EPF8820ARC208-3-NW - 8K-Gate FLEX 8000 FPGA, 208-RQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF8820ARC208-3-NW β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $185 | $185.00 |
| 10 | $165 | $1,650.00 |
| 100 | $145 | $14,500.00 |
| 500 | $125 | $62,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $110 | $110,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8820ARC208-3-NW 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:
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View Datasheet βEPF8820ARC208-3-NW Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 672 |
| Registers | 1,500 |
| User I/O Pins | 152 |
| Supply Voltage | 4.75 V to 5.25 V |
| Process Technology | CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Package | 208-BFQFP / 208-RQFP (28x28 mm) Exposed Pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, requires external configuration device |
| In-Circuit Reconfigurability (ICR) | Yes |
| JTAG / Boundary Scan | Yes |
| Packaging | Tray |
EPF8820ARC208-3-NW Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O β User I/O pin (see datasheet for bank assignment) |
| Pin 2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 3 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 4 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 5 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 6 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 7 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
| Pin 8 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 9 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 10 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 11 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 12 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 15 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 16 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 17 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 18 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
| Pin 19 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 20 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 24 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 25 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 26 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 33 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 34 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
| Pin 35 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 42 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 43 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 44 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 50 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 51 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
| Pin 52 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 60 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 61 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 62 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 67 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 68 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
| Pin 69 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 78 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 79 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 80 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 81 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 82 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 83 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 84 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 85 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
| Pin 86 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 96 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 97 | GND β Ground |
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| Pin 102 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 103 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
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| Pin 114 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 115 | GND β Ground |
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| Pin 120 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 121 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
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| Pin 133 | GND β Ground |
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| Pin 139 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
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| Pin 151 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 152 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 154 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 155 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 156 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 157 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
| Pin 158 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 168 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 169 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 170 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 172 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 173 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 174 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 175 | VCC β 5 V core supply |
| Pin 176 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 177 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 186 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 187 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 188 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 189 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 190 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 191 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 192 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 193 | VCC β 5 V I/O supply |
| Pin 194 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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| Pin 205 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 206 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 207 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 208 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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
EPF8820ARC208-3-NW is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Replacement, Telecommunications Backplane Controllers, VHDL/Verilog Prototyping Platforms, Military / Aerospace Legacy Systems, Digital Signal Conditioning Interfaces, Medical Device Legacy Controllers.
Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Replacement
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW's 8,000 usable gates and 672 LEs with 152 user I/O pins provide ample logic density to replace multiple 74-series TTL and PAL/GAL glue-logic devices on legacy 5 V backplanes. Its 4.75 V to 5.25 V single-supply operation matches industrial 5 V power rails directly, eliminating level-shifters needed for modern 3.3 V/1.5 V FPGAs. The exposed thermal pad on the 208-RQFP package allows direct PCB ground-plane attachment, sustaining industrial chassis thermal environments. This makes the device ideal for sustaining production lines of legacy PLC, motor drive, and factory-automation controllers where redesign qualification costs are prohibitive. Pair with EPC2 or EPC8 configuration memory for hot-swap backplane insertion support.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Controllers
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW's 152 user I/Os and high register count (1,500) make it suitable as a backplane glue controller in legacy telecommunications equipment such as T1/E1 framers, ATM switches, and SONET/SDH tributary mappers. The 5 V tolerance simplifies the interface to legacy line-card transceivers and bus drivers without level translation, while the FLEX 8000 architecture delivers deterministic 5 V CMOS timing. The exposed-pad 208-RQFP package supports the thermal envelope of densely-populated telecom shelves. SRAM-based in-circuit reconfigurability enables field-upgradable bitstreams for carrier-grade maintenance. Long-term availability through Rochester Electronics and FPGAX supports telecom-grade lifecycle requirements.
Recommended
VHDL/Verilog Prototyping Platforms
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW is well-suited for educational and prototyping platforms because FLEX 8000 supports full VHDL and Verilog synthesis flows with mature Altera MAX+PLUS II and Quartus toolchains. Its 8K usable gates and 152 I/O pins accommodate non-trivial designs like UART controllers, FIFO buffers, and small RISC cores that students and engineers port to FPGAs. The 208-RQFP package exposes all I/O on 0.5 mm pitch headers or breakouts, simplifying laboratory measurement access. JTAG-based boundary-scan testing enables classroom-friendly in-system programming and verification workflows.
Recommended
Military / Aerospace Legacy Systems
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW is still in production or stock at defense-focused distributors like Rochester Electronics and FPGAX for long-term aerospace and defense programs. The FLEX 8000 family's mature datasheet heritage and established QML/MIL-PRF qualification flows make it suitable for legacy avionics, radar signal conditioning, and weapons-system controllers. Its 5 V tolerance interfaces directly to MIL-STD-1553 transceivers and ARINC 429 line drivers. Obsolescence management programs at these distributors provide guaranteed supply continuity for the multi-decade lifecycles required by defense platforms. Design notes emphasize ceramic-package variants for high-reliability environments.
Recommended
Digital Signal Conditioning Interfaces
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW's high register count (1,500) and 152 user I/Os make it suitable for digital signal conditioning and pre-processing in mixed-signal systems, such as FIR filter front-ends, data-format converters, and protocol-bridging between sensor buses and backplane fabrics. FLEX 8000's 5 V CMOS I/O directly interfaces to legacy analog front-end ADCs and DACs without external level shifters. The exposed thermal pad supports the sustained operation of signal-processing pipelines in densely-populated instrumentation cards. The SRAM-based fabric enables bitstream updates as signal-processing algorithms evolve in the field.
Recommended
Medical Device Legacy Controllers
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW supports long-lifecycle medical device controllers such as legacy patient monitors, imaging systems, and laboratory analyzers that were designed around FLEX 8000 in the 1990s. Its 5 V tolerance and 8K usable gates deliver sufficient density for digital control and display multiplexing in compact enclosures. Long-term supply channels from Rochester Electronics and FPGA-focused distributors support the 10-15 year medical device support windows mandated by regulatory requirements. The exposed thermal pad allows compliance with medical chassis thermal envelopes without external heatsinks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8820ARC208-3-NW β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8820ARC208-3 | EPF8820ARC208-2N | EPF8820ARC208-2 | EPF8820ARC208-2H | EPF8820ARC208-24 | EPF8820ARC208-2A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same | 208-RQFP (28x28) Exposed Pad - same |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Logic Elements | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 |
| User I/O | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 |
| 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 | 4.75 V to 5.25 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 | -2 | -2 | -2H | -2 | -2A |
| RoHS Suffix | Yes (-NW suffix) | Standard non-RoHS | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- RoHS-compliant shipping variant of standard FLEX 8000 die (vs EPF8820ARC208-3)
- Highest FMAX speed grade in 208-RQFP family (vs EPF8820ARC208-2N)
- Exposed thermal pad for industrial chassis (vs EPF8820AQC208-3)
Design Notes
The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW requires a regulated 4.75 V to 5.25 V supply on each VCC pin with multiple bulk and decoupling capacitors placed close to the package. Use a 100 uF bulk capacitor per supply rail plus 0.1 uF and 0.01 uF ceramic decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of each VCC pin to suppress switching transients during SRAM configuration loading. The exposed thermal pad must be soldered to a PCB ground plane for heat dissipation and ground reference.
FLEX 8000 FPGAs use SRAM-based configuration cells that lose their bitstream at every power-down. The EPF8820ARC208-3-NW therefore requires an external Altera EPC2, EPC8, or compatible configuration device on every board - omitting it will leave the FPGA unconfigured at power-up. Configure nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE pull-ups correctly per the FLEX 8000 datasheet, and verify JTAG chain integrity with the Altera ByteBlaster or equivalent programmer.
Lay out the 208-RQFP footprint on a 0.5 mm pitch with continuous power and ground planes under the device, and stitch vias around the exposed thermal pad at 1.0 mm spacing for thermal and ground continuity. Place configuration-memory (EPC2) and clock-oscillator traces within 25 mm of the FPGA, and route JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) in a dedicated chain with 10K pull-ups to VCC. Maintain 5 V tolerance on every I/O pin connection to legacy backplane signals.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance inferred from -NW suffix designation per Verified Web Data. Detailed REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals compliance documentation not available in provided data. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs.
