EP1K30TC144-3 - 30K Gate ACEX-1K FPGA, 102 I/O, 144-LQFP | Altera
MPN: EP1K30TC144-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.4 | $164.00 |
| 100 | $14.2 | $1,420.00 |
| 500 | $12.1 | $6,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.8 | $10,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K30TC144-3 — 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:
EP1K30TC144-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30TC144-2
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$18.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30TC144-1N
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$11.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30TC144-2N
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$21.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K10TC144-3
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$11.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30TC144-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | ACEX-1K |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 1,728 |
| Total RAM Bits | 24,576 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 216 |
| Typical Gates | 30,000 |
| Maximum System Gates | 56,000 |
| Number of User I/O | 102 |
| Number of Logic Array Blocks | 216 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 2.5 V |
| I/O Voltage Standard | 2.5 V LVCMOS / LVTTL (MultiVolt up to 5.0 V tolerant) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm SRAM |
| Operating Temperature (Commercial) | 0C to +70C |
| Package | 144-LQFP / 144-TQFP (22x22 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | -3 (slowest speed bin) |
| Configuration Method | Serial configuration device (EPC2/EPC8 compatible) |
| Boundary Scan | IEEE 1149.1 JTAG compliant |
| Number of Global Clocks | 8 |
EP1K30TC144-3 144-lqfp / 144-tqfp (22x22 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K30TC144-3 (144-lqfp / 144-tqfp (22x22 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) 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 EP1K30TC144-3.
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
EP1K30TC144-3 is suitable for 6 applications: PCI / ISA Peripheral Glue Logic, Custom DSP Pre-Processing (Audio / Video), Communication Protocol Controllers (UART / SPI / I2C / HDLC), Industrial Control and Instrumentation Front-End, Legacy System Refresh (74-Series Replacement), Prototype and Education Platform.
PCI / ISA Peripheral Glue Logic
The EP1K30TC144-3 is well suited to PCI/ISA peripheral glue logic where its 1,728 logic elements provide ample headroom for address decoding, bus arbitration, wait-state generation, and interrupt steering. The 102 user I/O across four banks comfortably map to a 32-bit PCI bus plus auxiliary control lines, while the 2.5 V core combined with MultiVolt I/O allows direct interfacing with 3.3 V and 5 V PCI/ISA slots without external level shifters. The 144-LQFP package exposes enough pins to bring out 8 global clocks for synchronized local-bus transfers. Designers should budget the 24,576-bit embedded RAM for transaction FIFOs and configuration-space scratch registers, and ensure the serial configuration device (EPC2/EPC8) is sized to hold the entire Quartus II programming image at every power-up.
Recommended
Custom DSP Pre-Processing (Audio / Video)
In audio and video pre-processing pipelines, the EP1K30TC144-3's dual-port embedded array blocks deliver up to 24,576 bits of on-chip RAM that can be configured as coefficient stores, line buffers, or small FFT working memories. The 200 MHz internal fabric comfortably implements FIR filters, color-space converters, and simple video sync separators at real-time video rates. The 102 user I/O support parallel RGB/YUV buses, I2S/TDM audio links, and GPIO control, while MultiVolt I/O bridges cleanly to 5 V legacy ADCs and DACs. Power dissipation is moderate thanks to the 2.5 V core - typical designs consume under 250 mW. Use Quartus II megafunction wizards (altmult_add, FIR Compiler) to leverage the embedded multipliers efficiently and reserve 4 LABs for synchronization between DSP and host processor.
Recommended
Communication Protocol Controllers (UART / SPI / I2C / HDLC)
The EP1K30TC144-3 can host multiple custom protocol controllers simultaneously - UARTs, SPI masters/slaves, I2C bridges, HDLC framers, and proprietary fieldbus interfaces - all within its 1,728 logic elements. Each Logic Array Block (LAB) holds 8 logic elements and dedicated carry chains ideal for CRC, Manchester, and 8b/10b encoding without consuming embedded RAM. The 102 user I/O comfortably accommodate RS-232/RS-485 transceivers, opto-isolated fieldbus lines, and status LEDs. With the -3 speed grade, UARTs above 1 Mbaud and SPI clocks up to 50 MHz are easily achieved; for higher throughputs switch to the EP1K30TC144-1 or -2 bin. The 144-LQFP's 0.5 mm pitch is convenient for hand-rework on legacy serial-bus adapter cards.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Instrumentation Front-End
For industrial front-ends the EP1K30TC144-3 implements encoder counters, PWM generators, PID control loops, and Modbus/Profibus framing all on one re-programmable device. The 24,576-bit embedded RAM supports circular history buffers for trend logging, while the 102 I/O accept 24 V opto-isolated inputs via simple external resistor dividers. However, the base EP1K30TC144-3 is commercial grade (0C to +70C); for shop-floor deployment select the EP1K30TC144-3N industrial variant (-40C to +85C) which remains pin-compatible. Power sequencing and 24 V transient protection (TVS + RC snubbers on each input) are critical design considerations; decoupling must follow the Quartus II recommendation of one 0.1 µF and one 10 µF per supply pin group.
Recommended
Legacy System Refresh (74-Series Replacement)
The EP1K30TC144-3 is a popular vehicle for refreshing legacy boards that were originally built from dozens of 74-series TTL or small PLD/CPLD packages. A single 144-LQFP ACEX-1K can absorb entire glue-logic clusters - address latches, chip-select decoders, status registers, interrupt controllers - into one re-programmable device, reducing board area and improving testability. The 102 user I/O cover the equivalent of ~25 standard SSI/MSI packages, and the SRAM-based fabric means the same hardware can be re-targeted as requirements evolve. Engineers migrating from discrete logic should budget their Quartus II compile to use 8 global clocks and the 216 LABs efficiently; leaving 20% headroom prevents the design from crowding the device at revision 2.
Recommended
Prototype and Education Platform
The 144-LQFP package of the EP1K30TC144-3 has 0.5 mm pitch leads that are easy to hand-solder on adapter boards and breakout PCBs, making it a favorite in university digital-design laboratories and prototype labs. Students can implement MIPS/ARM cores, RISC-V RV32I, simple VGA controllers, and full SoC designs within the 30 K-gate budget. The mature Quartus II toolchain (free Web Edition) provides schematic capture, Verilog/VHDL synthesis, simulation with ModelSim-Intel FPGA Starter Edition, and on-chip SignalTap logic analyzer support. Pair the device with an EPC2 configuration EEPROM and a 50 MHz crystal for a complete training platform; the 8 global clock pins make distribution trivial across multiple clock domains. Re-programmability means mistakes cost only re-compile time.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K30TC144-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K30TC144-1 | EP1K30TC144-2 | EP1K30TC144-1N | EP1K30TC144-2N | EP1K10TC144-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | 144-LQFP | 144-LQFP (same) | 144-LQFP (same) | 144-LQFP (same) | 144-LQFP (same) | 144-LQFP (same) |
| Speed Grade | -3 (slowest) | -1 (fastest) | -2 (middle) | -1 + industrial temp | -2 + industrial temp | -3 (smaller device) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (commercial) | 0C to +70C (commercial) | 0C to +70C (commercial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | 0C to +70C (commercial) |
| Logic Elements | 1,728 | 1,728 (same) | 1,728 (same) | 1,728 (same) | 1,728 (same) | 576 (-67%) |
| Number of LABs | 216 | 216 (same) | 216 (same) | 216 (same) | 216 (same) | 72 (-67%) |
| User I/O | 102 | 102 (same) | 102 (same) | 102 (same) | 102 (same) | 66 (-35%) |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 24,576 | 24,576 (same) | 24,576 (same) | 24,576 (same) | 24,576 (same) | 12,288 (-50%) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Same die, drop-in speed upgrade within the same 144-LQFP footprint (vs EP1K30TC144-1)
- Industrial temperature grade option in identical 144-LQFP footprint (vs EP1K30TC144-2N)
- Smaller ACEX-1K alternative for cost-sensitive designs (vs EP1K10TC144-3)
Design Notes
The EP1K30TC144-3 requires four supply rails: VCCINT (2.5 V core), VCCIO (per-bank, 2.5 V/3.3 V/5.0 V tolerant), VREF (per bank if using referenced I/O standards) and VCCP (configuration/PLL auxiliary, often tied to VCCINT). Place at least one 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of every VCCINT and VCCIO pin, plus one bulk 10 µF-47 µF tantalum or ceramic capacitor per supply group. Power sequencing is not critical but VCCINT must reach 2.5 V before any I/O driving begins to avoid back-powering the I/O structures. Use a dedicated LDO (e.g., TI TPS79325 or LT1761-2.5) for the core rail rather than a switching converter to keep FPGA jitter low.
Do not forget the configuration device. ACEX-1K FPGAs are volatile and must load their bitstream from an external EPC2, EPC4, or EPC8 serial configuration EEPROM at every power-up. Estimate your programming file size in Quartus II (typical EP1K30 design: 0.4-0.8 Mbits) and size the configuration device accordingly. JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) is supported and useful for both programming and boundary-scan; wire TMS/TCK/TDO/TDI to a 4-pin header for in-circuit programming. If JTAG nCONFIG is held low, the device stays in reset - a common cause of "dead on arrival" boards.
Estimated: At VCCINT = 2.5 V and a 200 MHz internal toggle rate on 100% of logic (worst-case), the EP1K30TC144-3 dissipates approximately 0.5-0.8 W. With the 144-LQFP package having theta_JA of roughly 35-40 C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, junction temperature rise above ambient is 25-30 C. In practice, glue-logic designs toggle far less than 100%, so a small copper pour (>= 1 sq inch) on VCCINT layers is sufficient; no external heatsink is required for commercial-temperature operation. For industrial (-40C to +85C) operation use EP1K30TC144-3N and verify thermal headroom against your real-world toggle rate.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status were not present in the verified web data and are reported as [DATA_NEEDED]; consult the manufacturer datasheet or Intel product compliance documentation. AEC-Q100 is not applicable - this is an FPGA, not an automotive-qualified IC.
