June 16, 2025
Pre-production batch just came! Looks absolutely awesome :)
Also forgot to track some time!
I needed to make a custom ZMK firmware in order to test out a usb core since I don't have a keeb lol.
Also posted update #3!
https://www.crowdsupply.com/icy-electronics/icepi-zero/updates/new-ports-certifications-and-free-icepis-for-teens
Yet another RISC-V core booting Linux on the Icepi
Made a VGA simulator test bench for my dvi design!
Now compile and test locally, even without a fpga :3
Linux is now working on the Icepi Zero! :o
Full linux support - all your normal commands work!
Whats this? Litex? Linux soon!
CE & UKCA certifications, get! We are also now at $11k funding!
We are 160% funded now! Writing up week one update
Did I hear... Saga Master System!?
Emulate games like Sonic on the Icepi now!
EU/UK RoHS certificate is acquired! The Icepi is now complaint with EN IEC 63000:2018! Time to go for EMC certs and we can finally be CE!
Wrote some safety instructions in LaTeX!
Guess what, Commodore 64 on my Icepi Zero!
Published v2.0! Now with adaptive volumes :3
Got my Icepi to interface with a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W! Yay
wvefffffffffffffffffff idc abt this proejct anymore the bot is just f annoying
Tried to build next186 for the icepi, but failing miserably...
I'll push it up for later ig
https://www.crowdsupply.com/icy-electronics/icepi-zero
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand Oberon is ported over!
Oberon an TUI OS developed in the 80s by ETHZ! And it's now on Icepi Zero!
Made a comparison table for the Icepi Zero! Result: The icepi is superior in many aspects ;p
Published v1.4! Now with sound, support for 1.21.5-1.21.8 also added!
We have also broken 60k downloads total! (50k on modrinth, 20k on curse!)
Animated Loading Screen - Brings the Minecraft Dungeons animation to vanilla, now with over 60k downloads!
Okay I've improved the stability of the sdram by making the skew rate slow.
I've also patched up the SDRAM's data lines to be less curved
Guess what, I still am debugging... Soldered on a 0402 100n capacitor and the stability seems a bit better now.
I have no idea why this is happening...
Lately I've done quite a bit of advertising on twitter, mastedon, snapchat, reddit etc.
I am also getting a quote from elecrow & pcbway!
At the same time I'm porting new emulators onto the Icepi Zero :)
Subscribe at https://www.crowdsupply.com/icy-electronics/icepi-zero!
Now I've ported the Acorn Atom to the Icepi Zero!
Icepi Zero is also on crowd supply!!! https://www.crowdsupply.com/icy-electronics/icepi-zero (Go subscribe :P)
I've played around even more with the fpga nes emulator, and it seems that the sdram shift is the problem. I've tested from 0 to 360 deg shift, and 70 degs seems the best - now I've got this thing:
Been trying to port nes and minimig without success - all it shows is a red screen / black screen :(
Implemented capital letters on my uart2ps2 converter!!! Time to do Amiga or C64 next!!!
I am currently debugging my uart to ps2 converter, had to implement a ram and complex shift logic...
Ugh these waves are giving me a headache
Extra images @ github hq
GUESS WHAT! The badges work!
Debugged till 0:30 am with spc, max, whatware :pf:
3000$ not wasted
Work done:
1. Coded UART2PS/2 converter in HDL. It allows me to use my laptop to control a icepi which acts as a translator to control a 2nd apple I icepi
- I don't have a PS/2 keeb lol
2. Resolved a lot of issues w/ crowd supply, sneek peek here:
https://gist.github.com/cheyao/b4e4dff16e57eee34059d490b6547e64
YEAH! I finished the firmware
Went through a few Crowd Supply Github issues.
And I took this nice picture of the icepi!
They are here??? 0.0
New features:
Icestudio support (https://icestudio.io/)
APIO support (https://github.com/FPGAwars/apio)
New APIO Icepi Zero example
Started porting NES over to Icepi Zero
Accepted at Crowd Supply
After some testing, I concluded that doom chip can't be ran on icepi zero due to insufficient DP16KD and MULT18X18D cells :(
Finished right side of keeb!
Worked out the v2 layout :D
160MHz CPU + RAM with custom hardware acceleration ported to the Icepi Zero!
Ported the Silice framework over to Icepi Zero! (https://github.com/sylefeb/Silice)
At the same time opened a pr to the upstream:
https://github.com/sylefeb/Silice/pull/281
Finally shipped this project!
Coded some example firmware, and posted on reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/PrintedCircuitBoard/comments/1lq77ep/tiny_usb_esp32_wifi_board_came_back_looking_great/
90% of this was made before SoM
Made the case :D
Icepi Zero now has USB capabilities:
Made a USB+HDMI core using 1000+ logic gates :D
Ultra low latency video refresh
Switched PCB to 2 layers in order to reduce cost :D
Batch 2 came :O
Updates:
- Patched kicad wakatime up
- Updated apple 1 to use v1.2 files
- Update files in github repo
Added the on/off switches! The PCB is finished :D
ordered part 2 of super secret undercity thing :O
Routed out most of the switch traces!
Designed the BMS!
Confirmed the production files with JLCPCB!
Fixed kicad wakatime!
Now you just need to pick a kicad_pro file, it has file filters and has better error messages!
Patched up kicad wakatime a bit more - take this beautiful pic
Just routed out most of the the nrf module and antenna!!!
YOLOed 1.6k$ :pray:
Ordering 1.3k$ of stuff soon...
Made the schematic! Gonna use a bare nrf module
:O
The schematic looks sooooooo much better with the new symbol
A/ I've patched up kicad-wakatime
B/ I've made a custom symbol of the ECP5-CABGA-256! My schematic will be much more prettier
C/ I've put the custom symbol into the schematic!
fixed up some crystal stuff
Made a cup :3
I want to be the 1st to ship a project :3
Wow, 1000$ just for the PCBs...
I've started writing up my journal - so the people who comes after me can know what I did :)
The programmer is also made :D Now waiting on the art,,,
I am starting to create my custom symbol of the ECP5 CABGA256 in order to avoid potential legal issues.
Spent 1h and only placed one fifth of the pins... (aka 50 pins)
Patched up kicad-wakatime :D https://github.com/hackclub/kicad-wakatime/pull/19
I finally can work on my custom symbol
Done with the 2nd PCB 0.0
Guess what it is~~~
More leeks :3 This time I'm almost finished
:leeks: from your favorite event: undercity! First person who guesses what this will be gets kudos :3
Guess what got ordered!
Icepi Zero v1.3 soon!
Official undercity merch :D - The badges! Dev logs are kinda redacted since these were kinda a secret before undercity
Ported over a USB core to Icepi Zero! - USB 1.0 spec implemented (like legit on the hardware level, not software)
It can now act as an keyboard!
(Also started patching up kicad-wakatime)
Got the original APPLE I working on the Icepi Zero! https://github.com/alangarf/apple-one/pull/45
This is an complete remake from the hardware level.
The FPGA Dev Board in a Pi Zero form! (Yes, the thing in the shop, 13k USD raised, buy one! 650+ Github stars :D) It now runs Linux on RISC-V cores and emulation systems like the Commodore 64, Sega Master System and Apple I.
This was widely regarded as a great move by everyone.