EP1S30B956C6 - Stratix 32K LE FPGA, 956-BGA, 130nm | Altera
MPN: EP1S30B956C6 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $128 | $1,280.00 |
| 100 | $108 | $10,800.00 |
| 500 | $92 | $46,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $78 | $78,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1S30B956C6 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1S30B956C7
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S30B956C8
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S30B956C5
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S25B956C5N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S30B956C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 32,470 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 3,247 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 3,317,184 (approximately 3.4 Mbit) |
| Maximum User I/O | 683 |
| Process Technology | 130 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C6 |
| Package | 956-ball FCBGA (BGA-956), 40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 450.05 MHz (per family datasheet) |
| DSP Blocks | Yes (Stratix DSP blocks) |
| PLLs | Up to 12 |
| Configuration Modes | Passive Serial (PS), Passive Parallel (PP), JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Not confirmed - pre-RoHS part |
| Lead-Free | Unknown |
EP1S30B956C6 956-ball fcbga (bga-956), 40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1S30B956C6 (956-ball fcbga (bga-956), 40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch 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 EP1S30B956C6.
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
EP1S30B956C6 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed DSP Pipelines (FFT / Filtering), Telecommunications Backplane Protocol Bridging, Video and Image Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Control and Test Instrumentation, Military and Aerospace Legacy Systems.
High-Speed DSP Pipelines (FFT / Filtering)
The EP1S30B956C6's 32,470 logic elements, dedicated DSP blocks, and 3.4 Mbit of TriMatrix embedded memory make it well suited to fixed-point DSP pipelines such as radix-2/4 FFT engines, FIR/IIR filters, and channelizers. The 683 user I/Os in the 956-FCBGA package allow wide parallel data buses (up to ~70 LVDS pairs at 16-bit width) for sustained Gsps-class throughput. Designers typically instantiate the Stratix DSP blocks at 200-300 MHz to sustain real-time processing without over-clocking the LE fabric, and the embedded MRAM/M4K blocks provide coefficient and line-buffer storage. Compared with DSP processors, this FPGA delivers deterministic latency and 10-100x higher sample rates for SDR and radar front-ends.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Protocol Bridging
The Stratix EP1S30B956C6 supports LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards on 683 pins, making it a flexible protocol-bridging device for telecom backplanes. It can implement SPI-4.2, SFI-5, UTOPIA, and POS-PHY interfaces alongside custom glue logic, offloading protocol conversion from ASICs and ASSPs. The 12 on-chip PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for backplane rates from 155 Mbps (STM-1) to 2.5 Gbps, while the high pin count allows direct connection to multiple SFP/GBIC transceivers. For multi-port bridging, designers instantiate one PLLs per port and dedicate M4K memory blocks to elastic buffers and rate-matching FIFOs.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing
Video processing pipelines such as SD/HD-SDI encoding/decoding, motion estimation, and color-space conversion map efficiently onto the EP1S30B956C6's parallel LE fabric and embedded memory. The 3.4 Mbit TriMatrix memory holds several lines of HD video (1920 x 1080 x 16 bit) for line buffers, while 683 I/O pins enable multi-channel SDI capture or dual-link DVI/HDMI interfaces. DSP blocks accelerate discrete cosine transforms (DCT), deinterlacing, and scaling kernels. Designers typically run horizontal and vertical processing at 74.25 MHz (720p) or 148.5 MHz (1080p), well within the C6 speed-grade headroom, while keeping power manageable through clock gating unused LABs.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP1S30B956C6 is a workhorse for ASIC and SoC prototyping, where multiple FPGAs are cascaded to emulate gate counts beyond the capacity of any single device. Its 32,470 LEs, 683 I/Os, and Quartus II support for multi-FPGA partitioning make it a common choice for emulating ASICs in the 500K-1M gate range. Engineers partition the netlist across multiple Stratix devices, route chip-to-chip signals through the abundant user I/Os, and use the embedded TriMatrix memory to model ASIC SRAM blocks. The 956-FCBGA package exposes enough I/O to keep inter-FPGA pin multiplexing manageable, which is critical for achieving high operating frequencies in prototyping.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Test Instrumentation
In industrial automation and test equipment, the EP1S30B956C6 serves as a configurable timing engine, custom bus master, or signal-conditioning pre-processor. Its 0-85 C commercial temperature range and 683 LVCMOS/LVDS-capable I/Os support a mix of legacy 5 V-tolerant interfaces (via external resistor networks) and modern differential signaling for backplane communication. The 12 PLLs synthesize arbitrary clock frequencies for multi-channel arbitrary waveform generators (AWGs) or logic analyzers, while embedded DSP blocks accelerate real-time FFT-based spectrum analysis. Robust configuration options including JTAG allow in-field firmware updates via the tester's USB port.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Legacy Systems
Long-life-cycle military and aerospace platforms that were designed around the original Stratix family continue to source the EP1S30B956C6 for sustainment and refurbishment. Its established reliability, qualification history, and continued availability through authorized brokers (Rochester Electronics holds licensed Altera/Intel stock) make it a fit for legacy avionics, radar, and electronic-warfare subsystems where PCB redesign is undesirable. The 956-FCBGA package supports the high pin density required for parallel ADC/DAC interfaces in radar beamforming and SIGINT systems, and the C6 speed grade comfortably meets typical 100-200 MHz digital down-conversion rates. Designers should verify lot-date-code (LDC) and moisture sensitivity level (MSL) with the supplier before installation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1S30B956C6 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1S30B956C7 | EP1S30B956C8 | EP1S30B956C5 | EP1S25B956C5N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | BGA-956 (40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) | BGA-956 (40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) - same | BGA-956 (40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) - same | BGA-956 (40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) - same | BGA-956 (40 x 40 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) - same |
| Brand | Altera (now Intel FPGA) | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | Stratix (130 nm) | Stratix (130 nm) | Stratix (130 nm) | Stratix (130 nm) | Stratix (130 nm) |
| Logic Elements | 32,470 | 32,470 | 32,470 | 32,470 | 25,660 |
| Embedded Memory | 3,317,184 bit | 3,317,184 bit | 3,317,184 bit | 3,317,184 bit | 1,922,048 bit |
| Maximum User I/O | 683 | 683 | 683 | 683 | 683 (package-limited) |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C7 (faster) | C8 (fastest) | C5 (slower) | C5 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete / NRND | Obsolete / NRND | Obsolete / NRND | Obsolete / NRND | Obsolete / NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Same 956-FCBGA footprint as speed-grade variants (vs EP1S30B956C7 / EP1S30B956C8)
- Higher logic capacity than EP1S25 in the same BGA-956 footprint (vs EP1S25B956C5N)
- Massive 683 I/O count in a single package (vs EP1S30F780C6N)
Design Notes
Estimated: The Stratix EP1S30 at typical utilization (60% LEs, 25% memory, 50% DSP) and 200 MHz operation dissipates approximately 4-7 W on a properly designed 8-layer PCB with continuous ground and power planes. The 956-FCBGA package exposes the die through the BGA balls to internal copper planes, so a thermal pad array on the underside of the package connected to an internal copper pour is recommended. Avoid placing the FPGA on the bottom side of the board or in a sealed enclosure without forced airflow above 2 m/s for sustained high-utilization workloads.
The 956-ball FCBGA with 1.27 mm pitch demands an 8-layer (or more) PCB stack-up with microvia or via-in-pad technology for clean signal escape routing. Use 0.5 oz copper on outer layers and 1 oz on inner power/ground planes. All BGA balls should be connected to inner planes via a dog-bone fan-out or microvia array. Maintain a continuous VCCINT plane directly beneath the BGA to minimize inductance on the 1.5 V core rail and to provide thermal spreading. Decoupling requires at least twenty 0.1 uF X7R capacitors distributed under the BGA footprint, plus four 10 uF bulk capacitors near the package perimeter.
Do not assume the EP1S30B956C6 is RoHS-compliant without explicit lot documentation - the original Stratix family predates the RoHS transition. Verify lead finish (SnPb vs lead-free) with the supplier before assembly. Also, do not connect JTAG TCK at voltages above 3.3 V without a level shifter - the Stratix I configuration pins are 3.3 V LVCMOS tolerant but can be damaged by 5 V signals. When migrating designs from Stratix to Stratix II, do not reuse the EPCS configuration memory bitstream - the configuration file formats differ and require fresh compilation in Quartus II.
Place the EPCS configuration memory within 50 mm of the FPGA DATA0/DCLK/nCONFIG/nSTATUS pins and route the configuration bus as a short point-to-point link with a 100 ohm differential-style termination if the trace exceeds 25 mm. Keep all 12 PLL power supply pins (VCCA_PLL, VCCD_PLL) isolated from digital switching noise with their own filter network (ferrite bead + 10 uF + 0.1 uF). For high-speed LVDS pairs (above 500 Mbps), match trace lengths to within 0.13 mm and maintain 100 ohm differential impedance with a tight ground-side coupling.
Compliance Information
Original Stratix family pre-dates many modern compliance mandates; lot-by-lot verification required with supplier. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial temperature grade only).
