Quartus II software version 9.0 supports new Stratix IV GT Arria II GX FPGAs

This 9.0 version includes full support for Altera's portfolio of transceiver FPGAs and HardCopy ASICs. Enhanced features within this latest Quartus II development environment ensure customers can deliver their Altera solutions to market sooner and with reduced engineering expenses.

When designing with Quartus II software version 9.0, customers are equipped with a unified design environment supporting Altera's entire portfolio of CPLDs, FPGAs and HardCopy ASICs. The latest release includes support for Altera's newly announced Stratix IV GT and Arria II GX FPGAs.

New features within Quartus II software version 9.0 include...

• New SSN Analyzer Tool: Provides designer feedback on potential simultaneous switching noise (SSN) violations during pin assignments, enabling faster board design and improving signal integrity. 
   
• Enhanced SOPC Builder: Quartus II software further extends productivity advantages with SOPC Builder's Data Sheet Generator for easier hand-off between hardware and software engineers. In addition, SOPC Builder's enhanced GUI now offers easier visualization of large systems. 
   
• Metastability Analysis: Provides tools to auto-recognize potential metastability circuit issues, and to automate reporting of mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) values as an integrated part of the TimeQuest static timing analysis tool. 
   
• Pin Planner Enhancements: A new Clock Network View now available within the pin planner allows designers to better manage clock resources, improving productivity and maximizing performance.

More information about additional features in Quartus II software version 9.0 can be found at www.altera.com/pr/quartus2/whatsnew.

Improved functional simulation support
In conjunction with the Quartus II software version 9.0, Altera unveiled the ModelSim Altera Starter Edition. Replacing the ModelSim Altera Web Edition, this enhanced functional simulator delivers is claimed to offer several improvements to Altera customers, including 50 percent faster simulation speeds, support for all Altera devices, and operating system support for Linux and Windows Vista platforms.

The ModelSim Altera Starter Edition is integrated into the Quartus II software subscription and is also available free of charge to Quartus II Web Edition customers.

For designers requiring a full-featured simulation environment, Altera now separately offers the ModelSim Altera Edition, which was previously available only through a full Quartus II software subscription. The ModelSim Altera Edition is claimed to deliver to users 33 percent faster simulation speeds compared to the ModelSim Altera Starter Edition, with no restrictions in design size.

Pricing and availability
A Beta Version of the Quartus II software version 9.0 is currently available for download.

On March 9, 2009, Altera will release the 9.0 production version of Quartus II software, the ModelSim Altera Edition and the ModelSim Altera Starter Edition. ModelSim Altera Edition will be available for a price of $945 per seat.

Quartus II software subscribers receive the ModelSim Altera Starter Edition and a full license to the IP Base Suite, which includes 11 of Altera's most popular IP (DSP and memory) cores. The annual software subscription is $2,495 for a node-locked PC license and is available for purchase at Altera's eStore or from authorized distributors.

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