Getting Started with ICENode

This guide will help you quickly set up and start using the ICENode FPGA development board.

1. Install APIO

To install the required FPGA toolchain, follow the official APIO installation guide:

👉 APIO Installation Guide

Once installed, verify your installation:

apio --version

2. Connect the ICENode board

• Connect the board using a USB cable
• The board uses an FT2232H USB interface
• Install drivers if required (Windows users)

3. Verify connection

apio system --lsftdi

You should see the ICENode device listed.

4. Select FPGA device

List available FPGA boards:

apio boards -l

Select iCE40-UP5K and initialize the project:

apio init --board iCE40-UP5K

This ensures the correct FPGA device (iCE40UP5K) is used.

5. Add ICENode pin configuration

Download the official ICENode pin configuration file (.pcf):

👉 Download ICENode .pcf file

Place the file in your project folder. Make sure it replaces the default .pcf file generated by APIO.

Example pin mapping:

set_io CLK 35
set_io RGB0 39
set_io RGB1 40
set_io RGB2 41

Important: The .pcf file defines all pin connections for ICENode. If this file is incorrect or missing, the design will not work on the hardware.