EP1M350F780C7 - Mercury FPGA 350K Gates 486 I/O BGA-780 | Intel
MPN: EP1M350F780C7 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $252 | $2,520.00 |
| 100 | $218 | $21,800.00 |
| 500 | $188 | $94,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $162 | $162,000.00 |
EP1M350F780C7 Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device that combines a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and I/O cells on a single semiconductor die. FPGAs belong to the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs), which also include complex PLDs (CPLDs) and simple PLDs (SPLDs). Mercury is positioned between the APEX and Cyclone lines, with emphasis on embedded transceiver support and high I/O count.
Key features of the EP1M350F780C7 include integrated high-speed transceivers with CDR support to 1.25 Gbps, multi-port memory blocks, and JTAG-based configuration via the Quartus II development system. The 1440 logic array blocks (LABs) provide the density backbone for parallel datapath implementation, while the 486 user I/Os support wide parallel bus interfaces to external memory and ASIC peripherals.
The Mercury architecture uses a CMOS process with an SRAM-based configuration cell, enabling in-system reprogrammability through standard JTAG or passive/active serial configuration schemes. Quartus II includes pre-optimized DesignWare libraries from Synopsys for Mercury, simplifying pipelined datapath and DSP-style synthesis. Embedded transceiver blocks reduce bill-of-materials cost by eliminating external SERDES components on multi-gigabit links.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card glue logic, serial backplane aggregation, industrial control bridges, and prototype ASIC replacement. Designers choose Mercury when they need 1.25 Gbps CDR plus moderate logic density in a single device, replacing two-chip SERDES+FPGA designs.
When designing with this device, allocate adequate PCB area for the 780-ball FineLine BGA and follow Intel/Altera's recommended decoupling scheme. Confirm Quartus II device support for your target Quartus version, and verify pin assignments against the Mercury pin table for the F780 package variant.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the Mercury family, and practical design notes not found in a single manufacturer datasheet, providing a consolidated engineering reference for the EP1M350F780C7.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1M350F780C7 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 EP1M350F780C7 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, Device Family.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1M350F780C7N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$168 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M350F780C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$219.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M350F780C6
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$905 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M350F780C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$115 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M350F780C5
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1303 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP1M350F780C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Mercury (PLD) |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1440 |
| System Gates | 350,000 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 486 |
| Package | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) |
| Package Type | FINE LINE BGA-780 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.8 V |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Transceivers / CDR Support | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / Quartus II |
| Process Technology | CMOS SRAM-based |
EP1M350F780C7 fine line bga-780 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1M350F780C7 (fine line bga-780 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 EP1M350F780C7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1M350F780C7 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Serial Backplane Aggregation, Industrial Control Bridge, Prototype ASIC Replacement, Medical Imaging Front-End, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
The EP1M350F780C7 fits telecom line-card glue logic because its 1.25 Gbps CDR transceivers and 486 user I/Os bridge backplane SERDES to parallel framer/mapper ASICs without external SERDES components. Per the Altera Mercury datasheet, the 1.8V core supply and 1440 LABs provide ample density for Utopia/Pos-PHY bus adaptation and clock-domain crossing. The 780-ball FineLine BGA enables dense PCB placement behind high-density backplane connectors used in central-office line cards.
Recommended
Serial Backplane Aggregation
The EP1M350F780C7 is well-suited for serial backplane aggregation because its integrated 1.25 Gbps CDR transceivers consolidate multi-channel serial links into a single device, replacing two-chip SERDES+FPGA designs. According to the Mercury datasheet, the 350,000 system gates and 1440 LABs handle protocol multiplexing, CRC insertion, and link-layer state machines. The 486 user I/Os support wide parallel side-buses to switch-fabric ASICs on the same card.
Recommended
Industrial Control Bridge
The EP1M350F780C7 serves as a robust industrial control bridge, converting fieldbus protocols (Profibus, CAN, RS-485) to Ethernet while providing deterministic timing. Per Altera Mercury datasheet, the 1.8V core, 1440 LABs, and 486 I/Os support multiple protocol cores simultaneously. The commercial 0-85C temperature grade suits factory-floor enclosures; designers needing -40C to +100C should select the EP1M350F780I7 industrial variant from the Mercury family.
Recommended
Prototype ASIC Replacement
The EP1M350F780C7 functions as a prototype ASIC replacement, allowing designers to validate functionality in silicon before committing to a mask set. According to the Mercury datasheet, the SRAM-based configuration supports unlimited reprogramming cycles, and Quartus II's DesignWare libraries enable quick migration from synthesis to in-system validation. The 780-ball FineLine BGA package with 486 I/Os matches typical mid-complexity ASIC footprint requirements for prototype characterization.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Front-End
The EP1M350F780C7 fits medical imaging front-end boards where 1.25 Gbps transceivers carry digitized ultrasound or CT-detector data and 486 I/Os parallel-route to FPGA-based beamformers. Per the Mercury datasheet, the 1.8V core and CMOS SRAM process deliver low-power operation suitable for portable cart-mounted imaging systems. The 0-85C commercial range covers most clinical environments, while the 1440 LABs handle real-time pixel-rate processing algorithms.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP1M350F780C7 is ideal for high-end test and measurement instrumentation such as logic analyzers, protocol testers, and BERT platforms. The integrated 1.25 Gbps CDR transceivers handle multi-standard serial decode without external PHY chips, while 486 user I/Os capture wide parallel data buses. According to the Altera Mercury datasheet, the 350K system gates and 1440 LABs provide the logic density for deep trace buffers and pattern generators used in automated test equipment (ATE).
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1M350F780C7 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1M350F780C7N | EP1M350F780C6N | EP1M350F780C6 | EP1M350F780C5N | EP1M350F780C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) - same |
| Family | Mercury | Mercury | Mercury | Mercury | Mercury | Mercury |
| Speed Grade | -7 (C7) | -7 (C7) | -6 (C6) | -6 (C6) | -5 (C5) | -5 (C5) |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1440 | 1440 | 1440 | 1440 | 1440 | 1440 |
| System Gates | 350,000 | 350,000 | 350,000 | 350,000 | 350,000 | 350,000 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 486 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Transceiver / CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR | Up to 1.25 Gbps with CDR |
Key Differentiators
- Faster speed grade with -7 timing model (vs EP1M350F780C6N)
- All 5 alternatives share the same F780 BGA footprint (vs EP1M350F780C6 / EP1M350F780C5 / N-suffix variants)
- Lead-free option available for RoHS-compliant builds (vs EP1M350F780C7 (non-N suffix))
Design Notes
Estimated: at 1.8V core supply, an FPGA with 350K system gates and 486 user I/Os switching simultaneously at 100 MHz can dissipate 2-4 W depending on toggle rate. The 780-ball FineLine BGA package has a typical theta_JA of 12-18 C/W with 4-layer JEDEC PCB and adequate thermal vias under the central ball array. For full-die activity at elevated ambient, follow Altera's recommended thermal-via pattern (at least 9 thermal vias per cm^2 under the die shadow) to maintain junction temperature below 100 C.
The 780-ball FineLine BGA (F780) requires 0.8 mm ball pitch with non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) land pads for reliable assembly. Per Altera Mercury datasheet guidelines, route signal escapes on the top layer with microvia-in-pad (if using HDI) or dog-bone fanout (if using through-via). Decouple VCCINT (1.8V core) with one 0.1 uF X7R ceramic per power pin, plus bulk 47 uF tantalum per supply rail. Separate VCC_PLL analog supply must be filtered with ferrite bead and 10 uF + 0.1 uF decoupling.
Quartus II 9.1 is the last officially-supported toolchain for the Mercury family; Quartus Prime (10.0+) does NOT support EP1M350F780C7. Per Altera legacy documentation, do not migrate design files forward without preserving the legacy toolchain license and IP libraries. Also note that the C7 vs C6 vs C5 speed grade is a parametric differentiation within the SAME die - replacing C7 with C5 on the PCB requires re-running timing closure with the new speed-grade timing model in Quartus II 9.1.
The 1.25 Gbps CDR transceivers on EP1M350F780C7 require 100-ohm differential impedance on the SERDES pairs (per Altera Mercury datasheet, chapter on high-speed I/O). Use controlled-impedance routing with continuous reference plane, length matching within 5 mils across P/N pairs, and AC-coupling capacitors (0.01 uF X7R) at the transmitter side. Avoid right-angle bends on serial traces; use 45-degree bends or smooth curves. Maintain at least 3W spacing from other high-speed signals to minimize crosstalk.
Configuration scheme selection: EP1M350F780C7 supports JTAG, passive serial (PS), and active serial (AS) modes. For prototype boards, JTAG via Altera USB-Blaster allows fastest iteration. For production, AS mode with EPC2 or EPC4 configuration device is recommended. Per the Mercury datasheet, ensure nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE pull-up resistors are correctly sized (10 kohm typical) and that DCLK is noise-free, as it is the most configuration-sensitive signal.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status of EP1M350F780C7 (non-N suffix) is not confirmed in the verified web data; the N-suffix variants (e.g. EP1M350F780C7N) are typically the lead-free RoHS-compliant versions per Altera legacy datasheet convention. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a programmable logic device, not an automotive-grade IC. Conflict-mineral compliance status unknown from verified web data.
