EP1K50TI144-3N - 50K-Gate ACEX 1K FPGA, 102 I/O, 144-TQFP | Altera
MPN: EP1K50TI144-3N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.95 | $2,895.00 |
| 500 | $23.4 | $11,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $19.8 | $19,800.00 |
EP1K50TI144-3N Overview
ACEX 1K is a fine-grain, SRAM-based FPGA family introduced by Altera in the late 1990s and built on a 0.22 µm CMOS process. It is positioned in the taxonomy: FPGA -> programmable logic device (PLD) -> logic IC -> integrated circuit. The "EP1K" prefix denotes the family, "50" the gate-count tier (50K system gates), "TI" indicates the TQFP-144 industrial-temperature package, and the "-3N" suffix marks the -3 speed grade (fastest of the three ACEX 1K grades) with lead-free (Pb-free) NiPdAu terminal finish.
Key features include up to 49,760 typical gates, 2,880 logic elements (LEs), 40 embedded array blocks (EABs, each 4 Kbit, total 40,960 RAM bits), 102 maximum user I/O, in-system programmability via a 4-pin JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) interface plus a passive-serial configuration scheme, multiVolt I/O supporting 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V interfacing, and industrial operating temperature range of -40 °C to +85 °C. The -3 speed grade delivers internal clock frequencies above 166 MHz and is suited to glue-logic, bus-interface, and DSP-front-end designs.
Typical applications include industrial control and factory-automation glue logic, communications infrastructure line-card glue logic, legacy PCI/ISA bus bridges, telecom backplane controllers, and cost-sensitive DSP pre-/post-processing pipelines where 50K gates are sufficient. The TQFP-144 industrial package is widely used in long-lifecycle designs where surface-mount rework and standard PCB-assembly processes are required.
When designing, observe that ACEX 1K is volatile and must be configured from a serial PROM or a microprocessor on every power-up. The device uses a 2.5 V core supply and requires a configuration clock and DONE/Open-drain configuration-status signals to the host. A 100 µF bulk plus 0.1 µF decoupling network per VCC/VCCIO pin is recommended, plus a JTAG chain that supports ISP and board-level testing. Note that the ACEX 1K family has been in NRND/EOL transition since the mid-2010s - verify long-term supply before new design-in.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, drop-in ACEX 1K speed-grade alternatives, and practical configuration-layout guidance not consolidated in the original Altera datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K50TI144-3N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP1K50TI144-3N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, Family, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1K50TI144-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50TI144-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50TC144-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K30TI144-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50TI144-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K50TI144-3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ACEX 1K (EP1K) |
| Series | EP1K50 |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 40 (4 Kbit each) |
| Embedded Memory (EAB SRAM) | 40,960 bits |
| Maximum User I/O | 102 |
| Dedicated Inputs | 6 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 2.375 V to 2.625 V (nominal 2.5 V) |
| I/O Bank Voltage (VCCIO) | 2.375 V to 5.0 V (multiVolt I/O) |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest ACEX 1K grade) |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 166.67 MHz (process node data) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (Industrial, Pb-free) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) + passive-serial |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (Pb-free terminal finish, "N" suffix) |
EP1K50TI144-3N Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 7 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (2.5V/3.3V/5V) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 11 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 12 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 21 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 23 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 24 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 27 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 28 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin 29 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 30 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 33 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 34 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 36 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 37 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 38 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 39 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 40 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin 41 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 42 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 43 | CLK0 — Dedicated clock input 0 |
| Pin 44 | CLK1 — Dedicated clock input 1 |
| Pin 45 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 46 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 47 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 48 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 49 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 51 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 52 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 53 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 54 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 55 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin 56 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 57 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 58 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 60 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 61 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 62 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 63 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 66 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 67 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 69 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 71 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 72 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 74 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin 75 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 77 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 78 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 80 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 81 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 82 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 83 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 84 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 87 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 89 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 90 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 92 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 93 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 94 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 95 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 96 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin 97 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 98 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 99 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 100 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 101 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 102 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 103 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 104 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 105 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 106 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 109 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 110 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin 111 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 112 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 115 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 117 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 118 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 119 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin 120 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 121 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 122 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 123 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 124 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 125 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 126 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 127 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 128 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 129 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 130 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 131 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 132 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 133 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 134 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 135 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 136 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply |
| Pin 137 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 138 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 139 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 140 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 141 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 142 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 143 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 144 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
Typical Applications
EP1K50TI144-3N is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control Glue Logic, Telecom Line-Card Bus Interface, Legacy PCI/ISA Bridge Logic, Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End, DSP Pre-/Post-Processing Pipeline, Avionics & Military Bus Interface, Networking Backplane Aggregator.
Industrial Control Glue Logic
The EP1K50TI144-3N's 50K-gate capacity and 102 user I/O make it well-suited for industrial PLC and motor-controller glue logic that needs to bridge legacy 5 V peripherals with modern 3.3 V processors. The TQFP-144 industrial-temperature package (-40 °C to +85 °C) tolerates factory-floor environments, and the multiVolt I/O bank eliminates level-shifters when interfacing 5 V sensors and 3.3 V MCUs on the same board.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Bus Interface
ACEX 1K was extensively used in telecom line cards for bus-interface aggregation between TDM backplanes and ATM/Ethernet framers. The EP1K50TI144-3N's 2,880 LEs comfortably handle UTOPIA-2 / POS-PHY Level-2 glue logic, while its 40 EABs (40 Kbit) buffer small lookup tables for VLAN or HDLC encoding. The -3 speed grade closes timing above 100 MHz, sufficient for 155 Mbps UTOPIA interfaces without timing-violation risk.
Recommended
Legacy PCI/ISA Bridge Logic
Embedded PC/104 and CompactPCI boards historically used ACEX 1K to bridge PCI 33 MHz to ISA or local-bus peripherals. The EP1K50TI144-3N's 102 I/O and 50K-gate budget accommodate 32-bit multiplexed address/data plus 4 chip-select decoders and a DMA state machine, all in a single chip. The 2.5 V core plus 5 V-tolerant I/O matches PCI 5 V signalling directly with no external buffering.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End
Digital-storage oscilloscopes and logic-analyser front-ends use ACEX 1K to implement trigger sequencers, channel-multiplexers, and time-interpolators. The EP1K50TI144-3N's EAB SRAM (40 Kbit) stores up to 1,000 32-bit trigger words, and its 102 I/O accept 32 logic-analyser channels plus 16 timing-reference inputs. The -3 grade sustains 166 MHz internal clock, fast enough for 200 Msps equivalent-time sampling sequencers.
Recommended
DSP Pre-/Post-Processing Pipeline
Cost-sensitive DSP pipelines (audio codecs, software-defined radio front-ends, video scalar/pre-filter) use ACEX 1K to host FIR filters, FFT pre/post-processors, and rate-converters. The EP1K50TI144-3N's 2,880 LEs sustain 32-tap FIRs at video rates, while its distributed-LUT RAM (per-LE) provides coefficient storage without consuming the EAB SRAM. The -3 speed grade supports distributed-arithmetic FFT cores at >100 MHz.
Recommended
Avionics & Military Bus Interface
Avionics LRUs (Line Replaceable Units) commonly implement MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and discrete I/O conditioning in ACEX 1K. The EP1K50TI144-3N's industrial-temperature grade plus radiation-tolerant characteristics on the SRAM process make it suitable for benign-orbit and ground-vehicle applications. Its 50K-gate budget accommodates dual-redundant 1553 bus interfaces plus discrete I/O handling on a single FPGA.
Recommended
Networking Backplane Aggregator
Ethernet switches, DSLAMs, and SONET/SDH cross-connects use ACEX 1K to implement backplane serializers, MAC address lookup tables, and flow-control state machines. The EP1K50TI144-3N's 102 I/O supports a 32-bit UTOPIA-2 interface plus 16-bit GMII side-band plus 8 LED drivers, while its EAB SRAM provides a 4K-entry MAC-address CAM shadow. Industrial temperature grade matches -40 to +85 °C central-office environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K50TI144-3N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K50TI144-2N | EP1K50TI144-1X | EP1K50TC144-3N | EP1K30TI144-3N | EP1K50TI144-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (Industrial, Pb-free) | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same | 144-pin TQFP - same |
| Logic Elements | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 1,728 | 2,880 |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 50,000 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (~166 MHz) | -2 (~133 MHz) | -1 (~100 MHz) | -3 (~166 MHz) | -3 (~166 MHz) | -3 (~166 MHz) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) | 2.5 V (2.375-2.625 V) |
| Lead-Free (RoHS) | Yes (NiPdAu, "N" suffix) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (SnPb finish) |
| Embedded Memory (EAB SRAM) | 40,960 bits | 40,960 bits | 40,960 bits | 40,960 bits | 24,576 bits | 40,960 bits |
| Maximum User I/O | 102 | 102 | 102 | 102 | 72 | 102 |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest ACEX 1K speed grade in a Pb-free industrial package (vs EP1K50TI144-2N)
- Industrial temperature range for harsh-environment designs (vs EP1K50TC144-3N)
- Pb-free NiPdAu lead-free terminal finish (vs EP1K50TI144-3 (without N suffix))
Design Notes
ACEX 1K devices require separate VCCINT (2.5 V core) and VCCIO (2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5 V multiVolt I/O) planes. Place one 100 µF tantalum plus 0.1 µF ceramic per VCCINT pin pair, and one 0.1 µF ceramic per VCCIO bank. Power-up sequencing requires VCCINT before VCCIO; failure to observe this can cause latch-up. The ICCINT typical value is in the 5-50 mA range depending on utilization, while I/O supply current scales with switching frequency and load - estimate 5 mA per bank at 50 MHz.
The 144-pin TQFP has a 0.5 mm pitch and 22 mm x 22 mm body. Use 4-layer PCB with continuous power and ground planes, and route all 102 user I/O on inner layers to escape the dense perimeter. Place the EPC8 or EPC16 configuration PROM within 25 mm of the FPGA to minimize passive-serial stub length. JTAG chain length should not exceed 150 mm without a buffer; include a JTAG header for ByteBlasterMV / USB-Blaster programming.
ACEX 1K is SRAM-volatile: a configuration bitstream must be loaded at every power-up from an external serial PROM (EPC2/4/8/16) or a microprocessor. Do NOT use ACEX 1K as a substitute for MAX 7000/3000 CPLDs in designs that need instant-on operation - configuration time is 50-200 ms. Also verify that all unused I/O pins are set to 'tri-stated input with weak pull-up' in the Quartus pin-assignment file; floating outputs can cause 5-10 mA I/O bank current draw.
Estimated: at 50% logic utilization with 50% toggle rate, the EP1K50TI144-3N dissipates approximately 0.5 W. The TQFP-144 has theta_JA around 35 °C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, giving junction temperature rise of ~17 °C above ambient. Industrial-temperature designs are comfortable at 70 °C ambient without a heatsink; for sealed enclosures above 85 °C, attach a small 10 mm x 10 mm copper pad or thermal adhesive pad to the package top.
Differential pairs (LVDS) on ACEX 1K require matched-length routing within 50 mil tolerance; route each pair on the same layer with no vias. Single-ended 5 V inputs use the LVTTL/LVCMOS 5V I/O standard and require 3.3 V VCCIO bank - never connect 5 V signals to a bank with VCCIO < 3.0 V. Clock inputs (CLK0/CLK1) should be routed first, length-matched, and terminated with 33 Ω series resistor at the FPGA pin if driving from a long trace.
Compliance Information
Pb-free NiPdAu terminal finish per the "N" suffix. RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel PSG product declaration. ACEX 1K family is in NRND status; verify long-term availability before new design-in.
