EP1K50FI256-2N - 50K-Gate ACEX-1K FPGA 256-BGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1K50FI256-2N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $29.8 | $2,980.00 |
| 500 | $26.5 | $13,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.9 | $23,900.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50FI256-2N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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EP1K50FI256-2
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View Datasheet →EP1K50FI256-2N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | ACEX-1K |
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 360 |
| Total RAM Bits | 40,960 |
| Number of Gates | 50,000 (typical); 199,000 (maximum) |
| Number of I/O Pins | 186 (maximum) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V (2.375 V to 2.625 V) |
| Operating Frequency (max) | 200 MHz (internal) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA), 17 x 17 mm, 1.8 mm height |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | SRAM - serial/parallel, JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), EPC configuration PROM |
EP1K50FI256-2N 256-ball fineline bga (fbga), 17 x 17 mm, 1.8 mm height Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K50FI256-2N (256-ball fineline bga (fbga), 17 x 17 mm, 1.8 mm height package) with 186 (maximum) 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 EP1K50FI256-2N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 186 (maximum) 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
EP1K50FI256-2N is suitable for 6 applications: Glue Logic Replacement and Bus Bridging, Industrial Control and Factory Automation, Digital Signal Processing Front-End, ASIC Prototyping and Design Validation, Legacy Communication Interface Bridging, Test and Measurement Instrumentation Front-End.
Glue Logic Replacement and Bus Bridging
The EP1K50FI256-2N is well suited to replace discrete 74-series glue logic on legacy industrial boards, consolidating address decoding, chip-select generation, and bus arbitration into a single programmable device. Its 2,880 logic elements, 360 LABs, and 186 I/O pins provide ample capacity for multi-bridge designs (e.g., PCI to local bus, ISA to memory-mapped I/O), while the 2.5 V core with separate VCCIO banks allows direct interfacing to 3.3 V and 5 V peripherals. Compared to a CPLD-only solution, the EP1K50 adds EAB-based dual-port RAM (40,960 bits) for small FIFO buffers, eliminating an external SRAM chip. Place the device on a 4-layer PCB with an unbroken ground plane and use the Altera EPC configuration PROM for PS-mode boot to minimize board area.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
In industrial control cabinets, the EP1K50FI256-2N handles encoder decoding, PWM generation, stepper/digital I/O scanning, and Modbus/Profibus protocol bridging. The 2.5 V core and LVTTL/LVCMOS-compatible I/O support direct connection to 24 V opto-isolated inputs through external level shifters, while 186 user I/O pins provide generous fan-out for multi-axis motion control. The 0.22 µm process and industrial temperature range make the part a robust workhorse for PLC backplanes. Compared to MCU-only solutions, the FPGA's parallel logic execution eliminates instruction-cycle jitter for deterministic control loops. For higher-density industrial designs, migrate to the EP1K100 or to a Cyclone IV/EP4CE part while preserving the 256-FBGA SameFrame footprint.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing Front-End
The EP1K50FI256-2N's EAB-based memory and 200 MHz internal frequency make it a practical DSP front-end for FIR filters, FFT pre-processors, and image-processing pipelines at moderate sample rates. Each EAB can implement a 4-Kbit ROM coefficient table or dual-port RAM data buffer, allowing the 40,960 total RAM bits to be split between data and coefficient memory without consuming general LUT resources. The 2,880 LEs provide enough logic for a 16-tap FIR or an 8-point radix-2 FFT at video-line rates. Use the Quartus II or MAX+PLUS II Megafunction Library for DSP cores; for new designs, migrate to Cyclone IV EP4CE6 or later for native DSP blocks and lower power.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Design Validation
Engineers use the EP1K50FI256-2N as an ASIC prototyping vehicle for mid-complexity ASIC designs (50K-200K gates), taking advantage of its in-system SRAM programmability to iterate RTL quickly without fabrication cost. The 186 I/O pins provide ample off-chip connectivity for emulating ASIC pin-outs, while JTAG-based reconfiguration supports fast design spins. The SameFrame 256-FBGA package allows design teams to swap EP1K30 (smaller), EP1K50 (this part), and EP1K100 (larger) on the same PCB during validation. Compared to ASIC fabrication, ACEX-1K offers a turnaround time measured in minutes. For modern prototyping, migrate to a Cyclone IV or Cyclone V dev kit.
Recommended
Legacy Communication Interface Bridging
The EP1K50FI256-2N excels at bridging legacy telecom and datacom interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, parallel bus, HDLC) to modern processors or backplanes. Its 2,880 LEs and EAB RAM allow multi-channel UART engines, HDLC framer/deframer blocks, and DMA controllers to coexist on a single chip. The 200 MHz internal frequency comfortably supports multi-megabaud serial streams, and the 256-FBGA package fits 1U line-card designs with high I/O fan-out. Compared to ASSP bridges, the FPGA allows field-upgradable protocol stacks. For new designs, Intel recommends migrating to Cyclone IV EP4CE6 or EP4CE10 for active lifecycle support and lower power.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation Front-End
In bench-top test equipment (logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, custom digitizers), the EP1K50FI256-2N provides trigger logic, pattern generation, and time-stamping at low cost. The 40,960 bits of EAB RAM allow sample buffers and lookup-table-based waveform synthesis, while the 186 I/O pins can directly drive LVTTL probe pods. The 200 MHz internal clock supports up to 100 MHz external sample rates in pipelined designs. Compared to dedicated test-ASICs, the FPGA offers reconfigurable test sequences in the field. For higher-speed or higher-density test gear, migrate to Cyclone IV or Cyclone V with transceivers, but preserve the 256-FBGA SameFrame mechanical outline if a mechanical retrofit is desired.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K50FI256-2N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K50FI256-2 | EP1K50FI256-2AA | EP1K100FI256-2N | EP1K100FI256-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (17x17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 256-ball FineLine BGA - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA - same (SameFrame) | 256-ball FineLine BGA - same (SameFrame) |
| Brand | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) |
| Series | ACEX-1K | ACEX-1K | ACEX-1K | ACEX-1K | ACEX-1K |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 | 2,880 (same) | 2,880 (same) | 4,992 (+73%) | 4,992 (+73%) |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 360 | 360 (same) | 360 (same) | 624 (+73%) | 624 (+73%) |
| Total RAM Bits | 40,960 | 40,960 (same) | 40,960 (same) | 49,920 (+22%) | 49,920 (+22%) |
| Maximum User I/O | 186 | 186 (same) | 186 (same) | 186 (same) | 186 (same) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) | 2.5 V (same) |
| Max Internal Frequency | 200 MHz | 200 MHz (same) | 200 MHz (same) | 200 MHz (same) | 200 MHz (same) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- EAB-based embedded memory architecture (vs EP1K100FI256-2N)
- SameFrame pin-compatible upgrade path (vs EP1K30FI256-2N)
- Mid-density 50K-gate sweet spot (vs EP1K100FI256-2N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the EP1K50FI256-2N core draws approximately 100-300 mA from the 2.5 V rail at full toggle activity, with additional VCCIO bank current proportional to I/O switching. Total power dissipation in a typical 50% toggle-rate design is roughly 1-2 W. Use a low-ESR 100 µF bulk capacitor plus 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF ceramic decoupling on each VCC pin. Per the ACEX-1K datasheet, VCCIO must be ramped before or simultaneously with VCCINT; reverse sequencing can trigger high inrush current through the I/O cells. Place a power-OK reset supervisor to hold nCONFIG low until both rails are stable.
Use a 4-layer PCB with a continuous internal ground plane directly beneath the 256-FBGA footprint. The 1.0 mm ball pitch requires laser-drilled microvias or via-in-pad for signal escape; the Altera ACEX-1K hardware reference manual recommends 0.2 mm (8 mil) trace width and 0.2 mm via diameter. Provide at least 8 thermal vias in a 3x3 array under the die-shadow region of the package to conduct heat from the BGA balls to the internal ground plane. Match trace lengths within ±50 mil for clock and global signals; use series damping resistors on high-edge-rate outputs to reduce overshoot on the LVTTL/PCI I/O banks.
Common pitfalls: (1) the EP1K50FI256-2N is SRAM-based, so it loses configuration on power-down - always pair it with an Altera EPC1, EPC2, or EPC16 configuration PROM in PS or JTAG mode; (2) the 256-FBGA FineLine BGA is a SameFrame package shared with the EP1K30 and EP1K100, but the unused I/O pins differ - always refer to the ACEX-1K SameFrame pinout table when migrating densities; (3) MSL3 moisture sensitivity requires pre-bake and reflow profile per J-STD-020 to avoid package cracking; (4) counterfeit parts are common in the secondary market - verify lot/date code against the Altera/Intel traceability database before high-volume production use.
Compliance Information
The 'N' suffix on EP1K50FI256-2N historically indicates a lead-free terminal finish, but full RoHS/REACH compliance status is not available in the verified web data and should be confirmed against the lot-specific CoC. AEC-Q100 is not applicable for FPGAs - the part is not automotive-qualified.
