EP1C4F400C8NAB - Cyclone FPGA 4000 Cells 301 I/O 400-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP1C4F400C8NAB ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25.8 | $258.00 |
| 100 | $22.4 | $2,240.00 |
| 500 | $19.5 | $9,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $17.2 | $17,200.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C4F400C8NAB — 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:
EP1C4F400C8N
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View Datasheet →EP1C4F400C8NAB Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements | 4000 |
| Total RAM Bits | 78336 |
| User I/O Count | 301 |
| Number of I/O Banks | 8 |
| Package | 400-BGA (FBGA) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 130 nm CMOS |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lead Free / RoHS | Yes (Pb-free, RoHS compliant per NAB suffix) |
| Configuration Interface | Serial/Parallel, JTAG |
| Embedded Multipliers | Yes (DSP blocks) |
| PLL Count | 2 |
EP1C4F400C8NAB 400-bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C4F400C8NAB (400-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 EP1C4F400C8NAB.
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
EP1C4F400C8NAB is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control & Factory Automation, Digital Video Processing Pipeline, Telecommunications Line-Card Interface Bridge, ASIC Prototyping & Pre-Silicon Validation, Motor Control & Encoder Interface, Legacy Custom Bus Bridge.
Industrial Control & Factory Automation
The EP1C4F400C8NAB fits industrial control designs because its 4000 logic elements and 301 user I/O are sufficient for multi-axis motor control, encoder interfacing, and PLC-style ladder-logic replacement while keeping the bill of materials under USD 30. The 1.5 V VCCINT and eight independent VCCIO banks let it interface directly to 24V-tolerant optocouplers via 3.3 V LVTTL, 5 V TTL via level shifters, and RS-485 transceivers at 3.3 V. Compared with a microcontroller, the FPGA handles parallel deterministic loops (PID, encoder quadrature, PWM) without jitter from interrupt latency. The Cyclone Device Handbook application note AN-144 details industrial reference designs that reuse this part. Use a TVS-protected supply and conformal coating for factory-floor reliability.
Recommended
Digital Video Processing Pipeline
The EP1C4F400C8NAB suits entry-level digital video processing such as camera-link input conditioning, color-space conversion, and on-screen-display overlay thanks to its 17 M4K RAM blocks (78,336 bits) that buffer line-scan data and embedded 18 x 18 multipliers that handle real-time pixel arithmetic. Operating from a 1.5 V core and 3.3 V LVCMOS I/O, it can drive DVI/HDMI encoders at pixel clocks up to the silicon's tCO limit documented in the Cyclone datasheet. The 400-ball FBGA keeps board area compact for embedded camera modules. For HD video, designers typically use two EP1C4F400 devices in master/slave configuration or migrate to Cyclone II EP2C20 for higher throughput. Add SDRAM like a 64 MB x 16 for frame buffer memory.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line-Card Interface Bridge
In telecom line cards the EP1C4F400C8NAB is commonly used to bridge legacy TDM/PCM buses (HMVIP, H.110, ST-BUS) to packet backplanes, where its 301 user I/O accommodate parallel PCM highways and the embedded multipliers assist in clock-recovery and line-encoding DSP. The eight I/O banks support mixed-voltage standards (3.3 V LVTTL, 2.5 V LVCMOS, 1.8 V HSTL) needed to mate with legacy framers and modern ASICs without external level shifters. The two PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for TDM-to-Ethernet conversion. Industrial temperature variants of this die meet the NEBS thermal profile used in central-office equipment. Refer to Altera AN-383 for telecom reference designs.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping & Pre-Silicon Validation
Engineers prototyping small ASICs use the EP1C4F400C8NAB to validate RTL before committing to mask tooling, leveraging its 4000 logic elements and 17 M4K RAM blocks to model a mid-complexity SoC block. The 1.5 V VCCINT and JTAG-driven configuration loop let designers iterate synthesis netlists in minutes using Quartus II 13.0sp1, the last release supporting Cyclone I. Compared to ASIC NRE of USD 100K+, the USD 17-30 unit cost makes it ideal for early firmware bring-up. The 400-ball FBGA exposes enough user I/O to map most parallel SoC interfaces. For larger prototypes, stack two EP1C4F400 devices via LVDS point-to-point links.
Recommended
Motor Control & Encoder Interface
The EP1C4F400C8NAB is well suited to multi-axis servo and stepper motor controllers where its 301 user I/O handle quadrature encoder inputs, Hall-effect sensor feedback, and PWM outputs simultaneously for 4-6 axes. The two PLLs generate synchronized switching frequencies for the PWM stages, while embedded 18 x 18 multipliers accelerate Park/Clark transforms used in FOC algorithms. The 1.5 V core and 3.3 V I/O interface directly to external gate drivers and isolated current sensors. Designers can implement SVPWM at 20 kHz switching frequency with deterministic latency unavailable on microcontrollers. Add isolated 24V-to-5V DC-DC converters and TVS diodes for industrial EMC compliance.
Recommended
Legacy Custom Bus Bridge
The EP1C4F400C8NAB is often deployed as a glue-logic bridge between obsolete microcontrollers, ECL/TTL peripherals, and modern processors where its 301 user I/O and eight independent I/O voltage banks absorb the impedance/voltage mismatches. The 17 M4K RAM blocks implement dual-port FIFOs needed for clock-domain crossing between asynchronous bus domains. Operating from 1.5 V VCCINT and 1.5-3.3 V VCCIO, the device adapts between legacy 5 V CMOS peripherals (via external resistors) and modern 1.8 V processors without glue logic. Industrial temperature variants meet defense/aerospace long-lifecycle requirements. Quartus II SOPC Builder supports soft-core Nios II integration for added flexibility.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C4F400C8NAB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C4F400C8N | EP1C4F400C7N | EP1C4F400C8NAA | EP1C4F400C8 | EP1C4F400C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 400-BGA (FBGA) | 400-BGA (FBGA) - same | 400-BGA (FBGA) - same | 400-BGA (FBGA) - same | 400-BGA (FBGA) - same | 400-BGA (FBGA) - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same |
| Logic Elements | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Total RAM Bits | 78336 | 78336 | 78336 | 78336 | 78336 | 78336 |
| User I/O Count | 301 | 301 | 301 | 301 | 301 | 301 |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 8 | 7 (slower) | 8 | 8 | 6 (slowest) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Last-time-buy compliance suffix NAB explicitly Pb-free/RoHS (vs EP1C4F400C8N)
- Same-family speed-grade variants allow timing-bin downgrades (vs EP1C4F400C6)
- Altera Cyclone FBGA ball map is unique to this family (vs EP1C4F324I7N (324-FBGA cousin))
Design Notes
The EP1C4F400C8NAB requires at least six 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors placed within 5 mm of the VCCINT balls and one 10 uF tantalum bulk capacitor on each VCCIO bank. The PLL analog supply (VCCA_PLL) must be filtered with a ferrite bead and 10 uF + 100 nF pi-network as shown in the Cyclone Device Handbook. Core current at 1.5 V can reach several hundred mA at high toggle rates; use a switching regulator with 3% tolerance to avoid VCCINT droop during configuration.
Use a 400-ball FBGA land pattern with 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm pitch (verify from the device package specification) and microvia-in-pad PCB technology for reliable assembly. Route JTAG (TCK, TMS, TDO, TDI) and configuration signals (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK, DATA0) as a 50-ohm impedance-controlled group on the top layer to avoid reflection on the configuration bitstream. Place a ground pour directly under the BGA and stitch the perimeter with 200-mil-spaced vias to suppress simultaneous-switching-output (SSO) noise.
First-generation Cyclone devices are not hot-sockable; ensure power rails are stable before configuration. Do not leave JTAG TCK floating - tie through a 10 kohm pull-down. The CONF_DONE pin is open-drain and requires a 4.7 kohm pull-up to VCCIO of the bank it resides in. Configuration failure modes typically stem from insufficient bulk capacitance or a stretched DCLK; always validate with the Quartus II Programmer's verify-after-program option before releasing the board to production.
Compliance Information
Pb-free and RoHS compliant per NAB suffix designation on the package marking. REACH compliance assumed per Intel PSG product declarations. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial-grade FPGA, not automotive).
