EP1C4F324C6 - Cyclone FPGA 4K LE 324-BGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1C4F324C6 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $24.95 | $249.50 |
| 100 | $21.2 | $2,120.00 |
| 500 | $18.4 | $9,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $16.75 | $16,750.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C4F324C6 — 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:
EP1C4F324C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$25.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$14.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$23.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F324C6
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1C4F324C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Series | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 4,000 |
| Total RAM Bits | 78,336 |
| Maximum User I/O | 249 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V (bank-dependent) |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 405.2 MHz |
| Package Type | 324-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial, C6 suffix) |
| Configuration Method | Serial / JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1C4F324C6 324-ball fineline bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C4F324C6 (324-ball fineline bga (fbga) 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 EP1C4F324C6.
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
EP1C4F324C6 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and Factory Automation Backplanes, Video Processing and Image-Capture Front-Ends, Telecommunications Line Cards and Protocol Bridging, Consumer Electronics Glue Logic and Custom Interfacing, Legacy Embedded Systems and Microcontroller Co-Processors, Test and Measurement Instrumentation Front-Ends.
Industrial Control and Factory Automation Backplanes
The EP1C4F324C6 fits industrial control backplanes because its 4,000 LEs and 78,336 RAM bits handle glue-logic, motor-control signal conditioning, and protocol bridging (RS-485, CAN, Modbus) at a low unit cost. With 249 user I/O pins in the 324-ball FBGA, it can aggregate parallel sensor arrays and drive multiple isolated buses simultaneously. Cyclone I's deterministic timing and JTAG-based in-field reprogramming simplify factory-floor firmware updates, while the 1.5 V core keeps power dissipation modest for enclosed cabinets. Designers should pair the FPGA with industrial-grade surrounding components and respect the 0C to +85C commercial temperature envelope, migrating to EP1C4F324I7N for harsh environments.
Recommended
Video Processing and Image-Capture Front-Ends
The EP1C4F324C6's wide I/O count and 78,336 bits of embedded RAM make it well suited for video pipeline front-ends that bridge parallel CMOS sensors to back-end processors. Its M4K RAM blocks can buffer scan lines, perform simple pixel manipulation, and handle ITU-R BT.656 timing extraction in real time. The 405 MHz maximum internal frequency supports standard-definition and entry-level HD video rates. Compared with a DSP, the FPGA gives deterministic latency for frame capture, and the 324-ball FBGA exposes enough pins to ingest 16-bit parallel video plus auxiliary control signals. Designers must pay attention to I/O bank VCCIO assignments to keep image-data integrity clean.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line Cards and Protocol Bridging
Telecom line cards frequently use Cyclone I FPGAs like the EP1C4F324C6 for protocol bridging between TDM buses, Ethernet MACs, and backplane fabrics. The two on-chip PLLs generate multiple clock domains needed for E1/T1, I2S, and SPI interfaces simultaneously. With 249 user I/O pins, designers can expose dozens of LVDS or LVTTL channels while keeping board area small. The 130 nm process keeps static current low enough for densely-populated line cards, and the Quartus II toolchain provides pre-built IP for UART, I2C, and SPI cores. Note that telecom OEMs typically require the industrial-temp EP1C4F324I7N rather than the C6 commercial variant.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Glue Logic and Custom Interfacing
The EP1C4F324C6 is widely used in consumer electronics as glue logic between application processors, displays, audio codecs, and peripheral buses. The 4K LE fabric is large enough to implement I2S, SPDIF, I2C, UART, and GPIO-expansion bridges in a single device, replacing dozens of discrete logic ICs and shrinking BOM cost. The 324-ball FBGA's 1.0 mm pitch suits modern consumer-PCBs with controlled-impedance routing. With the commercial 0C to +85C temperature range, the C6 variant is ideal for set-top boxes, A/V receivers, and gaming peripherals. Designers should verify long-term supply before committing new SKUs because Cyclone I is end-of-life at Intel.
Recommended
Legacy Embedded Systems and Microcontroller Co-Processors
Embedded systems often pair a microcontroller with the EP1C4F324C6 to offload timing-critical or parallel tasks such as PWM generation, quadrature decoding, or custom bus protocols. The 4K LE fabric and 78,336 RAM bits give enough headroom for state machines and small FIFOs without consuming the MCU's cycles. The 324-ball FBGA's wide I/O count is valuable when the FPGA must replicate or extend the MCU's peripheral set. Designers gain deterministic hardware timing and a re-programmable platform that survives firmware iterations. Use the JTAG chain to co-debug the MCU and FPGA, and reuse the Quartus II SignalTap logic analyzer for hardware verification.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation Front-Ends
Test and measurement gear relies on the EP1C4F324C6 for high-speed pattern generation, custom timing, and protocol-aware triggering. The two PLLs synthesize precise clock edges needed for TDR, BERT, and arbitrary waveform generation, while the 249 user I/O pins drive or sample many channels in parallel. The 78,336 bits of embedded RAM hold pre-computed stimulus patterns and capture buffers, offloading the host CPU. Compared with an ASIC, the FPGA's in-field reprogramming lets test vendors add new protocols without respinning the board. Keep VCCIO banks separate for analog and digital sections to avoid crosstalk, and use the Quartus II TimeQuest analyzer for setup/hold closure.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C4F324C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C4F324C7N | EP1C4F324C8N | EP1C4F324I7N | EP1C6F324C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 324-ball FBGA | 324-ball FBGA - same | 324-ball FBGA - same | 324-ball FBGA - same | 324-ball FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 4,000 LEs | 4,000 LEs | 4,000 LEs | 4,000 LEs | 6,000 LEs |
| Embedded RAM | 78,336 bits | 78,336 bits | 78,336 bits | 78,336 bits | 92,160 bits |
| User I/O | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 |
| Speed Grade | -6 | -7 (faster) | -8 (fastest) | -7 | -6 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| PLLs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Commercial temperature grade at speed grade -6 (vs EP1C4F324I7N)
- 4K LE Cyclone I fabric in compact 324-ball FBGA (vs EP1C6F324C6)
- Drop-in speed-grade upgrade path on same footprint (vs EP1C4F324C8N)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 1.5 V core with 4,000 LEs active, quiescent VCCINT current is roughly 300-500 mA; VCCIO current depends on switching activity and I/O bank voltage. Provide at least 10uF bulk plus 0.1uF decoupling per VCC/VCCIO pin pair, and place them within 100 mils of the BGA balls. Use a low-noise LDO or switching regulator with output ripple under 30 mVpp on the 1.5 V rail because the 1.5 V core is sensitive to supply noise. For the EP1C4F324C6's commercial-temp C6 suffix, derate VCCINT to 1.425 V minimum at high ambient.
The 324-ball FineLine BGA uses a 1.0 mm pitch and requires 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with microvia or via-in-pad for breakout. Reference the Cyclone I device handbook for escape routing and matched-length pairs. Provide a solid ground plane under the FPGA and stitch vias around the BGA perimeter to suppress simultaneous switching noise on the 249 user I/O balls. Thermal vias under the package improve heat spreading because the C6 commercial variant is rated for 0C to +85C without active cooling.
Do not confuse the EP1C4F324C6 commercial 0C-85C part with the EP1C4F324I7N industrial -40C-100C variant - they share the same ball map but differ in temperature envelope. Always check the last two characters of the suffix before assembly. The 'C' speed grade is -6; faster 'C7' and 'C8' suffixes exist in the same package. For new designs, avoid Cyclone I entirely because it is end-of-life at Intel and migrate to Cyclone IV E or Cyclone 10 LP for long-term supply assurance.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Altera/Intel product page for Cyclone family FPGAs. Not AEC-Q100 qualified because this is a commercial-grade FPGA. Halogen-free and conflict-minerals status not explicitly stated in the provided data.
