EP1C4F324I7 - Cyclone FPGA 4K LE 324-FBGA Industrial | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1C4F324I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $42.5 | $42.50 |
| 10 | $38.2 | $382.00 |
| 100 | $34.1 | $3,410.00 |
| 500 | $30.55 | $15,275.00 |
| 1,000 | $27.8 | $27,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C4F324I7 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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EP1C4F324C8N
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C8L
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C7N
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C6N
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F324C7
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F324I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone |
| Family | Cyclone I |
| Logic Elements | 4,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 400 |
| Total RAM Bits | 78,336 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 17 |
| User I/O Pins | 249 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.5 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 3.3 V |
| Internal Clock Frequency (max) | 405 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 324-FBGA (FineLine BGA), 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Mode | AS / PS / JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Lead Free (per datasheet marking) |
EP1C4F324I7 324-fbga (fineline bga), 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C4F324I7 (324-fbga (fineline bga), 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch package) with 249 pins. 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 EP1C4F324I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 249 pins (digital package)
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
EP1C4F324I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and PLC Logic, Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic and Protocol Bridging, Low-Cost Video Processing and Display Controllers, PCI Target / Add-in Card Designs, Educational FPGA Development and Prototyping, Automotive Infotainment Prototyping.
Industrial Motor Control and PLC Logic
The EP1C4F324I7 fits industrial PLC and motor-drive front-end logic because of its 4,000 logic elements, 17 hardware 18x18 multipliers for field-oriented control (FOC) math, and industrial -40C to +85C rating. The 249 user I/O pins accept 24 V opto-isolated feedback signals through external level shifters, while the 405 MHz PLL clock drives encoder sampling at 80 MHz with 12.5 ns resolution. Two PLLs allow independent clock synthesis for the control loop and a separate EtherCAT or RS-485 management interface, simplifying board partitioning. The 130 nm 1.5 V core draws roughly 200 mW at typical utilization, manageable without a heatsink in a sealed IP65 enclosure.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic and Protocol Bridging
Telecom line cards use the EP1C4F324I7 to bridge TDM/E1 streams to packet backplanes and to fan out control signals to framer ASICs. The 78 Kbits of M4K RAM buffers small protocol frames without external SRAM, while 249 I/O pins expose ample LVTTL/LVCMOS connections to multiple PHY devices. LVDS support up to 567 Mbps enables direct interconnect to serializer/deserializer chips without external transceivers. The 1.5 V core and 130 nm process give stable thermal behavior in 1U/3U line cards where airflow is constrained, and the JTAG port allows in-system firmware updates during carrier deployment.
Recommended
Low-Cost Video Processing and Display Controllers
The EP1C4F324I7 is widely used in low-cost video format converters, LCD timing controllers, and surveillance DVR front-ends. Its 4,000 logic elements handle VGA-to-DVI timing conversion, basic de-interlacing, and on-screen display overlay, while the 17 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate 3x3 video scaling kernels in real time at 60 fps. The 249 I/O pins expose 24-bit RGB plus control signals to drive QVGA/WVGA panels directly. DDR SDRAM support through the dedicated DQS pins enables frame-buffer memory up to 64 MB, large enough for 800x600 at 16 bpp. Industrial temperature grade ensures reliable operation in outdoor kiosks and digital signage.
Recommended
PCI Target / Add-in Card Designs
The EP1C4F324I7 supports 3.3 V PCI-compliant I/O directly through its I/O banks, making it a popular choice for legacy PCI target cards in industrial PCs and test equipment. The 4,000 logic elements implement PCI target state machines, custom register maps, and modest DMA logic without external logic. The 324-FBGA package exposes all 249 user I/O pins plus dedicated JTAG, allowing PCI bus plus local bus plus interrupt logic on a single device. Configuration via JTAG supports in-system firmware updates in deployed field units, and the industrial temperature rating covers factory floor installations.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Development and Prototyping
University digital-design labs and engineering prototyping environments rely on the EP1C4F324I7 because it offers enough logic (4,000 LE) for full RISC-V soft cores, SDRAM controllers, and VGA generation at very low unit cost. The 324-FBGA package is easy to fan out on a 4-layer development board, and the 130 nm 1.5 V core runs cool at typical student workloads. The Quartus II Web Edition (free) supports the Cyclone I family, giving students professional-grade synthesis, place-and-route, and SignalTap logic analysis without license fees. Industrial temperature grade is overkill for classroom use but harmless and provides headroom for senior project prototypes.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Prototyping
Automotive Tier-1 suppliers use the EP1C4F324I7 for prototyping infotainment head-unit controllers, CAN-to-Ethernet gateways, and rear-seat entertainment systems before committing to AEC-Q100 qualified parts. The 17 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate audio codec operations, while 249 I/O pins support multiple CAN bus interfaces, MOST network connections, and RGB display outputs. LVDS support enables direct connection to automotive LCD panels without external bridge chips. The industrial -40C to +85C rating covers cabin environments; engine-bay applications require AEC-Q100 qualified variants such as the Cyclone IV E automotive grade, but for lab and pre-production prototypes the EP1C4F324I7 is a cost-effective choice.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C4F324I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C4F324C8N | EP1C4F324C8L | EP1C4F324C7N | EP1C4F324C6N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 324-FBGA, 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch | 324-FBGA, 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 324-FBGA, 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 324-FBGA, 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 324-FBGA, 19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch - same |
| Logic Elements | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 78,336 | 78,336 | 78,336 | 78,336 | 78,336 |
| User I/O Pins | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 | 249 |
| Speed Grade | I7 (industrial) | C8 (commercial, higher Fmax) | C8 (commercial, lead-free) | C7 (commercial) | C6 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C |
| 18x18 Hardware Multipliers | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade at the same price tier (vs EP1C4F324C8N)
- Highest-speed commercial grade for performance-critical designs (vs EP1C4F324C6N)
- Mid-density Cyclone I sweet spot with maximum I/O count (vs EP1C3T144I7N)
Design Notes
The EP1C4F324I7 requires a clean 1.5 V ±5% core supply on VCCINT and a separate filtered 1.5 V rail on each VCCA_PLL pin (4 pins total) to prevent PLL jitter. Use a ferrite bead or pi-filter between the digital 1.5 V and PLL analog 1.5 V. I/O banks can run at 3.3 V, 2.5 V, 1.8 V, or 1.5 V independently, but unused banks should still be powered to a valid VCCIO to avoid floating inputs causing I/O leakage. A typical design with 50% LE utilization draws around 200-300 mA from VCCINT.
The 324-FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch in a 22x22 grid with depopulated corners. Use a 4-layer PCB stack-up with continuous GND plane under the device and at least 4 vias per GND ball to a solid ground pour for thermal dissipation. All JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) should be pulled up to VCCIO of the configuration bank through 10 kohm resistors. Place the EPCS configuration flash within 25 mm of the FPGA DATA0/DCLK/nCS pins and route the AS configuration traces with 50 ohm characteristic impedance.
Do not leave any VCCINT ball floating; the device will not configure reliably with even a single missing core supply. Avoid mixing 5 V input signals directly into LVCMOS 3.3 V I/O - use external resistor dividers or level shifters, as the absolute maximum input voltage on a 3.3 V I/O is 4.0 V. When using the LVDS I/O, match trace lengths within 150 mils and maintain 100 ohm differential impedance. Always re-run TimeQuest timing analysis after changing speed grade, because I7 and C8 have different timing margins even on the same RTL.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera/Intel material declaration. Industrial temperature grade but NOT AEC-Q100 qualified; for AEC-Q100 automotive applications use the equivalent part from the automotive-grade Cyclone family. REACH SVHC compliance maintained through standard Intel product stewardship program.
