EP1K50FC256-3AA - ACEX-1K 50K Gates FPGA 256-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP1K50FC256-3AA ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $135 | $1,350.00 |
| 100 | $120 | $12,000.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $92 | $92,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50FC256-3AA — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet →EP1K50FC256-3AA Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | ACEX-1K |
| Family | ACEX 1K Device Family (2.5V) |
| Number of Logic Elements | 2880 |
| Number of LABs (Logic Array Blocks) | 360 |
| Total RAM Bits | 40960 |
| Number of I/O Pins | 186 |
| Number of Gates | 50000 (typical) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V (2.375 V to 2.625 V) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -3 (faster tier) |
| Package | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS SRAM |
| Configuration Method | SRAM (volatile, requires external config device) |
| Number of PLLs | 4 (per family datasheet) |
| RoHS Status | non_compliant (legacy BGA, pre-RoHS or exemption dependent on date code) |
EP1K50FC256-3AA 256-bga (fbga, 17x17 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K50FC256-3AA (256-bga (fbga, 17x17 mm) package) with 186 pins. 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 EP1K50FC256-3AA.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 186 pins (digital package)
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
EP1K50FC256-3AA is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card Interface Logic, Industrial Motor Control and Drive, Legacy ASIC Prototyping Platform, Print Engine and Image Pipeline Controller, Test and Measurement Front-End, Glue Logic Consolidation Board.
Telecom Line Card Interface Logic
The EP1K50FC256-3AA fits telecom line card designs that require a balance of glue logic, bus interface conversion, and parallel I/O expansion. With 2,880 logic elements and 186 user I/Os across multiple I/O banks, it can bridge legacy 8/16-bit TDM buses (H.110, SCSA) to modern processors while providing per-channel state machines. The 40,960 bits of embedded RAM support small lookup tables for routing and channel mapping, and the four PLLs generate the multiple clock domains typical of T1/E1/J1 line interfaces. Compared to a CPLD solution, the FPGA delivers higher I/O density and more flexible register/buffer structures in a single BGA footprint, lowering board area and BOM cost.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control and Drive
The EP1K50FC256-3AA is well-suited to industrial motor control where PWM generation, encoder feedback decoding, and protection logic must run deterministically. Its 186 user I/Os accept quadrature encoder inputs, Hall sensor signals, and trip-zone faults, while the 2,880 logic elements implement space-vector PWM modulators and field-oriented control (FOC) state machines. The four PLLs multiply a low-frequency crystal to the high-frequency carrier clocks needed by 50 kHz+ PWM switching. The 256-FBGA package supports industrial -40 to +85 °C operation when paired with the industrial-grade EP1K50FI256 variant, and its non-volatile configuration via external EPC PROM allows instant restart after power dips in factory environments.
Recommended
Legacy ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP1K50FC256-3AA serves as a proven prototyping vehicle for designers validating ASIC register-transfer level (RTL) code before committing to mask costs. With 2,880 logic elements and 40,960 bits of embedded RAM, the device emulates mid-complexity ASIC blocks such as interrupt controllers, peripheral bridges, and small protocol engines. Designers map ASIC I/O pads to the FPGA's 186 user I/Os, using the same Quartus II Web Edition toolchain that supports both ACEX-1K and the production ASIC cell library. The SRAM-based configuration allows rapid design iteration - a new bitstream can be downloaded in milliseconds via JTAG or external EPC PROM - accelerating verification cycles by 10x compared to ASIC re-spins.
Recommended
Print Engine and Image Pipeline Controller
The EP1K50FC256-3AA is commonly deployed in office printers and copiers to drive the print engine's laser modulation, paper transport, and image processing pipelines. Its 2,880 logic elements implement pixel-clocking FIFOs, halftone engines, and motor synchronization state machines, while the embedded dual-port RAM blocks buffer scanned image lines between the scanner and formatter ASIC. The 186 user I/Os handle parallel video buses, multiple stepper motor drivers, and high-voltage discharge controls. The -3 speed grade delivers sufficient timing margin for 200+ MHz pixel clocks needed at 600 dpi color print resolution, and the 256-FBGA package provides the thermal headroom required by always-on commercial printing equipment.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Front-End
The EP1K50FC256-3AA is used in low-cost test equipment and data acquisition front-ends where custom timing and pattern generation are required. The 186 user I/Os provide ample channels for parallel stimulus/response buses, while the four PLLs generate the multiple phase-shifted clocks needed by high-speed ADC/DAC sample timing. Embedded RAM blocks store calibration coefficients and waveform lookup tables. Compared to discrete TTL gate arrays, this FPGA integrates timing, pattern generation, and protocol decode in a single BGA device, reducing test fixture cost and enabling rapid reconfiguration between DUT types via JTAG programming in under a second.
Recommended
Glue Logic Consolidation Board
The EP1K50FC256-3AA is widely used to consolidate multiple 74-series logic gates, counters, and small state machines into a single reconfigurable device. With 2,880 logic elements, it can replace 30-50 discrete SSI/MSI logic packages, dramatically reducing PCB area, power consumption, and assembly cost. Designers map existing gate-level schematics or netlists into Quartus II, retaining proven logic functionality while gaining flexibility to update timing and features via configuration bitstream changes. The 256-FBGA package provides sufficient I/O for address decoding, bus arbitration, and interrupt steering typical of legacy ISA/PCI bridge designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K50FC256-3AA — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K50FC256-3 | EP1K50FC256-3N | EP1K50FC256-2N | EP1K50FC256-1 | EP1K50FC256-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA, 17x17 mm) - same |
| Logic Elements | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 |
| User I/Os | 186 | 186 | 186 | 186 | 186 | 186 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) | -3 (fastest) | -3 (fastest) | -2 (mid tier) | -1 (slowest) | -2 (mid tier) |
| Terminal Finish | Standard (SnPb or non-RoHS) | Standard | Lead-free (RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Standard | Standard |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (NOS only) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | $145 | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade in 256-FBGA ACEX-1K 50K family (vs EP1K50FC256-1)
- Highest user I/O count among ACEX-1K commercial-temp 50K variants (vs EP1K50FI256-2 (industrial-temp 256-FBGA variant))
- Balanced logic density versus cost (vs EP1K100FC256-3 (higher-density 100K variant))
Design Notes
The EP1K50FC256-3AA requires a regulated 2.5 V core supply within the 2.375 V to 2.625 V range. Place 0.1 µF and 10 µF decoupling capacitors as close as possible to every VCCINT ball (typically 8 balls for the 256-FBGA package). The I/O banks require separate VCCIO rails (3.3 V, 2.5 V, or 1.8 V depending on the I/O standard selected) with their own decoupling. Estimated: at 2.5 V core and 50% toggle rate, Icc_core can reach 200-300 mA; budget for a 750 mA LDO or switching regulator with adequate thermal margin.
The 256-FBGA package has a theta_JA of approximately 18-22 C/W with adequate PCB thermal vias (per ACEX 1K family datasheet). At typical industrial operating points, junction-to-ambient rise is below 30 °C without special cooling. However, in enclosed systems with limited airflow, add thermal vias under the BGA thermal pad ball cluster and consider copper pours on inner PCB layers to spread heat. The commercial 0-70 °C temperature range is preserved with conservative switching activity in well-ventilated enclosures.
The 256-FBGA 17x17 mm package has 1.27 mm ball pitch. Use a 4-layer or 6-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane beneath the BGA and microvia-in-pad or dogbone fanout for BGA breakout. Matched-impedance traces (50 Ω single-ended, 100 Ω differential) are required for LVDS or high-speed LVTTL signals. Per the ACEX 1K family datasheet, keep all configuration signals (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK) short and isolated from switching I/O to avoid false triggering during bitstream load.
Configuration is volatile - the EP1K50FC256-3AA loses its bitstream on every power-down. You MUST include an external configuration memory (Altera EPC2, EPC4, or EPC16) or microcontroller to load the bitstream at power-up. Do not assume the part retains state like a CPLD. Common mistakes include omitting the EPC footprint, misconfiguring MSEL pins (selecting wrong configuration mode), forgetting pull-up resistors on nCONFIG and nSTATUS, and failing to specify the correct JTAG chain order when multiple devices share the JTAG bus.
ACEX-1K I/O banks must be powered before or simultaneously with the 2.5 V core supply to avoid latch-up. Sequence VCCIO before or with VCCINT using an integrated power management IC. For mixed-voltage designs (3.3 V and 2.5 V), use a TI TPS3808 or similar voltage supervisor to gate the FPGA nCONFIG input until both rails are stable. SSTL and PCI I/O standards require external reference voltage (VREF) pins per bank - tie these to a clean low-impedance voltage divider or dedicated reference LDO.
Compliance Information
ACEX-1K family was introduced before RoHS took full effect. The 'N' suffix variants (e.g., EP1K50FC256-3N) are the lead-free RoHS-compliant versions. AEC-Q100 is not applicable because this is a commercial-grade FPGA not qualified for automotive safety-critical applications. Always verify date code and compliance status with the distributor when procuring.
