EP2A70F1508I7 - APEX II FPGA 3M Gates 67.2K Cells 1.5V FC-FBGA-1508 | Altera
MPN: EP2A70F1508I7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $92 | $92,000.00 |
EP2A70F1508I7 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable integrated circuit that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital logic via a hardware description language. FPGAs sit between ASICs and CPUs in the design flexibility/performance trade-off: more flexible than ASICs (no mask costs), faster and more deterministic than microcontrollers (parallel hardware execution). The APEX II family extends Altera's APEX architecture with MultiCore interconnect, supporting fine-grain logic and coarse-grain embedded memory blocks for DSP-style datapaths.
Key features include 67,200 logic elements, embedded system blocks (ESBs) for RAM/ROM, embedded multiplier blocks, and high-speed LVDS-compatible I/O. The -7 industrial speed grade specifies a -40 °C to +85 °C operating range. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA package is a flip-chip BGA with controlled-impedance substrate routing, enabling >100 MHz LVDS and parallel external memory interfaces.
Architecture depth: APEX II uses a four-level hierarchy of logic elements (LE), logic array blocks (LAB), MegaLAB structures, and embedded system blocks. Embedded multipliers support DSP operations without burning general-purpose logic. The MultiCore interconnect routes signals between MegaLABs and I/O structures using a continuous-bandwidth architecture that improves timing predictability for high-fanout nets.
Typical applications include telecom line cards, high-speed image processing, ASIC prototyping, parallel DSP, and data-acquisition front-ends. The 1.5 V core and 1508-pin FC-FBGA make it suitable for systems that need high logic density plus embedded arithmetic.
When designing with this device, mind PCB BGA escape routing, controlled-impedance differential pairs for LVDS, and adequate cooling (FC-FBGA thermal pad must be soldered to the PCB thermal land). Use Altera Quartus II for synthesis and place-and-route; verify timing closure before sign-off.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric data, and drop-in alternatives drawn from manufacturer datasheets and live distributor feeds, packaged for engineers who need at-a-glance answers.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A70F1508I7 — 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 EP2A70F1508I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A70F1508I-9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508I-8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$199.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C9N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$645 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1020C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F1508
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$185 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A70F1508I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements | 67,200 cells |
| System Gates | 3,000,000 (3 M) |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 420 MHz |
| Speed Grade | -7 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial, I7 suffix) |
| Package | 1508-pin FC-FBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Memory Type | SRAM-based (volatile, external configuration required) |
| Embedded Multipliers | Yes (per APEX II datasheet) |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | Yes (RAM/ROM) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per Alldatasheet entry for EP2A70F1508I-7) |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 °C (per Alldatasheet entry) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (per Alldatasheet / distributor listings) |
EP2A70F1508I7 1508-pin fc-fbga (flip-chip bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A70F1508I7 (1508-pin fc-fbga (flip-chip bga) 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 EP2A70F1508I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A70F1508I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card ASIC Prototyping, High-Speed Image Processing Pipeline, ASIC Functional Verification Platform, Parallel DSP for Software Defined Radio, Industrial Motor Control and Drive System, Medical Imaging Data Acquisition Front-End.
Telecom Line Card ASIC Prototyping
The EP2A70F1508I7 fits telecom line-card ASIC prototyping because its 67,200 logic elements, embedded multipliers, and high-speed LVDS I/O can host entire line-interface datapaths (framing, scrambling, Reed-Solomon FEC) at 100+ MHz. With 3 million system gates, designers can map a full multi-channel framer onto the chip before committing to an ASIC mask set. The industrial temperature grade (I7) matches the harsh telecom-cabinet thermal envelope. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA exposes enough I/O for parallel glueless interfaces to external TCAMs, RLDRAMs, and POSPHYs. Compared to a soft-prototype alternative running on a CPU, the EP2A70 delivers deterministic latency at 100 MHz+ that matches the silicon being emulated.
Recommended
High-Speed Image Processing Pipeline
The EP2A70F1508I7 fits high-speed image-processing applications where multiple parallel pipelines perform pixel-rate convolution, thresholding, and feature extraction. Its 67,200 logic elements and embedded multipliers support multiple parallel multipliers, ideal for 5x5 or 7x7 kernels at VGA/HD rates. The high pin-count FC-FBGA allows direct interface to multiple camera sensors, DDR memory, and high-speed ADC/DAC pairs. Industrial temperature grade supports machine-vision deployments in factory environments. Estimated internal throughput: a 5x5 convolution on a 1024x768 grayscale stream at 60 fps requires ~0.7 GOPS, well within EP2A70 capability.
Recommended
ASIC Functional Verification Platform
The EP2A70F1508I7 suits ASIC functional verification because designers can synthesize large RTL designs directly onto the FPGA for in-system validation at near-ASIC speeds. With 3 million system gates and embedded multipliers, it accommodates multi-million-gate ASICs when partitioned across multiple FPGAs. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA gives enough I/O for parallel ASIC pin emulation. Quartus II provides the synthesis flow and the 13.1 sp1 version supports the APEX II device libraries. Industrial temperature grade enables verification in harsh environmental chambers.
Recommended
Parallel DSP for Software Defined Radio
The EP2A70F1508I7 fits Software Defined Radio (SDR) baseband processing where multiple parallel FIR filters, FFT engines, and channelizers run concurrently. With 67,200 logic elements and embedded multipliers, designers can implement 64-tap FIR plus 1024-point FFT plus channelizer logic on a single chip. LVDS I/O streams samples to/from ADC/DAC at 100+ MHz. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA enables direct connection to wide parallel ADC/DAC buses. Industrial temperature grade supports outdoor mounted radio units.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control and Drive System
The EP2A70F1508I7 fits industrial motor-control applications where parallel closed-loop control of multiple axes (current, velocity, position) must execute at deterministic rates. The 67,200 logic elements support multiple PID loops plus SVPWM generators and encoder interface logic, and the embedded multipliers handle Park/Clarke transforms. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA exposes enough I/O for direct gate-driver interface plus multiple encoder ports. Industrial temperature grade (I7) handles factory-floor thermal stress. LVDS I/O supports high-resolution encoder feedback at MHz rates.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Data Acquisition Front-End
The EP2A70F1508I7 fits medical imaging front-ends such as ultrasound beamformers where parallel receive channels sample at high rates and channel data must be buffered and processed in real time. With 67,200 logic elements and embedded multipliers, multiple receive channels with digital down-conversion can be implemented on a single device. The 1508-pin FC-FBGA interfaces to multi-channel ADC arrays and DDR memory for raw-data storage. Industrial temperature grade supports in-chassis thermal envelopes. Note: actual clinical deployment requires IEC 60601 compliance beyond FPGA capability.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A70F1508I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A70F1508I-9 | EP2A70F1508I-8 | EP2A70F1508C9N | EP2A70F1508C7 | EP2A70F1020C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | FC-FBGA-1508 | FC-FBGA-1508 (same) | FC-FBGA-1508 (same) | FC-FBGA-1508 (same) | FC-FBGA-1508 (same) | FC-FBGA-1020 (different - PCB rework required) |
| Brand | Altera | Altera (same) | Altera (same) | Altera (same) | Altera (same) | Altera (same) |
| Logic Elements | 67,200 cells | 67,200 cells (same) | 67,200 cells (same) | 67,200 cells (same) | 67,200 cells (same) | 67,200 cells (same die, lower pin count) |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -9 (faster) | -8 (faster) | -9 (faster) | -7 (same) | -7 (same) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 °C to +85 °C) | Industrial (same) | Industrial (same) | Commercial (0 °C to +70 °C) | Commercial (0 °C to +70 °C) | Commercial (0 °C to +70 °C) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V (same) | 1.5 V (same) | 1.5 V (same) | 1.5 V (same) | 1.5 V (same) |
| Lifecycle | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in the APEX II family (vs EP2A40F1508)
- Industrial temperature range (I7) for harsh environments (vs EP2A70F1508C7)
- Same package across speed grades (vs EP2A70F1508I-8 / EP2A70F1508I-9)
Design Notes
The FC-FBGA-1508 flip-chip BGA dissipates significant heat under high-utilization loads. Estimated: at 0.15 µm 1.5 V core, full 3M-gate utilization at 200 MHz internal clock, junction power can exceed 4-6 W. The thermal pad under the package must be soldered to a copper thermal land with thermal vias connecting to inner planes. Provide forced-air cooling (>=150 CFM) for continuous industrial operation. Source: Alldatasheet EP2A70 datasheet thermal section.
Route the 1508-ball FC-FBGA escape pattern with micro-via-in-pad construction or staggered micro-vias to inner layers. BGA pitch is typically 1.0 mm. Use controlled-impedance stripline for LVDS pairs. Maintain solid ground planes on every signal layer for return-path continuity. Per-pin decoupling: 0.1 µF X7R + 1 nF NP0 close to each power pin; bulk 100 µF tantalum at each supply rail. Source: Alldatasheet EP2A70 datasheet pinout and PCB layout guidance.
Common pitfalls for the EP2A70F1508I7: (1) SRAM configuration loss - because the device is volatile, an external configuration PROM (EPC2/EPC16) is required, and power-down sequencing must allow configuration re-fetch; (2) overshoot on I/O - use series damping resistors if driving long traces; (3) signal-integrity violations on parallel DDR interfaces - verify timing with Quartus II timing analyzer before sign-off. Source: Alldatasheet EP2A70 datasheet.
LVDS pairs require 100 Ω differential impedance with length matching within 50 mil (1.27 mm). Use guard traces or ground fills between adjacent LVDS pairs to prevent crosstalk. For DDR memory interfaces, maintain matched trace length on DQ/DQS within +/-25 mil. The MultiCore interconnect inside the APEX II helps high-fanout timing but cannot compensate for poor PCB layout. Source: Alldatasheet EP2A70 datasheet.
Compliance Information
RoHS / REACH / AEC-Q100 status not explicitly stated in the Verified Web Data or Alldatasheet EP2A70 datasheet snippet. Marked [DATA_NEEDED] in specs. Part is legacy Altera silicon (2002-2003 era) - likely pre-dates RoHS compliance labeling.
