EP1K50QC208-2N - ACEX-1K 50K-Gate FPGA, 208-PQFP | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1K50QC208-2N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $48.5 | $48.50 |
| 10 | $42.75 | $427.50 |
| 100 | $36.9 | $3,690.00 |
| 500 | $31.25 | $15,625.00 |
| 1,000 | $27.8 | $27,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50QC208-2N — 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:
EP1K50QC208-2
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$20.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50QC208-1N
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View Datasheet →EP1K50QC208-1
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$11.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50QI208-2N
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$8.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50QI208-2
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$17.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30QC208-2N
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$22.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100QC208-2N
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$16.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50QC208-2N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | ACEX-1K |
| Family | ACEX 1K |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 360 |
| Embedded Memory (EAB SRAM) | 40 kbit |
| User I/Os | 147 |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 200 MHz |
| Pin-to-Pin Delay (LE) | 0.4 ns (per data sheet snippet) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), Serial (PS/AS) |
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (BFQFP) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (Gull-Wing) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (Commercial) |
EP1K50QC208-2N 208-pin pqfp (bfqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K50QC208-2N (208-pin pqfp (bfqfp) 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 EP1K50QC208-2N.
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
EP1K50QC208-2N is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control and Factory Automation, Telecom Line Cards and Bridging Equipment, ASIC Prototyping and Pre-Silicon Validation, Legacy Digital Signal Processing Pipelines, Glue Logic Replacement in 5 V-Tolerant Systems, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Avionics and Aerospace Legacy Systems.
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
The EP1K50QC208-2N fits industrial control applications because its 2,880 logic elements and 360 LABs provide sufficient density to implement multi-channel PID controllers, motor-state machines, and PLC glue logic in a single chip. The 147 user I/Os interface directly to industrial sensors, opto-isolated 24 V inputs, and stepper/servo drivers without external bus expanders, while the 2.5 V core and 200 MHz toggle support deterministic scan-cycle timing for real-time control loops. Designers value the PQFP-208 package for hand-repair-friendly prototyping on legacy factory-floor equipment.
Recommended
Telecom Line Cards and Bridging Equipment
Legacy telecom line cards used the EP1K50QC208-2N for T1/E1 framers, HDLC controllers, and low-density packet-classification logic. The 40 kbit of embedded SRAM inside the EABs buffers per-channel data without external FIFOs, while 147 I/Os accommodate parallel bus interfaces to framer ASICs and backplane connectors. The 200 MHz toggle rate supports 155 Mbps Utopia-level processing, and the JTAG interface allows in-system firmware updates during field maintenance of installed telecom infrastructure.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Pre-Silicon Validation
Engineers historically adopted the EP1K50QC208-2N as an ASIC prototyping vehicle because the 2,880 logic elements and 360 LABs map cleanly to mid-density ASIC gate counts up to ~50K gates. The 40 kbit embedded SRAM emulates on-chip ASIC memories, while the JTAG-based configuration flow allows rapid bitstream iteration during pre-silicon validation. The PQFP-208 footprint is breadboard-friendly, and the 200 MHz performance headroom emulates ASIC timing budgets in the 50-100 MHz range typical of mid-1990s ASICs.
Recommended
Legacy Digital Signal Processing Pipelines
The EP1K50QC208-2N served in digital signal processing pipelines such as software-defined radio front-ends, video de-interlacers, and audio sample-rate converters. The 360 LABs combined with 40 kbit of distributed EAB memory enable efficient FIR filter implementation using distributed arithmetic, while the 200 MHz toggle supports multi-MHz sample rates. The 147 user I/Os interface to parallel ADC/DAC converters, and the Quartus II DSP Builder toolchain accelerates MAC-based filter synthesis on this family.
Recommended
Glue Logic Replacement in 5 V-Tolerant Systems
The EP1K50QC208-2N replaced discrete 74-series and PAL/GAL glue logic on legacy 5 V-tolerant motherboards, backplanes, and test equipment. Designers consolidated 20-30 discrete SSI/MSI packages into one FPGA, freeing PCB real estate and reducing BOM cost. The 147 user I/Os comfortably absorbed wide bus and chip-select networks, and the JTAG ISP flow allowed board-level reconfiguration to fix logic bugs without respinning the PCB - a major productivity win in 1990s-era industrial designs.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP1K50QC208-2N was widely used in test and measurement equipment such as logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, and bench-top arbitrary waveform generators. The 50K-gate density supports pattern-generator state machines with deep sequencing, while the 40 kbit embedded SRAM holds stimulus vectors and capture buffers. The 200 MHz toggle and 0.4 ns LE delay enable 200 MHz pattern generation with deterministic timing, and the 147 I/Os connect to multi-channel probe pods without external multiplexing.
Recommended
Avionics and Aerospace Legacy Systems
Although not the latest radiation-hardened part, the EP1K50QC208-2N served in non-flight-critical avionics subsystems such as cabin-management controllers, in-flight entertainment muxes, and ground-test rigs. The industrial-temperature sibling EP1K50QI208-2N extends the operating range to -40 °C to 100 °C required for avionics bays, while the -2N commercial variant handles benign ground-test environments. Designers appreciate the PQFP-208 for robust through-hole-style reworkability on maintenance-bench hardware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K50QC208-2N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K50QC208-2 | EP1K50QC208-1N | EP1K50QC208-1 | EP1K50QI208-2N | EP1K50QI208-2 | EP1K30QC208-2N | EP1K100QC208-2N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | PQFP-208 (BFQFP) | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same |
| Speed Grade | -2 (0.4 ns LE delay) | -2 | -1 (~0.5 ns) | -1 (~0.5 ns) | -2 | -2 | -2 | -2 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0 to 85 °C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40 to 100 °C) | Industrial | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lead Finish | Lead-free (N suffix) | SnPb (no N) | Lead-free | SnPb | Lead-free | SnPb | Lead-free | Lead-free |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | ~1,728 (30K family) | ~4,992 (100K family) |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 100,000 |
| Embedded SRAM (EAB) | 40 kbit | 40 kbit | 40 kbit | 40 kbit | 40 kbit | 40 kbit | 24 kbit | 48 kbit |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 200 MHz (slower LE delay) | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 200 MHz |
| User I/Os | 147 | 147 | 147 | 147 | 147 | 147 | 147 | 147 |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free BOM variant (N suffix) (vs EP1K50QC208-2 (SnPb))
- Industrial temperature range support (vs EP1K50QI208-2N)
- Higher gate density migration path (vs EP1K100QC208-2N)
Design Notes
The EP1K50QC208-2N core requires a clean 2.5 V supply; place a 100 µF tantalum bulk capacitor and a 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VCCINT pin pair. Estimated: with 2,880 LEs toggling at 50 MHz, the device draws approximately 0.3-0.5 A from VCCINT - budget the regulator for at least 1 A to handle in-rush during configuration. Add a 10 µF bulk capacitor on each VCCIO bank if multiple I/O standards are mixed.
The PQFP-208 package has long internal bond wires (~5 mm lead length) that introduce ~5-10 nH of series inductance - this can cause VCC ringing during simultaneous switching of output buffers. Decouple VCCIO with at least one 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor per output bank placed within 3 mm of the package pin, and avoid routing more than 8 simultaneous-switching outputs per bank.
Estimated: at full utilization (2,880 LEs at 50 MHz, 50 % toggle) the device dissipates roughly 1-1.5 W; the PQFP-208 has θJA ≈ 35 °C/W, yielding a junction rise of 35-50 °C above ambient. For commercial 0-85 °C designs this is comfortable, but industrial (-40 to 100 °C) variants like EP1K50QI208-2N require at least 10 cm² of copper pour on inner layers and 4-layer PCB construction to stay within thermal envelope.
Route all four dedicated clock input pins (CLK0-CLK3) using controlled-impedance 50 Ω microstrip with matched lengths to within ±50 mils to preserve duty cycle and minimize clock skew across LABs. Keep configuration pins (MSEL0, MSEL1, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) away from switching I/O to avoid noise-induced configuration failures; place the JTAG TMS/TCK/TDO/TDI chain in a star topology if multiple devices share the bus.
PQFP-208 packages do not provide an exposed thermal pad or internal ground plane; use a stitched ground pour on the top layer directly under the device body, with vias placed every 5 mm around the package perimeter. For clock signals >100 MHz, use 3-W rule spacing (3× trace-to-trace) on the breakout region to avoid crosstalk into adjacent I/O pins during LVTTL or LVCMOS-3.3 V operation.
Compliance Information
The 'N' suffix historically indicates lead-free finish per Altera legacy ordering convention, but RoHS/REACH compliance for this specific lot must be confirmed with the distributor's certificate of conformance (CoC). AEC-Q100 is not applicable to FPGAs of this generation. Conflict-mineral reporting status not available in the provided data.
