Re: Schematic simulation and then FPGA programming?

Hi Alex Gibson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), you wrote:

> in project navigator
> ->new source ->schematic  type in the name of the file for it to create
> click okay
> ecs (xilinx schematic editor) will start up and you
> can start drawing up your schematic.

Maybe it's because I'm using the v5.2.03i of the free WebPack, but
I can't find any schematic option in the New Source window. :(

I can see only:

User Document
BMM File
MEM File
Implementation Constraints File


> with webpack the major hassle is simulating a schematic design.
> You have to convert your design to vhdl or verilog so
> modelsim can load your design.
> 
> Altera's software is much better for simulating schematics than 
> xilinx's.

Yup, I'm thinking to dump Xilinx and go with Altera instead. But
it's very confusing for me to find the right target device. What
would be a rough equivalent of the Spartan 2E 300? Altera has so
many families that it's very confusing (at least for me).

Moreover, what about programmers and development boards? My former
choice for Xilinx was motivated by the large (till 10 millions of
equivalent (fake, I know) gates!) rich choice of sizes, the low
cost development boards (like the ones from Digilent and Burched)
with integrated programmer. I need cheap, for the moment.

One thing, though, that puzzled me is why similar designs to the
one I have in mind, i.e. the C-One and XGameStation, both use
Altera devices. No, I won't ask if they're superior than Xilinx
(or inferior, for the matter :) ) to avoid to cause a possible
very boring flamewar here. ;)
What I really ask is instead if Altera devices are suitable for
low budget development (just to get confident with the FPGA world)
using schematic entry and simulation, and if then they will offer
the power to do serious stuff, without having to dump it all and
change brand/family of chips. Moreover, why not Actel or Lattice/
Vantis, or why not Lucent or QuickLogic (just to name those that
I heard the existance of and visited thousands times the website
of, without much results anyway)?
Moreover, if I go with Altera, which are the families roughly
equivalent in specs to the Spartan 2E and Virtex of Xilinx?

Thanks a lot for all your big patience and help!

Greets,
John