EP1C6XXA - Cyclone FPGA 5980 LEs | Intel | Embedded
MPN: EP1C6XXA ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.2 | $162.00 |
| 100 | $13.95 | $1,395.00 |
| 500 | $12.1 | $6,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.85 | $10,850.00 |
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View Datasheet →EP1C6XXA Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Series | Cyclone (EP1C6 family) |
| Logic Elements | 5,980 |
| Total RAM Bits | 92,160 |
| Number of Logic Elements/Cells | 5,980 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | 3 (168 Hours) |
| Configuration Memory | SRAM-based (requires external configuration device) |
| Number of PLLs | 2 (Cyclone family feature) |
| Supported I/O Standards | LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, PCI (per Cyclone family) |
EP1C6XXA bga (cyclone-family bga, exact pin count [data_needed: bga pin count]) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C6XXA (bga (cyclone-family bga, exact pin count [data_needed: bga pin count]) 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.
![bga (cyclone-family bga, exact pin count [data_needed: bga pin count]) package pinout diagram for EP1C6XXA](/assets/package-diagrams/default.svg?v=1788622528)
No detailed pinout data available for EP1C6XXA.
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
EP1C6XXA is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control and PLC Logic, Digital Signal Processing Front-End, Motor Control and Encoder Decoding, ASIC/SoC Prototyping Platform, Legacy Bridge and I/O Expansion, Video Processing and Display Pipelines, Communications and Networking Glue Logic.
Industrial Control and PLC Logic
The EP1C6XXA fits industrial-control applications where 5,980 logic elements and 92 Kbits of block RAM deliver sufficient capacity for I/O expansion, glue logic, and protocol conversion in PLC and PAC systems. The Cyclone fabric provides programmable state machines, encoder/decoder logic, and PWM generation that drive motor-control loops at microsecond rates. Its SRAM-based configuration allows field firmware updates without board rework, and the I/O banks support LVTTL and LVCMOS levels common in 3.3 V and 5 V industrial backplanes. Designers typically pair it with an EPCS serial flash and external SRAM/SDRAM for data-logger and HMI bridge designs.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing Front-End
The EP1C6XXA suits low-cost DSP front-ends such as audio sample-rate conversion, video de-interlacing, and software-defined-radio baseband preprocessing. The Cyclone architecture provides dedicated 18x18 multipliers and block RAM that implement FIR filters, FFT engines, and DCT/IDCT cores without exhausting general logic. With 5,980 LEs, designers can fit a 64-tap FIR plus interface logic, while 92 Kbits of block RAM hold coefficient tables and ping-pong sample buffers. The two on-chip PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for ADC/DAC interfacing and parallel data capture.
Recommended
Motor Control and Encoder Decoding
The EP1C6XXA enables precise motor-control subsystems including quadrature-encoder decoding, PWM generation, and field-oriented-control (FOC) loops for brushless DC and stepper drives. Its hardware multipliers accelerate Clarke/Park transforms, while the 5,980 logic elements implement the state machines, PID loops, and protection logic required for safe commutation. The 92 Kbits of block RAM store encoder tables and lookup data, and the LVCMOS/LVTTL I/O directly interfaces with Hall sensors, opto-couplers, and gate-driver ICs at 3.3 V or 5 V logic. JTAG configuration simplifies in-system firmware updates during motor-tuning cycles.
Recommended
ASIC/SoC Prototyping Platform
The EP1C6XXA is widely used as a hardware-prototyping platform for ASIC and SoC designs in the pre-silicon validation phase. With 5,980 logic elements, designers can map RTL blocks, integrate bus-fabric models, and validate firmware against the actual logic without committing to fabrication. Block RAM and dedicated multipliers accelerate prototype bring-up, while the JTAG-based configuration supports rapid design-iteration cycles. The Cyclone architecture is also Quartus-II-compatible, allowing students and engineers to learn FPGA design at low cost before migrating to Cyclone IV/V or Arria-class devices.
Recommended
Legacy Bridge and I/O Expansion
The EP1C6XXA bridges legacy parallel buses (PCI, ISA, VME) to modern serial interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C) in industrial retrofit designs. Its 5,980 LEs and LVTTL/LVCMOS/PCI I/O standards provide direct electrical compatibility with both legacy 5 V and modern 3.3 V peripherals. The two PLLs synthesize independent clock domains for bus and serial sides, while the 92 Kbits of block RAM buffer FIFO data between asynchronous domains. Maintenance engineers frequently deploy the EP1C6XXA in board-repair situations to replace discontinued ASICs while preserving the original PCB layout.
Recommended
Video Processing and Display Pipelines
The EP1C6XXA handles low-resolution video pipelines such as NTSC/PAL decoding, VGA/DVI generation, and LCD-timing controller functions. Its block RAM stores line buffers and color LUTs, while the 5,980 logic elements implement scaling, color-space conversion, and overlay-blending logic at typical video pixel rates (25-150 MHz). The two PLLs generate pixel clocks from a low-frequency reference, and the LVCMOS I/O directly drives flat-panel connectors and HDMI bridge chips at 3.3 V logic. Designers also use it for KVM-style signal-extension and projector-calibration applications.
Recommended
Communications and Networking Glue Logic
The EP1C6XXA implements glue logic in communications equipment such as TDM crossbar switches, Ethernet-MAC adapters, and protocol converters between SPI/I2C/UART buses. Its 5,980 LEs fit packet-header parsers, FIFO controllers, and CRC engines while the two PLLs generate PHY-side clocks. The 92 Kbits of block RAM provide deep FIFOs that decouple asynchronous network domains. Cyclone's PCI-compliant I/O is particularly useful for legacy PCI-based networking cards and industrial Ethernet bridges where migration to newer FPGA families requires redesign.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C6XXA — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C6T144 | EP1C6TC144-8 | EP1C6T144C8 | EP1C6F256I7N | EP1C6F256C7N | EP1C6Q240C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | BGA (Cyclone-family BGA) | TQFP-144 | TQFP-144 | TQFP-144 | FBGA-256 | FBGA-256 | PQFP-240 |
| Logic Elements | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 | 5,980 |
| Total RAM Bits | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 |
| Series / Family | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 | Cyclone EP1C6 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount | Surface Mount | Surface Mount | Surface Mount | Surface Mount | Surface Mount | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | [DATA_NEEDED] | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C |
| Packaging | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) | 3 (168 Hours) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Drop-in compatibility across the EP1C6 Cyclone family (vs EP1C6T144 (TQFP-144 variant))
- SRAM-based configuration enables field firmware updates (vs Antifuse FPGA competitors)
- Cyclone family integrates block RAM and DSP multipliers (vs Pure-logic PLD alternatives)
- PCI-compliant I/O simplifies legacy board integration (vs Non-PCI Cyclone variants)
Design Notes
The Cyclone EP1C6XXA requires separate VCCINT (core 1.5 V typical), VCCIO (I/O bank voltage - 3.3 V / 2.5 V / 1.8 V), VCCA_PLL (PLL analog 1.5 V), and VCCD_PLL (PLL digital 1.5 V) rails. Decoupling per Intel Altera reference designs requires 100 nF ceramic caps on every VCC pin, plus bulk 33-100 uF tantalum or polymer caps per rail. Use a sequenced power supervisor to ensure VCCIO never exceeds VCCINT by more than 3.6 V during ramp-up; failure to sequence the rails risks latch-up. Estimated: at typical 5,980 LEs utilization, the EP1C6 core draws ~50-150 mA from VCCINT depending on toggle rate.
Configure the FPGA via a dedicated EPCS1/EPCS4 serial flash on the AS (Active Serial) chain, with a 4.7 kohm pull-up on nCONFIG and nSTATUS and a 1 kohm pull-down on nCE. Reserve the JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) for programming/debug and provide a 10-pin or 20-pin JTAG header. Keep the FPGA configuration bank I/O voltage compatible with the EPCS flash (typically 3.3 V VCCIO for bank 8). Failure to include the JTAG header prevents in-system debugging via Quartus Programmer.
Cyclone EP1C6 FPGAs are specified for commercial 0C to +85C or industrial -40C to +100C operation. At full LE utilization with sustained ~100 MHz clock activity, internal die power can reach 0.5-1.0 W. Surface-mount BGA packages dissipate adequately via the PCB; however, the part should not be used above the junction temperature spec, and thermal vias under the BGA thermal pad are required for forced-air convection. Estimated: at 0.8 W dissipation and theta_JA of ~30 C/W (typical BGA), junction rises ~24C above ambient.
The MSL 3 (168-hour) classification means the EP1C6XXA must be reflow-soldered within 168 hours of opening the moisture-barrier bag. If exposure exceeds 168 hours, bake the parts at 125C for 24 hours per JEDEC J-STD-033 before assembly. Do not mix I/O standards in the same VCCIO bank without verifying bank compatibility - LVTTL and SSTL can coexist at 3.3 V, but mixing 5 V PCI with 1.8 V LVCMOS in the same bank will damage I/O cells. Use Quartus II Pin Planner to validate bank assignments before Gerber export.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free status not present in the verified distributor snippets; these must be verified against the manufacturer datasheet before production. AEC-Q100 is not applicable because the EP1C6XXA is a programmable logic device, not a dedicated automotive-grade IC.
