EPF8820AQC208-3N - FLEX 8000 FPGA 8K Gates 672 Cells | Altera
MPN: EPF8820AQC208-3N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $24.9 | $249.00 |
| 100 | $19.75 | $1,975.00 |
| 500 | $15.2 | $7,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.4 | $11,400.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8820AQC208-3N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Product Type | FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) / Loadable PLD |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 (up to 16,000 family maximum) |
| Logic Cells (LEs) | 672 |
| User I/Os | 152 |
| Logic Elements / Registers | 1,500 |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS SRAM |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (Commercial) |
| Package Type | FQFP-208 (PQFP-208, gull-wing) |
| Package Code | FQFP |
| Terminal Form | Gull Wing |
| Terminal Count | 208 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (16-bit loadable counter 95 MHz; 16-to-1 MUX 7.9 ns) |
| Configuration Memory | CMOS SRAM (volatile, in-circuit reconfigurable) |
| Configuration Devices Supported | EPC1, EPC1213, EPC1064, EPC1441 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EPF8820AQC208-3N Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 4 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 11 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 12 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 16 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 21 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 22 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 23 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 24 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 27 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 28 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 29 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 30 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 33 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 34 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 36 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 37 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 38 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 39 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 40 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 41 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 42 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 43 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 44 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 45 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 46 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 47 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 48 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 49 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 51 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 52 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 53 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active-low) |
| Pin 54 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active-low) |
| Pin 55 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done (active-high) |
| Pin 56 | DCLK — Configuration clock |
| Pin 57 | DATA0 — Configuration data input (bit 0) |
| Pin 58 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 60 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 61 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 62 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 63 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 66 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 67 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 69 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 71 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 72 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 74 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 75 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 77 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 78 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 80 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 81 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 82 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 83 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 84 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 87 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 89 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 90 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 92 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 93 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 94 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 95 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 96 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 97 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 98 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 99 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 100 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 101 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 102 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 103 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 104 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 105 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 106 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 109 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 110 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 111 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 112 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 115 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 117 | VCCIO5 — I/O bank 5 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 118 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 119 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 120 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 121 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 122 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 123 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 124 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 125 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 126 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 127 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 128 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 5) |
| Pin 129 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 130 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 131 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 132 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 133 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 134 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 135 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 136 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 137 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 138 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 139 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 140 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 141 | VCCIO6 — I/O bank 6 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 142 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 143 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 144 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 145 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 146 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 147 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 148 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 149 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 150 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 151 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 152 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 6) |
| Pin 153 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Pin 154 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 155 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 156 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 157 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 158 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 159 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 160 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 161 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 162 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 163 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 164 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 165 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 166 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 167 | VCCIO7 — I/O bank 7 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 168 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 169 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 170 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 171 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 172 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 173 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 174 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 175 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 176 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 177 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 178 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 7) |
| Pin 179 | VCCINT — Internal core supply (5 V) |
| Pin 180 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 181 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 182 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 183 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 184 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 185 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 186 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 187 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 188 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 189 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 190 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 191 | VCCIO8 — I/O bank 8 supply (5 V) |
| Pin 192 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 193 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 194 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 195 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 196 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 197 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 198 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 199 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 200 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 201 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 202 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 8) |
| Pin 203 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Pin 204 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 205 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 206 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 207 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 208 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
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
EPF8820AQC208-3N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Control, Legacy Telecom Interface Cards, PCI Bus Bridge and Glue Logic Consolidation, Educational and Hobbyist Development Platforms, Parallel SRAM and FIFO Interface Controllers, Aerospace Avionics Legacy Spares.
Industrial Automation Control
The EPF8820AQC208-3N is well suited to industrial 5 V control backplanes because of its 152 user I/Os, 8K usable gates, and CMOS-SRAM in-circuit reconfigurability. Designers can integrate multiple 32-bit control buses, encoder counters, and PWM generators in a single FQFP-208 device, replacing 4-6 discrete 74-series logic packages. The 95 MHz -3 speed grade easily accommodates servo-loop update rates of 10-20 kHz with substantial timing margin. The 0-70 °C commercial temperature range covers most factory-floor enclosures, and the FLEX 8000 SRAM configuration supports field firmware updates over JTAG for serviceability.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Interface Cards
Legacy T1/E1 line cards and backplane multiplexers in telecom central offices deployed FLEX 8000 devices like the EPF8820AQC208-3N for HDLC framing, time-slot interchange, and alarm logic. The 5 V tolerant I/Os interface directly to vintage bus transceivers, while the 152 I/Os handle full E1 (32 time slots) plus overhead without external bus expander logic. The 672 LEs and 1,500 registers provide ample capacity for per-channel state machines, while the -3 speed grade's 7.9 ns multiplexer delay meets 8 kHz frame alignment budgets. In-circuit reconfigurability allowed carriers to deploy field-upgradeable firmware via JTAG without card swap.
Recommended
PCI Bus Bridge and Glue Logic Consolidation
The EPF8820AQC208-3N's wide 152-I/O count and 8K-gate capacity made it a popular PCI bus bridge and glue-logic consolidator in late-1990s PC peripherals, RAID controllers, and add-in cards. It absorbed address decode, wait-state insertion, bus arbiter, and interrupt steering that previously consumed two to three CPLDs. The FQFP-208 footprint accommodates the 32-bit PCI AD bus plus control and parity signals without multiplexing, and the SRAM configuration supports vendor-specific BIOS updates. The 5 V core matches the PCI 5 V signaling environment, eliminating level shifters.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Development Platforms
Universities and engineering schools adopted the EPF8820AQC208-3N and its FLEX 8000 siblings for FPGA design courses in the late 1990s and early 2000s because Altera MAX+PLUS II and Quartus toolchains offered free student editions. The 8K-gate capacity exercises Verilog and VHDL design flows without overwhelming students, while the 152 I/Os interface conveniently to breadboard-friendly headers. The 5 V tolerance tolerates typical lab bench power supplies, and the SRAM configuration supports live in-lab re-iteration. Hobbyists today use surplus EPF8820AQC208-3N stock on FPGA retro-computing projects.
Recommended
Parallel SRAM and FIFO Interface Controllers
The EPF8820AQC208-3N served as a flexible controller between microprocessors and parallel SRAM, FIFOs, and dual-port memories in DSP and image-processing subsystems. The 152 I/Os handle 32-bit data plus 24-bit address and full control without external bus expander logic, and the 672 LEs accommodate address-generation state machines and burst-mode controllers. The 7.9 ns multiplexer delay at the -3 speed grade ensures single-cycle memory access at clock rates up to 80 MHz. The SRAM configuration permits firmware revision without re-spinning the PCB during prototype bring-up.
Recommended
Aerospace Avionics Legacy Spares
Military and commercial avionics programs built in the late 1990s often standardized on FLEX 8000 devices like the EPF8820AQC208-3N for ARINC 429 bus interfaces, flight-control redundant compute lanes, and display drivers. Despite its obsolete lifecycle status today, it remains on qualified parts lists for sustaining engineering of these long-lifecycle platforms. The 5 V tolerance, wide temperature headroom when derated, and proven reliability in fielded systems make it the only drop-in replacement for legacy flight hardware. Aerospace sustainment programs continue to procure tested lot stock through specialized brokers.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8820AQC208-3N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8820AQC208-3 | EPF8820AQC208-2N | EPF8820AQC208-2 | EPF8820AQC208-4 | EPF8636AQC208-3 | EPF8636AQC208-4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | FQFP-208 (PQFP-208) | FQFP-208 - same | FQFP-208 - same | FQFP-208 - same | FQFP-208 - same | FQFP-208 - same | FQFP-208 - same |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Logic Cells (LEs) | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 432 | 432 |
| User I/Os | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Speed Grade | -3 (95 MHz counter) | -3 (95 MHz counter) | -2 (83 MHz counter) | -2 (83 MHz counter) | -4 (faster than -3) | -3 (95 MHz counter) | -4 (faster than -3) |
| Lead-Free Finish | No (N suffix) | Yes (no N suffix) | No (N suffix) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (N suffix) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free finish availability for RoHS compliance (vs EPF8820AQC208-3)
- Faster speed grade option in same FQFP-208 footprint (vs EPF8820AQC208-4)
- 50% more logic capacity than the EPF8636 family at the same footprint (vs EPF8636AQC208-3)
Design Notes
The EPF8820AQC208-3N requires a stable 5 V supply on both VCCINT and VCCIO pins. Decouple each VCCINT/VCCIO pin with a 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the package pin, and add bulk 10-47 µF tantalum or polymer capacitors at the supply entry to the board. During configuration, inrush current can momentarily exceed 500 mA; ensure the regulator has sufficient headroom. Power sequencing between VCCINT and VCCIO is not required, but both rails must reach 90% of nominal within 100 ms of power-up to prevent partial SRAM configuration errors.
Although the 0.42 µm CMOS process is not high-power, sustained configuration clocking at 95 MHz with all 152 I/Os toggling can dissipate 1-1.5 W. The FQFP-208 package has a θJA of approximately 35-40 °C/W on a standard 4-layer PCB, so junction temperature rise is 35-60 °C above ambient. For operation at the high end of the 0-70 °C commercial range, provide copper pours under and around the package and ensure at least 100 CFM airflow if mounted in a sealed enclosure. Forced-air cooling is rarely required but recommended for sustained 95 MHz operation in chassis above 50 °C ambient.
FQFP-208 has 0.5 mm pitch gull-wing leads. Use a 4-layer PCB with continuous GND plane under the device for return-current control and EMI suppression. Route all 152 user I/O signals on inner or outer layers with 50 Ω controlled impedance if any signal exceeds 50 MHz. Keep configuration traces (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK, DATA0) short and away from switching I/O to avoid false configuration triggers. Provide a JTAG header (TDI/TMS/TCK/TDO plus optional TRST) accessible at the board edge for in-system programming via Altera ByteBlaster or equivalent.
Common pitfalls: (1) Failing to configure the device on every power-up because SRAM configuration is volatile; (2) Driving I/O pins before configuration completes (will cause high-Icc latch-up); (3) Mixing 3.3 V peripherals on a 5 V VCCIO bank (the FLEX 8000 I/Os are 5 V tolerant but not 3.3 V-compliant); (4) Ignoring the -3 speed grade when budgeting timing - the 7.9 ns multiplexer delay must be added to clock-to-output paths; (5) Forgetting to assign unused I/O pins to 'input tri-stated' to minimize power and noise; (6) Using EPC1 (older) configuration devices without verifying compatibility with Quartus programmer output.
Compliance Information
EPF8820AQC208-3N carries the 'N' suffix indicating non-lead-free (leaded) finish per legacy Altera ordering codes; use the EPF8820AQC208-3 (no N) for RoHS-compliant builds. RoHS/REACH/AEC-Q100 status not explicitly listed in verified sources.
