EP2A70F1508C9N - APEX II FPGA 67.2K Cells 1060 I/O | Altera
MPN: EP2A70F1508C9N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $245 | $2,450.00 |
| 50 | $215 | $10,750.00 |
| 100 | $195 | $19,500.00 |
| 500 | $175 | $87,500.00 |
EP2A70F1508C9N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable routing, and embedded resources such as block RAM, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs belong to the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) -> logic ICs -> integrated circuits. Unlike fixed-function ASICs, FPGAs are programmed after manufacturing for prototyping, custom datapaths, glue logic, and parallel processing tasks. The APEX II family is engineered for high-density logic implementation with MultiCore architecture combining fine-grain logic with embedded memory.
Key features include 1,146,880 bits of embedded system RAM distributed across embedded array blocks (EABs), 1060 user I/O pins supporting multiple I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, SSTL, GTL), four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, and a MultiVolt core allowing mixed-voltage operation with I/O banks. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA package supports high signal-counting designs while minimizing PCB footprint.
The device supports in-system configuration via passive serial, active serial, and JTAG modes, with optional on-chip encryption for design security. The 0.15 µm process delivers a balance of density and power efficiency for telecom, networking, and DSP-intensive applications. A built-in JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan test interface simplifies board-level test.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunication switching, ASIC prototyping, DSP co-processing, networking infrastructure, and parallel coprocessing engines. Designers choose the EP2A70F1508C9N when projects require high logic density and high I/O count in a single device. Note that this part is from a long-discontinued legacy family and is typically procured for maintenance of existing designs or as a known drop-in equivalent.
When designing with this device, ensure decoupling capacitance meets APEX II power-supply guidelines, and verify that signal-integrity simulation is performed on high-speed I/O banks. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA requires advanced PCB stack-up with controlled-impedance routing.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, same-family drop-in alternatives, and design notes beyond the manufacturer datasheet for engineers maintaining legacy APEX II designs or evaluating second-source equivalents.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A70F1508C9N — 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 EP2A70F1508C9N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A70F1508C9
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$1310 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C9ES
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$199 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C8N
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$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C8
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View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C7N
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C7ES
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$250 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C9N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Series | EP2A70 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 67200 |
| System Gates | 3M |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 1146880 |
| Maximum User I/O | 1060 |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V (1.425 V to 1.575 V) |
| Operating Frequency | 198 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.15 um CMOS |
| Package Type | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (Flip-Chip Fine-pitch BGA) |
| Package Pin Count | 1508 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial |
| Configuration Method | JTAG, Passive Serial, Active Serial |
| RoHS Status | Unknown - legacy part, verify with supplier |
| JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) | Supported |
EP2A70F1508C9N 1508 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A70F1508C9N (1508 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 EP2A70F1508C9N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A70F1508C9N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Switching Infrastructure, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, DSP Coprocessor and DSP Pipeline, Networking Infrastructure / Router Line Card, Parallel Coprocessing Engine, Industrial Control and Test Equipment.
Telecommunications Switching Infrastructure
The EP2A70F1508C9N's 67200 logic cells, 1060 user I/Os, and 4 on-chip PLLs make it well-matched to legacy SDT/STM telecommunications switching fabrics. Its 198 MHz internal frequency supports cell/packet processing at typical telecom line rates, and the MultiVolt I/O banks interface directly with 3.3 V and 5 V backplane logic. The device's high I/O count enables parallel connection to multiple line cards, while the 1.146 Mbit embedded RAM buffers cells between switch ports. Design tip - clock distribution must account for PLL jitter when multiplexing multiple STS streams.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 3M system gates, the EP2A70F1508C9N is sized to emulate multi-million-gate ASICs used for pre-silicon validation. Engineers map RTL or gate-level netlists onto the LUT-rich APEX II architecture and use the 1060 I/O pins to drive external test benches at up to 198 MHz. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA package allows a dense, controlled-impedance PCB emulation board. Performance is sufficient for ASIC clock-tree prototyping. Trade-off - the 0.15 µm process draws more power than modern 28/14 nm FPGAs.
Recommended
DSP Coprocessor and DSP Pipeline
The APEX II EP2A70F1508C9N integrates 1.146 Mbit of embedded RAM arranged in EABs (Embedded Array Blocks) suitable for DSP filter coefficient storage and data-path pipelining. Combined with 67200 logic cells, the device implements multiply-accumulate (MAC) units for fixed-point DSP at telecom sample rates. The 198 MHz fabric rate supports 100+ MHz DSP clock domains. JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan aids board test of high-density DSP cards. Note that no dedicated DSP blocks (as in modern Stratix) exist - all DSP is implemented in fabric.
Recommended
Networking Infrastructure / Router Line Card
The EP2A70F1508C9N's 1060 user I/O count and high logic density suit legacy router and switch line-card designs requiring parallel packet classification, header parsing, and queue management. Its 198 MHz fabric rate handles 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet and basic Gigabit Ethernet forwarding paths. The 1.5 V core plus MultiVolt I/O banks interface with PHY and TCAM devices on legacy line cards. The device is typically paired with external TCAM for L3 lookups. Heat dissipation at full I/O toggle requires proper airflow.
Recommended
Parallel Coprocessing Engine
High-end coprocessing and accelerator boards of the early 2000s used APEX II devices like the EP2A70F1508C9N to perform bit-level parallelism in cryptography, image processing, and scientific workloads. The 67200 logic cells and 1.146 Mbit of distributed RAM enable efficient parallel data-path pipelines, and the 1060 I/Os support wide memory interfaces to external SRAM/DRAM banks. Designers should note that modern alternatives (Cyclone V, Arria 10) deliver dramatically higher performance per watt.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Test Equipment
Long-lifecycle industrial control, defense, and test-and-measurement systems still rely on APEX II FPGAs like the EP2A70F1508C9N for deterministic parallel I/O handling, custom bus protocols, and instrumentation signal routing. Its 1060 I/Os interface with parallel ADC/DAC arrays, and JTAG boundary-scan simplifies in-field diagnostics. Operating temperature grade is commercial; verify with distributor for industrial/extended-temperature screening. Lead-time stability is a concern given the obsolete lifecycle.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A70F1508C9N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A70F1508C9 | EP2A70F1508C9ES | EP2A70F1508C8N | EP2A70F1508C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Logic Cells | 67200 | 67200 | 67200 | 67200 | 67200 |
| System Gates | 3M | 3M | 3M | 3M | 3M |
| Embedded RAM | 1146880 bits | 1146880 bits | 1146880 bits | 1146880 bits | 1146880 bits |
| User I/O | 1060 | 1060 | 1060 | 1060 | 1060 |
| Speed Grade | C9 (fastest) | C9 | C9 | C8 (~10% slower) | C7 (~20% slower) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Pin/Ball Finish | Pb-free (N suffix) | SnPb (no suffix) | ES screening/finish code | Pb-free | Pb-free |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade in the same-package EP2A70 family (vs EP2A70F1508C8N)
- Pb-free (RoHS-compatible) ball finish for modern assembly (vs EP2A70F1508C9)
- Highest logic density in 1508-ball FC-FBGA APEX II package (vs EP2A70F1508C7N)
Design Notes
The APEX II EP2A70F1508C9N requires multiple power rails: a 1.5 V core (VCCINT) supplied at 1.425-1.575 V, separate VCCIO rails for each I/O bank (typically 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V), and VCCPD for configuration pins. Altera's APEX II datasheet specifies bulk tantalum + ceramic decoupling per bank. At full I/O toggle the device can draw several amps on VCCINT; use a high-current LDO or DC-DC converter with adequate thermal dissipation. Add 0.1 µF and 10 µF capacitors adjacent to every power pin.
The 1508-ball FC-FBGA requires a high-density PCB stack-up, typically 8-12 layers with microvia or via-in-pad technology. Signal-integrity simulation is mandatory for DDR-style source-synchronous interfaces. Per Altera's APEX II hardware design guide, controlled-impedance routing (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential) is required for all I/O banks. Use ground/power planes immediately below the BGA to provide a low-impedance return path. Thermal vias under the package improve heat dissipation.
Common pitfalls include: (1) confusing EP2A70F1508 (1508-ball) with EP2A70F1020 (1020-ball) - they are NOT pin-compatible despite similar family; (2) ignoring speed-grade differences (C7 vs C8 vs C9) when substituting in timing-critical paths; (3) using wrong configuration mode - APEX II supports JTAG, Passive Serial (PS), and Active Serial (AS) but the configuration bitstream format is family-specific; (4) assuming Pb-free (N suffix) and SnPb (no suffix) parts are drop-in - they are pin-compatible but reflow profiles differ.
Estimated: at 1.5 V core, full I/O toggle, and 100% logic utilization, the EP2A70F1508C9N dissipates an estimated 3-5 W typical. The FC-FBGA package has a theta-JA of roughly 15-20 C/W on a standard 8-layer PCB with thermal vias, giving a junction-temperature rise of 45-100 C above ambient. Verify with manufacturer thermal model for the actual layout. Adequate airflow is required; consider heatsink or cold plate for high-ambient or enclosed designs.
Compliance Information
The 'N' suffix denotes Pb-free ball finish per Altera ordering convention. RoHS/REACH status not confirmed in the verified web data; verify with supplier at time of order. Not AEC-Q100 (FPGAs are not AEC-qualified unless explicitly automotive-graded).
