Altera

EP1K50QI208-2 - ACEX 1K 50K Gates FPGA, 208-PQFP | Altera

MPN: EP1K50QI208-2 ✗ End of Life
In Stock Ships in 1-3 business days
2.5 V Vdss 208-pin PQFP (Power Quad Flat Pack) Package -2 Speed
From $17.2 USD / Unit
MOQ: 1 |
Price updated: 2026-09-06
Volume Pricing
Qty Unit Price Extended
1 $28.5 $28.50
10 $25.2 $252.00
100 $21.8 $2,180.00
500 $19.5 $9,750.00
1,000 $17.2 $17,200.00
ℹ️ All prices are in USD

Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50QI208-2 — 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:

EP1K50QI208-2N

✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证
Intel
📦 208-PQFP
ACEX-1K · 2880 LE · 360 LABs · 147 · 50,000 · 40960 bits (40 Kbit) · 2.5 V · 200 MHz

✓ In Stock

$8.75 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP1K50QC208-2

✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证
Intel
📦 208-PQFP
ACEX-1K · 2880 · 50000 · 360 · 40960 · 147 · 2.5 V · 0.22 µm

✓ In Stock

$20.95 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP1K100QI208-2

✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证
Altera
📦 208-PQFP
ACEX-1K · 4,992 cells · 100,000 · 624 · 49,152 bits · 147 · 250 MHz · 2.5 V

✓ In Stock

$23.9 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP1K100QI208-02

✅ Drop-In
Altera
📦 208-PQFP
ACEX-1K · 4,992 · 100,000 · 624 · 49,152 · 147 · 0.22 µm SRAM · 2.5 V

✓ In Stock

$13.95 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP1K30QI208-2

✅ Drop-In
Altera
📦 208-PQFP
FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array · ACEX-1K · 1,728 · 24,576 · 147 · 30,000 · 2.5 V · 200 MHz

✓ In Stock

Contact for price

View Datasheet →

EP1K50QI208-2 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics

Series ACEX 1K
Manufacturer Altera (Intel)
Typical Gate Count 50,000 gates
Logic Elements (LEs) 2,880
Logic Array Blocks (LABs) 360
Embedded SRAM 40,960 bits
Maximum User I/O Pins 147
Speed Grade -2
Core Voltage 2.5 V
I/O Voltage Support 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V (MultiVolt)
Package Type 208-pin PQFP (Power Quad Flat Pack)
Mounting Type Surface Mount
Process Technology CMOS, SRAM-based configuration
Configuration Method JTAG / serial configuration PROM (EPC2/EPCS)
Operating Temperature -40C to +85C (industrial)

EP1K50QI208-2 208-pin pqfp (power quad flat pack) Pin Configuration Guide

Complete pinout information for EP1K50QI208-2 (208-pin pqfp (power quad flat pack) package) with 147 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.

208-pin pqfp (power quad flat pack) package pinout diagram for EP1K50QI208-2

No detailed pinout data available for EP1K50QI208-2.

Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.

Estimated pin count: 147 pins (digital package)

Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics

Safe Operating Area Chart Default safe operating area chart for EP1K50QI208-2 Drain-to-Source Voltage (Vds) Drain Current (Id)

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

EP1K50QI208-2 is suitable for 6 applications: DSL Modem and CPE Aggregation, Low-Cost Ethernet Switch and Router, PCI Bus Bridge and Glue Logic, Industrial Automation and Control Glue, Custom Peripheral Controller and Legacy Replacement, Test and Measurement Equipment Front-End.

🌐

DSL Modem and CPE Aggregation

The EP1K50QI208-2 is well-suited to DSL modem and customer-premises equipment aggregation where its 2,880 LEs and 40,960 bits of embedded SRAM can implement channel aggregation logic, ATM cell mapping, and UART/HDLC glue logic. Its 147 user I/O pins exposed through the 208-pin PQFP offer ample parallel connectivity to line-driver codecs and PHY transceivers. The industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) and 5 V-tolerant MultiVolt I/O allow direct interfacing with legacy telecom line interfaces. Engineers value the FPGA's 166 MHz internal performance for processing multiple DSL channels concurrently without external microcontrollers, reducing BOM cost and power.

🌐

Low-Cost Ethernet Switch and Router

In low-cost Ethernet switches and SOHO routers, the EP1K50QI208-2 implements MAC-layer bridging, VLAN tagging, QoS prioritization, and SPI/I2C management interfaces between the switch ASIC and PHY transceivers. Its 50K-gate capacity comfortably handles 4-8 port switch glue logic with 802.1Q VLAN tables in on-chip dual-port RAM. The MultiVolt I/O bridges cleanly between 3.3 V Ethernet PHYs and 2.5 V switch ASICs, eliminating level shifters. The 208-pin PQFP package supports high pin-count MAC-to-PHY connections plus status LEDs, JTAG, and configuration PROMs - all in one compact SMD device.

🖥️

PCI Bus Bridge and Glue Logic

The EP1K50QI208-2 serves as a PCI bus bridge and glue-logic hub in industrial PCs and test equipment where it implements custom PCI target devices, bus arbiters, and FIFO interfaces between 33 MHz PCI and legacy 8/16-bit peripheral buses. The 147 user I/Os and 50K-gate capacity handle 32-bit multiplexed PCI address/data plus chip-select and interrupt steering for up to eight downstream peripherals. Its 2.5 V core with 3.3 V PCI-compliant I/O meets PCI 2.2 electrical specifications, while the JTAG-supported ACEX 1K simplifies in-system PCI compliance testing. Many legacy add-in cards still ship with EP1K50-series FPGAs for exactly this use case.

🏭

Industrial Automation and Control Glue

In industrial automation controllers, PLCs, and motor drives, the EP1K50QI208-2 implements custom encoder decoding, PWM generation, EtherCAT / Modbus framing, and inter-IC glue between microcontrollers and DSPs. The industrial temperature rating (-40C to +85C) handles factory-floor thermal stress, while the 5 V-tolerant I/O directly interfaces with 24 V-isolated industrial sensor front-ends after simple resistive dividers. The 360 LABs support wide state machines for safety interlocks, and the embedded dual-port RAM enables ping-pong buffers between ADC/DAC blocks and host processors without external SRAM.

🔧

Custom Peripheral Controller and Legacy Replacement

The EP1K50QI208-2 is frequently used as a form-fit-function replacement for obsolete discrete ASICs and gate-array logic in legacy peripheral controllers (scanners, point-of-sale terminals, medical instruments, telecom line cards). Its SRAM-based configurability allows post-production firmware bug fixes without silicon re-spin, and the JTAG interface supports both production programming and field diagnostics. The 50K-gate density and 360 LABs are sufficient to replace 30-year-old gate-array ASICs while running modern VHDL/Verilog code originally written for those parts. Engineers preserve the original PCB while upgrading the digital logic implementation.

📺

Test and Measurement Equipment Front-End

In oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers, the EP1K50QI208-2 implements custom trigger engines, pattern generators, and protocol-decode state machines with deterministic latency from its synchronous logic fabric. The 166 MHz internal Fmax (speed grade -2) supports real-time processing of high-speed serial protocols like SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN in parallel. Its 147 user I/Os accept direct connections from front-end analog comparators and timing-generator ASICs, while the 40,960 bits of embedded SRAM act as capture buffers between trigger events and host-side read-out. The 208-pin PQFP supports easy rework in low-volume T&M equipment.

What is the operating voltage of the EP1K50QI208-2?
The EP1K50QI208-2 operates from a 2.5 V core supply with MultiVolt I/O supporting 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and 5.0 V interfacing. According to the Altera ACEX 1K datasheet, the device uses separate VCCINT (core) and VCCIO (I/O bank) rails, allowing mixed-voltage bridging between a 2.5 V internal logic core and 3.3 V or 5.0 V peripherals.
How many logic elements and gates does the EP1K50QI208-2 have?
The EP1K50QI208-2 contains 2,880 logic elements (LEs) organized into 360 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), with 40,960 bits of embedded SRAM and a typical gate count of 50,000. Each LE comprises a 4-input LUT, a programmable register, and a dedicated carry chain for fast arithmetic operations.
Where can I buy EP1K50QI208-2 today?
EP1K50QI208-2 can be purchased from authorized distributors including DigiKey, Mouser, Octopart-listed brokers, and XAIPART. As of 2026-09-07, prices for qty-1 start around $28.50 USD, with bulk qty-1000 around $17.20. Note that this part is marked obsolete, so verify stock and date code before committing to long-lead-time orders.
What is the lead time for EP1K50QI208-2?
Lead time for the EP1K50QI208-2 varies because the part is obsolete. Authorized distributors like DigiKey show ships-today inventory in small quantities; broker stock on Octopart is typically 4-12 weeks depending on date-code requirements. As of 2026-09-07, plan a minimum 8-week buffer for production orders.
Is the EP1K50QI208-2 RoHS compliant?
RoHS compliance for the EP1K50QI208-2 is not explicitly confirmed in the verified datasheet excerpt. The standard PQFP package typically uses lead-free matte-tin terminations, but for new designs requiring explicit RoHS certification, request a manufacturer declaration letter before qualification. The PQFP variant may not be fully RoHS-compliant depending on the date code.
EP1K50QI208-2 vs EP1K50QC208-2 - what is the difference?
The EP1K50QI208-2 and EP1K50QC208-2 differ in package thermal performance. The 'I' suffix in EP1K50QI208-2 indicates the industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C), while the 'C' in EP1K50QC208-2 indicates commercial grade (0C to +70C). Both share the same 208-pin PQFP package, 50K gates, 2,880 LEs, and are pin-to-pin compatible within the ACEX 1K family.
What is the best drop-in replacement for the EP1K50QI208-2?
The best drop-in replacement for the EP1K50QI208-2 is the EP1K50QI208-2N, which is the same die and package with a higher speed grade within the same ACEX 1K family. For wider sourcing options, the EP1K50FI256-2N offers more I/O in a different package footprint. The EP1K100QI208-2 offers double the logic capacity in the same 208-PQFP package when migrating up.
When should I choose EP1K50QI208-2 over EP1K30QI208-2?
Choose the EP1K50QI208-2 over the EP1K30QI208-2 when your design needs more than 30K gates of logic or more than the EP1K30's 1,920 LEs can deliver. The EP1K50 doubles embedded SRAM to 40,960 bits and adds LABs, giving room for FIFO buffers, larger state machines, and wider bus multiplexing - useful in DSL modem and Ethernet switch applications.
Hey Google, can EP1K50FI256-2 replace EP1K50QI208-2?
Yes, the EP1K50FI256-2 can functionally replace the EP1K50QI208-2 but the packages differ: the EP1K50QI208-2 uses a 208-pin PQFP while the EP1K50FI256-2 uses a 256-pin FineLine BGA. This is NOT a drop-in replacement because it requires PCB redesign. For a true drop-in PQFP-to-PQFP migration, stay within the 208-pin Q-family such as EP1K50QC208-2 or EP1K100QI208-2.
What are the key specifications of EP1K50QI208-2 that engineers should know?
Engineers designing with the EP1K50QI208-2 should know these key facts: 50K typical gates, 2,880 logic elements, 40,960 bits embedded SRAM, 147 maximum user I/O pins, 208-pin PQFP package, 2.5 V core voltage, 5 V-tolerant MultiVolt I/O, industrial temperature range -40C to +85C, SRAM-based configuration requiring boot PROM, and -2 speed grade (~166.67 MHz). The part is obsolete, so second-source planning is essential.
Where to download EP1K50QI208-2 datasheet PDF?
The EP1K50QI208-2 datasheet PDF can be downloaded from Altera's archive at alterasemi.com/datasheet/alterasemi/EP1K50QI208-2.pdf, which contains the full ACEX 1K family datasheet with DC characteristics, AC switching characteristics, pinout, and configuration guidelines. Octopart also hosts a viewable datasheet link at octopart.com/datasheet/intel/EP1K50QI208-2 for quick reference.
Where can I find the EP1K50QI208-2 pinout?
The complete 208-pin PQFP pinout for the EP1K50QI208-2 is documented in the ACEX 1K datasheet available at alterasemi.com/datasheet/alterasemi/EP1K50QI208-2.pdf, including dedicated JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO), configuration pins (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK, DATA0), PLL clock pins, and per-bank VCCIO/ GND assignments. Pins are numbered counter-clockwise starting at the dot marker.
Is the EP1K50QI208-2 suitable for new product designs in 2026?
The EP1K50QI208-2 is NOT recommended for new product designs in 2026 because the part is obsolete and the ACEX 1K family has been discontinued by Intel/Altera. For new designs, choose a current-generation Cyclone, MAX 10, or Lattice ECP5 device with active lifecycle support, modern toolchains, and long-term availability. The EP1K50QI208-2 should only be specified for legacy maintenance and existing design repair.
What tools support the EP1K50QI208-2?
The EP1K50QI208-2 is supported by the Altera Quartus II design software (versions up to 13.0sp1 are the last to support ACEX 1K; later Quartus versions dropped legacy device support). Programming is performed via the Altera ByteBlaster II, ByteBlasterMV, or USB-Blaster download cables through the JTAG interface. A licensed Quartus II license is required for compilation.
What is the best Xilinx equivalent for EP1K50QI208-2?
The best Xilinx drop-in alternative for the EP1K50QI208-2 does not exist as a true pin-compatible cross-brand part because Xilinx and Altera use different packages, pinouts, and configuration schemes. However, a functional equivalent in Xilinx's portfolio is the XC2S50 Spartan-2 FPGA, which provides comparable 50K gates and 384 logic cells in a TQ144 or PQ208 package, but requires PCB redesign and re-synthesis with ISE WebPACK.

Engineering reference data for EP1K50QI208-2 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.

Selection Guide

Choose the EP1K50QI208-2 when you need a 50K-gate Altera ACEX 1K FPGA in a 208-pin PQFP package with industrial -40C to +85C temperature range. It is best suited for legacy maintenance, DSL modem aggregation, low-cost Ethernet switch glue logic, PCI bridges, and industrial automation controllers. Choose the EP1K50QC208-2 if your deployment is indoor and you can use the commercial 0C to +70C range (lower cost). Choose the EP1K100QI208-2 when your design grows beyond 50K gates - it doubles capacity in the same footprint. Choose the EP1K30QI208-2 when 30K gates are sufficient and you want to lower unit cost. All five parts share the 208-PQFP footprint and are pin-compatible via Altera's SameFrame migration, simplifying second-sourcing and lifetime-buy planning for obsolete ACEX 1K designs.

Comparison with Alternatives

Parameter This Product EP1K50QI208-2N EP1K50QC208-2 EP1K100QI208-2 EP1K100QI208-02 EP1K30QI208-2
Package 208-PQFP 208-PQFP 208-PQFP 208-PQFP 208-PQFP 208-PQFP
Brand Altera (Intel) Altera (Intel) Altera (Intel) Altera (Intel) Altera (Intel) Altera (Intel)
Typical Gates 50,000 50,000 50,000 100,000 100,000 30,000
Logic Elements 2,880 2,880 2,880 4,992 4,992 1,920
Embedded SRAM 40,960 bits 40,960 bits 40,960 bits 49,152 bits 49,152 bits 24,576 bits
User I/O Pins 147 147 147 147 147 147
Operating Temperature -40C to +85C (industrial) -40C to +85C (industrial) 0C to +70C (commercial) -40C to +85C (industrial) -40C to +85C (industrial) -40C to +85C (industrial)
Core Voltage 2.5 V 2.5 V 2.5 V 2.5 V 2.5 V 2.5 V

Key Differentiators

  • Industrial temperature grade in 208-PQFP (vs EP1K50QC208-2)
  • Higher logic capacity in same 208-PQFP package (vs EP1K30QI208-2)
  • Cost-optimized density tier vs flagship ACEX 1K (vs EP1K100QI208-2)

Design Notes

The ACEX 1K family uses SRAM-based configuration cells, meaning the EP1K50QI208-2 loses its configuration on power-down. Every board must include a configuration device such as an EPC2, EPCS1, or EPCS4 serial PROM on the dedicated configuration pins (DCLK, DATA0, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) or the FPGA will fail to boot. JTAG chain ordering must place the EP1K50QI208-2 before any other JTAG devices on the board to ensure correct in-system reprogramming.

The 208-pin PQFP requires a multi-layer PCB with continuous power and ground planes under the device. Place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every VCCINT and VCCIO pin pair. Each VCCIO bank can be powered independently (2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V), so route VCCIO traces with sufficient trace width for the per-bank current draw. The PQFP lead pitch is 0.5 mm - ensure your PCB house can reliably manufacture 0.5 mm pitch SMD footprints.

Do not confuse the EP1K50QI208-2 ('I' industrial temperature, 208-PQFP, -2 speed) with the EP1K50QC208-2 ('C' commercial temperature). The temperature grade is not a marketing suffix - it affects the silicon process corner, operating margin, and datasheet-specified timing. Mixing up an industrial-grade part for a commercial spec or vice versa will cause out-of-spec behavior at temperature extremes. Always cross-check the operating-temperature row in your BOM against the actual application environment.

Compliance Information

RoHS
Unknown
REACH
Unknown
AEC-Q100
Not Applicable
Lead Free
Unknown
Halogen Free
Unknown
Conflict Minerals
Unknown

RoHS and REACH compliance not explicitly stated in the verified datasheet excerpt. The 208-PQFP package typically uses lead-free matte-tin terminations but a manufacturer declaration letter should be requested for new designs requiring formal RoHS certification.

Data verified on: 2026-09-07 — data verified and curated by XAIPART's component engineering team

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Related Components & Terms

Altera Intel EP1K50QI208-2 EP1K50QI208-2N EP1K50QC208-2 EP1K100QI208-2 EP1K30QI208-2 ACEX 1K FPGA Field-Programmable Gate Array Programmable Logic Device PLD CPLD logic element logic array block 208-PQFP PQFP Power Quad Flat Pack JTAG EPC2 configuration PROM ByteBlaster USB-Blaster Quartus II MultiVolt I/O PLL embedded SRAM DSL modem Ethernet switch PCI bridge industrial automation RoHS lead-free
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