Humble iCE: The Perfect FPGA Development Board for Beginners

The Humble iCE is a budget FPGA development board based on the Lattice iCE40UP5k chip. It's a great choice for beginners who want to get started with FPGA development.

The RP2040 serves as the bitstream uploader and communication bridge for the iCE40 chip. Four extra GPIO lines connect the two chips, allowing you to control the FPGA from the Raspberry Pi. In the default RP firmware, it exposes two CDC USB ports when plugged in. One is used to send the bitstream from your computer using a Python script. The second port can be used to communicate with a UART module in the FPGA fabric. RP receives the bitstream and uploads it via SPI.

Humble Ice Features

So, what are the features of the Humble iCE?

Well, first of all, it's a budget-friendly development board. It's based on the Lattice iCE40UP5k FPGA, which makes it perfect for beginners. It also comes with the Raspberry Pi RP2040, which serves as the bitstream uploader and communication bridge for the iCE40.

In addition, it has four extra GPIO lines that connect the two chips, as well as two CDC USB ports. One of the USB ports can be used to send the bitstream from your computer using a Python script. The second port can be used to communicate with a UART module in FPGA fabric.

Finally, RP receives the bitstream and uploads it via SPI, making it a breeze to get started with FPGA development.

Humble iCE Perfect for Beginners?

So why do we think the Humble iCE is perfect for beginners? Let's take a look:

1. It's affordable.

2. It's easy to use.

3. It's a great learning tool.

4. It's versatile.

5. It's reliable.

You can also use it for prototyping. The Humble iCE has a lot of features that you won't find on other development boards, like the ability to program external memory devices. This makes it a great choice for projects that require a lot of storage.

Finally, you can use the Humble iCE for embedded applications. Because it's based on the Raspberry Pi RP2040, you can use it to run MicroPython. This opens up a world of possibilities, like controlling hardware devices or streaming media.

Where to Buy the Humble iCE?

Humble iCE launch date is not yet confirmed, you can get notified on launch then you can find it on the GroupGets website. Just head over to the page and click on the "Get it now" button. You can also buy it from other online retailers like Mouser and Digikey.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a versatile, low-cost development board, the Humble iCE is a great option. This board is based on the Lattice iCE40UP5k FPGA and the Raspberry Pi RP2040. It provides everything you need to get started with FPGA development, including a bitstream uploader and communication bridge.

The RP2040 also exposes two CDC USB ports, which can be used to send the bitstream from your computer or to communicate with a UART module in the FPGA fabric. This makes it easy to get started with FPGA development and to debug your designs.

The Humble iCE is the perfect development board for beginners. It's easy to use and provides everything you need to get started.