Jake -
On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 02:10:25PM -0700, Jake Watters wrote:
> The first FPGA class seems to have gone well!
Thanks! I guess the level of chaos was on-brand for sudo room. :-)
> I understand a bunch of
> people learned that you can make any logic gate using only NAND gates,
That's part of it. Even more basic, that logic (which is informally used
in English and daily life) has a formal mathematical definition.
Then, that mathematical definition can be translated to hardware 1s and 0s
(high and low voltages). _You_ (dear reader) can physically wire the devices
to make that hardware do what you want.
> which I assume is what the gates in Field Programmable Gate Arrays are.
Meh. Sort of. Gates in the FPGA are more general than just NAND.
The analogy is there.
> I'm hoping the next class will include some FPGA action and people learning
> how to program them?
We can stagger the exercises, and get some people started on the
actual FPGA next time. I think many of the folks who made it to the
room last Thursday could use more time with the TTL chips. I also know
several interested people couldn't make it that time.
Attached is a draft hand-out that might help some. Arik suggested to me
on Tuesday that the NAND discussion could use a gentler introduction.
> If there is hardware available, like little USB based
> FPGAs, i'm sure participants are willing to pay for them so that we can
> start playing with them ourselves! Can you make that happen
Yes, I have three of the pico2-ice boards.
https://pico2-ice.tinyvision.ai/
Well, two of are loaned out to Maddy and David. And two still need
a Pmod connector soldered on.
We need to pick a day when people (and those boards) can make it.
I have some travel coming up, as is normal for me. I could be there
next Tuesday or maybe Sunday. Next chance would be Thursday May 28.
> And also the software toolchains so
> that people can get started learning about this and help teach each other
> during the next meetup?
Debian Trixie:
apt-get install -y make python3 yosys nextpnr-ice40 fpga-icestorm micropython-mpremote
That should also work on recent Ubuntu, but I haven't confirmed.
I hope Arch and other Linux distros have equivalent packages by now.
I guess I should write up some kind of flier -- at least a first draft --
to cover the next steps, right?
> Last night I prepared a VGA connector for hooking up to an FPGA because
> that's an exciting activity that i'd like to pursue with them, and now we
> have a cool VGA monitor to play it on.
Actually writing Verilog to do something interesting would take time
and creativity. Better would be to find an existing project and
adapt it to this hardware. I bet this would be a good start:
https://www.fpga4fun.com/VGA.html
I've adapted the Music Box material on that site; the VGA shouldn't
be any harder. Our board has a 24 MHz clock, and his has a 25 MHz clock.
As he says, that's probably just fine. Our FPGA is significantly
slower than his (less likely to "make timing" at high clock rates), but
at 24 MHz it's probably OK.
- Larry
The first FPGA class seems to have gone well! I understand a bunch of
people learned that you can make any logic gate using only NAND gates,
which I assume is what the gates in Field Programmable Gate Arrays are.
I'm hoping the next class will include some FPGA action and people learning
how to program them? If there is hardware available, like little USB based
FPGAs, i'm sure participants are willing to pay for them so that we can
start playing with them ourselves! Can you make that happen or drop some
links if we should get them ourselves? And also the software toolchains so
that people can get started learning about this and help teach each other
during the next meetup?
Last night I prepared a VGA connector for hooking up to an FPGA because
that's an exciting activity that i'd like to pursue with them, and now we
have a cool VGA monitor to play it on.
-jake
On Tue, May 5, 2026 at 2:58 PM Larry Doolittle via sudo-discuss <
sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org> wrote:
> Arik -
>
> On Tue, May 05, 2026 at 08:51:16PM +0000, arik via sudo-discuss wrote:
> > FPGA gathering planned this Thursday, May 7. We didn’t settle on a time
> I think, if I’m mistaken please let me know; otherwise I propose 19:00 (7
> PM).
>
> 7 PM sounds fine. I'll probably get there a bit earlier to start
> gathering supplies.
>
> > Also, I have another very interested and well suited party who would
> join.
>
> Cool! I think I have parts for 2-3 "learning stations".
> More than 2-3 people means sharing, which is mostly good.
>
> - Larry
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>
Friends -
I know it's kinda last-minute, but should we try to hold another
FPGA "class" (chaotic learning experience) tomorrow (Thursday) night?
I'm available.
- Larry
sudo friends -
In my recent visits to sudoroom, I've talked about and demonstrated FPGAs
(among other things). I personally consider FPGAs to be an enabling
technology, like microcontrollers but with some key advantages.
They also have a reputation of being hard to learn.
There seems to be at least some interest in turning these chaotic discussions
into activities thoughtfully set up for teaching/learning. Maybe the
word "class" won't apply.
I'll keep this first message short, although I certainly have ideas,
at least about how to get started. I'm a huge believer in learning by doing.
I plan to be at sudoroom tonight (Dec 30), and we can have in-person discussions.
Maybe this thread can capture ideas in a less ephemeral form.
- Larry
Friends -
On Thu, May 28, 2026 at 06:02:42PM -0700, Larry Doolittle wrote:
> [Jake tells me there's a party tonight]
> On Thu, May 28, 2026 at 10:28:45AM -0700, Brit W wrote:
> > I'm not free tonight but I would enjoy an fpga chaotic learning experience!
> I think I'll skip it. Let's find a night with better availability.
How about this week Tue, Wed, or Thu?
Can David or Matty make it (they each have a borrowed pico2-ice board)?
Or anyone else who managed to
apt-get install -y make python3 yosys nextpnr-ice40 fpga-icestorm micropython-mpremote
on a Debian/Ubuntu-ish box (VMs probably count)?
- Larry
Hi Larry,
Thank you for the chance to learn more about FPGAs. It is an entirely new area for me.
I came across this article comparing them to microcontrollers: https://www.pcbasic.com/blog/fpga_vs_microcontroller.html.
My "librarian instincts" kicked in regarding the source, so I can't fully vouch for the author's expertise, but I found the comparison helpful for a high-level overview.
For context on my background, I usually work with simpler tools to get students started, so I’m much more proficient with Micro:bits than Arduinos.
Looking forward to bridging that gap, mostly by osmosis, as I hang out at sudo.
~Ivan
________________________________
From: Larry Doolittle via sudo-discuss <sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2025 19:33
To: sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org <sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org>
Subject: [External Email] [sudo-discuss] learning about FPGAs
sudo friends -
In my recent visits to sudoroom, I've talked about and demonstrated FPGAs
(among other things). I personally consider FPGAs to be an enabling
technology, like microcontrollers but with some key advantages.
They also have a reputation of being hard to learn.
There seems to be at least some interest in turning these chaotic discussions
into activities thoughtfully set up for teaching/learning. Maybe the
word "class" won't apply.
I'll keep this first message short, although I certainly have ideas,
at least about how to get started. I'm a huge believer in learning by doing.
I plan to be at sudoroom tonight (Dec 30), and we can have in-person discussions.
Maybe this thread can capture ideas in a less ephemeral form.
- Larry
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Friends -
People keep reacting positively when I suggest putting together an FPGA class.
Angela, did you ever get something to work on the FOMU?
David and I made some progress doing a TTL logic demo on March 2.
We could try again this week. My schedule is pretty flexible.
David, do you have plans to come in? Maybe Judy and/or Arik can join us.
- Larry
Sudo friends -
On Thu, Jul 23, 2026 at 10:01:39AM -0700, Larry Doolittle via sudo-discuss wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 14, 2026 at 09:43:25AM -0700, Larry Doolittle via sudo-discuss wrote:
> > I'd still like to spend time introducing FPGA technology to the room.
> > I'm available one or more of this Tue, Wed, Thu.
> That didn't happen. Any takers for tonight, Thursday?
I only heard crickets. I'll go out on a limb and say this
isn't happening tonight.
> I'm probably also available one evening next week, too.
Tuesday is a bit crowded.
We could overlap with Radio Wednesday, or have the room
to ourselves on Thursday. I could be convinced of either.
I'll probably be there Wednesday even without "doing" FPGAs.
- Larry
I’m definitely interested in learning more about FPGA, and doing what I can to help others in turn. Planning on being in Tues-Thurs nights this week, happy to discuss scheduling.
~Arik
-------- Original Message --------
On Monday, 03/23/26 at 20:26 Larry Doolittle via sudo-discuss <sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org> wrote:
Friends -
People keep reacting positively when I suggest putting together an FPGA class.
Angela, did you ever get something to work on the FOMU?
David and I made some progress doing a TTL logic demo on March 2.
We could try again this week. My schedule is pretty flexible.
David, do you have plans to come in? Maybe Judy and/or Arik can join us.
- Larry
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Sudo friends -
I'd still like to spend time introducing FPGA technology to the room.
I'm available one or more of this Tue, Wed, Thu.
michaelz and David, you still each have the pico2-ice that I gave you,
right? Can you bring them in one of these days?
I'll probably come in Wed, since I still have a ton of questions
about LoRa, MechCore, and/or Reticulum.
- Larry
