EP1C4F324C7 - 4000 Logic Cells Cyclone FPGA, 324-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP1C4F324C7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $78.4 | $78.40 |
| 10 | $70.2 | $702.00 |
| 100 | $60.55 | $6,055.00 |
| 500 | $52.1 | $26,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $46.8 | $46,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C4F324C7 — 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:
EP1C4F324C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$14.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C6N
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$24.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C6
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$16.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324I7N
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$23.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Type | FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) |
| Series | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements | 4 000 |
| Logic Array Blocks / CLBs | 400 CLBs |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 78 336 |
| Maximum User I/O | 249 |
| Package | 324-FBGA, 19 × 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch, lead-free |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Internal Frequency (max, family ref) | 405 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0 °C to +85 °C) inferred from speed grade C7 |
| Configuration Modes | Passive Serial (PS), Active Serial (AS), JTAG |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Process Technology | CMOS, 130 nm-class (Cyclone generation) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free FBGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020, typical for BGA-324) |
EP1C4F324C7 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin F6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin G7 | VCCINT — 1.5 V core supply |
| Pin H8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin J9 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 reference voltage |
| Pin K10 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin L11 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M12 | I/O — User I/O (bank 5) |
| Pin N13 | I/O — User I/O (bank 5) |
| Pin P14 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin R15 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin T16 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active-low) |
| Pin U17 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active-low) |
| Pin V18 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done (active-high) |
| Pin W19 | DCLK — Configuration clock input |
| Pin Y20 | DATA0 — Configuration data input |
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
EP1C4F324C7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control & Glue Logic, Video & Image Processing Front-End, Communication Protocol Bridging, Low-Density DSP Coprocessor, Prototype ASIC Emulation, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Control & Glue Logic
The EP1C4F324C7 fits industrial control and glue-logic boards where mid-density programmable logic, abundant I/O, and long-life-cycle component support are required. The 4 000 LE / 78 336-bit / 249-I/O combination is well matched to motor-control signal conditioning, multi-protocol bridging, and FPGA-as-I/O-expander roles. With its 1.5 V core, FBGA-324 footprint, and 405 MHz internal reference frequency, the part replaces dozens of 74-series logic packages, simplifying BOM and improving reliability. Decoupling, 1.5 V LDO sequencing, and JTAG access must be planned, but the device is mature and well documented in the Cyclone Device Handbook. Long-term-supply brokers continue to stock the part, supporting decades-long industrial lifecycles.
Recommended
Video & Image Processing Front-End
The EP1C4F324C7 is suitable for video / image processing front-ends in industrial cameras, machine-vision systems, and surveillance pre-processors. Its parallel fabric and 249 user I/O accept wide camera data buses and drive image sensor pre-processing, color-space conversion, and DMA handoff at the rated internal frequency reference. The 78 336 embedded memory bits provide line buffers and small frame stores without external SRAM, while distributed multiplier blocks support real-time filtering. The FBGA-324 footprint supports dense PCB placement, although designers must follow Intel's BGA fan-out and decoupling guidelines to meet signal-integrity targets.
Recommended
Communication Protocol Bridging
Communication protocol bridging is a strong application for the EP1C4F324C7 because the device can host multiple soft IP cores (PCI, UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet MAC) simultaneously while exposing 249 pins for bus-level fan-out. The 4 000 LE / 78 336-bit fabric holds bridging state machines, FIFOs, and small protocol stacks; embedded RAM simplifies buffer management without external memory. Configuration via JTAG or Active Serial allows in-field bitstream updates, which is critical when bridging evolving industrial protocols. The Cyclone Device Handbook provides reference designs that shorten development time.
Recommended
Low-Density DSP Coprocessor
As a low-density DSP coprocessor, the EP1C4F324C7 accelerates FIR filters, FFT pre-processing, and baseband modulation alongside a host processor. The distributed multiplier blocks on the Cyclone die implement fixed-point MAC operations deterministically, offloading compute-bound tasks from the host CPU. Designers can target a single -7 speed bin for guaranteed internal timing closure and use embedded memory as coefficient / sample stores. Compared with a software DSP, the FPGA approach trades bitstream flexibility for deterministic latency and parallel throughput.
Recommended
Prototype ASIC Emulation
The EP1C4F324C7 remains a popular platform for prototype ASIC emulation, particularly for designs targeting 4 000-gate-class functionality with industrial I/O. Engineers map RTL into the 4 000-LE fabric, use embedded RAM as register file, and exercise real-world I/O at 1.5 V core speeds before committing to mask sets. Quartus II supports incremental compilation and SignalTap logic analyzer, which together shorten bring-up cycles. Once verified, the design can be retargeted to a Cyclone IV (EP4CE-series) device for production without re-architecting RTL.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
Test and measurement instrumentation is a classic Cyclone use case: the EP1C4F324C7 serves as a programmable stimulus generator, custom protocol decoder, or data-acquisition pre-processor. With 249 user I/O and 78 336 embedded memory bits, it captures parallel data streams, performs on-the-fly protocol decode, and timestamps events with deterministic latency. The 1.5 V core is easy to power from common LDO regulators, and the FBGA-324 footprint supports compact front-panel designs. The JTAG interface enables remote bitstream updates in deployed test rigs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C4F324C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C4F324C8N | EP1C4F324C6N | EP1C4F324C6 | EP1C4F324I7N | EP1C4F324C8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 324-FBGA, 19×19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch | 324-FBGA - same | 324-FBGA - same | 324-FBGA - same | 324-FBGA - same | 324-FBGA - same |
| Speed Grade | -7 (commercial, 0 °C to +85 °C) | -8 (commercial, faster) | -6 (commercial, slower) | -6 (commercial, slower) | -7 (industrial, -40 °C to +100 °C) | -8 (commercial, faster) |
| Logic Elements | 4 000 | 4 000 | 4 000 | 4 000 | 4 000 | 4 000 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 78 336 | 78 336 | 78 336 | 78 336 | 78 336 | 78 336 |
| Maximum User I/O | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Internal Reference Frequency | Up to 405 MHz (Cyclone family ref) | Higher (one speed bin faster) | Lower (one speed bin slower) | Lower (one speed bin slower) | Comparable to -7 | Higher (one speed bin faster) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| RoHS Compliance (lead-free ball) | Compliant (lead-free FBGA) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (FBGA RoHS) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (FBGA RoHS) |
Key Differentiators
- Faster -8 speed grade option for higher fMAX on the same die (vs EP1C4F324C6N)
- Industrial temperature range variant on identical die (vs EP1C4F324C8N)
- Symmetric -6 speed grade option for timing margin recovery (vs EP1C4F324C8N)
Design Notes
The EP1C4F324C7 requires a clean 1.5 V core supply (VCCINT) plus per-bank VCCIO rails. Recommended: place a 100 µF bulk cap plus 0.1 µF / 0.01 µF ceramic decoupling within 5 mm of every VCCINT/GND pair. Power sequencing: bring up VCCINT before or simultaneously with VCCIO to avoid I/O latch-up; Intel recommends monotonic ramp with < 100 ms rise time.
FBGA-324 at 1.0 mm pitch requires 4-layer or higher PCB stackup with continuous reference planes under the BGA. Use a microvia / dog-bone fan-out per Intel Cyclone Device Handbook pin tables. Matched-length routing and 50 Ω controlled impedance are required for LVDS and DDR memory interfaces; verify with field-solver post-layout simulation.
Do not program a Cyclone (original) bitstream with newer Quartus Prime versions - Cyclone (130 nm) device support was dropped after Quartus II 13.0sp1. Use Quartus II 13.0sp1 or earlier with the corresponding service pack for synthesis, fitting, and SignalTap logic-analyzer insertion. Pinout mismatches between C6 and C7 grades are non-existent, but timing closure must be re-verified if swapping -6 ↔ -7 ↔ -8 because fMAX differs.
DCLK, DATA0, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE traces must be kept short and free of stubs; add a 1 kΩ pull-up on nCONFIG and a 10 kΩ pull-up on nSTATUS per Intel reference schematics. Place the configuration EEPROM (e.g., EPCS4 / EPCS16) within 50 mm of DCLK/DATA0 to avoid AS-mode signal-integrity issues. Decouple the EEPROM's VCC with a 0.1 µF cap adjacent to the package.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance inferred from lead-free FBGA-324 ball finish (per DigiKey product listing). REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations not present in the verified web data; values set to 'unknown' rather than guessed.
