EP1M120B484I6 - Mercury FPGA 120K LE 484-BGA Industrial | Intel
MPN: EP1M120B484I6 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $268.5 | $2,685.00 |
| 100 | $242.25 | $24,225.00 |
| 250 | $228 | $57,000.00 |
| 500 | $213.75 | $106,875.00 |
EP1M120B484I6 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that allows hardware designers to configure custom digital circuits after manufacturing. FPGAs sit in the broader hierarchy of programmable logic -> PLD -> logic IC -> semiconductor, offering the highest logic density and performance of any programmable category. The Mercury family targets high-speed serial interface applications, particularly in communications, video broadcast, and embedded bridging systems, and is the predecessor of Altera's Stratix series.
Key features include 8 embedded high-speed transceivers in EP1M350-class devices operating up to 1.25 Gbps each, 4 PLL clock managers per device, 7 dedicated clock networks with 303 global clock pins, and support for 16-bit external memory interfaces including DDR/QDR SRAM and SDR SDRAM. The device operates from a 1.5V core supply with multiple I/O bank voltages (1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V) supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards.
The Mercury architecture combines a logic-array-based fabric with embedded transceiver blocks, dedicated PLL placement, and a configurable memory interface. The 484-BGA package provides high signal integrity for parallel and differential signals while supporting the high pin counts required for wide external memory buses and multiple transceiver channels.
Typical applications include high-speed serial protocol bridging, telecom backplane aggregation, video capture and processing cards, and embedded test instrumentation. The -I6 industrial speed grade provides deterministic timing suitable for long-life industrial and medical systems.
When designing with this device, ensure your PCB has adequate BGA escape routing density and matched-length traces for LVDS pairs. The device requires a configuration device (EPC4, EPC8, or EPC16) for non-volatile bitstream storage; confirm JTAG chaining if multiple devices are cascaded.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, Mercury family parametric comparisons, and practical board-design guidance not found in the standalone datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1M120B484I6 — 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 EP1M120B484I6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Family, Logic Elements, Peak Reflow Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1M120B484C8A
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$62 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1M120B484C7A
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1M120B484C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$122 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1M120B484C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1M120B484C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1M120B484I6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Mercury (EP1M) |
| Logic Elements | 120,000 |
| LABs/CLBs | 303 |
| Total RAM Bits | 49,152 |
| Block RAM (Kbits) | 4,800 |
| Number of I/O Pins | 303 (max user I/O) |
| Package | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Ball Count | 484 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | 6 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL |
| PLL Count | 4 |
| Clock Networks | 7 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Device Support | EPC4, EPC8, EPC16 |
EP1M120B484I6 484-bbga, fcbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1M120B484I6 (484-bbga, fcbga (fineline bga) package). 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 EP1M120B484I6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1M120B484I6 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging, Telecom Backplane Aggregation Card, Video Broadcast Capture and Processing, Embedded Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Industrial Process Control Data Acquisition, Legacy Aerospace Avionics Bridge.
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging
The EP1M120B484I6 fits high-speed serial protocol bridging because its 303 LABs/CLBs and 4 PLL clock managers support multi-channel serializer/deserializer glue logic between backplane standards. Used as a companion to an EP1M350-class transceiver device, the EP1M120 implements protocol conversion (e.g. SPI 4.2 to GMII, RapidIO to parallel LVDS) with deterministic timing from the industrial -40C to +100C temperature grade. The 484-BGA package provides ample LVDS-capable I/O for parallel bus aggregation, while the 49,152 RAM bits buffer packet bursts. Trade-off: the EP1M120 itself has no embedded transceivers, so it must pair with a transceiver IC or the EP1M350 family for the physical layer.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Aggregation Card
The EP1M120B484I6 suits telecom backplane aggregation line-cards because its 7 dedicated clock networks and external memory interface controller can drive DDR SDRAM/QDR SRAM buffer memory at high throughput. The industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) tolerates the heat rise inside sealed central-office enclosures. The 484-BGA package supports the wide external memory bus and multi-drop LVDS backplane signaling required for STS/STM aggregation. Configure the device with an EPC8 or EPC16 for non-volatile bitstream loading; use JTAG for in-system re-programming during qualification.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Capture and Processing
The EP1M120B484I6 supports video broadcast capture and processing cards where the 303 user I/O pins can sink parallel D1/SDI video buses, and the 4,800 Kbits of block RAM line-buffers the active video frame. The 7 clock networks allow independent pixel-clock, memory-clock, and output-clock domains, simplifying SDI-to-DVI or SDI-to-HDMI conversion. Industrial temperature grade tolerates 24/7 broadcast rack ambient conditions. Compared with newer Cyclone V or Stratix devices, the EP1M120 offers larger logic density but consumes more power; design the thermal envelope accordingly.
Recommended
Embedded Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP1M120B484I6 fits embedded test instrumentation such as logic-analyzer probe heads, protocol exercisers, and bit-error-rate-test (BERT) fixtures, because its 4 PLLs support multiple precise trigger clocks and its 303 I/O can drive wide parallel probe buses. The -I6 industrial speed grade offers deterministic timing closure even at the extremes of -40C to +100C. The 484-BGA package accommodates differential probe pairs and external ZBT SRAM or QDR memory for sample buffering. When used as a pattern generator, the 49,152 RAM bits store deep test-vector sequences that exceed what on-chip microcontrollers can hold.
Recommended
Industrial Process Control Data Acquisition
The EP1M120B484I6 is suited to industrial data acquisition modules where the 484-BGA package delivers industrial-grade reliability and the 49,152 RAM bits buffer high-speed ADC sample streams before down-stream processing. Its industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) survives the ambient-temperature swings typical of factory-floor enclosures. The 4 PLLs generate multiple ADC/DAC sample clocks, and the 7 clock networks distribute them with low skew across the device. Pair with an EPC16 for non-volatile configuration so the module boots deterministically after a cold start on a remote site.
Recommended
Legacy Aerospace Avionics Bridge
The EP1M120B484I6B484I6 supports long-lifecycle avionics and military bridge designs where a 15-20 year production window is required and where an active product line is unavailable. The Mercury family was widely adopted in 2002-2008 era avionics subsystems, and many platforms still require exact-form-fit-function replacement. The 120,000 logic elements implement MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, or discrete-signal interfaces with industrial-grade reliability. The 484-BGA package tolerates vibration through its compliant solder-column attachment and offers 303 user I/O for redundant interface channels. New designs should consider newer Stratix or Cyclone families with active lifecycles, but the EP1M120 family remains the supported bridge for legacy avionics production.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1M120B484I6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1M120B484C8A | EP1M120B484C7A | EP1M120B484C7 | EP1M120B484C6 | EP1M120B484C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-BBGA, FCBGA | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (same) | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (same) | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (same) | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (same) | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (same) |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C |
| Speed Grade | 6 | 8 (slower than -6) | 7 (slower than -6) | 7 (slower than -6) | 6 (identical to this part) | 5 (faster Fmax than -6) |
| Logic Elements | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 |
| Total RAM Bits | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 |
| LABs/CLBs | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 |
| Configuration Device | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 | EPC4/EPC8/EPC16 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade at -6 speed (vs EP1M120B484C6)
- Faster speed bin than -7/-8 commercial variants (vs EP1M120B484C8A)
- In-family sibling alternative with active availability (vs EP1M120B484C5)
Design Notes
Estimated: A 484-BGA package dissipating approximately 3-5W at full utilization requires thermal vias under the central thermal balls and at least 4 thermal-pad copper layers. Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) for the 484-BGA is typically around 10-15 C/W on a JEDEC-standard test board with adequate thermal vias. Without thermal vias the junction temperature can exceed 100C ambient by 30-50C; add a heatsink or forced-air cooling for industrial enclosures approaching 70C ambient. The Mercury datasheet recommends monitoring junction temperature via the on-chip diode during qualification.
Use microvia or stacked-via technology for BGA fan-out because the 484-ball BGA typically has 1.0 mm pitch with staggered rows; conventional through-hole vias cannot escape the inner balls. Match LVDS pair lengths within 150 mil and maintain 100-ohm differential impedance; for DDR SDRAM interfaces the data, address, and clock groups each need length matching within +/- 50 mil. The 484-BGA land pattern is symmetric; keep the PCB edge clearance at least 5 mm for the BGA to avoid edge-coupling signal-integrity issues.
Do not assume the EP1M120B484I6 has embedded multi-gigabit transceivers; that capability belongs to the EP1M350-class Mercury sibling only. When porting from a Cyclone IV/V reference design, verify that the Quartus II software (not Quartus Prime) is used, because Mercury support was retired after Quartus II 13.0 sp1. Finally, plan for last-time-buy end-of-life inventory: the EP1M120B484I6 is in last-time-buy status as of 2026-09-07, so production programs should stockpile 18-24 months of inventory in a single purchase to avoid line-down situations.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free status for the EP1M120B484I6 are not specified in the provided Verified Web Data and are flagged [DATA_NEEDED]. The part is not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial FPGA, not automotive). Lifecycle is last-time-buy per Octopart/PartStack distributor listings.
