EP3C16Q240C8N - Cyclone III FPGA 15K LEs PQFP-240 | Altera
MPN: EP3C16Q240C8N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $42.5 | $42.50 |
| 10 | $39.8 | $398.00 |
| 100 | $36.2 | $3,620.00 |
| 500 | $33.4 | $16,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $30.9 | $30,900.00 |
EP3C16Q240C8N Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device containing a fabric of programmable logic blocks, routing resources, and embedded memory that designers configure in the field using HDL languages such as Verilog and VHDL. In the semiconductor hierarchy, the FPGA sits above fixed-function ASICs and ASSPs in flexibility, and the Cyclone III family targets the low-cost, low-power segment of that market.
Key features of the EP3C16Q240C8N include 15,408 LEs organized as approximately 1,920 adaptive logic modules (ALMs), 516,096 bits (63 kbytes) of M9K embedded memory blocks, and up to 160 maximum user I/O including dedicated clock inputs. The M9K blocks support single- and dual-port operation with byte enables and initialization files, making FIFOs and line buffers easy to implement without external SRAM.
Technically, the Cyclone III architecture uses 8-input fracturable look-up tables, a hierarchical multi-track interconnect, and a phase-locked-loop (PLL)-based clock network for on-chip frequency synthesis and jitter reduction. Configuration is supported through active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), and JTAG schemes, allowing standard EPCS serial configuration devices to load the bitstream at power-up. The Q240 package supports a maximum I/O count that may be reduced depending on the selected configuration scheme, per the Altera device package information data sheet.
Typical applications include industrial motor-control and automation interfaces, video and image processing line cards, communications protocol bridging, and test/measurement glue logic. The 160-I/O budget and 65-nm low static power make it well suited to cost-sensitive volume products that do not need high-end transceivers.
Design consideration: the PQFP-240 footprint is large and hand-solderable for prototypes, but its peripheral I/O ring limits signal counts versus BGA alternatives; plan I/O banking carefully to avoid mixing incompatible voltage standards on one bank.
This page synthesizes verified distributor stock, drop-in same-package alternatives, pricing context, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C16Q240C8N β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP3C16Q240C8N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements, Configuration, Maximum User I/O.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C16Q240C7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C25Q240C8N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$160.4667 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C10Q240C8N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C5Q240C8N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C16Q240I7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C16Q240C8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 15408 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 516096 |
| Maximum User I/O | 160 |
| Package | 240-BFQFP (PQFP-240, 32x32 mm) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (C) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Schemes | AS, PS, JTAG |
| Embedded Memory Blocks | M9K blocks |
| Total Memory Bits | 516096 bits (~63 kbytes) |
| Manufacturer Part Status | Active |
EP3C16Q240C8N 240-bfqfp (pqfp-240, 32x32 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C16Q240C8N (240-bfqfp (pqfp-240, 32x32 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 EP3C16Q240C8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C16Q240C8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation and Motor Control, Video and Image Processing, Communications Protocol Bridging, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Medical Device Digital Logic, Security and Surveillance Systems.
Industrial Automation and Motor Control
The EP3C16Q240C8N fits industrial automation because its 15,408 logic elements implement PWM generators, quadrature encoder interfaces, and multi-axis interlocks with deterministic timing that microcontrollers cannot match. Its 160 user I/O accommodate parallel fieldbus transceivers, isolated inputs, and encoder banks from the single Q240 package, while 516,096 bits of M9K memory buffer command queues and recipe tables without external SRAM. Designers typically pair it with gate drivers and current-sense ADCs on the same board, using the internal PLL to derive tightly phased PWM carriers. The 65-nm fabric keeps static power low for fanless cabinets, and the peripheral PQFP I/O ring simplifies replacement in legacy through-hole-style industrial boards.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing
For video pipelines, the EP3C16Q240C8N provides enough fabric to implement color-space conversion, scaling, deinterlacing, and test-pattern generation, while the 516,096-bit M9K memory array holds multi-line buffers needed for horizontal filtering and scan conversion at SD and early HD resolutions. Up to 160 user I/O support parallel BT.656/BT.1120 video buses, camera link style parallel interfaces, and sync generation, with clock networks and PLLs cleaning up pixel-clock jitter. The Q240 peripheral package eases length-matched routing of parallel video buses compared with fine-pitch BGAs. For higher-resolution multi-stream designs requiring serialization, designers migrate up the Cyclone family, but for cost-sensitive display controllers this device hits the capacity and memory balance.
Recommended
Communications Protocol Bridging
The EP3C16Q240C8N serves as a protocol bridge between legacy parallel buses (PCI-style local buses, microprocessor memory maps, backplane interfaces) and modern serial peripherals, using its 15,408 LEs for FIFOs, address decoders, and packet framing logic. The M9K memory blocks implement elastic buffers that absorb clock-domain differences between two interfaces, and multiple PLLs generate independent clocks for each domain. With 160 I/O, a single device can terminate two wide parallel buses simultaneously. The commercial temperature PQFP-240 package suits telecom rack cards and network appliances with controlled environments, and JTAG configuration simplifies field firmware updates of the bridge personality during manufacturing and service.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
In bench and production test equipment, the EP3C16Q240C8N implements timing generators, edge counters, pattern generators, and acquisition state machines with sub-10-ns determinism. The 15,408-LE fabric holds channel serialization logic for multi-channel digital acquisition, while M9K blocks capture triggered waveform segments of up to tens of kilobytes per channel internally before offload. Its PLLs synthesize sample clocks from a single reference, and the 160 user I/O interface ADC parallel buses, relay control arrays, and front-panel indicators from one package. The PQFP-240 leads simplify prototype rework during instrument bring-up, and JTAG-based configuration lets engineering teams iterate FPGA personalities without socketing parts.
Recommended
Medical Device Digital Logic
Portable and benchtop medical devices use the EP3C16Q240C8N for sensor interfacing, digital filtering, and display control, exploiting the low static power of the 65-nm process for battery-operated designs. The 15,408 LEs implement FIR and decimation filters for physiological signals, and the 516,096-bit M9K memory buffers patient-data frames for transfer to a host processor. Its deterministic fabric avoids software-timing hazards in safety-relevant paths, complementing a supervising MCU. The commercial-grade PQFP-240 suits patient-adjacent equipment used in controlled clinic environments; designs requiring industrial temperature span should select the Q240 industrial variant. Compliance-driven teams value the long lifecycle and stable, documented bitstream tooling.
Recommended
Security and Surveillance Systems
The EP3C16Q240C8N acts as the video front-end engine in surveillance equipment, performing sensor-interface deserialization, exposure control, motion detection pre-processing, and OSD overlay generation. Its 160 user I/O connect CMOS sensor parallel interfaces and panel drivers, while the M9K blocks hold reference frames for motion-block comparison at CIF/VGA resolutions. The 15,408-LE fabric leaves room for UART/SPI control bridges to system processors and for crypto-lite watermarking logic. Low static power suits always-on recording devices, and the PQFP-240 package tolerates the thermal profile of sealed camera enclosures in commercial installations. For analytics-heavy multi-sensor NVRs, designers step up in logic density rather than change architecture.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C16Q240C8N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C16Q240C7N | EP3C25Q240C8N | EP3C10Q240C8N | EP3C5Q240C8N | EP3C16Q240I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-BFQFP (PQFP-240, 32x32 mm) | 240-BFQFP - same footprint | 240-BFQFP - same footprint | 240-BFQFP - same footprint | 240-BFQFP - same footprint | 240-BFQFP - same footprint |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 7 (faster) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 (faster) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (I) |
| Configuration Support | AS, PS, JTAG | AS, PS, JTAG | AS, PS, JTAG | AS, PS, JTAG | AS, PS, JTAG | AS, PS, JTAG |
Key Differentiators
- Largest logic capacity in Q240 footprint (vs EP3C10Q240C8N)
- Cost-optimized speed grade (vs EP3C16Q240C7N)
- Commercial grade economics (vs EP3C16Q240I7N)
- Hand-assembly-friendly package (vs BGA-packaged Cyclone devices)
Design Notes
Cyclone III devices require sequenced core and I/O supply rails; follow the Altera power play early estimator to size regulators using your actual LE toggling rates rather than worst-case numbers. Estimated: with 15,408 LEs at moderate utilization and 65-nm core silicon, core current is typically well under 1 A, but I/O rail current scales directly with the number of simultaneously switching outputs and load capacitance - budget 10 mA per actively switching I/O with 15 pF load as a planning figure and verify with the PowerPlay estimator before finalizing the DC-DC converter selection.
The PQFP-240 has a 0.5 mm pin pitch requiring careful solder-paste stencil design; use a 1:1 aperture with additional thermal relief on corner pins to prevent tombstoning during reflow. Assign decoupling capacitors (mix of 0.1 uF and 10 uF ceramics) within 5 mm of the supply pins on the QFP perimeter, one pair per bank. Keep the JTAG chain (TDI/TMS/TCK/TDO) routed with series 33-ohm resistors near the connector to damp reflections during in-system programming.
Do not assume all 160 maximum I/O are available: per the Altera package data sheet, the usable count depends on your configuration scheme (AS pins, PS pins, and dedicated configuration pins are consumed differently) and on voltage-bank assignments. Mixing 3.3 V and 2.5 V standards requires careful bank planning done BEFORE routing, because PQFP banks are fixed to physical pin groups. Finally, remember that grade 8 timing closures are slower than grade 7 - if static timing fails at 100 MHz+ on grade 8, the drop-in EP3C16Q240C7N resolves it without a board change.
Compliance Information
Compliance status was not stated in the provided verified web data; verify against the Intel/Altera product page and material declaration reports before shipping to restricted markets.
