDL or Verilog simulation         Complete HDL debugging environment         Windows 95, 98, NT Support         Unix Support               Appropriate for Device Densities in the range of:   Less than 500 lines of HDL code   Xilinx 9500, Spartan, low-density 4000X, and Virtex FPGAs up to approximately 120,000 system gates.   High Density CPLD and FPGA designs   All designs, including extremely large FPGAs Typical simulation times   7 min.   7 min.   2 min.   30 sec. Supports mixed VHDL/Verilog designs             Language-neutral licensing               *Note: Simulation performance for ModelSim XE diminishes by a factor of 3X for designs with more than 8000 lines of RTL HDL code, and by an additional 5X for designs with more than 30,000 lines of RTL HDL code. [Go to top of page] ModelSim XE Starter- Enables designers who are new to HDL design to experiment with creating small HDL designs and test benches. The fully featured ModelSim XE Starter version helps ease the transition to high-level FPGA design methodologies. This product is most valuable to designers who have never investigated the benefits of VHDL or Verilog simulation. It is available in both VHDL and Verilog versions. ModelSim XE Starter has been optimized to use with v3.1i design flows   ModelSim XE - Provides a powerful step into the world of HDL simulation with capacity and performance designed for the verification of the Xilinx XC9500 CPLD and Spartan FPGA series of programmable logic devices as well as lower-density XC4000 and Virtex series FPGAs. ModelSim XE supports behavioral, RTL, and gate-level simulation of Xilinx cell libraries. This product will be most valuable to designers who understand the benefits of VHDL or Verilog simulation and are now looking for a cost effective solution for low density programmable logic design. It is available in both VHDL and Verilog versions. ModelSim XE has been optimized to use with v3.1i design flows. ModelSim XE Evaluation - Supports the same set of devices as ModelSim XE and offers the full performance capabilities of the MXE product. A 30 day trial license allows you to evaluate the MXE product so that you may determine if it meets their performance criteria before making an investment.  ModelSim PE (Personal Edition) - Delivers the performance required for designing High-Density Programmable Logic devices. ModelSim PE is sold and supported exclusively by Model Technology and its distributors; however, Xilinx includes an evaluation version of this product with every shipment of the ModelSim Xilinx Edition Simulation CD. ModelSim PE is the product of choice for designers who already understand the benefits of VHDL or Verilog simulation and are investing in a HDL development environment that supports the design of Xilinx higher density programmable logic devices. ModelSim PE supports VHDL, Verilog, and mixed language design verification. A separate license is required to enable the support of each Hardware Description Language.   ModelSim SE (Special Edition) - Includes all of the capabilities of the ModelSim PE product plus a variety of advanced design verification features that further improve simulation performance, frequently resulting in even faster time to market. The list of features includes advanced analysis algorithms (like Bus Contention and float checking), Accelerated VITAL and Verilog primitives, RTL acceleration, SmartModel Support, and an ability to run a simulation on a UNIX based workstation. More information on the ModelSim PE and SE products is available from the Model Technology Product Web site at http://www.model.com/pdf/prodcomp.pdf. [Go to top of page] Contacts Xilinx Sales Model Technology Sales