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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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19 years ago

Altera DE1 Dev board usage

Hi,

If you develop an add-on board for the expansion connectors for a Development/Educational board such as the DE1, is it ok to buy the development kits to bundle with your own board as a completed product?

The reason I ask, is that I am just a small time individual with limited resources (read hobbyist), and having never designed a commercial circuit board, it sure seems like the $150 price tag for something already available, proven, reliable and professionally manufactured is the obvious way to go. Especially when dealing in low quantities.

But it begs the question as to if this is an acceptable use of the board. Does the $150 price tag simply make it a "lost leader" to get people hooked at using Altera chips, or is there enough profit that it is ok to use in the end product? I would literally like to use it for the development of a product, but somehow I don't think this is the intended usage.

I would hate to re-invent the wheel, and it will be a real buzz-kill if this isn't a path I can legally take.

Thanks,

Nails

3 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    Read the license agreement...

    If there are no clauses prohibiting reselling then you are OK.

    You may ask your local distributor if they are OK with it.

    With the $150 price tag the board does not contain a Nios license, so you will probably not be allowed to sell compiled Nios processors without buying a license separately.

    IzI
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    I can't find a license agreement about the use of the board inside the box. I've looked on the CD-ROM and can't find anything either.

    For the Altera/Terasic DE2 board, you must supply proof of academic use to get a good price, or you pay more. For the DE1 board you do not. And to me, it is a great price. I just don't want to go to all the effort to develop something sophisticated to find out I get rejected because I try to buy 5 or 10 to be used as part of a commercial resale product.

    The closest thing I can find about an agreement is in the documentation for some of the verilog code.

    // Permission:

    //

    // Terasic grants permission to use and modify this code for use

    // in synthesis for all Terasic Development Boards and Altera Development

    // Kits made by Terasic. Other use of this code, including the selling

    // ,duplication, or modification of any portion is strictly prohibited.

    The first sentence makes me think I am ok. The second part doesn't, but are you kidding me? I can't use a basic instantiation of a NIOS CPU and the support for the various periperials built on the board? So I have to redo it from scratch? Ummmm. Ok.

    I understand the need to get the NIOS License. That's ok with me.

    If I don't get a clear answer within the next week, I guess I will call a representative, and post what I found out.

    Nails
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    To All,

    This is Mike Phipps and I am one of the Managers of our University Relations Progam here at Altera. I am responsible for both the DE2 and the DE1.

    We build both boards for about the same price we sell them at. In the case of the DE2, we do have a commercial price that is more expensive than the education price.

    The DE1 only has the $150 price for both usages. You may purchase it and use it as you wish.

    Here is a commen sense disclaimer. The DE1 has been designed to be robust and useful for students but we have not tested in commerical applications. If you include it as part of your own product, you do that at your own risk.

    I may be contacted directly at mphipps@altera.com if you need more information.

    Thanks,

    Mike Phipps