Modelsim Starter Edition Usage Terms

Question

I am investigating modelsim options and I see there is no license for the starter edition of modelsim provided by Intel.  Are there also no restrictions on usage?  For instance, if we use multiple FPGA vendors, can we simulate designs that go into each vendor's parts using the starter edition?
 
Also, is the 10,000 line limit a hard line or just a slowdown?  I have seen in previous versions a warning that design speed will be impacted, but the documentation reads more like it will actually crash if the design is larger than the allowed size.

kennyt_altera · Answer

If you read in the document below:https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/software/programmable/quartus-prime/model-sim.htmlThe performance should become slow rather than error. If you see error, you can report this here as  bugs.thanks

nfrancque · Answer

Thanks. Do you have any information on the other half of the question? Basically, I am wondering if there is any restriction on using it for designs that will go onto Xilinx or Microsemi parts.

kennyt_altera · Answer

Each vendors will have their own libraries when simulating the design.

If you refer to the document, what you will notice is that vsim -L altera_mf -L cycloneIV....

Those are the libraries that you need take care when migrating the design from xilinx and other vendors.

nfrancque · Answer

Thanks, I am asking more from a licensing perspective though.  For the starter edition specifically, are there any limitations on which vendor libraries I am allowed to use?  I understand there is no technical hurdle to using any library, just making sure from a legal standpoint.  
It seems like it must be alright because as I understand there is no license at all for the starter edition?

kennyt_altera · Answer

You are right, there are no license needed to use the libraries. Start edition of Modelsim does not need to pay as well.

However, if you want to use Intel FPGA IP(e.g. ethernet, tranceiver) you will have to pay for the license. https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/po/ss-quartus-comparison.pdf

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Modelsim Starter Edition Usage Terms

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