EP20K100QC208-1 - APEX 20K FPGA 100K Gates 208-Pin PQFP | Altera
MPN: EP20K100QC208-1 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $32.75 | $327.50 |
| 100 | $26.4 | $2,640.00 |
| 250 | $23.1 | $5,775.00 |
| 500 | $21.2 | $10,600.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K100QC208-1 — 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:
EP20K100QC208-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$29.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100QC208-3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K100EQC208-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP20K100EQC208-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$152 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100EQC208-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP20K100EQC208-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100QC208-1 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20K |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Equivalent Logic Gates | 100,000 |
| Typical Gates | 26,624 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 4,160 |
| Embedded RAM | 53,248 bits |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 250 MHz |
| Propagation Delay (tPD) | 1.6 ns |
| Speed Grade | -1 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 2.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Package | PQFP-208 (Plastic Quad Flat Pack) |
| Pin Count | 208 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| Configuration | SRAM-based, volatile |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EP20K100QC208-1 pqfp-208 (plastic quad flat pack) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP20K100QC208-1 (pqfp-208 (plastic quad flat pack) package) with 208 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 EP20K100QC208-1.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 208 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
EP20K100QC208-1 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunication Line Cards, Industrial Control and Factory Automation, Networking Switch and Router Glue Logic, Medical Imaging Front-End Signal Processing, Legacy PCI Bus Bridges and Adapters, Prototyping Designs for Migration to Modern FPGAs.
Telecommunication Line Cards
The EP20K100QC208-1 fits mid-density telecommunication line-card designs because its 4,160 logic elements and 53,248 bits of embedded RAM are well-suited to packet-classification FIFOs and ATM/AAL2 segmentation engines. The four on-chip PLLs synthesize the multiple clock domains needed for TDM buses, UTOPIA interfaces, and upstream system-side clocks. Its PQFP-208 footprint exposes enough user I/Os to drive both a 32-bit system bus and a 16-bit line-side bus simultaneously. Designers benefit from the APEX 20K architecture's product-term/LUT mix, which simplifies implementing fast CAM lookups and protocol state machines alongside datapath logic.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
In industrial PLC and motor-control applications, the EP20K100QC208-1 provides the logic capacity to implement encoder interpolation, PWM generation, and PROFIBUS/MODBUS protocol stacks in a single device. The 250 MHz core frequency supports deterministic cycle times for fast-loop control, while the LVTTL/LVCMOS I/Os directly interface to 24 V optically-isolated digital inputs. The PQFP-208 commercial temperature range (0 °C to +85 °C) is acceptable for cabinet-mounted equipment with forced-air cooling. APEX 20K's embedded array blocks can also be configured as dual-port RAM for shared-memory communication between the CPU and DSP coprocessor.
Recommended
Networking Switch and Router Glue Logic
The EP20K100QC208-1 serves as glue logic between PHY, MAC, and switch ASICs in managed Ethernet switches by implementing SPI/I2C management interfaces, LED controllers, and address-lookup tables. Its 4,160 logic elements are sufficient for 8-port Fast Ethernet MAC aggregation with QoS tagging, while the 53 Kbits of embedded RAM store MAC address filters. The four PLLs generate independent 25 MHz, 50 MHz, and 125 MHz domains needed for MII, RMII, and GMII interfaces. PQFP-208's high I/O count allows direct bus connection to external TCAM for L2/L3 lookups.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Front-End Signal Processing
Medical ultrasound and patient-monitor front-ends use the EP20K100QC208-1 to perform beamforming coefficient multiplication, FIR filtering, and decimation in the analog front-end datapath. The 4,160 logic elements implement 32-tap FIR filters at 40 MSPS per channel for a 16-channel system, while the 53 Kbits of embedded RAM buffer A-scan lines. JTAG-based in-system programming simplifies field firmware updates in compliance with medical device change-control procedures. The 2.5 V core and 3.3 V-tolerant I/Os simplify interfacing to legacy ADC/DAC front-ends without level shifters.
Recommended
Legacy PCI Bus Bridges and Adapters
The EP20K100QC208-1's PCI-compliant I/Os and 32-bit datapath capability make it ideal as a PCI-to-PCI bridge or PCI master/target adapter in legacy PC and industrial-PCI systems. Designers implement configuration-space registers, parity generation, and target-abort handling in the LUT fabric while using embedded RAM as posted-write buffers. The 250 MHz internal clock enables 33 MHz PCI operation with single-cycle decode latency. PQFP-208's 159 user I/Os provide sufficient headroom for the 47 PCI signals plus auxiliary local-bus and interrupt lines.
Recommended
Prototyping Designs for Migration to Modern FPGAs
Designers use the EP20K100QC208-1 as a low-cost prototype target for algorithms destined for Cyclone or Stratix families, validating logic architecture and I/O planning before committing to a more expensive modern FPGA. Quartus II design files can be retargeted between APEX 20K and Cyclone III/IV with reasonable effort, preserving IP cores and state-machine definitions. The PQFP-208's 0.5 mm pitch is hand-solderable for one-off prototype builds, unlike modern BGAs that require X-ray inspection. The 53 Kbits of embedded RAM is enough to prototype moderate-sized FIFO and dual-port buffer designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K100QC208-1 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K100QC208-2 | EP20K100QC208-3 | EP20K100EQC208-2 | EP20K100EQC208-1X | EP20K100EQC208-3 | EP20K100EQC208-3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Speed Grade | -1 (slowest) | -2 (medium) | -3 (fastest) | -2 (medium) | -1X (extended temp) | -3 (fastest) | -3N (lead-free) |
| Logic Elements | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 1.8 V (APEX 20KE) | 1.8 V (APEX 20KE) | 1.8 V (APEX 20KE) | 1.8 V (APEX 20KE) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm | 0.22 µm | 0.22 µm | 0.18 µm | 0.18 µm | 0.18 µm | 0.18 µm |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Number of PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Key Differentiators
- Slowest speed grade offers the lowest cost in the APEX 20K100 PQFP-208 family (vs EP20K100QC208-3)
- Original APEX 20K 0.22 µm process revision has the longest field-proven track record (vs EP20K100EQC208-2)
- PQFP-208 package is hand-solderable and inspectable unlike modern BGA alternatives (vs EP20K1000CB652C8)
Design Notes
APEX 20K devices are SRAM-based and draw Icc from VCCINT (2.5 V) plus VCCIO bank supplies. Power sequencing must follow the datasheet's recommended order to prevent I/O back-powering through ESD diodes; VCCINT should rise before or simultaneously with VCCIO. For -1 speed grade at 250 MHz with all PLLs enabled, ICCINT typically reaches ~150-300 mA depending on utilization; use a low-ESR decoupling scheme of 0.1 µF ceramic per power pin plus 10 µF bulk per supply rail.
Estimated: at 2.5 V VCCINT and 250 MHz with 80 % utilization, total power is approximately 0.75-1.0 W; PQFP-208 has theta_JA around 35-40 °C/W on a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board, producing a 30-40 °C rise above ambient. For enclosed industrial enclosures without forced-air cooling, derate clock speed or use APEX 20KE (0.18 µm) variants for ~30 % lower power. Always measure with a thermocouple on the lead frame during qualification.
PQFP-208 has a 0.5 mm lead pitch and gull-wing leads; PCB land pads should be 0.30 mm wide with 1.50 mm length and exposed soldermask-defined pads. Use a 4-layer stackup with continuous VCCINT and GND planes under the device to provide low-impedance supply and thermal spreading. Add a 5 mm copper flood on the top layer stitched to the GND plane with 0.3 mm vias every 2 mm for thermal relief.
Do not confuse the PQFP-208 (suffix QC) with the 652-ball BGA variant (suffix BC) of the same die - they have different footprints and pinouts despite sharing the EP20K100 prefix. Always verify the package suffix in the part number before PCB assembly. Also confirm configuration PROM selection (EPC2 for serial, EPC16 for parallel) because APEX 20K does not support passive serial mode for all densities.
LVTTL and LVCMOS outputs driving >4 inches of FR4 trace should be series-terminated with 33 Ω resistors placed within 0.5 inch of the FPGA pin to dampen reflections. For clock-distribution nets above 100 MHz, use a star topology with matched trace lengths within ±0.5 inch to minimize skew across the four PLL outputs. PCI-compliant I/Os do not require external termination when used in a properly-designed 33 MHz PCI segment.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not present in Verified Web Data for this obsolete part. Verify with broker documentation when sourcing.
