EP1S20F780C7N - Stratix FPGA 18460 LEs 780-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP1S20F780C7N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $245 | $245.00 |
| 10 | $218.5 | $2,185.00 |
| 100 | $192.75 | $19,275.00 |
| 500 | $175.2 | $87,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $158.4 | $158,400.00 |
EP1S20F780C7N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a programmable logic device whose architecture consists of configurable logic blocks (CLBs/LEs), programmable interconnect, block RAM, DSP blocks, and I/O cells, all fabricated as a semiconductor IC. FPGAs sit between general-purpose microcontrollers and fixed-function ASICs, allowing hardware-level parallelism and post-fabrication design changes. Within the broader taxonomy, the EP1S20F780C7N is a high-density programmable logic device belonging to the Stratix family, which in turn belongs to the Intel/Altera programmable logic IC portfolio.
Key features of the EP1S20F780C7N include 1,846 LABs (Logic Array Blocks), embedded RAM up to 1,669,248 bits, dedicated DSP blocks for high-throughput signal processing, multiple PLLs for clock management, support for high-speed external memory interfaces, and 586 user I/O pins. The device integrates transceivers and supports configuration via JTAG, passive serial, and active serial modes, enabling flexible bring-up and reprogramming in the field.
The Stratix architecture combines TriMatrix embedded memory for true dual-port RAM and FIFO functions, a high-bandwidth interconnect, and DSP blocks optimized for multiply-accumulate operations. This makes the EP1S20F780C7N well suited to applications such as telecom baseband processing, high-speed data acquisition, video and image processing pipelines, and ASIC prototyping where deterministic throughput and parallelism are required.
Typical applications include communications infrastructure (routers, switches, base stations), digital signal processing, video broadcast equipment, ASIC prototyping and emulation, industrial control and test equipment, and high-performance data acquisition systems. Its 586 user I/Os also make it useful for bridging multiple bus standards within a single design.
When designing with this part, account for the 780-ball BGA's PCB layout complexity - escape routing, via-in-pad, and controlled-impedance stack-up are mandatory. Plan power sequencing for the 1.5 V core, PLL analog supplies, and I/O bank voltages; insufficient decoupling or poor plane partitioning will degrade signal integrity.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible Stratix variants, and practical design notes that are not aggregated in a single location on the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1S20F780C7N — 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 EP1S20F780C7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1S20F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$98.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →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 →EP1S25F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S20F780C7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix |
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 18,460 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 1,846 |
| Total RAM Bits | 1,669,248 |
| Number of User I/Os | 586 |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29 x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Package Code | 780-FBGA |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -7 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Process Technology | CMOS |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / Passive Serial / Active Serial |
| Embedded DSP Blocks | Yes |
| PLLs | Yes (multiple) |
EP1S20F780C7N 780-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1S20F780C7N (780-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 EP1S20F780C7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1S20F780C7N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Baseband Processing, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Pipelines, Video and Image Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed Data Acquisition, Industrial Control and Test Equipment.
Telecommunications Baseband Processing
The EP1S20F780C7N fits telecom baseband processing because its 18,460 logic elements plus dedicated DSP blocks deliver the parallel multiply-accumulate throughput needed for channel coding, modulation, and digital up/down conversion at line rate. The 586 user I/Os allow direct connection to analog front ends, CPRI/OBSAI links, and external memory without extra bridge chips. Using the same VCCINT 1.5 V rail as the analog section simplifies power design. Trade-off vs Stratix II/IV: less DSP block density per logic element, so for very wide carrier aggregation consider Stratix IV or V.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Pipelines
The EP1S20F780C7N is well suited to multi-channel DSP pipelines thanks to its embedded DSP blocks capable of high-throughput FIR, FFT, and matrix operations. With 1,669,248 bits of TriMatrix embedded RAM it can hold coefficient tables and intermediate samples on-chip, reducing external memory accesses. The 780-FBGA package supports the high I/O bandwidth needed to feed ADC/DAC converters at hundreds of MSPS. Performance scales linearly with speed grade, so -7 delivers the highest Fmax on DSP paths at the cost of dynamic power.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing
The EP1S20F780C7N handles multi-stream video processing pipelines because its 18,460 LEs combined with embedded RAM and DSP blocks can sustain real-time pixel rates for SD/HD or compressed domain processing. The 586 user I/Os accept parallel camera/display interfaces, while internal RAM tiles act as line buffers and frame stores. Compared with newer Cyclone or Stratix families, the original Stratix lacks hard memory controllers and transceivers, so external PHY or ASSP companion chips may be needed for HDMI or SDI.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP1S20F780C7N is used as a building block in ASIC prototyping because multiple FPGAs can be wired together via their 586 user I/Os to emulate large gate-count designs. The 1,669,248 bits of embedded RAM let the prototype replicate large register files and FIFO memories, while the 1.5 V core supports deterministic timing closure in the Quartus design flow. Original Stratix FPGA prototypes are now considered legacy - modern Stratix 10 or Agilex offer far more LEs per package but require a different PCB and Quartus Prime toolchain.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition
The EP1S20F780C7N is a strong fit for high-speed data acquisition systems because its 586 user I/Os accept parallel LVTTL/LVDS streams from ADCs, and the embedded TriMatrix RAM buffers samples between ADC bursts and downstream processing. The DSP blocks accelerate real-time filtering and decimation, while the dedicated PLLs generate the multiple clock domains needed to align ADC and bus clocks. Engineers should size decoupling carefully because 1.5 V core transients during heavy block-RAM activity can couple into analog rails.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Test Equipment
The EP1S20F780C7N is deployed in industrial control and ATE platforms because its 586 I/Os and high logic count let one device replace multiple MCUs or DSPs, simplifying BOM and software. Deterministic hardware parallelism suits real-time deterministic control loops, while embedded RAM and DSP blocks accelerate measurement DSP. The commercial 0 C to 85 C temperature grade covers most factory-floor enclosures; for outdoor or automotive use a Stratix I industrial variant is required. Note that lifecycle is obsolete as of 2026-09-07, so long-term availability is limited.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1S20F780C7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1S20F780C7 | EP1S20F780C6N | EP1S20F780C6 | EP1S20F780C5N | EP1S20F780C5 | EP1S25F780C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-FBGA (29 x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -6 | -6 | -5 | -5 | -7 |
| Logic Elements | 18,460 | 18,460 | 18,460 | 18,460 | 18,460 | 18,460 | ~33,000 (EP1S25 die) |
| User I/Os | 586 | 586 | 586 | 586 | 586 | 586 | 586 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.5 V | 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) | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest Fmax in EP1S20 family (vs EP1S20F780C5N)
- Drop-in upgrade to higher-density EP1S25 die (vs EP1S25F780C7)
- Largest IO count in EP1S20 family (vs EP1S20F484C7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the 780-ball FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 29 x 29 mm body, which requires via-in-pad (VIP) or microvia escape routing on the PCB stack-up. Plan at minimum a 1-6-1 or 2-4-2 layer build-up with sub-100 um laser vias. Surface-mount yield drops sharply above 0.8 mm pitch without VIP and proper pad finishing (ENIG or immersion silver). Per Altera's package guidelines, do not exceed 260 C peak reflow temperature and respect the MSL floor life once the device is removed from its sealed dry-pack.
Estimated: at 1.5 V core and heavy block-RAM/DSP utilisation, the EP1S20F780C7N can draw several amps on VCCINT. Provide at least 4-6 low-ESR ceramic decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF + 10 uF bulk) within 5 mm of each power pin and stitch the inner planes tightly to the BGA via field. Use a dedicated 1.5 V LDO or DC-DC converter with output accuracy within +/-3 percent to keep PLL jitter within the Stratix Device Family Data Sheet budget.
Do not confuse the original Stratix (1.5 V core, family prefix EP1S) with Stratix II (1.2 V core, prefix EP2S) or Stratix III (0.9 V core, prefix EP3S). Bitstreams, JTAG IDs, configuration schemes, and Quartus device libraries all differ. Trying to load a Stratix II design into an EP1S20F780C7N will fail configuration and may in worst case corrupt the configuration flash if the mode pins overlap.
Use controlled-impedance routing (typically 50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential) for high-speed LVDS pairs to and from the EP1S20F780C7N. Maintain length matching within the Stratix Device Family Data Sheet tolerance for DDR interfaces and avoid stubs. Series damping resistors near the FPGA may be required if reflections exceed budget on long traces.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not confirmed by the verified web data for this obsolete Stratix part. The 'N' suffix in the part number traditionally denotes lead-free / RoHS compliance per Altera ordering information, but this should be verified against the manufacturer's certificate of conformance before use.
