EP1M120F484-6 - Mercury FPGA 120K Gates 484-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP1M120F484-6 β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $78.5 | $78.50 |
| 10 | $71.2 | $712.00 |
| 100 | $64 | $6,400.00 |
| 500 | $58.4 | $29,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $53.1 | $53,100.00 |
EP1M120F484-6 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, and programmable interconnect, all controlled by SRAM-based configuration latches. FPGAs occupy the top of the programmable logic hierarchy - above simple PLDs and CPLDs - and below custom ASICs in terms of density and per-unit cost, while offering faster time-to-market than mask-programmed gate arrays. The Mercury family specifically targets high-speed serial I/O, communications backplanes, and protocol bridging where embedded multi-gigabit transceivers replace external PHY chips.
Key features of the EP1M120F484-6 include 4,800 logic elements, 49,152 bits of RAM, 303 user I/Os, 8 transceiver channels at 1.25 Gbps, embedded CDR, and full LVDS/LVCMOS/LVTTL I/O support. The architecture pairs look-up-table-based logic with dedicated multiplier blocks and True-LVDS circuitry, allowing designers to implement DSP, glue logic, and serial protocol bridges on a single die.
The Mercury architecture integrates transceiver physical coding sub-layers, 8B/10B encoders, and rate-matching FIFOs alongside the general-purpose fabric. Designers route multi-gigabit serial streams directly into the FPGA without external PHY silicon, saving board area and BOM cost. The -6 speed grade trades 20-30% of the Fmax of the -7 grade for substantially lower price in volume.
Typical applications include SONET/SDH and Gigabit Ethernet line cards, custom protocol bridging (PCI-X to RapidIO, SPI-4.2 to XSBI), high-speed serial backplane aggregation, low-volume ASIC prototyping, and instrumentation with embedded signal processing. The wide I/O count also suits parallel bus replication in legacy industrial systems.
When designing with this device, allocate at least 4 layers for the FC-FBGA breakout, route the 8 transceiver channels with controlled-impedance differential pairs, and provide a clean 1.8 V core rail with bulk decoupling close to the package. The Mercury transceiver reference designs from Altera provide pin-optimized ballouts that simplify PCB stack-up.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone. Engineers evaluating EP1M120F484-6 for new designs or as a drop-in replacement can compare it directly against same-family Mercury speed grades, EP1K-series legacy parts, and competitor Cyclone-era alternatives.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1M120F484-6 β 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 EP1M120F484-6 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Family, Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1M120F484C7
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$155 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F484I6
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$95 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F484I7
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$125 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F484C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$56.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F484
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F480C6
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$99.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M120F484-6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Mercury (EP1M) |
| Logic Elements | 4,800 |
| System Gates | 120,000 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 49,152 |
| User I/Os | 303 |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Speed Grade | -6 (commercial, slowest Mercury grade) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Logic Family | CMOS (SRAM-based) |
| High-Speed Transceiver Channels | 8 channels up to 1.25 Gbps with embedded CDR |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVDS, LVCMOS, LVTTL, SSTL |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Method | SRAM-based, requires external configuration device |
EP1M120F484-6 484-ball fineline bga (fc-fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1M120F484-6 (484-ball fineline bga (fc-fbga) 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 EP1M120F484-6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1M120F484-6 is suitable for 6 applications: SONET/SDH Line Card Aggregation, Gigabit Ethernet Bridge / Media Converter, Custom ASIC Prototyping, High-Speed Serial Backplane Aggregation, Industrial Protocol Bridge (PCI-X to RapidIO, SPI-4.2 to XSBI), Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
SONET/SDH Line Card Aggregation
The EP1M120F484-6 is well suited for SONET/SDH OC-48 line cards where the 8 integrated transceiver channels at 1.25 Gbps handle the optical-side serial stream. According to the Mercury datasheet, the embedded clock-data recovery (CDR) and 8B/10B encoding eliminate external PHY silicon, reducing BOM cost. The 120K-gate fabric implements framer, mapper, and overhead-processing functions while the 49,152 bits of embedded memory buffer payload data. The 1.8 V core supply and 303 user I/Os connect cleanly to external SERDES framer ASICs or backplane transceivers. Designers benefit from proven Altera reference designs for OC-48 and Gigabit Ethernet aggregation.
Recommended
Gigabit Ethernet Bridge / Media Converter
The EP1M120F484-6 serves as a bridge between Gigabit Ethernet backplanes and legacy serial protocols in media converter and protocol translation applications. Its 8 transceiver channels support the 1.25 Gbps serial rate required for 1000BASE-X, while the 4,800 logic elements handle MAC and bridge forwarding logic. The Mercury architecture's dedicated True-LVDS transceivers simplify board layout versus soft SERDES approaches. Embedded RAM of 49,152 bits buffers packet fragments during protocol conversion. Industrial temperature variants like EP1M120F484I6 are commonly used in factory-floor Ethernet-to-fieldbus gateways where operating temperature ranges reach -40 C to +85 C.
Recommended
Custom ASIC Prototyping
The EP1M120F484-6 functions as a high-density prototyping vehicle for ASIC and ASSP development, emulating custom logic before committing to mask-programmed silicon. Its 120,000 system gates and 4,800 logic elements provide capacity comparable to small ASICs used in storage controllers, network processors, and interface chips. The 1.8 V core supply matches many ASIC process nodes, allowing seamless port of behavioral models. Designers use Mercury's 8 transceivers to validate high-speed serial interfaces (XAUI, PCI Express Gen 1, Serial RapidIO) before ASIC tapeout. The 484-ball FC-FBGA exposes 303 user I/Os for connection to daughter-card test fixtures.
Recommended
High-Speed Serial Backplane Aggregation
The EP1M120F484-6 aggregates multiple serial lanes from line cards onto a backplane in telecom and datacom switch architectures. Each of its 8 transceivers at 1.25 Gbps handles an independent SERDES link, and the 4,800 logic elements plus 49,152 bits of RAM implement packet buffering and lane-alignment logic. The Mercury datasheet notes that all 8 channels can run simultaneously at 1.25 Gbps with embedded CDR, which is essential for backplane fabrics such as XSBI or SPI-4.2. The 1.8 V core and 303 user I/Os connect to switch-fabric ASICs, and the commercial 0-85 C temperature range suits climate-controlled central-office deployments.
Recommended
Industrial Protocol Bridge (PCI-X to RapidIO, SPI-4.2 to XSBI)
The EP1M120F484-6 bridges incompatible industrial and telecom protocols in legacy upgrade scenarios where end-customer equipment must support both old and new bus standards. Its 8 multi-gigabit transceivers connect directly to high-speed serial buses (RapidIO, PCI Express Gen 1, Aurora, XSBI) without external PHY. The 4,800 logic elements implement protocol state machines, while 49,152 bits of embedded RAM provide protocol header and payload buffering. The 484-ball FC-FBGA exposes 303 user I/Os for parallel legacy buses (PCI-X, VME). Industrial temperature EP1M120F484I6 variants are common in factory automation, military radios, and avionics bridging applications.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP1M120F484-6 provides signal processing and pattern generation inside test and measurement equipment such as protocol analyzers, bit-error-rate testers (BERT), and logic analyzers. Its 8 high-speed transceivers at 1.25 Gbps accept or generate serial test patterns, while the 4,800 logic elements and dedicated multipliers implement DSP functions for signal conditioning. The 49,152 bits of embedded memory buffer captured waveform data before offloading to host processors. The 303 user I/Os drive front-panel displays and connect to ADCs/DACs. Per the Mercury datasheet, the True-LVDS capability enables direct interface to high-speed ADCs without external level translation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1M120F484-6 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1M120F484C7 | EP1M120F484I6 | EP1M120F484I7 | EP1M120F484C6N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera (Intel FPGA) - same | Altera (Intel FPGA) - same | Altera (Intel FPGA) - same | Altera (Intel FPGA) - same |
| Speed Grade | -6 (commercial) | -7 (commercial, faster) | -6 (industrial) | -7 (industrial, faster) | -6 (commercial, Pb-free) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) | -40 C to +100 C (industrial) | -40 C to +100 C (industrial) | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) |
| Logic Elements | 4,800 | 4,800 | 4,800 | 4,800 | 4,800 |
| System Gates | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 | 120,000 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 | 49,152 |
| User I/Os | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 |
| Transceiver Channels @ 1.25 Gbps | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
| Approximate Unit Price @ qty 1000 | $53.10 | $58-$62 (estimated, faster grade premium) | $61-$66 (estimated, industrial premium) | $68-$74 (estimated, industrial + faster premium) | $53-$56 (estimated, Pb-free variant) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated multi-gigabit transceivers eliminate external PHY silicon (vs Cyclone II EP2C20F484 (no integrated transceivers))
- Higher density and more I/Os than legacy ACEX 1K devices (vs ACEX EP1K100FC484-3)
- Drop-in compatibility across Mercury family speed grades and temperature variants (vs Cyclone series (Cyclone II/III/IV) which require PCB redesign)
Design Notes
The 484-ball FC-FBGA package requires a 4-layer PCB minimum with continuous ground and power planes under the device. Per the Mercury datasheet, route the 8 high-speed transceiver channels as 100-ohm differential pairs with controlled impedance, keep trace lengths matched within 150 mils, and place AC-coupling capacitors within 250 mils of the transmitter pins. Use microstrip or stripline construction with reference planes intact beneath the entire channel. Provide 4 to 6 vias per transceiver ball for power and ground to minimize inductance.
The EP1M120F484-6 requires a clean 1.8 V core supply with bulk decoupling of at least 100 uF tantalum and 10 uF ceramic within 0.5 inch of the package, plus 0.1 uF and 0.01 uF ceramics at every VCC pin. Separate VCCIO rails (typically 2.5 V or 3.3 V) supply each I/O bank and require their own decoupling network. The transceiver analog supply (typically 1.4 V or 1.5 V) must be derived from a low-noise LDO isolated from digital switching noise. Estimated: a fully utilized Mercury device with all 8 transceivers active at 1.25 Gbps draws approximately 1.2 to 1.8 A from the 1.8 V core rail.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP1M120F484-6 include: (1) failing to use an external configuration device (the SRAM-based FPGA loses its bitstream on power-down), (2) ignoring JTAG boundary-scan ordering in multi-device chains, (3) exceeding 8 simultaneous transceivers at 1.25 Gbps without adequate thermal management, (4) using LVDS signals without proper 100-ohm termination at the receiver, and (5) overlooking MSL handling requirements for the FC-FBGA package during assembly. Refer to Altera application notes AN-272 and AN-340 for Mercury-specific design guidance. Last Time Buy customers should place final orders with 12+ months of safety stock.
Estimated: at full utilization (all 8 transceivers active at 1.25 Gbps, 75% logic utilization, 303 I/Os switching), the EP1M120F484-6 dissipates approximately 2.5 to 3.5 W. The 484-ball FC-FBGA package has a theta-JA of approximately 18-22 C/W with a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board, producing a junction temperature rise of 50-75 C above ambient. Forced-air cooling is recommended for industrial-temperature variants operating at the high end of the -40 C to +100 C range. Provide thermal vias under the center balls for additional heat dissipation.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not found in verified web sources. The EP1M120F484C6N variant typically indicates Pb-free terminal finish, suggesting lead-free compliance, but RoHS/REACH/AEC-Q100 status was not directly verifiable from the provided search results. Customers should request material declarations from Altera/Intel directly.
