EPM3512AQC208-3 - MAX 3000A CPLD, 512 Macrocells, 172 I/O, PQFP-208 | Altera
MPN: EPM3512AQC208-3 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $48.5 | $48.50 |
| 10 | $43.2 | $432.00 |
| 100 | $36.9 | $3,690.00 |
| 500 | $31.5 | $15,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $27.8 | $27,800.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM3512AQC208-3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC208-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | MAX 3000A |
| Device Type | CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) |
| Macrocells | 512 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 16 (32 macrocells each) |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 172 |
| Package | PQFP-208 |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Supply Voltage - Core (VCCINT) | 3.3 V |
| I/O Bank Supply Voltage (VCCIO) | 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V (multiVolt) |
| In-System Programmability | Yes (IEEE Std. 1532 compliant) |
| Boundary-Scan Test | Yes (IEEE Std. 1149.1 / JTAG) |
| Non-Volatile Configuration | Yes (EEPROM-based) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EPM3512AQC208-3 pqfp-208 Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPM3512AQC208-3 (pqfp-208 package) with 172 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 EPM3512AQC208-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 172 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
EPM3512AQC208-3 is suitable for 7 applications: Address Decoding and Chip-Select Generation, 5 V to 3.3 V Asynchronous Bus Interface Bridge, Telecom Backplane Glue Logic, Industrial PLC I/O Expansion, Legacy 74-Series Logic Consolidation, Power-Up Sequencing and Reset Distribution, Microcontroller Peripheral Expansion.
Address Decoding and Chip-Select Generation
The EPM3512AQC208-3 is well-suited to multi-chip-select address decoding in 8-bit and 16-bit microcontroller or 16-bit x86 subsystem designs because its 512 macrocells easily absorb the 8-to-32-bit decoder equations while the PQFP-208 footprint exposes up to 172 user I/O pins for downstream device enables. The non-volatile EEPROM-based configuration means the chip-select map is available at power-up with no bootloader delay, which is critical for systems that boot from ROM with strict timing budgets. Designers typically map a 24-bit address bus through a small portion of the LABs to generate 8-16 chip-select outputs, leaving the remaining macrocells free for handshake and wait-state logic. The -3 speed grade keeps the propagation delay short enough for a 33 MHz bus with one wait state.
Recommended
5 V to 3.3 V Asynchronous Bus Interface Bridge
Mixed-voltage designs that interwork legacy 5 V peripheral buses with modern 3.3 V processors are a strong fit for the EPM3512AQC208-3 because its multiVolt I/O banks accept 5 V inputs on a 3.3 V VCCINT core without external level shifters. The 172 available I/O pins accommodate both the 5 V side and the 3.3 V side of the bus plus control handshakes. Engineers commonly implement direction-control logic, bus-swap byte steering, and protocol translation (for example, 5 V ISA to 3.3 V local bus) in the LAB fabric. The non-volatile configuration means the bridge is live at power-on, removing the boot-time complexity of SRAM-based FPGAs.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Glue Logic
Telecom backplane designs frequently need deterministic, instant-on glue logic between line-card ASICs and a control processor, and the EPM3512AQC208-3 was historically a default choice because its EEPROM-backed configuration recovers state on power-up with no firmware load. The 172 I/O pins handle LVTTL clock distribution, alarm aggregation, JTAG chain management, and reset sequencing across line-card interfaces. The PQFP-208 package supports conventional reflow profiles on standard FR-4 backplanes without requiring microvia or sequential lamination. The -3 speed grade is sufficient for 25-50 MHz backplane control planes typical of legacy TDM and early packet designs.
Recommended
Industrial PLC I/O Expansion
Industrial PLCs and process controllers use the EPM3512AQC208-3 to debounce and condition digital inputs, sequence relay drivers, and implement safety-rated logic in a non-volatile, deterministic fabric. The PQFP-208 footprint provides the I/O headroom needed for 32-64 channel digital input modules and 16-32 channel output modules, while the 512 macrocells hold encoder quadrature decoders, PWM generators, and communication protocol state machines. Industrial users benefit from the long-term Altera/Intel device support and the in-system JTAG programmability that simplifies field firmware updates over IEEE Std. 1532. The -3 speed grade covers typical 1-10 kHz industrial I/O cycle times comfortably.
Recommended
Legacy 74-Series Logic Consolidation
Boards originally built around discrete 74LS, 74HC, and 74F glue logic can be consolidated onto a single EPM3512AQC208-3, replacing tens of SSI/MSI packages with one PQFP-208 CPLD. Each LAB can absorb multiple decoder, multiplexer, and flip-flop functions, and the JTAG chain plus boundary-scan support simplifies board test by replacing bed-of-nails fixtures with structural test vectors. Power consumption typically drops by 30-60 percent because the CPLD shuts down unused macrocells while discrete logic draws static bias current. The -3 speed grade matches the 5-15 ns propagation delays of the original 74LS family closely.
Recommended
Power-Up Sequencing and Reset Distribution
Multi-rail systems require a precise power-up and power-down sequence to avoid latch-up in mixed-voltage ASICs, and the EPM3512AQC208-3 is well-matched to this role because its non-volatile configuration is live the instant VCCINT crosses its threshold. A few dozen macrocells implement a chained enable sequencer with programmable delays using on-chip timers or external RC networks monitored by input pins. The PQFP-208 package exposes enough I/O to drive 8-12 power-good signals, monitor 4-8 voltage rails via comparators, and orchestrate the reset tree. Designers often pair the CPLD with external MOSFET drivers to handle high-current rail switching.
Recommended
Microcontroller Peripheral Expansion
When a microcontroller lacks sufficient timers, UARTs, or PWM channels, the EPM3512AQC208-3 can serve as a soft-peripheral co-processor that exposes standard register-mapped interfaces to the MCU over a parallel or SPI bus. The 512 macrocells hold several 16-bit timer/counter modules, multiple UART cores, and PWM generators, while the 172 I/O pins can drive external H-bridges, optocouplers, and displays. Because the CPLD is non-volatile, the peripheral set is available at boot with no firmware download. The -3 speed grade is fast enough for 10-20 MHz parallel bus interfacing with common 8/16-bit microcontrollers such as the 8051 or HCS12 families.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM3512AQC208-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM3512AQC208-2 | EPM3512AQC208-7N | EPM3512AQC208-10N | EPM3512AQC208-10 | EPM3512AQC208-15N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same |
| Macrocells | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 |
| Maximum User I/O | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -2 (faster) | -7 (slower) | -10 (slower) | -10 (slower) | -15 (slowest) |
| VCCINT (Core) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V |
| VCCIO (multiVolt) | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V | 2.5 / 3.3 / 5.0 V |
| Lead-Free (N suffix) | No (standard) | No (standard) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | No (standard) | Yes (N suffix) |
| In-System Programmability | IEEE Std. 1532 | IEEE Std. 1532 | IEEE Std. 1532 | IEEE Std. 1532 | IEEE Std. 1532 | IEEE Std. 1532 |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Slowest speed grade in the EPM3512AQC208 PQFP-208 family (vs EPM3512AQC208-2)
- Larger macrocell count than MAX 3000A 256-macrocell devices (vs EPM3256AQC208-10)
- PQFP-208 surface-mount vs BGA-256 alternative (vs EPM3512AFC256-7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: The PQFP-208 package at 0.5 mm lead pitch requires reflow profiles consistent with JEDEC J-STD-020, and PCB land patterns must follow the IPC-7351 nominal density guidelines with a 0.30 mm land width and 1.60 mm pad length. Place a 0.1 uF X7R ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of every VCCINT and VCCIO pin pair, and add 10 uF tantalum or polymer bulk capacitors at each package corner to suppress VCCIO bounce during simultaneous switching outputs (SSO). Use four-layer stack-up with continuous ground plane under the device to provide a low-impedance return path for the high-speed JTAG and clock signals.
The multiVolt I/O architecture allows the EPM3512AQC208-3 to drive 5 V TTL inputs and accept 5 V signals on its 3.3 V VCCINT, but the datasheet restricts 5 V tolerance to specific VCCIO bank configurations. When mixing 5 V input signals on a bank whose VCCIO is set to 3.3 V, the datasheet limits the input high voltage to VCCIO + 0.5 V absolute maximum unless the corresponding I/O standard allows 5 V tolerance. Always check the MAX 3000A datasheet I/O standard table and enable the appropriate PCI or 5 V tolerant I/O standard in the Quartus II pin planner before connecting legacy 5 V buses.
Do not assume the EPM3512AQC208-3, EPM3512AQC208-7, and EPM3512AQC208-10 are interchangeable in timing-closure designs - the speed-grade suffix indicates propagation delay differences that may exceed the slack in critical paths. Always re-run static timing analysis after substituting one speed grade for another. Additionally, ensure the JTAG chain TCK frequency does not exceed 10 MHz during in-system programming because some ByteBlasterMV drivers throttle above this rate. Finally, observe the MAX 3000A datasheet's power-on reset requirements: VCCINT must ramp monotonically to 3.3 V within the datasheet-specified tRAMP window to guarantee correct configuration load.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free status for the EPM3512AQC208-3 base part (without N suffix) are not confirmed in the verified web data; the N suffix variants in the same family are typically lead-free per Altera/Intel catalog conventions but require datasheet verification.
