EPM1270F256C5 - MAX II 980 Macrocell CPLD | Altera / Intel | 256-FBGA
MPN: EPM1270F256C5 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $42.36 | $42.36 |
| 10 | $38.5 | $385.00 |
| 100 | $33.2 | $3,320.00 |
| 500 | $28.75 | $14,375.00 |
| 1,000 | $25.4 | $25,400.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM1270F256C5 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPM1270F256C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM1270F256I5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM1270F256A5N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM2210F256C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$14.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM2210F256C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM570F256C5
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM1270F256C5 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | MAX II |
| Family | EPM1270 |
| Macro Cells | 980 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 16 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 212 |
| Pin-to-Pin Logic Delay (tPD) | 6.2 ns (C5 speed grade) |
| Internal Operating Frequency | 201.1 MHz |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVCMOS/LVTTL 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V, 5.0 V (MultiVolt) |
| Process Technology | 0.18 µm |
| Configuration Memory | On-chip flash (non-volatile, instant-on) |
| User Flash Memory | 8 Kbits |
| Programming Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) / ISP via ByteBlaster / USB-Blaster |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial, 'C' grade) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EPM1270F256C5 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin A6 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (1.8/2.5/3.3 V) |
| Pin A7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin A8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C1 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply |
| Pin C2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C4 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin C5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C8 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin D1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D3 | GND — Ground |
| Pin D4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D6 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin D7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin D8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E2 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin E3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E5 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin E6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin F1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin F2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F3 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin F4 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin F5 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin F6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F8 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin G1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin G2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin G3 | GND — Ground |
| Pin G4 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin G5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin G8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin H1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin H2 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin H3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin H4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin H5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin H8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin J2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin J6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin J8 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin K1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin K2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin K3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin K4 | GND — Ground |
| Pin K5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin K6 | GND — Ground |
| Pin K7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin K8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L1 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin L2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L5 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin L6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin L8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin M1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin M3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin M8 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin N1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin N2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin N3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin N4 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin N5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin N6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin N7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin N8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P1 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin P2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin P6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin P8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R3 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5/3.3 V |
| Pin R4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin R8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin T1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin T2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin T3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin T4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin T5 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin T6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin T7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin T8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U3 | GND — Ground |
| Pin U4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U6 | GND — Ground |
| Pin U7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin U8 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
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
EPM1270F256C5 is suitable for 6 applications: Multi-Rail Power Sequencing for FPGA/Processor Systems, I/O Expansion and Mixed-Voltage Level Translation, Glue-Logic Consolidation for Legacy Designs, JTAG-Controlled Board Test Multiplexer (BSCAN), High-Performance State-Machine Controller, Communications Infrastructure and Industrial Networking.
Multi-Rail Power Sequencing for FPGA/Processor Systems
The EPM1270F256C5 is ideal for multi-rail power sequencing because its flash-based, instant-on non-volatile configuration boots in microseconds and its 6.2 ns pin-to-pin delay drives MOSFET gate signals with deterministic timing. The 980 macrocells can hold dozens of independent sequencing state machines for 3.3 V, 1.8 V, 1.2 V, and 0.85 V rails feeding a host CPU plus FPGA. Designers place the CPLD between the PMIC and the load switches, using its 2.5 V/3.3 V core plus MultiVolt I/O to interface directly with 1.8 V and 5.0 V supervisory ICs. The trade-off versus an MCU-based sequencer is no firmware, fixed timing, and IEC 61508-friendly deterministic behavior.
Recommended
I/O Expansion and Mixed-Voltage Level Translation
With its MultiVolt I/O ring supporting 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and 5.0 V LVCMOS/LVTTL on a single die, the EPM1270F256C5 eliminates banks of discrete level shifters when bridging between legacy 5 V peripherals and modern 1.8 V ASICs or FPGAs. Its 212 user I/Os in the 256-ball FBGA provide plenty of channels for bus isolation, I2C/SPI muxing, and parallel-port expansion. The 201.1 MHz internal frequency sustains real-time protocol conversion at full bus speed without handshake stalls. Compared to discrete TXS/TXB level translators, the CPLD approach reduces part count by 60-80 percent and allows in-field reconfiguration via JTAG.
Recommended
Glue-Logic Consolidation for Legacy Designs
The EPM1270F256C5 lets engineers replace a board full of 74-series TTL/CMOS glue with a single BGA package, simplifying schematic, reducing PCB layers, and accelerating time-to-market. With 980 macrocells, dozens of legacy 74xx functions — address decoding, bus arbitration, interrupt steering, custom counters, and parity generators — fit inside one CPLD. The non-volatile flash configuration means the design comes up identically on every power cycle, eliminating the variability of discrete logic timing skew. Compared to multiple discrete packages, the EPM1270 in FBGA-256 cuts board area by 50 percent and BOM lines by 70 percent.
Recommended
JTAG-Controlled Board Test Multiplexer (BSCAN)
The EPM1270F256C5 can act as a JTAG-driven boundary-scan multiplexer, isolating functional test buses from production test buses on densely populated boards. Its built-in JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) interface plus 212 user I/Os let designers route dozens of test points through a single TAP chain, simplifying in-circuit test (ICT) and flying-probe coverage. The 6.2 ns tPD keeps test multiplexing transparent at functional clock rates, and the on-chip 8 Kbit User Flash can store board ID and revision for traceability. Compared to discrete analog muxes, the CPLD approach provides deterministic propagation delay and easy reconfiguration if test points change.
Recommended
High-Performance State-Machine Controller
With 980 macrocells and 16 LABs, the EPM1270F256C5 implements complex finite state machines with up to 50 states and high fan-out, far beyond what a small PLD or 22V10 can handle. The 201.1 MHz fMAX keeps state transitions deterministic at high event rates, making the part suitable for motor control state machines, protocol stack accelerators, and high-speed industrial timing logic. Compared to MCU-based state machines, the CPLD delivers zero firmware overhead, deterministic cycle times, and instant power-on behavior. Industrial designers pair the EPM1270 with the EPM1270F256I5N industrial variant for -40 °C to +100 °C operation.
Recommended
Communications Infrastructure and Industrial Networking
In communications infrastructure such as base-station backhaul, industrial Ethernet switches, and protocol bridges, the EPM1270F256C5 serves as a low-latency framing and timing-control engine. Its 6.2 ns pin-to-pin delay and 201.1 MHz internal frequency support PHY interface timing, clock-and-data recovery helpers, and synchronous serial muxing at rates up to ~80 MHz per pin. The MultiVolt I/O directly interfaces with 1.8 V PHYs and 3.3 V switch ASICs, eliminating level shifters. Designers using the industrial-temperature EPM1270F256I5N get -40 °C to +100 °C operation for outdoor cabinets.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM1270F256C5 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM1270F256C5N | EPM1270F256I5N | EPM1270F256A5N | EPM2210F256C5 | EPM2210F256C5N | EPM570F256C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-256) - same |
| Macro Cells | 980 | 980 | 980 | 980 | 1700 | 1700 | 570 |
| Maximum User I/O | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 |
| tPD (pin-to-pin) | 6.2 ns (C5 speed grade) | 6.2 ns (C5) | 6.2 ns (I5 industrial) | [DATA_NEEDED] | 6.5 ns (C5) | 6.5 ns (C5) | 5.4 ns (C5) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V | 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C (Pb-free) | Industrial -40C to +100C | Automotive -40C to +125C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C (Pb-free) | Commercial 0C to +85C |
| RoHS / Pb-free | SnPb ball finish (non-RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | SnPb ball finish | Pb-free (RoHS) | SnPb ball finish |
| Configuration Memory | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on | On-chip flash, instant-on |
Key Differentiators
- Same-footprint higher-density upgrade path to EPM2210 (vs EPM2210F256C5)
- Industrial and automotive temperature variants available in the same BGA (vs EPM1270F256I5N)
- Non-volatile flash configuration eliminates external boot memory (vs Small SRAM FPGAs (e.g. Cyclone IV))
Design Notes
The 256-ball FineLine BGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch on most MAX II device revisions; route with 0.5 mm-wide traces on inner layers and use microvia-in-pad if your PCB house supports it. Provide a continuous ground plane under the BGA and at least four stitched ground vias around the perimeter to control return-path inductance for the MultiVolt I/O switching transients.
VCCINT and VCCIO banks 1-4 must each be decoupled with 0.1 uF X7R ceramics placed within 5 mm of the respective balls, plus a bulk 10 uF tantalum or polymer cap per rail. Power-up sequencing between VCCINT and VCCIO is not required because MAX II supports simultaneous-ramp power-on, but ramp rates between 0.05 ms and 50 ms are recommended to avoid inrush latch-up.
Do not confuse the EPM1270F256C5 (commercial, SnPb balls) with the EPM1270F256C5N (Pb-free) when ordering for RoHS assemblies — both share the same 256-BGA footprint but the unmarked 'C5' variant is typically SnPb. Also note that tPD differs between speed grades: C5 = 6.2 ns, C6 = 7.5 ns, I5 = 6.2 ns industrial. Quartus II/Prime fitter reports should be cross-checked against the actual tPD spec because the tool reports worst-case over process/voltage/temperature.
Estimated: at 201.1 MHz fMAX with all 980 macrocells switching 50 pF loads, dynamic power is roughly 250 mW on a 3.3 V core. The FineLine BGA's theta_JA is approximately 25 C/W on a standard JEDEC 4-layer test board, giving a 6 C junction rise. No heatsink is required, but provide adequate airflow if the part is placed next to a high-power ASIC on the same PCB.
Compliance Information
EPM1270F256C5 ships with SnPb ball finish (non-RoHS) per Heisener listing; for RoHS assemblies select the EPM1270F256C5N or EPM1270F256I5N Pb-free variant. A5N suffix denotes AEC-Q100 automotive grade. Conflict-mineral and halogen-free status not stated in verified data — marked unknown.
