EPF8820ARC240-4 - FLEX 8000 FPGA 672 LUTs RQFP-240 | Altera
MPN: EPF8820ARC240-4 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32.5 | $32.50 |
| 10 | $28.75 | $287.50 |
| 100 | $22.4 | $2,240.00 |
| 250 | $19.85 | $4,962.50 |
| 500 | $17.2 | $8,600.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8820ARC240-4 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet →EPF8820ARC240-4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Logic Elements | 672 |
| Typical Gates | 8000 usable gates |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 16 |
| Maximum RAM Bits | 4096 bits |
| Package | RQFP-240 (240-pin Reduced Quad Flat Pack) |
| Speed Grade | -4 |
| Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 5.0 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 3.3 V or 5.0 V |
| Process Technology | CMOS SRAM |
| Programmability | SRAM, in-system via JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Configuration Schemes | Passive serial, passive parallel, JTAG |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (RQFP) |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EPF8820ARC240-4 rqfp-240 (240-pin reduced quad flat pack) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPF8820ARC240-4 (rqfp-240 (240-pin reduced quad flat pack) package) with [DATA_NEEDED: user I/O pin count] 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 EPF8820ARC240-4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: [DATA_NEEDED: user I/O pin count] 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
EPF8820ARC240-4 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Bus-Interface Glue Logic, Peripheral Controllers for Legacy MCUs, Telecommunications Channel Adaptation Logic, Industrial Control State Machines, Prototype ASIC Replacement, Legacy Avionics and Defense Interface Boards.
Legacy Bus-Interface Glue Logic
The EPF8820ARC240-4's 672 Logic Elements and 16 Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) provide ample capacity for bus-interface glue logic, particularly ISA-to-local-bus or microcontroller-to-peripheral bridges. The -4 speed grade delivers roughly 4 ns LE propagation delay, supporting synchronous bus protocols up to about 50 MHz on the RQFP-240's generous I/O count. Compared to discrete 74-series logic, the FLEX 8000 consolidates address decoding, wait-state generation, and bus-multiplexing into a single reprogrammable device - a key reason this FPGA family was adopted in late-1990s industrial PCs and telecommunications backplane designs. The on-chip EABs also allow 4096 bits of dual-port RAM for FIFO buffers on each bus channel.
Recommended
Peripheral Controllers for Legacy MCUs
Designers often pair the EPF8820ARC240-4 with 8051, 68HC11, or early ARM7 microcontrollers to offload peripheral glue: UART baud-rate generators, PWM timers, or keypad/display scanning matrices. The 4096 bits of EAB-based RAM store lookup tables for character generation or waveform synthesis without external memory, and the JTAG interface simplifies in-system firmware updates during prototyping. The 5.0V core supply matches legacy MCU rails, eliminating level-translation overhead. With 672 LEs the device handles dozens of peripheral functions in parallel, allowing the host MCU to focus on application code. The RQFP-240 package also supports enough I/O for multi-port designs.
Recommended
Telecommunications Channel Adaptation Logic
In legacy telecom equipment, the EPF8820ARC240-4 implements channelized adaptation logic for T1/E1 framing, HDLC controllers, and protocol interworking between PDH and SDH hierarchies. The 16 EABs provide small FIFO buffers per channel, and the 672 LEs handle framing-bit insertion, line-code conversion (AMI/HDB3/B8ZS), and alarm-state machines. The 5V tolerant I/Os interface directly to legacy line-interface units, and the JTAG interface supports field reprogramming as standards evolve. Compared to ASIC implementations, the FLEX 8000 allows rapid channel-count changes without respin, which was critical during the late-1990s telecom-equipment ramp. The NRND status now limits this use to maintenance of installed bases.
Recommended
Industrial Control State Machines
Industrial PLCs and motion controllers in the late 1990s used the EPF8820ARC240-4 to implement deterministic state machines for sequencing, servo-loop glue, and safety-interlock logic. The 672 LEs provide enough capacity for multi-axis stepper/servo state machines with encoder decoding, while the 16 EABs hold motion-profile tables or PID coefficient sets. The -4 speed grade supports encoder sampling rates up to several MHz, sufficient for typical 5 kHz servo loops. The 5V core supply tolerates the noisy 24V industrial environment after external regulation, and the JTAG interface allows in-field firmware updates via the PLC's service port. The RQFP-240 package's large pin count accommodates many parallel sensor inputs.
Recommended
Prototype ASIC Replacement
Before committing to a mask-programmed gate array, design teams often used the EPF8820ARC240-4 as a fast-turn prototype for ASIC verification, particularly for designs in the 5K-10K gate complexity range. The 672 LEs and 16 EABs cover most pre-tapeout validation scenarios, and design migration from MAX+PLUS II to ASIC vendor libraries is straightforward because FLEX 8000 uses standard Verilog/VHDL with predictable synthesis. The -4 speed grade provides realistic timing models that correlate well with the eventual ASIC implementation. Engineering teams saved weeks of mask-set cost by validating prototypes on the FLEX 8000, and the JTAG interface allowed rapid design-iteration cycles during pre-silicon verification.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics and Defense Interface Boards
Military and aerospace systems designed in the 1990s-2000s relied on the EPF8820ARC240-4 for MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and discrete-signal interfaces where radiation tolerance was not a primary requirement. The 672 LEs handle bus-controller and remote-terminal state machines for MIL-STD-1553, while the EABs store lookup tables for ARINC 429 label decoding. The RQFP-240 package's high pin count supports redundant bus channels, and the JTAG interface meets BIT (built-in test) requirements for field maintenance. Although now NRND, the EPF8820ARC240-4 remains in service-life extension programs for legacy defense platforms where redesign certification costs would be prohibitive.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8820ARC240-4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8820ARC240-3 | EPF8820ARC240-3N | EPF8820ARC-4 | EPF8820ARC-4N | EPF8636ARC208-4 | EPF8282ATC100-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | RQFP-240 | RQFP-240 (same) | RQFP-240 (same) | RQFP-240 (same) | RQFP-240 (same) | RQFP-208 (different) | TQFP-100 (different) |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 |
| Logic Elements | 672 | 672 (same) | 672 (same) | 672 (same) | 672 (same) | 636 | 288 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 16 | 16 (same) | 16 (same) | 16 (same) | 16 (same) | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Maximum RAM Bits | 4096 bits | 4096 bits (same) | 4096 bits (same) | 4096 bits (same) | 4096 bits (same) | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Speed Grade | -4 | -3 (faster) | -3 (faster) | -4 (same) | -4 (same) | -4 | -4 |
| Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V |
| Process / Configuration | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG | CMOS SRAM / JTAG |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Same die and pinout as -3 speed grade, allowing upward timing closure without PCB changes (vs EPF8820ARC240-3)
- Larger 240-pin package with maximum user I/O compared to -208 variant (vs EPF8820ARC208-4)
- Significantly higher logic capacity vs lower-density FLEX 8000 siblings (vs EPF8282ATC100-4)
Design Notes
Estimated: at VCCINT=5.0V with all 672 LEs switching at 50% toggle rate and a 25 MHz internal clock, ICCINT is approximately 200-300 mA. The RQFP-240's thermal pad (if present) and surrounding copper pour should provide at least 4 sq-in of 1-oz copper to keep junction temperature below 85C. Decoupling per the FLEX 8000 datasheet: place 0.1 uF ceramic caps at every VCCINT/VCCIO pin pair, plus a single 10 uF tantalum bulk cap near the device. Unlike modern low-core-voltage FPGAs, FLEX 8000 requires 5V core regulation; do NOT attempt to power from 3.3V rails.
The RQFP-240 package has 0.5 mm pitch leads and requires careful PCB layout: keep all signal traces at least 0.2 mm from pad edges, use a soldermask-defined (SMD) pad with 0.1 mm mask expansion, and plan for lead coplanarity within 0.1 mm to prevent tombstoning during reflow. Recommended land pattern: 0.30 mm pad width, 1.50 mm pad length, with 0.5 mm pitch. The device's JTAG chain (TDI/TDO/TMS/TCK) should be routed with 4-8 mil traces, kept short, and protected from cross-talk by a ground guard trace on each side. Avoid routing high-speed clocks parallel to JTAG signals.
Three pitfalls to avoid: (1) the FLEX 8000 SRAM configuration is volatile - the bitstream must be reloaded from external EPROM/flash on every power-up, so always include a configuration memory in your BOM; (2) the 5.0V VCCINT cannot be substituted with 3.3V even though the I/O banks support 3.3V - attempting this will damage the device; (3) the part is NRND and Altera/Intel no longer recommends it for new designs - if you are starting a new project, target Cyclone, MAX II, or MAX 10 instead. For maintenance of legacy designs, source only from franchised distributors and verify lot/date code before assembly.
Estimated: at the -4 speed grade's typical 4 ns LE delay, the EPF8820ARC240-4 supports internal clock rates up to approximately 60-80 MHz before timing-closure becomes difficult. For external clock distribution, keep clock traces to within 50 mm, use series-damping resistors (22-33 ohm) on clock outputs driving multiple loads, and ensure all clock inputs (CLK0/CLK1/CLK2/CLK3) have proper 50-ohm terminations when driven from external oscillators. The FLEX 8000 architecture uses FastTrack continuous routing lines for predictable clock distribution - consult the MAX+PLUS II timing analyzer output to confirm setup/hold margins on all registered paths before sign-off.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status marked unknown because the verified web data does not include the specific compliance declarations. The FLEX 8000 family pre-dates RoHS directives; many factory-stock parts are non-RoHS, but RoHS-converted variants may be available from distributors. AEC-Q100 not applicable for this industrial/commercial-grade FPGA.
