Lattice has silently removed free iCEcube2 license and now charging $471

[Smokey]

Well this is significantly more frustrating than I expected it to be.  It's been years since I worked with an ICE40 part and I didn't know they decided to be dicks and limit free licenses.  Now it's after hours and who knows how long it will take to get my "startup license" that I had to request by email. 

It's funny that the error message when I try to run IceCube2 without a license is:
"Your 30 days free license has expired.  Please fax your License File/Registration and license request request form to Lattice Semiconductor Corp"

I never had a "30 day free license" on this computer.  And I certainly don't have a fax machine.  Plus IceCube2 hasn't been updated since 2020 it looks like.  Silly.

[fourtytwo42]

I gave up using those jokers as soon as I discovered that, some years back now.
Shame they did have quite a useful range of parts but plenty of competition out there now with FREE tools.
If you don't want to sell your silicon charge for your tools...simples!

[zapta]

It's been years since I worked with an ICE40 part and I didn't know they decided to be dicks and limit free licenses.

You may want to take a look at APIO. It's an easy to use open suite that is actively maintained and covers all aspects of FPGA design including, build, upload, lint, formatting, testing, and simulation. It was inspired from the simplicity of platformio, with a project file apio,ini and commands such as apio build, apio upload, apio test, and so on. It supports ICE40 among other architectures and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.

(I am a user but also contributed some code and can point you to more information).

[Smokey]

It's been years since I worked with an ICE40 part and I didn't know they decided to be dicks and limit free licenses.

You may want to take a look at APIO. It's an easy to use open suite that is actively maintained and covers all aspects of FPGA design including, build, upload, lint, formatting, testing, and simulation. It was inspired from the simplicity of platformio, with a project file apio,ini and commands such as apio build, apio upload, apio test, and so on. It supports ICE40 among other architectures and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.

(I am a user but also contributed some code and can point you to more information).

Thanks for the info.  APIO actually looks pretty good, but it's Verilog only.  I have only worked in VHDL, and the demo examples from Lattice are also VHDL.  It would not be the end of the world to learn Verilog and translate the demos or find alternates, but I would rather avoid another project on top of the existing projects. 

I got an automated email from Lattice licensing saying they are all out on easter vacation.  So we will see what happenes next week when they get back.

[iMo]

There is a free 1y license for ICE40UP in their "Radiant IDE", as I saw on their web pages (pages broken today, it seems)..
Yeah, web is working.. Downloaded IceCube2 for win and lin, both are from Dec2020, so it seems they are obsolete..
Radiant win/lin is from Dec2024..

[gerbay]

Lattice Radiant only supports ICE40 ultra plus (there is no support full ice40 family)

[iMo]

Yea, just updated my above post..
I am going to ask for icecube2 license (via an email to their support), we will see..

[SiliconWizard]

Yes. The iCE40UP series is great, but very limited in terms of IOs. The largest package is a 48-pin QFN.

[iMo]

Just have installed the Radiant free lic for ice40up - it took 30.3GB (full install)..

With ice40UP family only it takes 6.44GB (and the IDE's start takes ~30secs on my machine, with the full install ~7minutes).. 
And 5secs with ice40UP family only and when unchecking all tickers in Tools->Options->Startup..

Yes. The iCE40UP series is great, but very limited in terms of IOs. The largest package is a 48-pin QFN.

..and not too speedy as well. But ok for smaller designs, imho.

[gerbay]

Just have installed the Radiant free lic for ice40up - it took 30.3GB (full install)..

iCEcube2.2020.12 windows edition full install took 3.12 GB ...

Approximately 10% of Radiant..

[zapta]

iCEcube2.2020.12 windows edition full install took 3.12 GB ...
Approximately 10% of Radiant..

The most important thing is that it will work reliably. Size is secondary.

[gerbay]

iCEcube2.2020.12 windows edition full install took 3.12 GB ...
Approximately 10% of Radiant..

The most important thing is that it will work reliably. Size is secondary.

Doesn't iceCube2 work reliably? I didn't see any flaws.  Am I missing something?

[zapta]

iCEcube2.2020.12 windows edition full install took 3.12 GB ...
Approximately 10% of Radiant..

The most important thing is that it will work reliably. Size is secondary.

Doesn't iceCube2 work reliably? I didn't see any flaws.  Am I missing something?

I didn't say that. My point is that if it works well, that's what count.

[Smokey]

iCE40 UltraPlus ICE40UP5K-SG48I = $9.94 in 24s+
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/lattice-semiconductor-corporation/ICE40UP5K-SG48I/7785190

vs...
   
iCE40 Ultra ICE5LP1K-SG48ITR = $5.50 in 24s+
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/lattice-semiconductor-corporation/ICE5LP1K-SG48ITR/5324261

I don't actually need the extra size or memory, so it's just extra money for my application to use the ultra plus.  I would need to sell an extra 100 units/year  to make up the $500 license fee and break even on the ICE5LP1K+license

[SiliconWizard]

Note, the iCE40UP5K is about $5 per 100 @ LCSC.

[Smokey]

Note, the iCE40UP5K is about $5 per 100 @ LCSC.

* 150% = .... 

[iMo]

I did (2017-2019) with Yosys/IceStorm free linux ice40 dev tool and it worked fine. It was not so efficient as the original icecube and radiant (it was at the beginning of their effort of reverse engineering of the ice40 family), but pretty close. Perhaps it works even better today..

https://github.com/YosysHQ

PS: there is a complete linux/arm/macOS and win10/11 "bundled complete" version of

https://github.com/YosysHQ/oss-cad-suite-build

https://github.com/YosysHQ/oss-cad-suite-build/releases/tag/2025-04-22

which, after the download and clicking on it (win11 version), extracts automatically into an ~1.7GB large folder (downloaded, installed, but not tried yet)..

[zapta]

I did (2017-2019) with Yosys/IceStorm free linux ice40 dev tool and it worked fine. It was not so efficient as the original icecube and radiant (it was at the beginning of their effort of reverse engineering of the ice40 family), but pretty close. Perhaps it works even better today..

https://github.com/YosysHQ

PS: there is a complete linux/arm/macOS and win10/11 "bundled complete" version of

https://github.com/YosysHQ/oss-cad-suite-build

https://github.com/YosysHQ/oss-cad-suite-build/releases/tag/2025-04-22

which, after the download and clicking on it (win11 version), extracts automatically into an ~1.7GB large folder (downloaded, installed, but not tried yet)..

Apio is based on yosys as well as other open source tools such as iverilog, verible, gtkwave, and iceprog, and it simplifies the installation and usage using a simple project file and commands such as 'apio build', 'apio upload', 'apio test' and so on.  You can think of it as platformio for FPGAs.

For example, this sample project can be built and uploaded using 'apio upload', or being simulated using 'apio sim'.

https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio-examples/tree/master/examples/alhambra-ii/ledon

Apio has self contained bundles and installers for win, mac, and linux here (in the 'artifacts' section):

https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio/actions/runs/14585026031  // win

https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio/actions/runs/14584574815  // mac

https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio/actions/runs/14584522553  // linux

[iMo]

Interesting, it seems it works.. (win10):

Code: [Select]

C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\up5kblink>apio examples fetch ice40-up5k/blinky
Copying ice40-up5k/blinky example files.
Example 'ice40-up5k/blinky' fetched successfully.

C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\up5kblink>apio build
Setting the environment.
Processing board ←[36mice40-up5k←[0m
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yosys -p "synth_ice40 -top rgb_test -json _build\hardware.json" -q blink.v
nextpnr-ice40 --up5k --package sg48 --json _build\hardware.json --asc _build\hardware.asc --report _build\hardware.pnr --pcf up5k.pcf -q
icepack _build\hardware.asc _build\hardware.bin
============================================= [←[32mSUCCESS←[0m] Took 3.28 seconds =============================================

 Directory of C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\up5kblink

Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36    <DIR>          .
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36    <DIR>          ..
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36             3,354 .sconsign.dblite
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:34                47 apio.ini
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:34               395 blink.v
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:34               107 up5k.pcf
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36    <DIR>          _build
               4 File(s)          3,903 bytes

 Directory of C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\up5kblink\_build

Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36    <DIR>          .
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36    <DIR>          ..
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36           725,784 hardware.asc
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36           104,090 hardware.bin
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36           429,741 hardware.json
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36            13,146 hardware.pnr
Wed, 23-Apr-25  10:36               676 scons.params
               5 File(s)      1,273,437 bytes

Btw, it adds some weird strings into the printouts.. like a small bug there (cmd and powershell in win10).

PS: the printout looks ok in win11 cmd:

Code: [Select]

Setting the environment.
Processing board ice40-up5k
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yosys -p "synth_ice40 -top rgb_test -json _build\hardware.json" -q blink.v
nextpnr-ice40 --up5k --package sg48 --json _build\hardware.json --asc _build\hardware.asc --report _build\hardware.pnr --pcf up5k.pcf -q
icepack _build\hardware.asc _build\hardware.bin
============================================= [SUCCESS] Took 5.64 seconds =============================================
It even builds my old UP5k 16b mecrispforth machine (after some minor edits in .v sources) in 28seconds, that is pretty fast.. 

Code: [Select]

C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\mecrispforth15k>apio clean
Setting the environment.
Processing board upduino2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Removed .sconsign.dblite
Removed _build\hardware.asc
Removed _build\hardware.bin
Removed _build\hardware.json
Removed _build\hardware.pnr
Removed _build\scons.params
Removed directory _build
============================================= [SUCCESS] Took 2.20 seconds =============================================

C:\Users\Smith\Code\Apio\mecrispforth15k>apio build
Setting the environment.
Processing board upduino2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yosys -p "synth_ice40 -top top -json _build\hardware.json" -q j1.v j1a.v stack2.v uart.v
Warning: wire '\insn' is assigned in a block at j1a.v:1033.5-1033.17.
..
nextpnr-ice40 --up5k --package sg48 --json _build\hardware.json --asc _build\hardware.asc --report _build\hardware.pnr --pcf j1a.pcf -q
icepack _build\hardware.asc _build\hardware.bin
============================================= [SUCCESS] Took 27.84 seconds =============================================

[xvr]

Btw, it adds some weird strings into the printouts.. like a small bug there (cmd and powershell in win10).

This is ANSI control sequencies (for text color manipulation). Win 10 terminal do not support them, Win 11 do. (Linux also supports them)

[zapta]

Interesting, it seems it works.. (win10):

A few tips for Apio users.

1. You can disable the text coloring using the command apio preference --theme no-colors

2. You can file any issue or questions you have in the 'issues' and 'discussion' section on github at https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio, or ask here here or ping me. Apio is actively maintained.

3. You can explore the commands using the '-h' flag. For example, apio -h or apio build -h

4. You can add custom fpgas and board definitions by adding fpgas.jsonc or borads.jsconc in your project directory.

5. You can organize your source code in subdirectories under the project dir, apio will find them.

6. (experimental) You can use System Verilog source and testbench files using the file extension .sv (instead of .v for verilog)

7. You can explore the provided examples, e.g. run apio examples fetch alhambra-ii/bcd-counter in an empty directory and then apio sim.

[Smokey]

Ha!  Lattice license guys finally got back and gave me a 1 Year "startup" license to IceCube2. 

[iMo]

3. You can explore the commands using the '-h' flag. For example, apio -h or apio build -h

This is important as the wiki info and some command switches in the latest bin release are not in sync..

[iMo]

Yea, just updated my above post..
I am going to ask for icecube2 license (via an email to their support), we will see..

Got it today..
Note: Does not work in win11 (at least here).. Works in win7 (or win10 not tested yet).
Edit: It works in win11..

[fourtytwo42]

Ha!  Lattice license guys finally got back and gave me a 1 Year "startup" license to IceCube2.

No good for product design, I have to support my customers for much much longer than that!
Time bombed software is dangerous  get you hooked then reel you in for lot's of money or simply refuse to renew, no thank you.
It's either mine to keep or I don't want anything to do with it!