Icepi Zero is an elegant and compact FPGA development board with a Raspberry Pi Zero form factor. It features a powerful Lattice ECP5 FPGA, enabling advanced designs while keeping a small, portable size. It also has multiple USB Type-C ports, as well as a GPDI mini display-out, allowing easy digital video output. Its compact, familiar design is ready for integration into existing projects and enclosures, and it is a great way to get into FPGA gateware experimentation.

Emulate, Learn, Accelerate

The ECP5 is an FPGA capable of emulating many systems, from the Apple I, Oberon, Sega Master System, and the Commodore 64. You can use it to make cycle-accurate replicas of your favorite systems, or even create your own systems.

The Icepi Zero also works out of the box with the latest open source FPGA development tools. Plug it into your computer and design anywhere.

Since Icepi uses the Raspberry Pi Zero form factor, you can take or install your favorite retro computing platform anywhere. It’s so light you might forget it’s there, and its plentiful ports make it simple to use, even without carrying a bunch of adapters and dongles.

Additionally, Icepi is the perfect FPGA device for students and hobbyists. It is small with no external hardware needed for programming, paired with it’s diverse peripherals and relatively cheap price makes it the perfect device for classrooms. Furthermore, it is fully supported by Icestudio (currently hosted in this fork), making it easy to use for beginners and a great way to get introduced into FPGA designing.

Since the Icepi Zero has the same pinout and footprint as a Raspberry Pi Zero, it can not only serve as a standalone FPGA development board but also as a co-processor HAT for a Pi Zero. It can help the Pi Zero perform parallel computation tasks like machine learning acceleration or video processing. Its Pi-style GPIO header opens up a world of accessories that can be addressed directly by the Icepi’s FPGA.

Features & Specifications

• Lattice ECP5U FPGA:
  • 24k LUT
  • 112 KiB of RAM
  • 28 18 x 18 Multipliers
  • Open Source programming toolchain
• 256 Mbit (32 MB) of 166 MHz SDRAM
• 128 Mbit (16 MB) of QSPI Flash
• 50 MHz high precision MEMS oscillator

I/O interfaces

• 1x GPDI mini connector
• 3x USB Type-C Ports
• 1x microSD card slot
• 28 GPIO pins
• On-board USB to JTAG and UART converter

Buttons and Indicators

• 5 user LEDs
• 2 user buttons

Size

• Compact footprint
• 65 x 30 mm (2.56 x 1.18 in)
• Raspberry Pi Zero form factor, compatible with some accessories

Comparisons

Open Source

Icepi Zero is a fully open-source project. All the design files, example programs, and everything related to the project are available on the following Github repository: https://github.com/cheyao/icepi-zero under the liberal Zlib and Solderpad Licenses. It is already Open Source Hardware Association certified under registry number FR000026.

Support & Documentation

For any support requests, you can create issues on our GitHub repositories. For any other requests, you can Ask a Technical question through the form link on this page.

Documentation also exists in the firmware folder on our GitHub.

Manufacturing Process

The Icepi Zero will be assembled and tested by Elecrow.

Timeline: Manufacturing begins immediately after campaign completion. After the production is complete, Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, will handle distribution to backers worldwide.

Risks & Challenges

There have already been several small batches of Icepi Zeros manufactured and tested, so we do not expect any hardware problems.

We maintain close communication with our manufacturer to ensure consistent quality and timely delivery. While we do not anticipate major issues, unexpected global supply chain disruptions or tariff spikes might cause delays. We will do our best to mitigate these risks and promptly update backers if any manufacturing challenges arise.