What is a Good Starting FPGA Board?

If you're new to FPGAs, choosing the right beginner-friendly board is crucial. Here are the best FPGA starter boards based on ease of use, community support, and affordability:

1. Best Overall for Beginners: Digilent Basys 3 (Artix-7)

 Why?

• FPGA: Xilinx Artix-7 (XC7A35T, 33K logic cells)

• Features:

• Onboard switches, buttons, LEDs, VGA, and PMOD connectors.

• USB-programmable (no external JTAG needed).

• Supports Xilinx Vivado (free WebPACK version).

• Price: ~$150-$200.

• Best for: Learning digital logic, simple projects (counters, PWM, basic video).

 Limitations: No Ethernet/WiFi (add via PMOD).

2. Best Budget Option: Lattice iCE40 (e.g., iCEstick)

 Why?

• FPGA: Lattice iCE40HX1K (1K LUTs, low-power).

• Features:

• Open-source toolchain (Yosys + nextpnr).

• USB-powered, no extra hardware needed.

• Price: ~$30-$50.

• Best for: Beginners on a budget, open-source enthusiasts.

 Limitations: Small logic capacity (not for complex designs).

3. Best for Advanced Beginners: DE10-Lite (Intel Cyclone 10)

 Why?

• FPGA: Intel Cyclone 10 (10CL016, 16K logic elements).

• Features:

• 7-segment displays, GPIO headers, and ADC.

• Supports Quartus Prime Lite (free).

• Price: ~$100-$150.

• Best for: Transitioning to more complex designs (e.g., simple processors).

 Limitations: Heavier than Basys 3, but more I/O.

4. Best for Embedded Developers: Xilinx PYNQ-Z2 (Zynq-7000)

 Why?

• FPGA: Xilinx Zynq-7020 (ARM Cortex-A9 + Artix-7 FPGA).

• Features:

• Runs Linux (Python + FPGA programming).

• HDMI, audio, and Arduino headers.

• Price: ~$200-$250.

• Best for: Hybrid FPGA+software projects (e.g., accelerators).

Limitations: Steeper learning curve (requires Linux/embedded knowledge).

5. Best for Hobbyists: TinyFPGA BX (Lattice iCE40)

 Why?

• FPGA: Lattice iCE40LP8K (8K LUTs).

• Features:

• Ultra-compact (breadboard-friendly).

• Open-source tools (Yosys/nextpnr).

• Price: ~$50-$70.

• Best for: Portable projects (e.g., LED controllers, small state machines).

 Limitations: Limited peripherals (needs external components).

Comparison Table

Key Considerations When Choosing

1. Toolchain: Xilinx (Vivado) and Intel (Quartus) have steeper learning curves than Lattice (open-source).

2. Project Scope:

• Basic logic? → iCEstick or TinyFPGA.

• Complex designs? → Basys 3 or DE10-Lite.

• Embedded Linux? → PYNQ-Z2.

3. Community Support: Basys 3 and DE10-Lite have extensive tutorials.

Recommended Starter Kit

• Digilent Basys 3 + Vivado Tutorials (Digilent Website)

• iCEstick + Yosys Guide (GitHub Resources)

Next Steps

1. Install the FPGA vendor’s IDE (Vivado/Quartus/Yosys).

2. Try a simple project (e.g., blinking LED, PWM controller).

3. Explore Verilog/VHDL (HDL is essential for FPGA design).

Here’s a step-by-step beginner project for your FPGA board — let’s use the Digilent Basys 3 (Artix-7) as an example since it’s beginner-friendly with great resources. We’ll create a 4-bit counter with LED output, perfect for understanding FPGA workflows.

Project: 4-Bit Counter on Basys 3

What You’ll Learn:

• How to write simple Verilog/VHDL.

• Synthesize and program the FPGA.

• Use onboard switches/buttons and LEDs.

1. Set Up Your Tools

1. Install Xilinx Vivado (Free WebPACK version):

• Download from Xilinx’s website.

• Follow installation instructions (takes ~30 mins).

2. Connect Basys 3 via USB (no external power needed).

2. Write the Verilog Code

Create a new project in Vivado and paste this 4-bit counter code (or use VHDL if preferred):

Verilog Version:

module counter_4bit (
    input wire clk,       // 100MHz onboard clock (Basys 3)
    input wire reset,     // Connected to a button
    output reg [3:0] led  // Output to 4 LEDs);always @(posedge clk or posedge reset) begin
    if (reset) 
        led <= 4'b0000;   // Reset to 0
    else 
        led <= led + 1;    // Increment counterendendmodule

VHDL Version:

library IEEE;use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL;use IEEE.NUMERIC_STD.ALL;entity counter_4bit is
    Port (
        clk   : in  STD_LOGIC;
        reset : in  STD_LOGIC;
        led   : out STD_LOGIC_VECTOR (3 downto 0)
    );end counter_4bit;architecture Behavioral of counter_4bit is
    signal count : unsigned(3 downto 0) := "0000";begin
    process(clk, reset)
    begin
        if reset = '1' then
            count <= "0000";
        elsif rising_edge(clk) then
            count <= count + 1;
        end if;
    end process;
    led <= std_logic_vector(count);end Behavioral;

3. Assign FPGA Pins

In Vivado:

1. Open the Constraints File (.xdc) and map signals to Basys 3 pins:

   tcl

   
   

   # Clock (100MHz)set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN W5   IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports clk]; # Basys 3 clock pincreate_clock -add -name sys_clk_pin -period 10.00 -waveform {0 5} [get_ports clk];# Reset (Button 0)set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN U18  IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports reset];# LEDs (4-bit output)set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN U16  IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports {led[0]}];
   set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN E19  IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports {led[1]}];
   set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN U19  IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports {led[2]}];
   set_property -dict { PACKAGE_PIN V19  IOSTANDARD LVCMOS33 } [get_ports {led[3]}];

4. Synthesize & Program

1. Run Synthesis (Vivado left sidebar):

• Checks code for errors.

2. Run Implementation:

• Maps logic to the FPGA’s CLBs.

3. Generate Bitstream:

• Creates the .bit file to program the FPGA.

4. Program the Board:

• Click "Open Hardware Manager" → "Program Device" → Select the .bit file.

5. Test on Hardware

• Press Button 0 (reset): LEDs should clear to 0000.

• Release Button: LEDs count up in binary (0001, 0010, ..., 1111).

• Speed Adjustment: To slow down the counter, add a clock divider (ask if you’d like this added!).

Troubleshooting Tips

Next Steps

1. Modify the Project:

• Use switches to control count direction (up/down).

• Add a 7-segment display output.

2. Explore Tutorials:

• Digilent Basys 3 Tutorials

3. Try VHDL (if you used Verilog, or vice versa).