EPM1270T144C4N - MAX II CPLD 980 LE 144-TQFP | Intel / Altera
MPN: EPM1270T144C4N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $16.5 | $16.50 |
| 10 | $14.85 | $148.50 |
| 100 | $13.2 | $1,320.00 |
| 500 | $11.78 | $5,890.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.45 | $10,450.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM1270T144C4N — 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:
EPM1270T144C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM1270T144A5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$32.94 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM570T144C5N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM2210T144C3N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM1270T144C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$19.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM1270T144C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | MAX II |
| Device Type | CPLD - Complex Programmable Logic Device |
| Logic Elements | 980 |
| Macro Cells | 980 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 16 |
| User I/O Pins | 80 |
| User Flash Memory | 8 Kbit |
| Internal Core Frequency (max) | 247.5 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| I/O Standard Support | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V MultiVolt |
| Package | TQFP-144 (T144) 22x22 mm |
| Lead Pitch | 0.5 mm |
| Operating Temperature (commercial) | 0C to +85C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes |
| JTAG / IEEE 1149.1 | Supported |
| Configuration Memory | On-chip Flash (non-volatile, instant-on) |
EPM1270T144C4N tqfp-144 (t144) 22x22 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPM1270T144C4N (tqfp-144 (t144) 22x22 mm package) with 80 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 EPM1270T144C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 80 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
EPM1270T144C4N is suitable for 6 applications: Bus-Bridging Glue Logic, Power Sequencing and Reset Distribution, I/O Expansion for Microcontrollers, LED and Display Driving, Industrial Control and Factory Automation, FPGA Configuration and Memory Controller.
Bus-Bridging Glue Logic
The EPM1270T144C4N is well suited as bus-bridging glue logic between a 32-bit microcontroller and peripherals running at incompatible voltages or protocols. Its 980 logic elements easily implement parallel-to-parallel protocol converters such as 8-bit 8080 to 16-bit 6800 display buses, and the MultiVolt I/O banks allow 3.3 V MCU-side signals to drive 1.8 V display-side signals without external level shifters. The 80 user I/O pins comfortably handle wide data buses plus control signals such as CS, WR, RD, and interrupt lines. Unlike a microcontroller running firmware, the MAX II CPLD delivers deterministic sub-nanosecond pin-to-pin delays that simplify timing analysis for high-speed buses, and the non-volatile instant-on configuration means no boot latency on power-up.
Recommended
Power Sequencing and Reset Distribution
In multi-rail systems (FPGA + DDR + DSP + analog), the EPM1270T144C4N can be programmed as a central power-sequencing controller that monitors PG (power-good) signals from each rail and asserts downstream enable signals in the correct order. With 980 logic elements, the device can implement sequence timers, fault latches, watchdog reset, and brown-out detection in a single chip. The 80 user I/O pins accept enough rail-status inputs and enable outputs for typical 5-8 rail designs, and the CPLD's deterministic timing simplifies the sequencing-state-machine simulation. Because MAX II configuration is non-volatile, the sequence starts the instant VCC ramps, eliminating the boot delay of an MCU-based sequencer.
Recommended
I/O Expansion for Microcontrollers
When a microcontroller's GPIO count is exhausted but adding a larger MCU is undesirable, the EPM1270T144C4N can be placed on the I2C or SPI bus and emulate up to 80 additional GPIOs. The 980 logic elements comfortably hold I2C-to-parallel shift register expansion, debounce filters, edge-detection logic, and PWM generators for LED or motor control. The MultiVolt I/O allows the CPLD to drive 5 V relays or 1.8 V sensors from the same chip, and JTAG programming supports in-field firmware updates via the existing microcontroller or a stand-alone programmer. Power consumption stays well below 50 mW static, suitable for battery-powered industrial sensors.
Recommended
LED and Display Driving
The EPM1270T144C4N is widely used as an LED matrix driver or as a timing generator for TFT LCD panels, where 80 user I/O pins and 980 logic elements can implement a 64-output scanned LED matrix or a full RGB666-to-LVDS converter. The 247.5 MHz internal core can comfortably clock pixel rates up to 1080p60 in LVCMOS mode, and the MultiVolt I/O allows direct drive of 3.3 V or 1.8 V panel inputs. Because the design is non-volatile, the display comes alive instantly at power-up with no boot splash - a feature often desired in signage and kiosk applications.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
In factory automation, the EPM1270T144C4N serves as a rugged programmable-logic front-end for protocol bridging (RS-232 / RS-485 / CAN), encoder interpolation, and PWM generation for motor drives. With 980 logic elements the CPLD can implement quadrature decoding, PID timing, fault interlocks, and deterministic safety shut-off paths that do not rely on firmware execution. The commercial 0C to +85C operating range is adequate for cabinet-mounted industrial equipment; for harsher field environments the EPM1270T144A5N automotive variant extends the thermal range. JTAG boundary-scan plus on-chip Flash programming enables in-field firmware updates via the existing HMI panel.
Recommended
FPGA Configuration and Memory Controller
When a host processor needs to configure a downstream SRAM-based FPGA (such as an Altera Cyclone or Xilinx Spartan) from a parallel flash or SD card, the EPM1270T144C4N can act as the configuration controller that bit-bangs the FPGA's passive-select or JTAG chain. Its 980 logic elements fit the bit-stream timing, error-checking CRC, and watchdog reset, while 80 I/O pins can carry parallel flash data plus the FPGA configuration bus. The MAX II's instant-on non-volatile configuration means the FPGA is brought out of reset the moment system power is good, with no MCU boot dependency. This is a classic 'MAX II as supervisor' pattern in embedded designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM1270T144C4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM1270T144C3N | EPM1270T144A5N | EPM570T144C5N | EPM2210T144C3N | EPM1270T144C5N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | TQFP-144 (T144) 22x22 mm | TQFP-144 (T144) - same | TQFP-144 (T144) - same | TQFP-144 (T144) - same | TQFP-144 (T144) - same | TQFP-144 (T144) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 980 | 980 (same) | 980 (same) | 570 (-42%) | 2210 (+125%) | 980 (same) |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) | C3 (slower) | A5 (automotive) | C5 (slower) | C3 (slower) | C5 (slower) |
| User I/O Pins | 80 | 80 (same) | 80 (same) | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | 80 (same) |
| AEC-Q100 Qualified | No (commercial 0C to +85C) | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Configuration Memory | On-chip Flash (non-volatile, instant-on) | On-chip Flash (same) | On-chip Flash (same) | On-chip Flash (same) | On-chip Flash (same) | On-chip Flash (same) |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Instant-on non-volatile Flash configuration (vs EPM2210T144C3N)
- Vertical migration within the same TQFP-144 package (vs EPM570T144C5N)
- MultiVolt I/O bank support up to 4 voltage domains (vs EPM1270T144A5N)
Design Notes
The TQFP-144 package uses 0.5 mm lead pitch and 22x22 mm body, which is at the practical limit of conventional reflow soldering. Per IPC-7351 guidelines, use NSMD (non-solder-mask-defined) pads with a 0.27 mm pad width and a 0.45 mm pitch to reduce solder joint stress and improve thermal-cycle reliability. Keep at least 5 mm of continuous copper ground plane under the package and route differential pairs (LVDS / clock) on the top layer only with a continuous reference plane to control impedance. JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, TRST) should be pulled to defined states - TCK and TMS pull-up, TRST pull-down - to avoid spurious scan-chain entry during power-up glitches.
Leaving unused user I/O pins floating on the EPM1270T144C4N is a common mistake that can cause 5-15 mA extra quiescent current and may inject noise into adjacent logic. Always configure unused I/O pins in the Quartus assignment editor as outputs driving logic low (or logic high, if preferred) with slow slew rate and weak pull-up disabled. Another frequent pitfall is forgetting to assign the VCCIO bank voltages correctly: each I/O bank can support 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V, but a bank can only operate at one voltage at a time. Mis-assignment leads to I/O timing failures that show up as occasional glitches rather than hard errors.
Estimated: with 80 outputs switching simultaneously on a 3.3 V LVCMOS bank, the simultaneous-switching-output (SSO) ground-bounce can reach 0.6 V peak if the board has fewer than 4 ground vias per bank. Recommend at least 6 GND vias distributed around the TQFP-144 footprint, with 4-6 VCCIO decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF X7R plus 10 uF bulk) placed within 5 mm of each I/O bank supply pin. For designs with >50 MHz toggle rates on outputs, add 33-ohm series source-terminations to dampen transmission-line ringing. Always validate signal integrity with an IBIS simulation in Quartus before committing to PCB layout.
The EPM1270T144C4N is rated for a commercial 0C to +85C junction temperature and consumes typically 30-50 mW static plus dynamic power proportional to toggle frequency. At full 247.5 MHz core speed driving 80 LVCMOS outputs at 50 pF load each, worst-case power can approach 500 mW. Estimated theta_JA for the TQFP-144 package on a standard 4-layer FR-4 PCB with 1 oz copper is approximately 35 C/W, giving a junction-to-ambient rise of 17.5 C at 500 mW - well within the 85 C ambient limit. For sealed enclosures without forced airflow, derate by 30% and verify with a thermocouple measurement in the prototype.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per the N suffix on the MPN. Commercial 0C to +85C grade; not AEC-Q100 qualified - select EPM1270T144A5N for automotive applications. Halogen-free status not stated in the verified distributor data.
