EPF8636ARC208-3 - FLEX 8000 FPGA 6K Gates 208-RQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF8636ARC208-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $32.1 | $321.00 |
| 100 | $25.26 | $2,526.00 |
| 500 | $22.8 | $11,400.00 |
| 1,000 | $19.95 | $19,950.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8636ARC208-3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet →EPF8636ARC208-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | FLEX 8000 |
| Family | FLEX 8000 (FLEX 8K) |
| Typical Gate Count | 6,000 gates |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 504 |
| Number of User I/O | 136 |
| Operating Frequency (max) | 125 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 4.75 V to 5.25 V (5 V nominal) |
| Technology | CMOS SRAM, 0.42 um process |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Package | 208-RQFP (28x28 mm) with exposed pad |
| Package Category | 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant per distributor listing |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, loaded via serial EPROM or download cable |
EPF8636ARC208-3 208-bfqfp exposed pad Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPF8636ARC208-3 (208-bfqfp exposed pad 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 EPF8636ARC208-3.
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
EPF8636ARC208-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Telecom Glue Logic, Industrial Control Boards, Test and Measurement Front-Ends, Parallel DSP Co-Processor, VME/PCI Bus Bridge, Channelized Interface Aggregation.
Legacy Telecom Glue Logic
The EPF8636ARC208-3 fits legacy telecom backplane glue logic because its 136 user I/Os and 6K-gate capacity cover typical address decoding, bus arbitration, and protocol conversion tasks at 5 V logic levels. At 125 MHz system performance it can sustain TDM bus steering and E1/T1 framing interfaces. FPGAs sit above discrete 74-series logic in the design hierarchy because they integrate glue and timing into a single reprogrammable device, reducing board area and BOM cost. A typical placement puts the EPF8636ARC208-3 between a framer IC and a backplane transceiver, decoding addresses from a microcontroller and steering serial streams. Designers should use the FLEX 8000 IBIS model and observe 5 V I/O bank restrictions on mixed-voltage rails.
Recommended
Industrial Control Boards
The EPF8636ARC208-3 supports 5 V-tolerant I/O and 136 pins of programmable logic, making it a fit for industrial PLC backplanes and motor control boards. The 5 V tolerance eliminates level shifters when interfacing to 5 V sensors, encoders, and HMI displays. FPGAs in this segment replace multiple PALs and discrete state machines, reducing part count on legacy boards. Place the EPF8636ARC208-3 between the microcontroller and 24 V signal conditioning, decoding quadrature encoder inputs and generating PWM timing patterns. Designers should consider the industrial-temperature variant EPF8636ARI208-3 for -40 C to +85 C ambient operation.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Front-Ends
The EPF8636ARC208-3 fits test and measurement front-ends because its 136 I/Os can fan out to multi-channel ADC/DAC interfaces and pattern generation logic. At 125 MHz, the device can sustain parallel stimulus generation for board testers and parallel ATE pin electronics. The reprogrammability of FLEX 8000 SRAM-based FPGAs enables pattern set updates per DUT without board rework, accelerating test program development. A typical placement routes DUT stimulus from the EPF8636ARC208-3 through high-speed comparators and DACs, with the FPGA generating the timing pattern and capturing DUT responses. Designers should observe setup/hold margins against the chosen comparator family.
Recommended
Parallel DSP Co-Processor
The EPF8636ARC208-3 fits parallel DSP co-processing in legacy systems because its 6K gates and 504 logic elements can host FIR filters, FFT butterflies, and CRC engines. The 125 MHz performance supports real-time audio-rate processing when paired with an external sample-rate converter. In the design hierarchy, a FLEX 8000 FPGA typically sits as a co-processor to a microcontroller or DSP, offloading inner-loop math. A typical placement routes input samples from a serial ADC into the EPF8636ARC208-3 and returns processed blocks to the host DSP. Designers should profile the critical path with the Quartus timing analyzer to confirm 125 MHz closure at 5 V/25 C.
Recommended
VME/PCI Bus Bridge
The EPF8636ARC208-3 fits legacy VME and PCI bus bridge designs because its 136 I/Os and 5 V tolerance match the bus signaling levels directly. The device can implement bus arbitration, address mapping, and interrupt steering for compact-PCI single-board computers. The FLEX 8000 family was widely used in the late 1990s for embedded VME SBCs, and the EPF8636ARC208-3 remains a recognized part for sustaining these systems. A typical placement has the EPF8636ARC208-3 between the VMEbus transceivers and the on-board local CPU, decoding addresses and forwarding DMA requests. Designers should follow VMEbus signal integrity guidelines and AC-couple control lines if required.
Recommended
Channelized Interface Aggregation
The EPF8636ARC208-3 fits channelized interface aggregation in telecom and datacom applications because its 136 I/Os and 125 MHz clock rate can serialize/deserialize multiple E1/T1 or HDLC channels into a single high-speed link. The 5 V-tolerant I/Os are well matched to legacy telecom line interface units that operate at 5 V. Within the design hierarchy, the EPF8636ARC208-3 typically sits between the line interface and a TDM backplane, multiplexing lower-rate channels into a higher-rate serial stream. A typical placement has the EPF8636ARC208-3 connected to four framer ICs on one side and a serializer on the other. Designers should verify clock-domain crossing with the framer reference clocks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8636ARC208-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8636AQC208-3 | EPF8636AQC208-4N | EPF8636AQC208-2 | EPF8636AQC208-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-RQFP (28x28 mm) | 208-PQFP - same footprint | 208-PQFP - same footprint | 208-PQFP - same footprint | 208-PQFP - same footprint |
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) - same brand | Altera (Intel PSG) - same brand | Altera (Intel PSG) - same brand | Altera (Intel PSG) - same brand |
| Family | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 - same | FLEX 8000 - same | FLEX 8000 - same | FLEX 8000 - same |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 (same) | -4N (slower ~20%) | -2 (faster ~10%) | -4 (slower ~25%) |
| Typical Gate Count | 6,000 gates | 6,000 gates | 6,000 gates | 6,000 gates | 6,000 gates |
| Logic Elements | 504 | 504 | 504 | 504 | 504 |
| User I/O | 136 | 136 | 136 | 136 | 136 |
| Supply Voltage | 4.75 V to 5.25 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V |
| Lifecycle | Obsolete (EOL) | Obsolete (EOL) | Obsolete (EOL) | Obsolete (EOL) | Obsolete (EOL) |
Key Differentiators
- Identical silicon, exact same speed grade as the drop-in EPF8636AQC208-3 (vs EPF8636AQC208-3)
- Faster timing closure option available in same package (vs EPF8636AQC208-2)
- Single-source through Rochester Electronics factory inventory (vs Brokers / gray market)
Design Notes
The EPF8636ARC208-3 requires a tightly regulated 5 V supply (4.75 V to 5.25 V). Per the FLEX 8000 datasheet, place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors as close as possible to every VCCINT and VCCIO pin, and add bulk 33 uF tantalum or 220 uF electrolytic capacitors at the supply entry point. Power sequencing is not strictly required for FLEX 8000 because the device is SRAM-based and reconfigures on every power-up.
The 208-RQFP package has an exposed thermal pad that must be soldered to a copper pad on the PCB for proper heat dissipation. At maximum toggle rates (125 MHz, all 136 I/Os switching), the EPF8636ARC208-3 may dissipate approximately 1.5 W to 2 W. For enclosed industrial enclosures with elevated ambient temperatures, add thermal vias under the exposed pad and connect to an inner copper plane. Estimated: assumes worst-case 50 pF load per I/O and 100 percent toggle rate.
Do not confuse the EPF8636ARC208-3 with later FLEX 10K or APEX families - they are not pin-compatible. Configuration via external EPROM must match the device density (6K gates selects EPC1 or EPC1441). Always source from authorized distributors because FLEX 8000 silicon is frequently remarked or relabeled; verify date code and lot traceability against Rochester Electronics documentation.
Compliance Information
Listed as RoHS non-compliant by current distributor records. FLEX 8000 family predates widespread RoHS conversion. AEC-Q100 not applicable - FPGAs are not qualified per automotive discrete-IC standards.
