EP1S20F780C7 - Stratix FPGA 18460 Cells 420MHz FBGA-780 | Intel
MPN: EP1S20F780C7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 250 | $108 | $27,000.00 |
| 500 | $98.5 | $49,250.00 |
EP1S20F780C7 Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable semiconductor device that combines programmable logic fabric, block RAM, DSP slices, and high-speed I/O on a single die. Within the broader integrated circuit taxonomy, FPGAs sit alongside microcontrollers, ASICs, and CPLDs as members of the programmable logic family. The Stratix family, introduced by Altera in 2002, was the first to embed dedicated DSP blocks and high-speed transceivers, bridging the gap between traditional FPGAs and ASIC-class compute density.
Key features of the EP1S20F780C7 include 18460 logic elements, 1.5 V core supply, embedded DSP blocks for high-throughput arithmetic, multiple PLLs for clock management, and high-speed LVDS-compatible I/O. The 780-ball FC-FBGA (29 x 29 mm, 1 mm pitch) package provides generous routing channels for memory interfaces such as DDR SDRAM and QDR SRAM, plus parallel LVDS links.
From an architectural standpoint, the Stratix device family employs a multi-level routing hierarchy with embedded array blocks (EABs), logic array blocks (LABs), and dedicated multiplier/adder DSP blocks. This allows designers to implement FIR filters, FFT engines, and complex state machines without sacrificing logic capacity. Configuration is via SRAM, enabling in-system reprogrammability through JTAG or passive/active serial schemes.
Typical applications include digital video broadcasting, software-defined radio baseband, medical imaging preprocessing, and high-speed serial protocol bridging. The wide I/O count also makes the device attractive for legacy ASIC prototyping and custom compute accelerators in industrial control.
When designing with this part, pay attention to power-rail sequencing (VCCINT before VCCIO), decoupling capacitor selection, and JTAG chain integrity. Thermal management is essential in enclosed chassis, where the 780-ball BGA benefits from a 4-layer or higher PCB with solid ground and power planes.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and application guidance beyond what the manufacturer datasheet alone provides.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1S20F780C7 — 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 EP1S20F780C7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Package, Speed Grade, DSP Blocks.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1S20F780C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$188.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S20F780C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP1S20F780C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S20F780C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$645 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S10F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$128.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S20F780C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix |
| Logic Elements | 18460 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 420.17 MHz |
| Process Technology | 130 nm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.5 V |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Package Type | FC-FBGA-780 |
| Package Dimensions | 29 x 29 mm |
| Ball Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Pin Count | 780 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (C7 speed grade) |
| Configuration Method | SRAM-based (volatile) |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG / Passive Serial / Active Serial |
| DSP Blocks | Yes (dedicated multiplier/adder blocks) |
| Memory Type | TriMatrix embedded memory |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
EP1S20F780C7 29 x 29 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1S20F780C7 (29 x 29 mm 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 EP1S20F780C7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1S20F780C7 is suitable for 6 applications: Digital Video Broadcasting Infrastructure, Software-Defined Radio Baseband, Medical Imaging Preprocessing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Control and Motion Control, Legacy Telecom Protocol Bridging.
Digital Video Broadcasting Infrastructure
The EP1S20F780C7 fits DVB baseband processing where its 18,460 logic elements and dedicated DSP blocks handle MPEG-2/H.264 channel decoding at line-rate speeds. The 780-ball FC-FBGA exposes enough I/O banks to interface to ASI/SDI receive chains plus DDR SDRAM frame buffers. Embedded multiplier-accumulator blocks accelerate the FFT and Viterbi kernels typical of ATSC and DVB-T demodulators, while 420 MHz internal operation provides headroom for multi-channel implementations in head-end encoders.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
In SDR baseband cards, the EP1S20F780C7 implements digital down-conversion, channelization, and protocol framing. Its TriMatrix memory blocks hold time-domain sample buffers, while the DSP blocks execute polyphase filter banks at the ADC sample rate. The wide I/O count accommodates LVDS interfaces to multi-bit ADCs and high-speed serial links to backplane fabric. 1.5 V core operation and LVDS I/O make it straightforward to mate with companion DACs and ADCs at industrial power budgets.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Preprocessing
Ultrasound beamforming and CT image reconstruction pipelines run on the EP1S20F780C7's parallel DSP fabric. The FPGA processes multiple channels of digitized RF simultaneously, supporting real-time FIR filtering and envelope detection before data is forwarded to host CPUs. With 18,460 LEs, it can host an entire 32-channel beamformer in a single device. The commercial temperature range suits controlled clinical environments, and the BGA package enables compact daughtercards inside cart-based ultrasound units.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
Design teams use the EP1S20F780C7 as a single-FPGA prototype vehicle for ASIC RTL of moderate size (gate-equivalent up to about 250K ASIC gates). Its 18,460 LEs can absorb typical control-plane plus simple data-plane blocks, while the 780-ball BGA provides enough user I/O to emulate common SoC peripherals. Configuration via JTAG speeds bring-up cycles, and the same BGA pinout across speed grades lets engineers swap bins to debug timing without reworking the board.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Motion Control
High-end motion controllers leverage the EP1S20F780C7 to close multi-axis servo loops at sub-microsecond update rates. Its DSP blocks accelerate PID and state-space control algorithms, while abundant I/O drives parallel encoder interfaces, GPIO, and high-speed SPI links to motor drivers. The commercial temperature grade suits factory-floor enclosures with climate control. JTAG-based configuration supports field firmware updates through the factory's existing test infrastructure.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Protocol Bridging
The EP1S20F780C7 commonly bridges between legacy telecom interfaces (T1/E1, HDB3, RS-449) and modern packet backbones in carrier equipment that has not yet been refreshed. Its dedicated serializer/deserializer resources plus abundant LVDS I/O handle multi-channel TDM streams in parallel, with embedded memory blocks providing elastic buffering for rate adaptation. Pin-compatible speed-grade variants let designers scale timing margin based on deployment region without PCB changes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1S20F780C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1S20F780C6N | EP1S20F780C6 | EP1S20F780C5N | EP1S20F780C5 | EP1S10F780C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | FC-FBGA-780 (29 x 29 mm) | FC-FBGA-780 - same | FC-FBGA-780 - same | FC-FBGA-780 - same | FC-FBGA-780 - same | FC-FBGA-780 - same |
| Logic Elements | 18460 | 18460 (same die) | 18460 (same die) | 18460 (same die) | 18460 (same die) | 10570 (-43%) |
| Speed Grade | C7 (slower) | C6 (faster) | C6 (faster) | C5 (fastest) | C5 (fastest) | C7 (slower) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) |
| Process Technology | 130 nm CMOS | 130 nm CMOS | 130 nm CMOS | 130 nm CMOS | 130 nm CMOS | 130 nm CMOS |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest path to closure when timing is not met at C7 (vs EP1S20F780C7N (lead-free C7))
- Best logic-density match in the same BGA footprint (vs EP1S10F780C7 (smaller 10570-LE FPGA))
- Multi-channel DSP capacity (vs EP1M120F484C7 (Mercury family, smaller BGA))
Design Notes
The EP1S20F780C7 requires strict power-rail sequencing: VCCINT (1.5 V core) must rise before or simultaneously with VCCIO banks, with monotonic ramp and stable 5-100 ms rise time. Designers should use a dedicated sequencer IC (e.g., LTC2923 or equivalent) or a microcontroller-managed FET network. Decoupling: place 0.1 µF X7R ceramics at every VCCINT pin pair, plus 10 µF bulk tantalum or polymer capacitors near the device's power islands.
Although the EP1S20F780C7 is specified commercial 0-85 °C, the 780-ball FC-FBGA can dissipate significant heat under high-utilization workloads. Estimated: at full toggle rate (~80% LEs active at 100 MHz internal clock), expect roughly 4-6 W internal dissipation. Use at least a 4-layer PCB with continuous ground plane beneath the BGA, and verify junction temperature via the Stratix internal diode (via JTAG) during bring-up. No external heatsink is required for typical commercial applications, but forced airflow is recommended in enclosed chassis.
The 29 x 29 mm FC-FBGA with 1.0 mm ball pitch demands PCB manufacturing with 0.4-0.5 mm pad diameter and laser-drilled microvias for breakout. Use an HDI stack-up (1-2-1 or higher) to route differential pairs and DDR signals out of the BGA. Matched-length impedance routing (50 Ω SE, 100 Ω diff) is required for LVDS/PCI-compatible I/O banks. Place configuration flash (e.g., EPCS64) within 50 mm of the FPGA's serial configuration pins to avoid signal integrity issues.
Three frequent pitfalls when bringing up the EP1S20F780C7: (1) leaving JTAG chain integrity unverified - always test TAP states before configuration; (2) ignoring the nCONFIG and nSTATUS handshake polarity during passive-serial boot - some clones of EPCS flash require a different hold-time; (3) forgetting that I/O banks must be powered even if unused - an unpowered bank can draw leakage current and trip internal monitors. Reference the Stratix device handbook chapter on configuration and pin connection guidelines before first power-up.
Compliance Information
Detailed RoHS/REACH status was not available in the verified web data; consult the manufacturer datasheet or Intel product compliance team directly. The 'N' suffix variants (e.g., EP1S20F780C7N) indicate lead-free finishes per Intel ordering scheme.
