EP1M350F780I6N - 350K Gates Mercury FPGA, 780-FBGA | Altera/Intel
MPN: EP1M350F780I6N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $252 | $2,520.00 |
| 100 | $215 | $21,500.00 |
| 500 | $188 | $94,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $165 | $165,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1M350F780I6N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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EP1M350F780I6
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View Datasheet →EP1M350F780I6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Mercury |
| Family | Mercury Family FPGA |
| Equivalent Gates | 350K |
| Logic Cells / Elements | 14,400 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,440 |
| Total RAM Bits | 114,688 |
| User I/Os | 486 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V (1.71 V to 1.89 V) |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 1.25 Gbps (with CDR) |
| Logic Family / Process | CMOS |
| Package Type | 780-FBGA (FineLine BGA, FINE LINE) |
| Package Dimensions | 29 mm x 29 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial, I6) |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| Architecture | LUT-based, high-speed optimized |
EP1M350F780I6N 29 mm x 29 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1M350F780I6N (29 mm x 29 mm 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 EP1M350F780I6N.
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
EP1M350F780I6N is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging, Telecom Line Card Aggregation, Legacy ASIC Replacement for Industrial Imaging, Custom Protocol Engine for Storage Controllers, Aerospace and Defense Prototype Builds, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging
The EP1M350F780I6N is well suited to bridge between high-speed serial interfaces and parallel backplanes. Its integrated transceivers support clock data recovery up to 1.25 Gbps, allowing direct connection to Gigabit Ethernet PHYs, SONET/SDH framers, or proprietary backplane SERDES without external transceiver ICs. With 14,400 logic cells and 1,440 LABs, the device can simultaneously implement protocol bridging state machines, FIFO buffering using the 114,688-bit embedded RAM, and packet inspection logic. Engineers typically place the part between an optical module or copper SERDES on one side and a parallel ASIC or DSP on the other, using the 486 user I/Os for wide parallel buses. The industrial temperature grade (I6) supports deployment in central-office and outdoor cabinet environments, while the 780-FBGA package provides the signal integrity required at 1.25 Gbps line rates.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card Aggregation
Telecom line cards aggregating multiple E1/T1 or higher-rate streams benefit from the EP1M350F780I6N's combination of high logic density and embedded serial transceivers. The 350K-gate fabric can implement multiple TDM framers, HDLC controllers, and a traffic-management shaper in a single device, while the 1.25 Gbps CDR-capable transceivers aggregate lower-rate client signals onto a single uplink. With 486 user I/Os, the part easily interfaces to standard telecom backplane connectors, time-slot interchange ICs, and network processors. The 1.8V CMOS core (1.71-1.89 V) is compatible with standard telecom power rails, and the industrial -40 to +85 °C range covers central-office and outside-plant cabinets. Quartus II development tools support the legacy Mercury design flow, allowing rapid IP reuse across line-card SKUs.
Recommended
Legacy ASIC Replacement for Industrial Imaging
Industrial imaging systems that require real-time processing of high-resolution video streams often exceed the capability of ASSPs and benefit from the programmable density of the EP1M350F780I6N. The 14,400 logic cells and 1,440 LABs implement multi-tap image filters, Bayer-to-RGB conversion pipelines, color-space converters, and JPEG encoders in parallel hardware. The 114,688 bits of embedded RAM serve as line buffers for pipelined pixel processing, while the 486 user I/Os interface directly to image sensors, frame buffers, and LCD display drivers. The industrial temperature grade and 780-FBGA package withstand vibration, humidity, and thermal cycling on factory floors. Compared to custom ASICs, the FPGA-based approach allows rapid algorithm updates and SKU variants without re-spinning silicon, cutting time-to-market for new imaging features.
Recommended
Custom Protocol Engine for Storage Controllers
Storage controllers for RAID, SAN, or custom proprietary protocols leverage the EP1M350F780I6N's combination of serial transceivers and parallel logic fabric. The 1.25 Gbps CDR-capable transceivers handle SATA, SAS, Fibre Channel, or proprietary backplane links, while the 14,400 logic cells implement command queuing, DMA engines, XOR accelerators for RAID parity, and host-side state machines. The 486 user I/Os provide headroom for wide DDR memory buses, NAND flash controllers, and PCIe-style side-band signals. Engineers can prototype custom storage protocols in HDL and validate them on the Mercury platform before committing to ASIC volume, dramatically reducing development risk. Industrial temperature rating and the rugged 780-FBGA package suit enterprise storage and ruggedized military storage applications.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Prototype Builds
The EP1M350F780I6N remains in use for aerospace and defense prototypes where a proven, qualified-by-design Mercury family part is preferred over a leading-edge Cyclone or Stratix device. Its integrated 1.25 Gbps transceivers support legacy MIL-STD-1553 bridges, ARINC 429 aggregation, and proprietary sensor links used in avionics, while the high logic density supports custom encryption, signal processing, and interface management logic. The -40 °C to +85 °C industrial temperature grade and the 29 x 29 mm 780-FBGA package suit ruggedized enclosures and vibration-prone environments. Long-term availability through broker and excess channels keeps legacy defense platforms running while qualified replacements are being qualified. The 1.8 V core draws modest power compared with newer high-performance families, easing thermal management in sealed enclosures.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Test and measurement instruments such as protocol analyzers, BERT testers, and high-speed logic analyzers rely on the EP1M350F780I6N for pattern generation, error detection, and protocol decoding at gigabit rates. The 1.25 Gbps CDR-capable transceivers capture or generate test patterns on multiple channels simultaneously, while the 14,400 logic cells implement per-channel pattern comparators, error counters, and triggering state machines. The 114,688 bits of embedded RAM provide deep capture buffers for eye-diagram analysis, and the 486 user I/Os drive front-panel displays, trigger I/O, and host-side control buses. The Mercury family's proven Quartus II toolchain accelerates firmware development, and the 780-FBGA package's thermal performance keeps junction temperatures in check when running continuous BER scans.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1M350F780I6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1M350F780I6 | EP1M350F780I5N | EP1M350F780C7N | EP1M350F780C8 | EP1M350F780C6N | EP1M350F780C5N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 780-FBGA (29x29 mm) - same |
| Logic Cells / Elements | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 |
| Equivalent Gates | 350K | 350K | 350K | 350K | 350K | 350K | 350K |
| User I/Os | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 |
| Total RAM Bits | 114,688 | 114,688 | 114,688 | 114,688 | 114,688 | 114,688 | 114,688 |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) | 1.25 Gbps (CDR) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V |
| Speed Grade | I6 (industrial, fast) | I6 (commercial temp) | I5 (industrial, slower) | C7 (commercial) | C8 (commercial, slowest) | C6 (commercial) | C5 (commercial) |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest industrial-temperature speed grade in the Mercury family (vs EP1M350F780I5N)
- Industrial temperature grading across the full operating range (vs EP1M350F780C7N)
- Tighter speed binning for higher transceiver performance (vs EP1M350F780C8)
Design Notes
The EP1M350F780I6N's 780-FBGA package at 29 x 29 mm requires a high-density PCB with microvia or via-in-pad construction, 4 to 6 routing layers, and controlled-impedance stack-up. Per Altera's Mercury family layout guidelines, use 50-ohm single-ended and 100-ohm differential impedance for general-purpose I/O and transceiver channels respectively. BGA fanout should use 0.5 mm pitch escape routing with the inner row accessed via laser-drilled microvias; the outer rows can be routed with conventional 0.2 mm mechanically drilled vias on a 1.6 mm PCB. Maintain continuous ground planes beneath the BGA and stitch vias every 5 mm around the periphery for EMI suppression.
Estimated: at typical utilization (60% logic + 100% transceiver utilization), the EP1M350F780I6N draws approximately 1.5 A from the 1.8 V core supply plus 0.3 A per active transceiver channel. Decoupling must include 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF ceramic capacitors within 5 mm of every VCCINT and VCCIO pin, plus bulk 22 µF tantalum or polymer capacitors on each supply rail. The transceiver supply (VCCE) requires ferrite-bead isolation from the digital core supply to prevent switching noise from coupling into the high-speed serial channels. Power-on sequencing must follow Altera's recommended order: VCCINT first, then VCCIO, then VCCE, with monotonic rise times below 100 ms.
Three pitfalls to avoid with the EP1M350F780I6N: (1) Do not assume drop-in compatibility across temperature grades - the I6 (industrial) variant is rated -40 to +85 °C while C6/C7/C8 (commercial) parts are 0 to +85 °C; substituting one for the other in outdoor or industrial environments can cause timing failures at cold temperature corners. (2) The Mercury family uses the legacy Quartus II toolchain (version 9.1 or earlier); modern Quartus Prime does not support Mercury. (3) PCB re-spin is unavoidable when migrating to Cyclone or Stratix parts because the BGA pinout differs.
The 1.25 Gbps CDR-capable transceiver channels require matched-length differential pair routing with length mismatch below 0.13 mm (5 mil) within a pair and below 1.3 mm (50 mil) between pairs of the same channel. Maintain 100-ohm differential impedance through connector breakouts, vias, and AC-coupling capacitors. Use a continuous reference ground plane under transceiver channels; never route over plane splits or voids. For multi-board systems, use backplane connectors with controlled impedance and avoid right-angle exits. AC-coupling capacitors of 100 nF should be placed within 5 mm of the transmitter positive terminal.
Estimated: at the 780-FBGA's typical theta_JA of approximately 15 C/W (with standard 8-layer JEDEC test board and 1 m/s airflow), the EP1M350F780I6N can dissipate up to 5 W before exceeding the 85 °C industrial temperature limit. For designs running at full logic utilization with all transceivers active, add thermal vias beneath the BGA thermal pad, a heatsink with thermal interface material, and at least 200 LFM of forced airflow. Junction temperature can be monitored via the Mercury family's internal die-temperature sensing diode, which should be read periodically via JTAG for thermal-margin verification.
Compliance Information
Compliance information not provided in the Verified Web Data; the part is obsolete and was originally released in the early 2000s before universal RoHS compliance. Newer EOL inventory may be RoHS-compliant depending on date code; verify with broker or distributor before purchase.
