ECE 429Computer Architecture
- Faculty
- Engineering
- Last listed
- Spring 2022
No longer offered. It was in Waterloo’s course catalog since at least Winter 2020 (as far back as Open Data goes) to Spring 2022 and last ran in Spring 2020. It isn’t in the 2024–25 or later calendars.
When it ran
- S20
Ran in 1 term, Spring 2020 to Spring 2020.
Organization and performance of conventional uniprocessors, pipelined processors, parallel processors and multiprocessors; memory and cache structures; multiprocessor algorithms and synchronization techniques; special-purpose architectures. [Offered: S]
Requirements, as last listed
Prereq: One of CS 350, ECE 254, SE 350; Level at least 4A Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering or Software Engineering or Computer Science/Digital Hardware Option. Antireq: ECE 320
In today’s calendar
Reviewed on UW Flow
94% liked it6% easy100% useful
From 18 ratings and 4 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
One of the best courses I've taken towards my degree!
Nov 2012 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
In the objective sense, the course material is interesting and the course overall is fine. I still learn a lot and Hiren Patel is a good lecturer. HOWEVER, I recommend strongly against taking this course without preparing that you can fail this course at any time if you are taking it with Hiren Patel. He is a scaled-down version of Peter Levine and he doesn't mind throwing ppl off the bus.
Aug 2019 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Concepts in the course are somewhat easy, but the exam aren't easy to get points if you don't know the very basic stuff like assembly really really well. The project is good for getting deep in Verilog and assembly.
Jul 2015 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
It was a hard course, but it was really useful for interviews in embedded systems and compiler optimization
May 2014 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
45 posts and comments in 41 threads mention ECE 429, July 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2023
Any old exams for ECE 320/429 5 points, 0 comments
u/MrT3kkers24: “title\ anyone have any old exams for either of those courses?”
Winter 2023
cs450 vs cs346 (comp architecture vs app dev) 2 points, 2 comments
“pleaseee someone help me decide, which on would you personally take? I have to decide tomorrow, and have NO idea which one to drop, 450 seems interesting in terms of content + niche skillset but …”
u/CoachExtension9823: “… Cs 450 is an easier sister course to ece 429 and is an extension of cs 350. If you of the philosophy that UW is a diploma farm take 346 as you would have done the side project anyway. …”
Winter 2021
Software engineering vs Computer engineering 8 points, 17 comments
“What exactly is the difference between the two? Ideally I want to work/study in either the software or robotics sector and I’m not sure what I should be applying for next year. …”
u/a2xia: “… such as reprogrammable hardware (ECE 327 Digital Hardware Systems), computer architecture (ECE 429, ECE 423), internet networking (ECE 358, ECE 416), communication systems (ever wonder how AM/FM radio works? …”
CS 450 vs ECE 320 vs ECE 429 2 points, 1 comment
u/Funny-Square: “Well for one, I'm pretty sure ece 429 doesn't exist anymore and 320 is the new version of it. 320 is not too hard if you have experience with vhdl or verilog, and have taken some architecture courses in the past. Some of the labs can be time-consuming but overall not difficult. …”
Spring 2020
ece 320 w/ Hiren Patel 1 point, 2 comments
u/napabobawhore: “Does anyone know how he is as a prof for online ece 320? Exam, labs, grading wise? Apparently his exams are tough for ece 429 but idk if he’s different for ece 320”
u/a2xia: “I looked this up on the Undergraduate Course Calendar and it turns out ECE 320 is just going to be the new number for ECE 429. I’m in 429 this term with Hiren Patel and so far honestly it’s been great, my favourite course this term. …”
Skipping prerequisites 0 points, 15 comments
“Hey guys hope everything is going well! I am a second year student in CS. I want to take a 4th year course in my second year. …”
u/computerdl: “… One of my CS friends has also done it for ECE 429. I know it's not CS but hopefully this gives a data point opposite of the other commenter. If anything, it never hurts to ask. Find out which professor is teaching the course and then email them asking for permission. …”
ECE Students who picked ECE over CS, why? 0 points, 23 comments
[deleted]: [deleted]
u/computerdl: “… I was able to override myself into ECE 327 with no prereqs and my CS friend was able to override into ECE 429 without any prereqs too. I think that for ECE ATEs, instructors are pretty lenient about these things. …”
Positive online experience thread? 10 points, 2 comments
u/Cats_and_Shit: “… So far this term most of my classes seem pretty good, but I want to call out ECE 429 (Prof. Patel) for a really great start to the term. …”
What are your top 5 courses at Waterloo? 29 points, 43 comments
“After 3 years of this place, these were my favourite courses that I found (no particular order): CS 341 CS 251 MATH 135 MATH 239 ENGL 332 (Comics) I liked CS 341, MATH 135, and MATH 239 because they …”
u/computerdl: “… ECE 429 Learned so much and I'm pretty proud of the processor we made. Also, Patel was very knowledgeable. Guess I have a bias towards project-based courses. …”
Winter 2020
Technical Electives help!!! (CS 444, CO 487, ECE (423, 429, 454, 455, 458 and 459)) 6 points, 6 comments
u/computerdl: “I'm currently taking CS 444 and ECE 459 and I've taken CO 487, ECE 454, ECE 455 and ECE 429 in the past. In my subjective opinion, I would rate my course preferences as this: 1. CO 487 1. ECE 429, CS 444 1. …”
u/Integral-calculator: “Oh wow thanks! All the courses you have taken are in my list. Do you think the following workload is manageable: Term 1: ECE 429, 454, CS 458 + some elective Term 2: ECE 459, CO 487 + some elective ( If my FYDP is on track I could probably also try adding CS 444)”
u/computerdl: “… Just make sure you start early on all of the assignments, especially ECE 429. I would consider the two courses you have listed in term 2 to be pretty light relative to the other courses in the list so I would say adding CS 444 would probably be fine. …”
Fall 2019
What’s an elective course that you found super enjoyable? 31 points, 41 comments
“It doesn’t have to be a bird course. Just any course you didn’t have to take but ended up liking it.”
u/microwavemasterrace: “ECE 429 CLAS 201”
Spring 2019
Day 221: I just finished an exam and now I have to live with extra stress for the next few weeks because I forgot to count the number of marks I got 41 points, 5 comments
u/computerdl: “Was it ECE 429?”
Check it elsewhere
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2021–22Its last calendar entry, on uwloo
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them
In the scanned calendars
How it read in each calendar from 1971–72 to 1994–95, newest first. The text is OCR of the scanned pages; years whose wording matches are shown once, from the clearest scan. Each year links to its page on uwloo and to that page of the scanned PDF.
1990–91 to 1994–95 5 calendars
Organization and performance of conventional uniprocessors, pipelined processors, parallel processors and multiprocessors; memory and cache structures; multiprocessor algorithms and synchronization techniques; special-purpose architectures. Prereq: One of E&CE 354, 450 or CS 354 Prereq/Coreq: E&CE 427
Offered Winter · 3 class, 1 tutorial hours a week · 0.5 credit
Not in the 1976–77 to 1989–90 calendars.
1972–73 to 1975–76 3 calendars
Another title: Communication Theory 2, probably a different course under the same number (or a misread scan).
Probability theory and the description of random processes, the analysis of analog and digital communication systems including phase and frequency modulation of analog waveforms and pulse amplitude modulation, pulse code modulation for digital signals; the investigation of the performance of these systems in the presence of noise using various criteria, including probability of error and signal to noise ratios. 3 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory every third week, one term.
1971–72 1 calendar
Another title: Communication Theory 2, probably a different course under the same number (or a misread scan).
Digital communication systems; The sampling theorem; PCM, PAM and PPM; Quantization of signals; Modulation techniques including AM, FM, and SSB; Performance of these modulation systems in the presence of noise; Signal to noise ratios. Prerequisite: EE 428 2 lectures, 2 seminars, one term.