EP1K100FC484-3 - 100K Gates ACEX-1K FPGA | Altera | 484-FBGA
MPN: EP1K100FC484-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $78.5 | $78.50 |
| 10 | $72 | $720.00 |
| 100 | $64.5 | $6,450.00 |
| 500 | $58 | $29,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $52.5 | $52,500.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K100FC484-3 — 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:
EP1K100FC484-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$33.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-1N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-3F
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1K100FC484-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ACEX-1K |
| Logic Elements | 4,992 |
| System Gates | 100,000 |
| Maximum Equivalent Gates | 257,000 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 49,152 bits |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 12 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 624 |
| Maximum User I/O | 333 |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V |
| MultiVolt I/O Support | 2.5V / 3.3V / 5V |
| Process Technology | 0.18 µm CMOS |
| Package | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, serial or parallel |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1K100FC484-3 484-ball fineline bga (fc484) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K100FC484-3 (484-ball fineline bga (fc484) 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 EP1K100FC484-3.
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
EP1K100FC484-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Cards, Industrial Control and Factory Automation, ASIC Prototyping and Logic Replacement, Legacy Military and Avionics Interfaces, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Consumer Electronics Glue Logic and Bridging.
Telecommunications Line Cards
The EP1K100FC484-3 fits telecom line-card designs where 100K gates of programmable logic handle channelized framing, HDLC/PPP processing, and TDM bus multiplexing. Its 12 EABs provide 49 Kbits of dual-port RAM for buffer descriptors and small FIFOs between serial framers and a host CPU, while 333 user I/Os route the wide parallel backplane and TDM data buses. Compared to an ASIC, the ACEX-1K allows last-minute protocol changes (e.g., E1/T1 vs DS3) without re-spinning silicon. Design trade-off: the 2.5V core adds level-shifters for modern 1.8V framers, but MultiVolt I/O simplifies legacy 5V interface bridging.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
In industrial PLCs and motor-control boards, the EP1K100FC484-3 is used for glue logic, encoder decoding, PWM generation, and high-speed sensor fusion. The 4,992 LEs handle state machines and protocol stacks (Modbus, PROFIBUS, EtherCAT) while the EABs store lookup tables for sensor linearization and field-weakening curves. The 484-FBGA package offers the thermal headroom needed for factory-floor ambient temperatures up to 85C, though designers should verify the device's industrial temperature grade. Trade-off: SRAM-based configuration requires a watchdog to detect bitstream corruption in high-EMI environments.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Logic Replacement
Engineers use the EP1K100FC484-3 as a fast-turnaround prototype for ASIC designs up to ~100K gates, allowing firmware and validation teams to work in parallel with mask preparation. The SameFrame migration path means a single PCB footprint supports multiple ACEX-1K density points, so the EP1K100 can be swapped for a smaller EP1K10 or EP1K30 during bring-up. The 200 MHz internal performance (speed grade -3) handles most glue-logic and bus-interface emulation scenarios. Trade-off: the BGA package complicates hand-rework and rework cost must be factored into prototype budgets.
Recommended
Legacy Military and Avionics Interfaces
The EP1K100FC484-3 historically appeared in defense and avionics subsystems where Mil-Std-1553, ARINC 429, or custom parallel backplane interfaces needed programmable glue logic. The 333 user I/Os accommodate multi-channel serial buses, while the embedded RAM implements protocol lookup tables and error counters. Although obsolete for new defense designs, the part remains supported in long-lifecycle sustainment programs where design re-validation cost outweighs component obsolescence. Designers should plan for last-time-buy acquisition and qualified-hold inventory.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench-top instruments such as protocol analyzers, logic-state sequencers, and custom pattern generators use the EP1K100FC484-3 for pattern storage, timing generation, and bus capture. The 12 EABs implement deep capture FIFOs between the high-speed sampling front-end and the slower host processor, while 333 I/Os drive front-panel displays, parallel buses, and trigger logic. The -3 speed grade provides margin for 100+ MHz internal event timing. Trade-off: the 0.18 µm CMOS process consumes more power than modern 28/40 nm FPGAs, so thermal design must account for the 484-FBGA junction-to-ambient thermal resistance.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Glue Logic and Bridging
The EP1K100FC484-3 is well suited to consumer-electronics products requiring custom video processing, format conversion, or multi-standard bridging where ASIC NRE costs are unjustified. The MultiVolt I/O bank architecture allows the FPGA to bridge 5V legacy buses, 3.3V media processors, and 2.5V DDR memory interfaces on a single device. Embedded RAM blocks store line buffers and deinterlacing tables for video scaling applications. Trade-off: the obsolete lifecycle status means consumer designs should plan a migration path to Cyclone IV or Cyclone 10 LP before the part enters shortage.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K100FC484-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K100FC484-2N | EP1K100FC484-2 | EP1K100FC484-1N | EP1K100FC484-1 | EP1K100FC484-3N | EP1K100FC484-3F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same | 484-Ball FineLine BGA (FC484) - same |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) | -2 | -2 | -1 | -1 | -3 | -3 |
| System Gates | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Logic Elements | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 |
| Maximum User I/O | 333 | 333 | 333 | 333 | 333 | 333 | 333 |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant (Pb-free) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density ACEX-1K family member (vs EP1K30FC256 (lower-density sibling))
- SameFrame pin-compatible across speed grades (vs EP1K100FC484-2N)
- MultiVolt I/O bank architecture (vs Earlier Altera FLEX 10K family)
Design Notes
The EP1K100FC484-3 requires four separate power rails: VCCINT (2.5V core), VCCIO (2.5V/3.3V/5V per bank), VCC_PLL (2.5V analog for PLLs), and VCC_CONFIG (2.5V for configuration logic). Decouple each rail with 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each power pin, plus 10 µF bulk capacitors on each supply. Estimated: at 100% logic utilization the VCCINT rail draws roughly 200-400 mA depending on toggle rate; use a switching regulator rated for at least 1.5x this current to handle inrush during configuration.
The 484-ball FineLine BGA has a θJA of approximately 12 C/W with a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board. Estimated: at 1W total power dissipation (typical for moderate-density designs) the junction rises ~12°C above ambient. For industrial-temperature designs, keep total power below 1.5W to maintain junction below 100°C at 70°C ambient. Add thermal vias under the central BGA ball grid to improve heat conduction to inner copper planes.
The FC484 FineLine BGA uses 1.00 mm ball pitch, which requires laser-drilled or precision-mechanical-drilled micro-vias on a 4-layer or 6-layer PCB stack-up. Per Altera layout guidelines, route all signal traces on inner layers with micro-via fanouts to outer-layer pads, and provide continuous GND planes on layers 2 and (N-1) for return-path integrity. For high-speed clocks (>100 MHz) use differential pair routing with matched lengths within 50 mils.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP1K100FC484-3 include: (1) forgetting the external configuration PROM (EPC2/EPC8) — SRAM-based FPGAs lose their bitstream on every power-down; (2) mixing VCCIO bank voltages without isolating buses — connecting a 5V output to a 3.3V bank will damage the I/O; (3) using the wrong JTAG pin order on the 10-pin header — Altera uses the .sof program file format, not .jed; (4) ignoring the nCONFIG and nSTATUS pull-up resistors — without these, configuration will fail to start.
For LVDS or HSTL signaling on the EP1K100FC484-3, follow Altera's High-Speed I/O Design Guidelines: route differential pairs with 100 Ω differential impedance and match trace lengths within 20 mils. Add 100 Ω termination resistors near the receiver end. Estimated: at 200 MHz toggle rate, expect ~3-5 ns propagation skew across the BGA ball field; include this margin in timing-constraint setup windows. Use ground-cutout voids sparingly around high-speed signals to avoid impedance discontinuities.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliant per Altera/Intel product records. AEC-Q100 qualification does not apply to commercial/industrial FPGAs. Halogen-free status not stated in available datasheets.
