EP1C3T144C6N - Cyclone 2910-LE FPGA, 144-pin TQFP | Intel
MPN: EP1C3T144C6N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $21.97 | $21.97 |
| 10 | $19.78 | $197.80 |
| 100 | $16.48 | $1,648.00 |
| 500 | $13.86 | $6,930.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.94 | $11,940.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C3T144C6N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1C3T144C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →EP1C3T144C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →EP1C3T144C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$14.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C3T144I6N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1C4T144C6N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1C6T144C6N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1C3T144C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone I |
| Logic Elements | 2910 |
| Total Memory Bits | 59904 |
| User I/Os | 104 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 291 |
| Number of Logic Cells | 2910 |
| Embedded Multipliers | 13 (18x18) |
| Embedded Block RAM (M4K) | 13 blocks |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 405.2 MHz |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (T144) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C6 |
| PLLs | Yes (on-chip) |
| Configuration Method | Serial / JTAG |
EP1C3T144C6N 144-pin tqfp (t144) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C3T144C6N (144-pin tqfp (t144) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP1C3T144C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
EP1C3T144C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Glue Logic Replacement, Video Timing and Display Controller, Communications Protocol Bridging, DSP / FIR Filter Acceleration, FPGA Education and Prototyping Boards, Legacy Board Repair and ASIC Replacement.
Industrial Glue Logic Replacement
The EP1C3T144C6N is well-suited for industrial glue-logic replacement applications because it integrates 2910 logic elements, 13 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and 104 user I/Os into a single TQFP-144 device, replacing multiple 74-series TTL or CMOS chips on legacy boards. The 130 nm Cyclone I architecture delivers proven industrial reliability, while the on-chip PLLs provide flexible clock synthesis for interfacing with asynchronous industrial buses. Its commercial 0C to +85C temperature range covers most factory-floor enclosures. Compared to a CPLD, the FPGA offers far more flexibility and DSP capability for tasks like motor-control PWM generation, sensor-signal conditioning, and protocol conversion.
Recommended
Video Timing and Display Controller
The EP1C3T144C6N handles VGA/DVI timing generation and LCD backplane control thanks to its 2910 logic elements plus 13 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, sufficient to drive a 640x480@60 Hz timing controller and a basic video overlay engine. The 104 user I/Os accommodate 24-bit RGB plus sync and clock lines, while the 59904 bits of embedded M4K memory can hold frame buffers for small still-image overlays. The Cyclone I on-chip PLL generates precise pixel clocks from a low-cost reference oscillator. For lower-resolution displays or character LCD controllers, the EP1C3's logic density is more than adequate, making it a cost-effective glue-logic FPGA for kiosk displays and industrial HMIs.
Recommended
Communications Protocol Bridging
The EP1C3T144C6N fits protocol-bridging applications (UART-to-SPI, I2C-to-parallel, RS-232-to-USB) because its 2910 logic elements can implement multiple soft IP cores simultaneously, while the 13 hardware multipliers accelerate any CRC or scrambling functions needed by the bridge. The 104 user I/Os give enough pins for multiple bus interfaces, and the on-chip M4K memory blocks act as FIFOs between asynchronous clock domains. The 1.5 V core plus 3.3 V I/O design makes it easy to bridge legacy 3.3 V peripherals to modern 1.8 V or 1.5 V ASICs. For new designs, however, a newer Cyclone IV / V device with hardened IP is recommended.
Recommended
DSP / FIR Filter Acceleration
The EP1C3T144C6N is suitable for moderate-complexity DSP tasks such as audio FIR filters, simple FFT pipelines, and motor-control d-q transforms because it integrates 13 embedded 18x18 multipliers, each capable of a 250 MHz multiply-accumulate cycle. The 59904 bits of M4K memory (roughly 13 blocks x 4 Kbit) provides coefficient storage and line-delay buffers for 64-tap FIR filters at audio rates. The on-chip PLL allows the DSP core to run at a higher internal frequency than the I/O domain, simplifying the interface to ADC/DAC peripherals. Compared with a software DSP on a microcontroller, the FPGA offers deterministic latency and parallel processing at low unit cost.
Recommended
FPGA Education and Prototyping Boards
The EP1C3T144C6N is a long-standing favorite for FPGA education and university teaching labs because its 144-pin TQFP package supports hand-soldering and breadboard adapter use, while the 2910 LE density exercises meaningful design examples without overwhelming students. The T144 footprint is supported by a wide range of low-cost Altera/Intel Cyclone I development boards (e.g. Terasic DE0, older Altera dev kits). Quartus II Web Edition (free) supports the EP1C3T144C6N, giving students access to schematic entry, Verilog/VHDL, and the SignalTap logic analyzer. For undergraduate digital-design and computer-architecture courses, this part remains a reliable, low-cost platform.
Recommended
Legacy Board Repair and ASIC Replacement
The EP1C3T144C6N is widely used for legacy board repair and ASIC replacement because it can drop into existing Cyclone I board designs whose original part has gone obsolete. With 2910 LE, 104 I/O, and a TQFP-144 footprint, it is a direct substitute for the smaller Cyclone I variants (EP1C3 family only) and offers functional compatibility with most EP1C4/EP1C6 designs that were under-utilized. The Cyclone I design toolchain (Quartus II 13.0sp1 or earlier) preserves the original RTL source code. For boards that originally used a Cyclone I but the die is now obsolete, sourcing remaining EP1C3T144C6N stock from authorized distributors keeps legacy equipment running without a redesign.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C3T144C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C3T144C6 | EP1C3T144C7N | EP1C3T144C8N | EP1C3T144I6N | EP1C4T144C6N | EP1C6T144C6N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (T144) | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same | 144-pin TQFP (T144) - same |
| Logic Elements | 2910 | 2910 | 2910 | 2910 | 2910 | 4000 | 5980 |
| User I/Os | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 20 |
| Total Memory Bits | 59904 | 59904 | 59904 | 59904 | 59904 | 78336 | 92160 |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C6 | C7 | C8 | I6 | C6 | C6 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial | Commercial |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible lead-free variant (vs EP1C3T144C6 (without N suffix))
- Industrial temperature variant available in same package (vs EP1C3T144I6N)
- Higher-density upgrade within TQFP-144 footprint (vs EP1C4T144C6N)
Design Notes
The EP1C3T144C6N requires two supplies: VCCINT (1.5 V core, 1.425-1.575 V tolerance) and VCCIO (3.3 V I/O, 3.0-3.6 V tolerance). Decoupling recommendation per the Cyclone I handbook: place one 0.1 uF ceramic plus one 10 uF tantalum or ceramic bulk capacitor near every VCCINT pin, plus one 0.1 uF ceramic and one 4.7 uF bulk capacitor near every VCCIO pin. A PLL power pin (VCC_PLL) requires its own filtered 1.5 V supply with a ferrite bead to isolate PLL switching noise from the core logic.
The 144-pin TQFP package has 0.5 mm pitch leads, which is fine for standard reflow soldering but requires careful PCB land pattern and solder-paste stencil design. Use a 4 mil (0.1 mm) stencil aperture and lead-free SAC305 solder for production boards. Hand-soldering the TQFP-144 is feasible with a fine-tip iron and flux pen but is recommended only for prototypes and repairs; production runs should use reflow. Provide a continuous ground plane on layer 2 for return-current paths and EMI suppression.
Assign user I/O banks in Quartus II before PCB layout: bank 1 typically powers VCCIO1, bank 2 VCCIO2, bank 3 VCCIO3, etc. Mixing 3.3 V and 2.5 V peripherals requires at least two VCCIO rails; mixing 1.8 V requires three. Place JTAG chain pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) on a 0.1-inch header for programming access. Dedicated clock input pins (CLK0, CLK1, CLK2, CLK3) should be routed to a low-skew clock source or oscillator, with a series 33 ohm damping resistor if the trace is longer than 25 mm.
Estimated - confirm against the Cyclone I device errata before final design: a common pitfall is failing to power-down unused PLL blocks, which adds 10-30 mA of quiescent current. In Quartus II, set unused PLLs to 'Powered Down' under Device and Pin Options. Another pitfall is leaving the nCONFIG pin floating; it must be pulled high to VCCIO via a 10 kohm resistor to ensure clean configuration startup. For JTAG configuration, ensure the JTAG chain is properly terminated with a 1 kohm pull-up on TCK and a 1 kohm pull-up on TMS per IEEE 1149.1.
For DDR or source-synchronous interfaces (e.g. video, parallel ADC), match data and clock trace lengths to within 50 mils (1.27 mm) on the PCB. Use 50 ohm controlled-impedance traces for clock and high-speed data lines, with a continuous reference ground plane beneath. Series damping resistors (22-33 ohm) on clock outputs can reduce overshoot. Avoid routing LVDS-like signals over split power planes; keep the return path under the trace at all times. For SSRAM or SDRAM interfaces, add source-termination resistors to damp reflections.
Compliance Information
Lead-free terminal finish confirmed by N suffix per the verified distributor data. RoHS, REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral status not explicitly stated in the provided web data and marked unknown. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA is not an automotive-qualified IC in the traditional AEC-Q100 sense; refer to Intel PSG automotive-grade part numbers for AEC-Q100 qualified FPGAs).
