EP1C6F256C6 - Cyclone FPGA 6K LEs, 185 I/O, 256-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP1C6F256C6 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $51.72 | $51.72 |
| 10 | $48.5 | $485.00 |
| 100 | $45.55 | $4,555.00 |
| 500 | $42.1 | $21,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $38.9 | $38,900.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C6F256C6 — 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:
EP1C6F256C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256I7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$23.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$18.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$27.94 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C12F256C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$48.29 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C6F256C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements | 5,980 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 598 |
| Total RAM Bits | 92,160 |
| User I/O Pins | 185 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Speed Grade | C6 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) |
| Package Dimensions | 17 mm × 17 mm |
| Process Technology | 0.13 µm SRAM |
| Configuration Method | JTAG, serial (EPCS), passive serial |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
EP1C6F256C6 17 mm × 17 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C6F256C6 (17 mm × 17 mm package) with 185 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 EP1C6F256C6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 185 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
EP1C6F256C6 is suitable for 6 applications: Digital Signal Processing Glue Logic, Industrial Control & Networking, Video Bridge & Image Processing, Prototype ASIC Replacement, Serial Protocol Aggregation & Bridging, Legacy System Sustainment & Drop-In Replacement.
Digital Signal Processing Glue Logic
The EP1C6F256C6's 5,980 logic elements combined with embedded M4K memory blocks (92,160 RAM bits) support FIR filters, FFT pre/post-processing, and custom DSP datapaths at clock rates up to 200 MHz on M4K blocks. Its 185 user I/Os allow parallel multi-channel audio or video sample routing, while two PLLs provide frequency synthesis and clock de-skew for synchronizing external ADCs and DACs. Compared to a dedicated DSP processor, the FPGA offers deterministic latency and true parallelism for sample-rate conversion or codec bridging tasks in cost-sensitive designs.
Recommended
Industrial Control & Networking
With 185 LVTTL/LVCMOS/PCI/SSTL/LVDS-capable I/Os, the EP1C6F256C6 can bridge Profibus, CAN, RS-485, and Ethernet MII/RMII interfaces in a single chip, replacing multiple discrete UART/SPI glue-logic ICs. The industrial-grade variant (EP1C6F256I7) extends the temperature range to -40 °C to 100 °C for factory-floor deployment. The two PLLs allow generation of independent clock domains for motor-control PWMs, encoder feedback, and synchronous Ethernet, while 92 kbits of dual-port RAM buffers high-speed communication packets.
Recommended
Video Bridge & Image Processing
The 256-FBGA EP1C6F256C6 accepts parallel ITU-R BT.656 / RGB video streams and performs de-interlacing, scaling, color-space conversion, or on-screen-display overlay in real time. Its M4K memory blocks can implement line buffers and frame buffers without external SRAM for moderate resolutions. The 185 I/Os comfortably carry 24-bit video buses plus sync and control, and the two PLLs generate pixel clocks from arbitrary input references, making the device a popular glue-logic companion to dedicated video encoder/decoder chips.
Recommended
Prototype ASIC Replacement
Engineers use the EP1C6F256C6 as a low-NRE prototype platform to validate ASIC architectures before committing to mask sets, taking advantage of the 5,980-LE capacity and full Quartus design-flow compatibility. The 256-FBGA package is footprint-compatible with the larger Cyclone family members (EP1C12 / EP1C20), allowing the same PCB to be re-populated with a bigger device if design scope grows. With 92 kbits of embedded RAM, it accommodates moderate firmware state machines, register files, and small FIFOs without external memory.
Recommended
Serial Protocol Aggregation & Bridging
The 5,980-LE capacity of the EP1C6F256C6 is well suited to multi-channel UART, SPI, I2C, and I2S aggregation, fan-out, and protocol-conversion tasks. With 185 user I/Os, a single device can replace 4-6 traditional protocol-converter ICs in sensor-hub or test-instrument designs. The two PLLs provide independent baud-rate generation for asynchronous channels, while 92 kbits of dual-port RAM implement FIFOs to decouple producer/consumer rates across bridges.
Recommended
Legacy System Sustainment & Drop-In Replacement
Because the original Cyclone family has reached NRNR status, the EP1C6F256C6 is increasingly sourced to sustain long-lifecycle industrial, military, and aerospace systems originally designed around it. The 256-FBGA package matches the EP1C12F256 and EP1C20F256 footprints, enabling PCB reuse when logic-utilization grows beyond 5,980 LEs. The proven Altera Quartus II toolchain remains supported, allowing existing firmware IP to be re-targeted without re-validation, which is critical for FDA- and DO-254-certified legacy programs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C6F256C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C6F256C7 | EP1C6F256C8N | EP1C6F256I7 | EP1C6F256C7N | EP1C6F256I7N | EP1C12F256C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 5,980 | 5,980 (same die) | 5,980 (same die) | 5,980 (same die) | 5,980 (same die) | 5,980 (same die) | 12,060 (+102%) |
| Total RAM Bits | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 92,160 | 239,616 (+160%) |
| User I/O Pins | 185 | 185 | 185 | 185 | 185 | 185 | 185 |
| PLLs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C7 (faster) | C8 (fastest) | I7 (industrial) | C7 | I7 | C6 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 85 C (commercial) | 0 to 85 C | 0 to 85 C | -40 to 100 C (industrial) | 0 to 85 C | -40 to 100 C (industrial) | 0 to 85 C |
| Lead-Free (N suffix) | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Key Differentiators
- Speed-grade flexibility within same die (vs EP1C6F256C7)
- Industrial temperature option available (vs EP1C6F256I7)
- Footprint-scalable within Cyclone family (vs EP1C12F256C6)
Design Notes
The EP1C6F256C6 requires four distinct supply rails (VCCINT 1.5 V, VCCIO bank-specific 1.5 V/1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V, VCCPD 3.3 V, and VCC_PLL 1.5 V) that must all be sequenced correctly per the Cyclone family datasheet. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of every supply pin, plus a 10 µF bulk capacitor per rail at the PCB edge connector. Power sequencing failure is the most common cause of configuration and JTAG errors on first prototypes.
The 256-FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 17 mm × 17 mm body; design the PCB with via-in-pad or dog-bone fan-out and ENIG surface finish for reliable assembly. Maintain a continuous ground plane on the layer directly beneath the BGA and avoid signal traces passing through the BGA footprint. Per the Cyclone family hardware guidelines, route all differential pairs (LVDS) with 100 Ω differential impedance and length-match within 20 mils.
Do not connect MSEL[2:0] pins randomly - they select the configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG) and incorrect settings will cause configuration to fail silently. Per the Cyclone family datasheet, MSEL must be tied to VCCPD (3.3 V) or GND with hardwired strapping resistors; never leave them floating. Also confirm the nCONFIG and nSTATUS pins have proper 10 kΩ pull-up resistors to VCCPD, otherwise in-system programming will fail intermittently.
When routing DDR SDRAM interfaces from the EP1C6F256C6, follow the dedicated DDR pin assignments in the Cyclone family datasheet - not all user I/O pins support DDR. Use the Quartus pin planner with the DDR template and verify the DQ/DQS/DM byte-lane matching. Length-matching tolerance should be ±25 mils within a byte lane and ±50 mils between byte lanes to meet DDR timing at 133 MHz.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance and halogen-free status are not explicitly stated in the verified web data. The base EP1C6F256C6 (without N suffix) is the standard lead-bearing variant; N-suffixed parts (e.g. EP1C6F256C7N) are lead-free / RoHS-compliant. AEC-Q100 is not applicable - FPGAs are not automotive-qualified in this family.
