Douglas L. Perry
1 Competent enough
As another software deveoper coming to VHDL, I was reasonably satisfied with this book. It gives a strong description of the basic language features, including the ones usually skipped in intro texts. It skips the baby steps of logic design, and shows examples of most language constructs, including overloading.
I never thought I'd say it, but this VHDL book is actually a bit weak on the hardware side. It's description of processes and events seems incomplete, and the discussion of timing-related features is scant.
The description of synthesis is too brief to cover many of the common variations you'll come across. If you have scars from a few optimizing compilers, though, you'll be able to pick up what you need from your tools, co-workers, and experience. Place-and-route is worth understanding. Taking real control of it, though, is usually something done cautiously and within the context of specific tools and chip characteristics. A few chapters of the book focus on specific tools - naturally, not the ones I use. I found those missable.
On the whole, I find this book helpful. Perhaps other books are better, but lots of books are lots worse.
2 Very Nice Book
It is a very nice intro book on VHDL. And did a good job demonstrating VHDL on a simple CPU design.
A note to computer programmers:
Despite what most people thinks, VHDL is NOT a programming language. No more is Verilog HDL a programming language, and Verilog is somewhat like C. So don't read this book in the mindset of a computer science/software engineer view point.
Other than that, this is a great book for undergraduate computer engineers who have little or no background in VHDL.
3 Good book, poor proofing
As an experienced C programmer I found this a useful introduction to VHDL but was worried by a number of obvious typos and missing/mislabelled diagrams - if I can catch the easy ones (starting with the cover and chapter 1!) with no knowledge of the subject what are the important ones I didn't get? At the very least the publishers need to put up an errata site unless there is one I couldn't find.
4 All u wanted to know about VHDL but didn't know whom to ask!
Personally I found this the best book available on VHDL in the market today. Buy this book if you are new to VHDL. The book doesn't assume too much from the reader and works it's way to the core gradually. The companion CD makes a great add-on with the Modelsim VHDL simulator thrown in. The CD also includes VHDL code for the problems in the text.
5 good for starters and for professionals as well
This book is excellent for a starter.It realy explains what vhdl is all about including some part of synthesis. I seriously recommand this book for all starters. Also it is a good reference material for a professional I am using it in my current job.
6 Worst RTL example I have ever seen
The CPU example uses some of the worst design techniques I have ever seen. Several examples of things are shown that should not be used in RTL design work. For example it uses multiple clock lines and has this great "reg" block with a locally generated clock line. To make the design simulate correctly the author adds (after 1 ns) to all assignments. Why, because he does not understand concurrent processing and VHDL. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IT IS A TOTAL WAIST OF MONEY!
7 OK for a starter but you will need more references
This was my first VHDL book. VHDL is hard learn and Perry managed to get me through to my first model. However, this book has a lot of problems as a reference work. As a tutorial, it is OK, but there are often concepts that are used but never defined. For example, nowhere in the book is there a list of primitive operators for VHDL! Still, what he does explain well is what each individual language concept is use for. That is what makes it for this book.
8 Not nearly what I hoped for.
Takes a text-book approach of exposing each concept and working through examples. If you're new to HDL you might like it. If you need to clarify a subtle point--forget this book. It's terrible as a refernce, your only hope is to start from the index and hope there is some information or an example on the topic somewhere--often there isn't!
9 Outstanding source of material
After considerable reading through other source material - Perry walks you through VHDL like a master of the subject. I have seen him in person at seminars as well and undisputably he knows what he is writing about. A top Recommendation from me.
10 Confusing and not well written
This seemed to be THE VHDL book, I always found in bookstores. So I bought it. I know other people seem to like the book, but I found it confusing, whenever something important (like the instantiation of flip-flops) comes up. loads of extra confusing detail is thrown in. It really confused me. I just needed the basics first and once I got the hang of that, then I needed more details. With this book, it all comes in one lump. Also, it may be because it is a 3rd edition, but its not very well structured, I had to leap about the book a lot and the extra material didn't seem to link in well with the other stuff.
11 Useful for beginners and for more experienced users
VHDL, by Douglas Perry, is a very informative book on VHDL. It is useful for
beginners, as it was the manual I first learned VHDL with. It is also useful
to more experienced users. I have used it at work as a reference manual, and my
co-workers have found it useful as well. He has enough depth that theinformation
is usable, but is not so deep that it is like reading the UCF manual.
