EP20K400FC784-2 - APEX 20K 400K Gate FPGA, 784-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP20K400FC784-2 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $295 | $295.00 |
| 10 | $268 | $2,680.00 |
| 100 | $235 | $23,500.00 |
| 500 | $198 | $99,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $175 | $175,000.00 |
EP20K400FC784-2 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device family that lets engineers implement custom digital logic, register files, FIFOs, RAMs, and arithmetic functions on a single IC after fabrication. APEX 20K sits in the hierarchy: programmable logic -> FPGA -> high-density SRAM-based FPGA -> APEX 20K family. The device is configured at power-up from an external serial or parallel PROM (EPCS / EPC16-class erasable PROMs), and because it is SRAM-based it is re-programmable in-system indefinitely.
Key features of the EP20K400C include 400,000 typical system gates (approximately 16,640 logic elements / 3,300 4-input LUTs per family datasheet), 212 Kbits of embedded RAM distributed across ESBs, support for LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, SSTL-2, SSTL-3, GTL+, and CTT I/O standards, up to 4 dedicated FastTrack Interconnect rows/columns, and a maximum of 488 user I/O pins in the 784-ball BGA. The device operates from a 2.5 V core and supports MultiVolt I/O interfacing to 3.3 V, 2.5 V, and 1.8 V buses, with hot-socketing capability for live insertion into backplanes.
The -2 speed grade places this part in the commercial/industrial performance tier (typical toggling around 100-180 MHz internally, depending on routing and design style). 4-input LUTs feed a fast carry-chain for arithmetic, and the ESBs can be configured as dual-port RAM, ROM, CAM, or small multipliers. JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan testing is supported on every pin, easing board-level test and in-system programming flows.
Typical applications include telecom backplane glue logic, industrial automation controllers, custom peripheral bridges (PCI to local bus, UART to FIFO), DSP pre/post-processing pipelines, and prototyping platforms for ASIC emulation. The high gate count also makes it a viable candidate for early-stage ASIC prototyping where design iterations outpace mask turns.
When designing with this part, plan for an external configuration PROM (e.g., EPC16 or EPCS64) since the EP20K400C is SRAM-volatile, and budget at least 12-16 layer PCB routing for the 784-ball FC-BGA escape. Decoupling must include a 0.1 µF cap per VCCIO/VCCINT power pin pair plus bulk 47 µF tantalum on each supply rail. Engineers considering migration paths should also evaluate the Stratix II family as the natural successor for new designs, since APEX 20K is no longer recommended for new programs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, with engineering detail optimized for sourcing engineers, FPGA architects, and lifecycle-planning procurement teams.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K400FC784-2 — 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 EP20K400FC784-2 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Family, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K400EFC784-2
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K400EFC672-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$92.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400FC784-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$60 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CFC672-9
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$325 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400BC652-2AA
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP20K400FC784-2 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20K |
| Device Family Member | EP20K400C |
| Typical System Gates | 400,000 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 488 (784-BGA) |
| Logic Elements | 16,640 |
| Embedded RAM (ESB) | 212 Kbits |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS SRAM |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V |
| MultiVolt I/O Voltage | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Supported I/O Standards | LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, SSTL-2, SSTL-3, GTL+, CTT |
| Configuration Mode | Serial / Parallel SRAM-volatile (external PROM required) |
| Package | 784-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) |
| Speed Grade | -2 (industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per Partstack listing) |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 °C (per Partstack listing) |
| Hot Socketing | Supported |
| JTAG / Boundary-Scan | IEEE 1149.1 compliant |
EP20K400FC784-2 784-ball fineline bga (fc) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K400FC784-2 (784-ball fineline bga (fc) 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 EP20K400FC784-2.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K400FC784-2 is suitable for 7 applications: Telecom Backplane Glue Logic, Industrial Automation Controllers, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Custom Peripheral Bridges (PCI / Local Bus), DSP Pre/Post-Processing Pipelines, Legacy Avionics and Defense Backplanes, Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-Ends.
Telecom Backplane Glue Logic
The EP20K400FC784-2 is well-matched to telecom backplane bridging because its 400K gates and 488 user I/O easily absorb the dozens of glue-logic functions (bus arbiters, parity generators, address decoders, interrupt controllers) that historically consumed multiple 74-series ASICs. MultiVolt I/O (1.8/2.5/3.3 V) lets the same silicon interface to LVCMOS control planes and GTL+ memory buses without level shifters, and 212 Kbits of ESB RAM provides on-chip FIFOs that smooth bursty traffic across the backplane. In a typical application, the part sits between a switch ASIC and a line-card connector, ingesting 3.3 V LVCMOS control signals and outputting 1.8 V SSTL-2 to downstream memory. Hot socketing means the part can be inserted into a live backplane without latch-up - a feature that remains relevant for field-serviceable telecom shelves.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Controllers
For PLCs and motion controllers, the EP20K400FC784-2 integrates what would otherwise be a controller board full of discrete logic: PWM generators, encoder counters, quadrature decoders, and high-speed serial protocol bridges (SPI, I2C, UART) all fit comfortably within the 16,640 logic elements. The 488 user I/O pins are sufficient to drive dozens of opto-isolated outputs and accept resolver/encoder feedback channels on a single FPGA. Industrial deployments also benefit from the part's PCI I/O standard support, which eases integration with PCI-based motion-control cards. The wide operating temperature range and surface-mount BGA package suit ruggedized DIN-rail or backplane-mounted controllers, although the MSL-3 moisture sensitivity demands careful PCB assembly handling.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The APEX 20K family was Altera's mainstream ASIC-prototyping platform in the early 2000s, and the EP20K400FC784-2 remains a viable target for that role. With 400,000 system gates, designers can partition an ASIC design across multiple EP20K400 devices and run real-world validation before committing to a mask turn. The 784-ball BGA and 488 user I/O expose enough channels to bring out ASIC pins for bench testing, while the on-chip ESBs serve as register-file, FIFO, and dual-port RAM stand-ins for typical ASIC memory blocks. Quartus (or legacy MAX+PLUS II) provides the synthesis flow, and JTAG 1149.1 boundary scan simplifies board-level bring-up. For very large ASIC emulation, multiple EP20K400 devices can be cascaded via their LVDS-capable I/O.
Recommended
Custom Peripheral Bridges (PCI / Local Bus)
Bridging between PCI and legacy local buses is a classic APEX 20K use case, and the EP20K400FC784-2's PCI-compliant I/O and 488-pin budget make it a strong fit. The part can implement a 32-bit/33 MHz PCI target or master, plus the local bus interface, FIFOs, and interrupt logic in a single device, replacing what would otherwise be a dedicated PCI bridge ASIC plus glue logic. PCI-compliant I/O means the part meets the 5 V/3.3 V signaling and timing requirements without external buffers, simplifying board layout. Designers typically also instantiate UART, SPI, or GPIO bridges alongside the PCI core, all within the same FPGA fabric.
Recommended
DSP Pre/Post-Processing Pipelines
In imaging, radar, and baseband signal processing, the EP20K400FC784-2's 212 Kbits of dual-port RAM and high-speed carry chains make it a viable pre/post-processing engine adjacent to a dedicated DSP or microprocessor. Typical pipelines route high-speed LVTTL or LVCMOS sample data into the FPGA, perform decimation, FFT preprocessing, or color-space conversion in the fabric, then hand off clean streams to the DSP. The ESBs' dual-port configuration is particularly useful for ping-pong buffering between sample acquisition and processing. Although APEX 20K lacks dedicated DSP blocks (those arrived in Stratix II), the LUT-based fabric still delivers strong performance for low-to-mid-rate signal chains.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics and Defense Backplanes
Because the EP20K400FC784-2 has decades of design heritage, it remains present in long-lifecycle avionics, defense, and industrial systems where re-design is costly. Its wide operating temperature range, hot-socketing support, and 488 user I/O suit legacy VME/VXI backplane designs where the part interfaces legacy ASICs, MIL-STD-1553 buses, or ARINC 429 channels. The 784-ball BGA and JTAG boundary-scan simplify conformal-coated PCB assembly and field diagnostics. Although the part is obsolete for new programs, the long procurement cycles in defense (10-20 year field support) mean it will remain specified for the foreseeable future, often via broker-sourced inventory.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-Ends
Test equipment front-ends - logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, and high-speed pattern generators - often require custom timing and pin-control logic that off-the-shelf ASICs cannot provide. The EP20K400FC784-2's 488 user I/O, PCI I/O standard support, and abundant LUTs let a designer build a flexible stimulus/response engine with custom protocol decoding. The ESBs serve as deep capture buffers, while the carry chains accelerate timing-edge generation. The 784-ball FC-BGA package routes cleanly into high-density logic-analyzer probe boards. Hot socketing is a plus for modular instruments where the FPGA board may be swapped without powering down the chassis.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K400FC784-2 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K400EFC784-2 | EP20K400EFC672-2 | EP20K400FC784-1 | EP20K400EBC652-2 | EP20K400CFC672-9 | EP20K400BC652-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 784-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) | 784-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) - same | 672-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) - different | 784-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) - same | 652-Ball BGA (BC) - different | 672-Ball FineLine BGA (FC) - different | 652-Ball BGA (BC) - different |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Typical System Gates | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 |
| Logic Elements | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 |
| Embedded RAM | 212 Kbits (ESB) | 212 Kbits | 212 Kbits | 212 Kbits | 212 Kbits | 212 Kbits | 212 Kbits |
| Speed Grade | -2 | -2 (same) | -2 | -1 (slower) | -2 | -9 | -2 |
| CAM Support | No | Yes (E-suffix) | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest I/O-count package option in the APEX 20K family (vs EP20K400EFC672-2)
- Speed grade -2 for tighter timing margins (vs EP20K400FC784-1)
- Wide secondary-market availability (vs EP20K400EFC784-2)
Design Notes
The EP20K400FC784-2 requires a 2.5 V core supply plus dedicated VCCIO rails per I/O bank; group banks by voltage domain to keep the board simple. Decoupling: place one 0.1 µF X7R ceramic cap per VCCINT/VCCIO power pin pair, plus 47 µF tantalum bulk on each supply rail near the BGA. Estimated: a fully populated EP20K400 design with 80% logic utilization and 100 MHz toggle draws approximately 0.6-1.0 A on VCCINT, so size the 2.5 V regulator for at least 1.5 A continuous.
The 784-ball FC-BGA has 1.27 mm ball pitch; escape requires at least 12 PCB layers with microvia or stacked-via technology. Provide a continuous ground plane directly under the BGA and stitch the perimeter with a via fence every 2-3 mm to suppress edge emissions. MSL-3 handling is mandatory: bake at 125 °C for 24 hours before assembly if the package has been exposed to ambient for more than the floor-life limit, and profile the reflow oven to a 220 °C peak.
Forgetting the external configuration PROM is the most common EP20K400FC784-2 bring-up failure - the FPGA is SRAM-volatile and does not retain its bitstream through power cycles. Use an Altera EPC16 or EPCS64-class PROM and route the DCLK, DATA0, nSTATUS, and nCONFIG signals carefully with impedance-controlled traces. Verify the JTAG chain order before assuming the FPGA is dead; an inverted chain is a frequent debugging false alarm.
Estimated: at 80% logic utilization and 100 MHz toggle rate, the EP20K400FC784-2 dissipates roughly 1.5-2.5 W in still air. The 784-ball BGA's theta_JA is approximately 12-15 °C/W with a 4-layer JEDEC test board, so a 1.5 W dissipation yields about an 18-22 °C junction rise. Add thermal vias under the die and consider a heat-spreader lid for sustained high-utilization workloads; the part's hot-socketing capability does not change thermal planning.
Compliance Information
RoHS / REACH / lead-free status not confirmed in provided web data for this specific MPN. AEC-Q100 is not applicable (industrial/commercial FPGA, not automotive-grade).
