EP20K200RC208-3V FPGA - APEX-20K 8320 LE, 144 I/O | Altera
MPN: EP20K200RC208-3V ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
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| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
EP20K200RC208-3V Overview
An FPGA is an integrated circuit whose logic fabric can be reconfigured after manufacturing using hardware description languages and a configuration bitstream. Unlike a fixed-function ASIC, an FPGA consists of programmable logic blocks, routing interconnect, and embedded memory that allow the same silicon to implement different digital systems. The APEX-20K family belongs to the broader class of programmable logic devices (PLDs), with architecture that bridges look-up table (LUT)-based FPGAs and CPLD-style product-term logic.
The EP20K200RC208-3V uses a MultiCore architecture that combines LUT logic for register-intensive functions, product-term logic for combinatorial control, and embedded memory blocks. This lets one FPGA integrate finite-state machines, arithmetic datapaths, FIFOs, and small processor peripherals without multiple external devices. The 106,496 RAM bits are useful for packet buffers, coefficient tables, and dual-clock domain FIFOs, while 144 user I/O pins can connect to external memories, buses, and application-specific interfaces.
Four-level hierarchical FastTrack interconnect provides predictable routing delays, which is important for meeting timing in medium-speed designs. The 0.22um CMOS process and 2.5V core make the device lower-power than older 5V/3.3V CPLDs while still supporting legacy I/O systems with appropriate level translation. The exposed thermal pad in the BFQFP/RQFP package improves heat transfer to the PCB when a solid ground/thermal plane is provided.
Typical uses include telecom line-card control, industrial motion-control I/O, instrumentation logic, and SOPC evaluation boards. Designers often select this FPGA when they need to upgrade existing PLD/FPGA boards without altering the 208-pin RQFP footprint. Since the APEX-20K family is a mature product, the EP20K200RC208-3V is frequently sourced for legacy system life-extension and second-source programs through distributors such as Rochester Electronics.
When designing with this part, provide separate clean supply rails for the 2.5V core, follow the configuration power-up sequence, and connect every unused I/O according to the recommended safe state to avoid floating inputs. The package exposed pad should be soldered to the PCB ground plane for thermal and electrical integrity.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, same-package speed-grade alternatives, and practical design notes that are not all present in a single manufacturer datasheet, giving engineers a faster way to evaluate legacy FPGA replacements.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K200RC208-3V — 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 EP20K200RC208-3V (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Family, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K200RC208-3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$39 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200RC208-3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200RC208-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$79.67 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200RC208-1X
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$35.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200RC208-1N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$18.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200RC208-3V Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | APEX-20K |
| Number of Logic Elements / Cells | 8320 |
| Number of Gates | 200000 typical |
| Total RAM Bits | 106496 |
| Number of User I/Os | 144 |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.375 V to 2.625 V |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 167 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.22 um |
| Package / Case | 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad |
| Supplier Device Package | 208-RQFP (28x28) |
| Number of Pins | 208 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Core Architecture | MultiCore, combining LUT logic, product-term logic, and embedded memory |
| Interconnect | Four-level hierarchical FastTrack Interconnect |
EP20K200RC208-3V 208-rqfp (28x28) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K200RC208-3V (208-rqfp (28x28) 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 EP20K200RC208-3V.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K200RC208-3V is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom and Datacom Line Card Processing, Industrial Automation and Motion-Control I/O, Medical Imaging and Vision Coprocessing, Aerospace and Defense Mission Processing, SOPC Prototyping and Embedded Digital Education, Legacy System Lifecycle Extension.
Telecom and Datacom Line Card Processing
The EP20K200RC208-3V can implement a line-card packet processor because it provides 144 user I/Os for system-bus interfaces and 106,496 RAM bits for FIFO buffers and frame queues. Its MultiCore architecture combines LUT logic for protocol state machines and product-term logic for high-speed combinatorial decode, allowing designers to integrate framing, address filtering, and per-port statistics without using a separate CPLD. Used with external PHYs, the FPGA can capture 8-bit or 16-bit bus streams, extract headers, and buffer packets for a host processor. Because 167 MHz is the reported maximum frequency, designers should check timing budgets early; if additional margin is needed, the same-package EP20K200RC208-2 speed grade is a drop-in option. This makes the part well suited to low-to-medium-throughput telecom bridging and line-card control applications.
Recommended
Industrial Automation and Motion-Control I/O
With 8,320 logic elements, the EP20K200RC208-3V can run multiple encoder counters, PWM generators, interlock logic, and digital I/O expansion functions in parallel, reducing component count in PLC and drive I/O cards. The 2.5V core operates from 2.375V to 2.625V, so 24V industrial sensor interfaces require optocouplers, relays, or level-shifting buffers rather than direct connection. Its LUT-based fabric is well suited to high-speed sensor polling and real-time window comparators, while embedded memory can hold small motion profiles or alarm logs. Designers should follow strict synchronous design rules and add a supervisory reset to prevent incorrect FPGA configuration states during power-up. The exposed thermal pad in the 208-pin RQFP package should be connected to the PCB ground plane to keep the device cool in enclosed industrial panels.
Recommended
Medical Imaging and Vision Coprocessing
The EP20K200RC208-3V can assist an image sensor or DSP pipeline by performing pixel pre-processing, frame timing, and region-of-interest logic before data reaches a main processor. Its 106,496 RAM bits are useful for line buffers and small image windows, while 144 user I/Os can connect to CMOS image sensors, SRAM, or a host bus. The LUT fabric implements thresholding, edge-detection state machines, and coordinate counters in parallel, reducing software load on a microcontroller. Because this is a legacy 2.5V FPGA, interface level shifting may be needed for 3.3V image sensors, and careful power decoupling is required to keep the digital core quiet. For systems that must meet longer-term medical-equipment availability, keeping a validated APEX-20K design alive with a drop-in RC208 variant can be preferable to a risky board redesign.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Mission Processing
FPGAs in aerospace avionics boxes often perform bus monitoring, discrete I/O, and sensor preprocessing. The EP20K200RC208-3V provides 8,320 logic elements and 144 user I/Os, enough to monitor several MIL-STD-1553 or ARINC-style parallel buses through external transceivers. The MultiCore fabric can implement protocol decode, timestamping, and simple voting logic without using a soft processor. Defense legacy programs frequently need a stable, factory-qualified part number, and the -3V suffix is one of the ordering options that can be matched to an existing approved parts list. Since this is an older 2.5V device, designers should maintain a documented supply chain and consider Rochester Electronics as an authorized source for continued availability. Radiation-hardness or extended-temperature qualification is not stated in the fetched data.
Recommended
SOPC Prototyping and Embedded Digital Education
Because the EP20K200RC208-3V uses the APEX-20K MultiCore architecture, it can host small system-on-a-programmable-chip designs that combine LUT-based logic, embedded memory, and product-term control logic. University laboratories and industrial training boards can use it for processor bus interfacing, seven-segment display controllers, UART state machines, and pattern-generation exercises. The 144 user I/Os are enough for switch matrices, LCD modules, and external SRAM, while the 106,496 RAM bits allow students to create FIFOs and register files. Designs are created in HDL and downloaded through an EPC configuration device or JTAG cable. For academic and evaluation projects, the device is useful because it forces designers to work with constrained logic resources and timing-aware synthesis, building stronger FPGA fundamentals.
Recommended
Legacy System Lifecycle Extension
The EP20K200RC208-3V is often chosen for legacy system life-extension because it preserves the original APEX-20K 208-pin RQFP footprint and can replace earlier -3V production devices without a PCB change. The fetched distributor data shows the part is still available through Rochester Electronics and DigiKey, which is useful for maintaining mature avionics, communication, or industrial products. If the original configuration files and timing constraints are retained, the same programming flow used for previous APEX-20K devices should continue to work. For lead-free production, engineers can substitute EP20K200RC208-3N; for improved timing margin, EP20K200RC208-2 or EP20K200RC208-1X is available. Because this is an older family, always verify device markings and obtain components from authorized channels to avoid counterfeit risk.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K200RC208-3V — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K200RC208-3N | EP20K200RC208-3 | EP20K200RC208-2 | EP20K200RC208-1X | EP20K200RC208-1N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad | 208-RQFP (28x28) / 208-BFQFP Exposed Pad |
| Number of Logic Elements / Cells | 8320 | 8320 | 8320 | 8320 | 8320 | 8320 |
| Total RAM Bits | 106496 | 106496 | 106496 | 106496 | 106496 | 106496 |
| Number of User I/Os | 144 | 144 | 144 | 144 | 144 | 144 |
| Typical Gates | 200000 | 200000 | 200000 | 200000 | 200000 | 200000 |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.375 V to 2.625 V | 2.375 V to 2.625 V | 2.375 V to 2.625 V | 2.375 V to 2.625 V | 2.375 V to 2.625 V | 2.375 V to 2.625 V |
| Speed Grade | 3 (V suffix) | 3 (N suffix) | 3 | 2 | 1X | 1N |
Key Differentiators
- Preserves the original -3 speed-grade timing profile for legacy APEX-20K designs (vs EP20K200RC208-2)
- Same 208-pin RQFP footprint across five RC208 speed-grade variants (vs EP20K200FI484-2V)
- 2.5V core with exposed-pad 208-pin package for easier layout (vs EP20K200FC484-3AA)
Design Notes
The EP20K200RC208-3V core operates from 2.375V to 2.625V. Estimated: a moderately large APEX-20K design can draw several hundred milliamps from the core; at 1A core current and 2.5V, power would be about 2.5W, so use a low-noise DC-DC converter or linear regulator with adequate copper area. Provide separate supplies for I/O banks according to the datasheet's recommended operating conditions. Add bulk capacitance plus 0.1uF high-frequency ceramics close to every power pin, and keep the 2.5V core plane separate from noisy I/O rails to reduce configuration and logic noise.
The 208-pin RQFP/BFQFP package has an exposed pad that should be soldered to the PCB ground plane for both thermal and electrical performance. Use a four-layer stackup with a solid ground plane directly under the FPGA and a 2.5V power plane split for core and I/O supplies. Route decoupling capacitors close to the device pins without long vias, and place the configuration device near the dedicated configuration pins to minimize DCLK and DATA signal length. For high-speed user I/O, avoid crossing split planes and provide series termination for long traces.
Do not leave FPGA configuration pins floating. Connect MSEL pins to the selected configuration mode and provide a reliable DCLK source from the EPC configuration device or download cable. The APEX-20K device may require a specific power-up sequence for VCC and I/O supply; violating this sequence can cause excessive current or failed configuration. After configuration, unused I/O pins should be set to a safe state in the design software or tied to an unused output to prevent floating inputs. When ordering replacement stock, confirm the exact suffix because -3V, -3N, and higher speed-grade suffixes are not always interchangeable in an approved legacy-program parts list.
Compliance Information
The fetched distributor and datasheet snippets do not state lead-free, RoHS, REACH, or conflict-mineral compliance for EP20K200RC208-3V. Since this is a legacy APEX-20K FPGA, verify the exact finishing and material compliance data from the manufacturer or distributor before use in RoHS-regulated production.
