Is the Nios II processor free? I have checked the Altera website but I do not quite understand what a time limited license is? Is the IDE time limited or is the processor that runs in your FPGA time limited? Ben

The NIOS II processor is free to the extent that once you purchase a license to compile the NIOS II code through your tools, then you do not have to pay any royalities for inclusion in any of your designs. The NIOS II IP is delivered with the basic Altera software IP release, but until it is licensed it will only allow "teathered" usage in your designs. (Via open core plus and the JTAG cable). If you purchase it with a Kit then the license is good for one year, after which it will no longer compile. If you purchase it as a full subscription then it will compile forever, but after one year, if you do not renew your maintainance, then you cannot update to the then latest version of Altera tools (but the latest one you get just before your license expires will work perpetually). I hope this clears things up. Avatar

To add to what Avatar said... The license Avatar talks about is pretty cheap: $495 a seat. If that's too much, Altera does offer a free (as in $0) time limited license too, which you mentioned in your question. They call this "OpenCore Plus". Great for evaluating with having to pony up the 500 bucks. The way the OC+ license works is that the Nios core will run forever as long as a Blaster programming cable is connected to the board. Once the programming cable is disconnected the Nios core will time out after a certain amount of time (not sure exactly how long, I think it depends on clock speed.)

does the full nios II license covers other nios-related features like C2H compiler and MicroC/OS II as well or they need separate license?

C2H has an additional cost. MicroC/OS II is provided in such a way that you can play with it, and once you decide you want to sell something with it in the offering, then they work out the costs with you. Very easy, not real costly.

--- Quote Start --- If you purchase it with a Kit then the license is good for one year --- Quote End --- I don't understand, the pricing doesn't make any sense to me. According to Altera web site, a Quartus subscription has a yearly cost of $2.495. Add the NIOS subscription and the yearly cost is almost $3.000. OTOH, the Nios Kit costs $995. Why would you pay $3.000 per year when you can get the same by buying one NIOS Kit every year, at less than $1.000? Plus you have a new hardware kit every year, which I guess you eventually could use for decoration purposes :) Of course that there is a difference, the subscription doesn't expire as the kit license. That would make a difference if you want to purchase the license one. But if you plan to mantain a subscription, then it doesn't make any sense to me.

Is Nios II free? | Altera Community

13 Replies

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
17 years ago
--- Quote Start ---

The way the OC+ license works is that the Nios core will run forever as long as a Blaster programming cable is connected to the board. Once the programming cable is disconnected the Nios core will time out after a certain amount of time (not sure exactly how long, I think it depends on clock speed.)
--- Quote End ---

Hi,

I have ts7300 board (http://www.embeddedarm.com/products/board-detail.php?product=ts-7300) by Technologic Systems that has Cyclone 2, ARM9, and no jtag cable. To load the bitstream onto FPGA it is placed on SD card's file system and uploaded using utility they provided from Linux that runs on a processor. Is there a way to use NIOS II with this system and a free license? I assume I cannot renew the license every time it expires.
Since this is an academic excercise, running for a certain number of clocks that would translate to 10-20 min of operation might work out perfectly.

Thanks
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
17 years ago
I do not think so for several reasons.
I do not believe you will be able to make a "loadable image" that the SD card can load.

I also think that the EP2C8 is a rather small FPGA, so placing a NIOS II core in the part and all the other stuff you might need to add may not fit.

If this is true "university" academic exercise, then you might be able to get a University license for cheap, but I think you are just saying it is more of an exploration exercise.

My 2 cents
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
17 years ago
I believe it should still be possible to use OC+. OC+ will end up in time-limited mode and will run for approximately 1 hour. Obviously the tethered feature would not work without a cable.

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Is Nios II free?

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