EP1C6F256I7 - Cyclone FPGA, 5980 LE, 185 I/O, 256-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP1C6F256I7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $41.93 | $41.93 |
| 10 | $38.5 | $385.00 |
| 100 | $32.1 | $3,210.00 |
| 500 | $27.45 | $13,725.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.8 | $23,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C6F256I7 — 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:
EP1C6F256I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$27.94 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C12F256I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$47.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C12F256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$15.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256I7
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1C6F256I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 5,980 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 598 |
| Total RAM Bits | 92,160 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 20 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Maximum User I/O | 185 |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Package | 256-ball FBGA (F256) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Speed Grade | -7 |
| Configuration Mode | AS / PS / JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Depends on specific order code; verify per lot |
EP1C6F256I7 256-ball fbga (f256) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C6F256I7 (256-ball fbga (f256) 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 EP1C6F256I7.
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
EP1C6F256I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Glue Logic, Motor Control Co-Processor, Custom Video / Display Bridge, Low-Cost Hardware Accelerator Card, Test & Measurement Front-End, Communications Protocol Converter.
Industrial Control Glue Logic
The EP1C6F256I7's 5,980 logic elements and 185 user I/Os provide ample headroom for industrial glue logic that bridges legacy and modern interfaces. The 256-FBGA package's 185 I/Os comfortably accommodate typical 32-bit parallel bus expansions plus dedicated SPI, I2C, and UART pins. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) ensures reliable operation in factory-floor enclosures. Two PLLs synthesize clocks for both the system logic and isolated sensor sampling channels.
Recommended
Motor Control Co-Processor
The EP1C6F256I7's 20 embedded 18x18 multipliers and two PLLs are ideal for motor control algorithms such as Field-Oriented Control (FOC) and Space Vector PWM. The fabric executes current-loop calculations at the required 10-20 kHz switching rate while offloading position/speed estimation from the host MCU. Industrial temperature grade and 185 I/Os support encoder, Hall-sensor, and PWM-channel interfaces simultaneously.
Recommended
Custom Video / Display Bridge
The EP1C6F256I7 can bridge between RGB parallel camera inputs, BT.656/601 video streams, and LVDS display outputs using its embedded multipliers for chroma resampling and 2D scaling operations. Two PLLs synthesize pixel clocks independently from the system reference. The 256-FBGA package's 185 I/Os accommodate 24-bit RGB plus control and sync signals without external bus multiplexing.
Recommended
Low-Cost Hardware Accelerator Card
Engineers building custom PCIe, USB, or Ethernet-attached accelerator cards often pair the EP1C6F256I7 with a host CPU to offload specific algorithms - CRC32, Reed-Solomon FEC, AES, or custom DSP - that benefit from FPGA parallelism. The 92 Kbits of embedded RAM suffices for small FIFOs and lookup tables; larger datasets stream from host memory via DMA. Industrial temperature grade suits server-room or rugged edge deployment.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Front-End
The EP1C6F256I7 serves as a flexible pattern generator, capture buffer, or protocol exerciser in custom test equipment. Its 185 I/Os handle multi-channel digital acquisition or stimulus, while the embedded multipliers accelerate FFT or correlation functions for signal-integrity analysis. Industrial temperature grade and the rugged 256-FBGA package make it suitable for production ATE fixtures operating in varied environmental conditions.
Recommended
Communications Protocol Converter
The EP1C6F256I7 is widely used as a multi-protocol converter - bridging UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, LIN, and custom serial buses between heterogeneous MCUs or ASICs. Its flexible I/O banks support 3.3V LVCMOS alongside 5V-tolerant inputs (with proper bus-keeper configuration), enabling direct interface to legacy industrial nodes. The 5,980 LE budget accommodates state-machine-based protocol stacks with timing margins.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C6F256I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C6F256I7N | EP1C6F256C8N | EP1C6F256C7N | EP1C12F256I7N | EP2C8F256I7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-ball FBGA | 256-ball FBGA (same) | 256-ball FBGA (same) | 256-ball FBGA (same) | 256-ball FBGA (same) | 256-ball FBGA (same) |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 | 12,060 | 8,256 | |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -8 | -7 | -7 | |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 92,160 | 92,160 | 239,616 | 165,888 | ||
| PLLs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 20 | 20 | 52 | 36 | ||
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Depends on order code | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | |
| Process Node | 130 nm | 130 nm | 90 nm | |||
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND (Cyclone II series) |
Key Differentiators
- Pb-free / RoHS drop-in option within same family (vs EP1C6F256I7N)
- Doubling logic density in same package (vs EP1C12F256I7N)
- Cyclone II upgrade path with reduced power (vs EP2C8F256I7)
- Same-family commercial-temperature option (vs EP1C6F256C8N)
Design Notes
The 256-ball FBGA package has 1.0 mm ball pitch and requires 4-6 layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad technology for reliable assembly. Recommended land pad diameter is 0.4-0.45 mm with NSMD (Non-Solder Mask Defined) pads. X-ray inspection is mandatory after reflow since BGAs cannot be visually inspected from above. Allocate at least 4 decoupling capacitors (100 nF, 10 nF, 100 uF bulk) within 5 mm of each power pin group, following the Altera Cyclone Hardware Reference manual decoupling recommendations for the F256 package.
Configuration failure is the most common Cyclone bring-up issue. Verify MSEL[2..0] pins are pulled to the correct levels for your chosen mode (AS=000, PS=001, JTAG=101) before power-up. For AS mode, ensure nSTATUS and CONF_DONE lines have 10 kohm pull-ups to VCCIO (3.3V) and the EPCS device's nCS pin is connected to the FPGA's dedicated nCSO pin. Use JTAG mode first to validate the bitstream loads before integrating AS configuration in production firmware.
At typical utilization of 60-70% logic and 100 MHz system clock, the EP1C6F256I7 dissipates approximately 0.6-1.2 W. Without airflow on a 4-layer JEDEC EIA/JESD51 test board, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) is around 18-22 C/W, yielding junction temperature rise of 11-26 C above ambient. For sealed industrial enclosures, derate by 30-40% and ensure at least 200 LFM airflow. Industrial-grade silicon is rated to 100C case temperature - verify with on-die thermal diode if available.
Single-ended I/O on the EP1C6F256I7 supports LVTTL/LVCMOS up to 3.3V with slew-rate and strength control via Quartus II pin assignments. For LVDS inputs/outputs, the device requires a 100-ohm differential termination near the receiver. Series damping resistors (22-33 ohm) on high-speed edge-rate signals (>100 MHz) reduce overshoot on long PCB traces. Use the Quartus II Timing Analyzer with board trace models for closure on DDR or source-synchronous interfaces.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance of EP1C6F256I7 depends on order code suffix: 'N' variants (e.g., EP1C6F256I7N) are Pb-free/RoHS compliant, while the base EP1C6F256I7 part number may contain lead-bearing BGA balls. Verify with distributor material declaration. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA, not automotive-qualified discrete). Conflict minerals compliance should be requested from distributor for new production orders.
