Eric wrote:
One of my main concerns is the availability of low-cost boards and development IDEs. I'm not interested in the limited "teaser" versions, and I can't affford high-end professional tools.
The free version of Altera's Quartus lets you target devices large enough to implement an Apple II.
What would it take to do some serious hobby work with FPGAs (with an eye towards the Apple II, of course)?
Some free software, an eval board, and plenty of time to learn! Regards, -- | Mark McDougall | "Electrical Engineers do it | <http://members.iinet.net.au/~msmcdoug> | with less resistance!"