LILYGO T-FPGA

Overview

The LILYGO T-FPGA is a unique development board that combines the versatility of the ESP32-S3R8 microcontroller with a Gowin GW1NSR-4C FPGA chip in a single integrated package. This combination allows developers to harness the ease of Arduino/ESP-IDF programming for connectivity and application logic while leveraging the FPGA's hardware parallelism for signal processing, custom peripherals, and high-speed digital logic.

The ESP32-S3R8 side provides 16MB of flash, 8MB of PSRAM, dual-core Xtensa LX7 processing at 240 MHz, 2.4 GHz WiFi, and Bluetooth 5. The Gowin GW1NSR-4C FPGA features 4,608 LUT4 cells, a built-in Cortex-M3 hardcore processor, 256K of flash memory, and 64Mb of HyperRAM. The two chips communicate via 6 dedicated data lines. An AXP2101 power management IC handles voltage switching for different BANK areas, ensuring reliable mixed-voltage operation.

The board also has an optional T-FPGA Shield accessory ($4.08) for expanded connectivity. A combined bundle is available for $23.06.

Firmware Compatibility

For the ESP32-S3 side:

• Arduino IDE: Supported via the Espressif Arduino core for ESP32-S3.
• PlatformIO: Recommended for streamlined build and upload workflows.
• MicroPython: Available via the ESP32-S3 MicroPython firmware.
• ESP-IDF: Full native support.

For the FPGA side:

• Gowin EDA: Use Gowin's IDE for synthesizing and programming FPGA bitstreams. Programming via JTAG debug port.

Sample code and hardware files are available at T-FPGA GitHub.

Flashing Guide

ESP32-S3 Firmware:

1. Connect via USB-C cable.
2. Hold BOOT, press RESET, release BOOT to enter download mode.
3. Select ESP32S3 Dev Module in Arduino IDE with 16MB flash.
4. Upload firmware normally.

FPGA Bitstream:

1. Connect a JTAG programmer to the FPGA JTAG debug port.
2. Open Gowin EDA and synthesize your RTL design.
3. Use the programmer tool in Gowin EDA to download the bitstream to the FPGA.