EPM1270F256 - MAX II 980-Macrocell CPLD, 256-BGA | Altera
MPN: EPM1270F256 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.4 | $18.40 |
| 10 | $16.55 | $165.50 |
| 100 | $14.2 | $1,420.00 |
| 500 | $12.1 | $6,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.85 | $10,850.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM1270F256 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:
EPM1270F256C5
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$25.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEPM1270F256I5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$12.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEPM570F256I5N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM2210F256I5N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM1270F256C3
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM1270F256C4N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM1270F256 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | MAX II |
| Macro Cells (Typical) | 980 |
| Logic Elements | 1270 |
| User I/O (Max) | 212 |
| User Flash Memory | 8 Kbits |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 2.5 V / 3.3 V (on-chip regulator) |
| I/O Voltages Supported | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V (MultiVolt) |
| Maximum Frequency | 201.1 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.18 Β΅m |
| Package | 256-Pin FineLine BGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile flash (instant-on) |
| Programming Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial, I5N suffix) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Vertical Migration | Pin-compatible with EPM570F256 and EPM2210F256 |
EPM1270F256 256-pin fineline bga Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPM1270F256 (256-pin fineline bga 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 EPM1270F256.
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
EPM1270F256 is suitable for 7 applications: Bus Interface Bridging (PCI / Local Bus), I/O Expansion and Voltage Translation, Power-up Sequencing Controller, Industrial Automation Glue Logic, LED Display Driver and Refresh, Consumer Electronics Control Logic, Motor Control and PWM Generation.
Bus Interface Bridging (PCI / Local Bus)
The EPM1270F256 is widely used as a bus-bridge between legacy parallel buses (PCI, ISA, local bus) and modern processors, where its 212 user I/O and MultiVolt 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V support let one device bridge mixed-voltage domains without external level shifters. The MAX II family's non-volatile instant-on configuration means the bus-bridge logic is active within microseconds of power-up, which is critical for systems that must respond to host enumeration during the BIOS boot phase. The 980-macrocell capacity comfortably absorbs address-decode, wait-state, and interrupt-acknowledge state machines for 32-bit bus widths. Engineers typically place the CPLD adjacent to the bus connector with matched-impedance routing and provide local decoupling on every VCCINT/VCCIO pin per Quartus II power-pin guidance.
Recommended
I/O Expansion and Voltage Translation
The EPM1270F256's MultiVolt I/O banks make it a natural fit for I/O expansion and voltage translation between 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V peripherals. Up to 212 user I/O can be partitioned into independent banks, each powered from its own VCCIO rail, so a single CPLD can replace dozens of discrete level-shifters and bus-switch ICs while adding glue-logic at the same time. The deterministic pin-to-pin timing of the MAX II architecture is essential for translation paths carrying fast synchronous buses such as SPI, I2C at high speed, or parallel RGB interfaces. Using the CPLD for both translation and control reduces BOM cost, board area, and BOM risk versus a translator-IC-plus-discrete-logic implementation.
Recommended
Power-up Sequencing Controller
Power-up sequencing for multi-rail systems is a textbook MAX II use case, and the EPM1270F256 provides the 212 user I/O and 980 macrocells required to sequence 10+ rails with PG (power-good) feedback. The non-volatile flash configuration ensures the sequencer logic is live within microseconds of VCC applied, well before downstream DC-DC converters reach regulation - this avoids the common glitch where downstream rails come up in the wrong order. PG flags from each regulator feed the CPLD, which then drives the ENABLE pins in the correct order, optionally with adjustable delay generated by internal timers. The 0.18 Β΅m process and modest 2.5/3.3 V core consumption also keep the sequencer's quiescent draw low enough to be powered from an always-on rail.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Glue Logic
In industrial automation, the EPM1270F256 (typically ordered as EPM1270F256I5N for -40C to +100C operation) is used as glue logic between PLC backplanes, motor-control MCUs, and field-bus transceivers. Its 1270 LEs are sufficient to implement custom state machines for encoder quadrature decoding, PWM blanking, and safety-watchdog supervision that off-the-shelf logic ICs cannot deliver. The 256-pin FineLine BGA footprint preserves routing headroom for high-speed differential pairs to RS-485 / CAN transceivers, and the JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) programming interface supports in-system firmware updates without removing the board from the chassis. Industrial users also benefit from the MAX II family's instant-on flash, which avoids the SRAM-FPGA cold-boot delay during emergency-restart events.
Recommended
LED Display Driver and Refresh
The EPM1270F256 is a popular choice for driving large LED sign and dot-matrix displays, where its 212 user I/O pins can multiplex dozens of row/column lines while the 980 macrocells implement PWM dimming, gamma correction, and refresh timing. The MAX II instant-on flash configuration eliminates the cold-boot blank-screen that plagues SRAM-FPGA-based display controllers in outdoor signage applications. Deterministic timing lets the refresh rate be tuned precisely to avoid flicker on-camera, and the on-chip 8 Kbits of user flash can store lookup tables and test patterns that the host MCU writes at boot. MultiVolt I/O means a single CPLD can drive both 3.3 V logic-level shift-registers and 5 V high-current LED drivers in the same design.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Control Logic
In cost-sensitive consumer products such as set-top boxes, home appliances, and printers, the EPM1270F256 provides the right balance of logic density, I/O count, and unit cost. Designers use it for front-panel button scanning, IR receiver decoding, relay and triac timing, low-speed peripheral multiplexing, and watchdog supervision - tasks that would otherwise require several discrete logic ICs. The MAX II non-volatile configuration means the appliance is functional within microseconds of AC power being applied, an important UX factor in modern consumer devices. MultiVolt I/O bridges between 1.8 V application processors and 3.3 V or 5 V peripheral ICs without external level shifters, keeping the BOM short and the PCB compact.
Recommended
Motor Control and PWM Generation
The EPM1270F256's 1270 LEs and 212 user I/O are well-suited to motor-control glue logic: complementary PWM generation with dead-band insertion, Hall-sensor or quadrature-encoder decoding, fault-input prioritization, and brake/coast sequencing. The MAX II family's deterministic timing guarantees consistent PWM edge placement, which is essential for low-ripple torque output in BLDC and stepper drives. Up to 212 I/O let the CPLD drive gate-driver enable lines, fault-clear lines, and current-sense multiplexers for multi-axis systems without external logic. The non-volatile instant-on configuration is also valuable in safety applications where the motor controller must latch outputs in a known state within microseconds of power-up.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM1270F256 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM1270F256C5 | EPM1270F256I5N | EPM570F256I5N | EPM2210F256I5N | EPM1270F256C3 | EPM1270F256C4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-Pin FineLine BGA | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) | 256-Pin FineLine BGA (same) |
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) |
| Macro Cells | 980 | 980 | 980 | 440 | 1700 | 980 | 980 |
| Logic Elements | 1270 | 1270 | 1270 | 570 | 2210 | 1270 | 1270 |
| User I/O (Max) | 212 | 212 | 212 | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | 212 | 212 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial, base) | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C |
| Speed Grade | Base (unspecified) | -5 | -5 | -5 | -5 | -3 (fastest) | -4 |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile flash (instant-on) | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash |
| Programming Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | USD 18.40 | [DATA_NEEDED] | USD 19.10 (typical) | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density in 256-FineLine BGA at this speed grade (vs EPM570F256I5N)
- Vertical-migration family with two density options on the same footprint (vs EPM2210F256I5N)
- Non-volatile instant-on flash configuration (vs EPM1270F256C3 (same die, faster speed grade))
- Industrial-temperature option in the same package (vs EPM1270F256C5 (commercial-temp sibling))
Design Notes
The EPM1270F256 has on-chip voltage regulators that derive the internal VCCINT from a 2.5 V or 3.3 V VCC supply. Decoupling guidance from the MAX II handbook requires at least one 0.1 Β΅F ceramic capacitor per VCCIO bank plus bulk decoupling on VCC; incomplete decoupling causes VCCINT ripple that degrades t<sub>PD</sub> margins. When operating at the maximum 201.1 MHz f<sub>MAX</sub>, place the bulk capacitor within 25 mm of the VCC pins and use four-layer PCB with dedicated power and ground planes.
The 256-pin FineLine BGA package demands reflow profile per J-STD-020 and PCB pad design per the Altera FineLine BGA land-pattern recommendation (non-solder-mask-defined pads are preferred for FineLine BGA). Signal escape routing should escape on at least two layers between BGA rows using 0.1 mm trace/space to keep the breakout manufacturable on standard 1 oz copper. Matched-impedance routing is required for high-speed I/O such as LVDS, and the entire BGA footprint must be kept away from board edges to avoid warpage cracking.
MultiVolt I/O banks on the EPM1270F256 are powered independently per VCCIO pin, so a single device can bridge 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V domains. Engineers must ensure each bank's VCCIO matches the I/O standard used in that bank; mixing standards across a single bank without reconfiguration is not allowed and will damage the I/O. For high-speed buses (DDR, LVDS), follow the MAX II handbook's termination and length-matching rules, and avoid routing I/O across split power planes that straddle two VCCIO domains.
Common pitfalls include (1) assuming the EPM1270F256 is SRAM-based like a Xilinx Spartan or Altera Cyclone - it is flash-based, so no external boot PROM is needed, and the device is live within microseconds; (2) ignoring the -3/-4/-5 speed-grade suffix and selecting the wrong bin for a tight timing closure; (3) leaving JTAG TCK un-terminated, which can cause boundary-scan failures; and (4) powering a bank from a voltage outside the 1.5-3.3 V MultiVolt range. Always verify the full ordering code (e.g., EPM1270F256I5N) matches the desired temperature and speed grade before placing the order.
Quartus II Floorplan and pin-planner output should drive final PCB pin assignment, but as a rule of thumb place high-speed differential pairs (LVDS, clock outputs) on the package side closest to the on-chip PLL-like clock networks, and group bank-VCCIO pins together. Keep JTAG pins (TDI, TDO, TMS, TCK) accessible for the programming header or flying-lead ISP probe. For vertical-migration designs, reserve identical footprints for EPM570F256 and EPM2210F256 so that a board revision can swap density without PCB rework.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Altera/Intel product page; not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial -40C to +100C only, not full automotive PPAP). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in the available data and marked unknown per Data Authenticity Rule 2.
