EP1K50FC484-1 - 50K Gate ACEX-1K FPGA, 484-FBGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1K50FC484-1 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $42.5 | $42.50 |
| 10 | $38.95 | $389.50 |
| 100 | $34.1 | $3,410.00 |
| 500 | $29.75 | $14,875.00 |
| 1,000 | $26.4 | $26,400.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50FC484-1 — 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:
EP1K50FC484-2N
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View Datasheet →EP1K50FC484-3N
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View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-1
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View Datasheet →EP1K100FC484-1N
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View Datasheet →EP1K100FI484-2
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View Datasheet →EP1K50FC484-1 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ACEX-1K |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 2,880 |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 10 (each 4,096 bits) |
| Total Embedded Memory | 40,960 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 360 |
| Maximum User I/O | 249 |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) |
| Nominal Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 2.5 V |
| Core Voltage Range | 2.375 V to 2.625 V |
| Process Technology | 0.22 um CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -1 |
| Configuration Method | Serial / Parallel / JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1K50FC484-1 484-ball fineline bga (fbga-484) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K50FC484-1 (484-ball fineline bga (fbga-484) package) with 48 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 EP1K50FC484-1.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 48 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
EP1K50FC484-1 is suitable for 7 applications: PCI Bus Interface Bridge, Industrial Machine Controller, Telecommunications Backplane Controller, DSP Pre-Processing Coprocessor, Legacy Avionics Display Driver, Medical Imaging Interface, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
PCI Bus Interface Bridge
The EP1K50FC484-1 is well suited for PCI 32-bit/33 MHz bus bridging in industrial backplanes and legacy add-in cards. With 249 user I/Os available on the 484-FBGA, the device can dedicate a full bank to 3.3V PCI-compliant I/O while still leaving pins for secondary buses such as ISA, Local Bus, or I2C. The 10 embedded array blocks (40,960 bits total) provide ample dual-port RAM for PCI target/master data buffers, command FIFOs, and scatter-gather tables without external SRAM. The -1 speed grade supports 33 MHz PCI comfortably; designers targeting 66 MHz should select -2 or -3. ACEX-1K's bidirectional I/O pins also simplify the tri-state bus arbitration required for PCI bus mastering.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Controller
For industrial machine and motion controllers, the EP1K50FC484-1 offers the deterministic I/O count, embedded memory for fast lookup tables, and 2.5V core that suits 24V-tolerant designs with level shifters. The 249 I/Os are sufficient to drive multiple stepper/servo channels, encoder inputs, and safety interlocks simultaneously. The 10 EABs enable precise motion profiles with on-chip sine/cosine tables and PID coefficient storage. Industrial designers value the ACEX-1K family for its mature Quartus II toolchain, abundant reference designs, and known long-term behavior in factory environments. The commercial 0C-70C temperature grade suits most cabinet-internal deployments; -I industrial variants exist for harsher environments.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Controller
In telecom backplane applications, the EP1K50FC484-1 acts as a glue-logic aggregator between line cards, switch fabrics, and management controllers. Its 2,880 logic elements handle serial-to-parallel conversion, frame synchronization, and HDLC-like protocols, while the 40,960 bits of embedded RAM buffer packets between backplane domains. The 249 I/Os support LVTTL/LVCMOS/GTL+ signaling standards commonly used in 3.3V backplane designs. Engineers appreciate the device's deterministic timing and the ability to instantiate multiple UART, SPI, and I2C cores in parallel without external peripherals. The NRND status of ACEX-1K means telecom OEMs are migrating to Cyclone IV/V but still maintain EP1K50FC484-1-based designs in field-deployed systems.
Recommended
DSP Pre-Processing Coprocessor
The EP1K50FC484-1 serves as a pre-processing coprocessor in moderate-density DSP systems such as baseband processing, audio mixing, or video line-store buffering. Each of the 10 EABs can be configured as a 32x12 or 64x6 ROM storing sine tables, filter coefficients, or Huffman codes, while LEs implement the arithmetic datapath. Although ACEX-1K lacks dedicated DSP blocks (those arrived in Cyclone II and later), the 250 MHz internal toggle rate supports real-time FIR filtering at moderate sample rates. The 484-FBGA package's generous I/O count enables wide parallel buses to external DSP or ADC/DAC devices, making the part a useful pre-DSP pipeline element.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics Display Driver
The EP1K50FC484-1 is used in legacy avionics display controllers where its robust FPGA architecture, mature qualification history, and predictable timing matter more than absolute gate count. The device drives multiple LCD or LED matrix displays, aggregates avionics bus data (ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553 bridges), and provides overlay/alpha-blending functions. The 249 I/Os support parallel RGB interfaces to flight-deck displays plus dedicated discrete I/O for cockpit switches. Avionics integrators appreciate the deterministic behavior of SRAM-based ACEX-1K compared to more complex flash FPGAs. New programs should consider radiation-tolerant parts, but the EP1K50FC484-1 remains in legacy DO-178 contexts.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Interface
In medical imaging systems such as ultrasound front-ends, endoscopy controllers, and patient monitors, the EP1K50FC484-1 functions as a flexible I/O aggregator between image sensors, ADCs, and a host DSP/SoC. The 10 EABs (40,960 bits) implement line buffers for pixel-rate data flow, while LEs handle LVDS deserialization and protocol conversion. The 249 user I/Os support wide parallel sensor buses plus USB/UART/Ethernet glue. The 2.5V core voltage suits low-power medical carts, and the commercial temperature range suits indoor clinical environments. Designers benefit from Quartus II's medical-design reference flows and the FPGA's deterministic latency for real-time imaging.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
For bench instruments, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and lab-grade data acquisition systems, the EP1K50FC484-1 provides the I/O flexibility and on-chip memory to capture, store, and forward test data. Designers configure EABs as deep FIFOs between high-speed ADC inputs and a host processor's parallel bus, while LEs implement trigger logic and pattern matching. The 249 I/Os allow simultaneous connection to multiple test points, status LEDs, and front-panel controls. ACEX-1K's mature toolchain and abundant reference designs make it a common choice for in-house test fixtures and custom lab gear that doesn't need the latest FPGA silicon.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K50FC484-1 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K50FC484-2N | EP1K50FC484-3N | EP1K100FC484-1 | EP1K100FC484-1N | EP1K100FI484-2 | EP1K100FC484-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-484) - same |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 | 4,992 |
| Embedded Memory | 40,960 bits | 40,960 bits | 40,960 bits | 49,152 bits | 49,152 bits | 49,152 bits | 49,152 bits |
| Speed Grade | -1 | -2 (faster) | -3 (fastest) | -1 | -1 | -2 | -2 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) | -40 C to 85 C (industrial) | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) |
| Max User I/O | 249 | 249 | 249 | 333 | 333 | 333 | 333 |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) |
Key Differentiators
- Faster speed grade drop-in upgrade available (vs EP1K50FC484-1N vs EP1K50FC484-2N)
- Density upgrade path on same footprint (vs EP1K50FC484-1 vs EP1K100FC484-1)
- Mature Quartus II toolchain with abundant reference designs (vs EP1K50FC484-1 vs newer Cyclone FPGAs)
Design Notes
The EP1K50FC484-1 requires separate VCCINT (2.5V) and VCCIO (3.3V or 2.5V depending on I/O standard) planes. Per the ACEX-1K datasheet, decouple each VCCINT pin with 0.1 uF ceramic plus a single 10 uF bulk capacitor per supply plane. During configuration, current draw is higher; ensure the regulator has at least 500 mA headroom for inrush. Add a power-on reset supervisor (e.g., MAX811) to hold nCONFIG low until both rails are stable.
The 484-ball FineLine BGA requires a 6-layer or 8-layer PCB with microvia stack-ups (via-in-pad recommended for inner rows). Per Altera's BGA package guidelines, escape the outer 2 rows with fanout vias and use a continuous ground plane beneath the package for thermal dissipation and signal return. Matched-length traces are required for clocks (CLK0-CLK3) within 50 mils. Do not route signals through the package keepout area; reserve the entire footprint for BGA balls only.
ACEX-1K devices are SRAM-based and reconfigure on every power-up. Per the datasheet, configure via serial (EPC1, EPC2) for low-pin-count boards, or parallel (EPC16) for fast multi-image boot. Tie MSEL0/MSEL1/MSEL2 correctly for the chosen mode; floating pins cause configuration failure. For JTAG programming, pull TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO per IEEE 1149.1 and provide a JTAG header on the PCB for boundary-scan testing.
On the 484-FBGA, LVDS and GTL+ signaling requires impedance-controlled traces (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential). Per the ACEX-1K datasheet, assign GTL+ I/Os to banks with VCCIO = 2.5V and reference voltage VTT = 1.0V; LVTTL/LVCMOS I/Os use VCCIO = 3.3V. Avoid routing clock signals over plane splits. Add series termination resistors (22-33 ohm) on high-speed outputs exceeding 50 MHz to dampen reflections.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP1K50FC484-1 include: (1) forgetting the nCONFIG pull-up (10 kohm to VCCIO) which prevents configuration start, (2) leaving JTAG TCK floating during normal operation causing intermittent boundary-scan failures, (3) mixing VCCIO voltages across banks without level-shifters causing permanent damage, and (4) assuming the -1 grade meets 66 MHz PCI timing - only -2 and -3 grades support 66 MHz PCI reliably.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera/Intel product page. ACEX-1K devices are NRND; halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified data. AEC-Q100 not applicable - not an automotive-grade part.
