EP1C6T144C8 - Cyclone FPGA, 5980 LEs, 98 I/O, 144-TQFP | Intel
MPN: EP1C6T144C8 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24.5 | $24.50 |
| 10 | $22.1 | $221.00 |
| 100 | $19.4 | $1,940.00 |
| 500 | $17.2 | $8,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $15.6 | $15,600.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C6T144C8 — 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:
EP1C6T144C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T144C7N
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$18.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T144C7
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$19.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T144C6N
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$18.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T144C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T14417N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6T144C8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements | 5980 |
| Total RAM Bits | 92160 |
| User I/O Count | 98 |
| Number of LABs | 598 |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (TQFP-144) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.5 V to 3.3 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Temperature Grade | C (Commercial) |
| Embedded Multipliers | 20 (18x18-bit) |
| PLLs | 2 |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EP1C6T144C8 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank dependent on VCCIO group) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 3 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 6 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 9 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 11 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 12 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 15 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 18 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 21 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 23 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 24 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 27 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage |
| Pin 28 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 29 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 30 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 33 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 34 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 36 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 37 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 38 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 39 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage |
| Pin 40 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 41 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 42 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 43 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 44 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 45 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 46 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 47 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 48 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 49 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 51 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage |
| Pin 52 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 53 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 54 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 55 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 56 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 57 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 58 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 60 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 61 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 62 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 63 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 66 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 67 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 69 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 71 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 72 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 74 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 75 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 77 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 78 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 80 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 81 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 82 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 83 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 84 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 87 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 89 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 90 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 92 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 93 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 94 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 95 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin 96 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin 97 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin 98 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin 99 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done indicator |
| Pin 100 | DCLK — Configuration clock |
| Pin 101 | DATA0 — Configuration data input |
| Pin 102 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin 103 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin 104 | CLK0 — Primary clock input pin 0 |
| Pin 105 | CLK1 — Secondary clock input pin 1 |
| Pin 106 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 109 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 110 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 111 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 112 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 115 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 117 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 118 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 119 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 120 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 121 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 122 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 123 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 124 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage |
| Pin 125 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 126 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 127 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 128 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 129 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 130 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 131 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 132 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 133 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 134 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 135 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 136 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage |
| Pin 137 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 138 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 139 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 140 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 141 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 142 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 1.5 V |
| Pin 143 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 144 | I/O — User I/O pin |
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
EP1C6T144C8 is suitable for 6 applications: Digital Signal Processing Front-End, Industrial Control and Glue Logic Replacement, Custom Video Processing and Image Pipeline, Embedded Nios II Processor Development Platform, Communication Protocol Bridging, Educational FPGA Development and Prototyping.
Digital Signal Processing Front-End
The EP1C6T144C8 is well suited to digital signal processing front-ends because its 20 embedded 18x18-bit multipliers support up to 20 multiply-accumulate operations per clock cycle, enabling FIR filter and FFT implementations in cost-sensitive designs. The 92160 bits of embedded M4K RAM provide local data buffering for sample streams without external memory access stalls. At 100 MHz internal operation, the device handles audio-bandwidth DSP and modest baseband signal conditioning with deterministic latency through dedicated routing resources. The 144-pin TQFP package exposes 98 user I/Os for parallel ADC/DAC interfacing and JTAG-based real-time debugging.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Glue Logic Replacement
The EP1C6T144C8 consolidates legacy discrete 74-series and PAL/GAL glue logic into a single programmable device, simplifying PCB layout and reducing BOM count for industrial controllers and PLC I/O modules. Its 5980 LEs are sufficient for state machines, encoder/counter chains, and protocol conversion logic on factory automation lines. The 130 nm Cyclone architecture delivers reliable operation across commercial 0 °C to +70 °C ambient, and the TQFP-144 package supports hand-soldered rework on prototype and low-volume industrial assemblies. JTAG-based in-system programmability enables field updates via the standard IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan interface.
Recommended
Custom Video Processing and Image Pipeline
The EP1C6T144C8 functions as a cost-effective video processing pipeline for low-resolution image capture and display applications, supporting pixel-rate processing up to 100 MHz with its embedded multipliers handling chroma interpolation and color-space conversion. The 98 user I/Os accommodate parallel RGB/YUV video buses, sync signals, and SRAM frame-buffer interfaces. Designers can implement de-interlacers, scalers, and on-screen-display overlay generators using Cyclone IP cores within Quartus II. The TQFP-144 footprint is convenient for prototype video cards and HDMI/DisplayPort front-end experiments where BGA soldering is undesirable.
Recommended
Embedded Nios II Processor Development Platform
The EP1C6T144C8 supports the Nios II soft-core embedded processor, enabling designers to instantiate a 32-bit RISC CPU plus peripherals entirely within the FPGA fabric for educational and embedded applications. With 5980 LEs, the device can host a Nios II/f (fast) core alongside custom peripherals and memory-mapped registers for SoC prototyping. The Quartus II tool flow provides ready-made IP cores for UART, timers, PIO, and SDRAM controllers, dramatically reducing time-to-prototype. The 144-TQFP package suits university coursework, training boards, and low-volume embedded product prototypes.
Recommended
Communication Protocol Bridging
The EP1C6T144C8 enables bridging between industrial and embedded communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and custom proprietary buses. Its 5980 LEs easily handle state-machine-based protocol converters with hardware CRC and Manchester encoding for legacy fieldbus and avionics databuses. The two on-chip PLLs allow independent clock-domain generation for each protocol side, and the 98 I/Os provide ample headroom for multiple bus interfaces plus diagnostic LEDs. Designers commonly use Cyclone I parts as protocol bridges in telecom line cards and serial-to-Ethernet gateway modules.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Development and Prototyping
The EP1C6T144C8 is widely used in university curricula and prototyping platforms thanks to its mature Quartus II tool support, abundant reference designs, and the 144-pin TQFP package's hand-solder-friendly footprint. Students learn digital design by implementing CPUs, signal processing, and graphics pipelines on a real FPGA with 5980 LEs. The Cyclone device handbook and Cyclone I reference designs provide lab exercises from simple 7-segment decoders to full Nios II systems. The 130 nm process yields predictable timing closure for first-time learners and rapid design iteration in coursework.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C6T144C8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C6T144C8N | EP1C6T144C7N | EP1C6T144C7 | EP1C6T144C6N | EP1C6T144C6 | EP1C6T14417N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same |
| Logic Elements | 5980 | 5980 | 5980 | 5980 | 5980 | 5980 | 5980 |
| Speed Grade | -8 | -8 | -7 (slower) | -7 (slower) | -6 (slowest) | -6 (slowest) | -7 equivalent |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0 to +70 C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40 to +85 C) |
| Terminal Finish | SnPb (standard) | Pb-free (matte Sn) | Pb-free (matte Sn) | SnPb (standard) | Pb-free (matte Sn) | SnPb (standard) | Pb-free (matte Sn) |
| Embedded RAM | 92160 bits | 92160 bits | 92160 bits | 92160 bits | 92160 bits | 92160 bits | 92160 bits |
| User I/O Count | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Unit Price (approx., as of 2026-09-06) | $24.50 | $26.00 | $21.80 | $20.50 | $18.90 | $17.60 | $32.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free / RoHS-compliant terminal finish with same die (vs EP1C6T144C8N)
- Faster speed grade (-8) for tighter timing closure (vs EP1C6T144C7N)
- Industrial temperature range for harsh environments (vs EP1C6T14417N)
Design Notes
The EP1C6T144C8 requires three separate power rails: VCCINT (1.5 V core), VCCIO (1.5 V to 3.3 V per I/O bank, four banks on the 144-TQFP), and VCCPD (3.3 V for configuration/pre-charge). Estimated: typical static current is around 30-50 mA per VCCINT pin at low toggle rates, rising to 200-400 mA under heavy logic utilization; design a 1.5 V regulator rated for at least 1 A with bulk + ceramic decoupling (220 uF electrolytic + 0.1 uF X7R per VCC pin). All VCCIO pins must be powered even if a bank is unused, or the device may fail to enter user mode. Use a power-on-reset supervisor to sequence VCCINT before VCCIO/VCCPD and to drive nCONFIG high only after all rails are stable.
Place all 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors as close as physically possible to each VCCINT and VCCIO pin, with the GND return loop kept short and on an unbroken ground plane. For 144-pin TQFP, use a 4-layer PCB with dedicated VCC and GND planes to minimize inductance; vias-in-pad are acceptable for decoupling but not for signal I/O. Estimated: keep FPGA-clock traces under 50 mm and surround high-speed clock/dedicated clock pins with a continuous ground pour to reduce EMI. Provide a configuration device footprint (EPCS1/EPCS4 serial flash) with the MSEL pins strapped for AS configuration mode, and ensure JTAG header (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI/nCONFIG/nSTATUS/CONF_DONE) is brought out for in-system programming and debug.
Do not leave MSEL pins floating - they must be tied to VCCPD or GND to select a specific configuration mode (AS, AP, PS, JTAG). Misconfigured MSEL is the most common reason a Cyclone device fails to enter user mode after power-up. Also avoid driving JTAG signals with external drivers during configuration - the EPCS flash and JTAG share DCLK and DATA pins; only one source should drive the bus at a time. The nCONFIG pin must be held low at power-up and released only after all supplies are stable; otherwise the device may enter an undefined configuration state. For multi-bank designs, ensure each bank has its VCCIO driven to the voltage matching the I/O standard used (LVCMOS33 needs 3.3 V, LVCMOS18 needs 1.8 V, LVCMOS15 needs 1.5 V).
Compliance Information
EP1C6T144C8 itself uses SnPb (leaded) terminal finish; the EP1C6T144C8N variant is Pb-free per JEDEC J-STD-609. RoHS/REACH compliance status was not explicitly stated in the verified distributor data; set to unknown per data authenticity rules. Cyclone FPGAs are general-purpose commercial-grade ICs and are not AEC-Q100 qualified (not applicable).
