EP2C20F256I8N - Cyclone II FPGA, 18,752 LEs, 256-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2C20F256I8N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $66.97 | $66.97 |
| 10 | $60.27 | $602.70 |
| 100 | $53.58 | $5,358.00 |
| 500 | $48.22 | $24,110.00 |
| 1,000 | $43.5 | $43,500.00 |
EP2C20F256I8N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built from a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and embedded memory blocks. Unlike an ASIC, the FPGA's logic function is defined by a user-supplied bitstream that programs SRAM-based look-up tables and routing switches. FPGAs sit in the programmable logic hierarchy between discrete microcontrollers and fixed-function ASICs, offering hardware-level parallelism for DSP, glue logic, and high-speed interface bridging.
The Cyclone II architecture provides four-input look-up tables (LEs), embedded M4K RAM blocks (total 239,616 bits / approximately 117 kbytes), dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers (up to 52), and four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management. The device supports LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and differential I/O standards, and includes a passive serial, JTAG, or active serial configuration interface.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, low-cost DSP front-ends, telecom line cards, and consumer electronics prototyping. The Cyclone II family is the second-generation low-cost Altera/Intel FPGA, optimized for high-volume price-sensitive designs where millions of gates are needed but the absolute performance of a Stratix is not required.
When designing with this FPGA, attention must be paid to the multi-rail power sequencing (1.2 V core, 2.5 V or 3.3 V PLL analog, and I/O voltage). The 256-FBGA package requires a multi-layer PCB with controlled-impedance traces for high-speed LVDS pairs and proper decoupling to meet signal-integrity requirements. The Quartus II design software (legacy) supports Cyclone II; newer Quartus versions also retain Cyclone II support through device family add-ons.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, cross-reference drop-in alternatives, and practical PCB-level design notes that are not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C20F256I8N — 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 EP2C20F256I8N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Speed Grade, Total RAM Bits, Embedded Multipliers (18x18).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C20F256I8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$20.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$38.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$41.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20F256C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$41.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C20AF256I8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2C20F256I8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 18,752 |
| Total RAM Bits | 239,616 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,172 |
| User I/Os | 152 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.15 V to 1.25 V (1.2 V typical) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +100C (TJ, industrial) |
| Package | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS, low-k dielectric |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 402.58 MHz (per datasheet typical) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | Up to 52 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG, Passive Serial, Active Serial |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2C20F256I8N 256-fbga (17x17 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2C20F256I8N (256-fbga (17x17 mm) 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 EP2C20F256I8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2C20F256I8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing Pipeline, Low-Cost DSP Front-End, Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Consumer Electronics Prototyping, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP2C20F256I8N fits industrial motor-control designs where real-time PWM generation, encoder feedback decoding, and field-oriented control loops must execute in parallel hardware. With 18,752 logic elements and up to 52 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, the device can run current/torque loop math at 100 kHz to 200 kHz while leaving headroom for UART, SPI, and EtherCAT communication IP. The 152 user I/Os cover six PWM channels, three Hall/encoder inputs, and the analog-front-end glue logic that normally demands a separate microcontroller or DSP. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C TJ) and the 256-FBGA's low 1.0 mm pitch suit compact IP65 inverter enclosures.
Recommended
Video Processing Pipeline
The EP2C20F256I8N is well-suited to mid-resolution video processing such as camera-link acquisition, dual-channel SD-HD conversion, or image-preprocessing front-ends. Its 239,616 bits of M4K embedded RAM can buffer two or three scan lines at 720p without external SRAM, while the 152 I/Os absorb the parallel camera data bus plus ITU-R BT.656/1120 timing signals. The four PLLs generate pixel-clock, memory-clock, and display-clock trees from a single 27 MHz reference, simplifying PCB clock distribution. Designers can run custom Bayer-to-YCbCr conversion or histogram IP in fabric at 74.25 MHz, sufficient for 720p60 throughput.
Recommended
Low-Cost DSP Front-End
For cost-sensitive DSP front-ends such as software-defined radio baseband, ultrasound beamforming, or vibration analysis, the EP2C20F256I8N delivers up to 52 18x18 hardware multipliers that map directly to FIR/FFT butterfly operations. At its 402 MHz internal fabric rate, the device sustains roughly 21 GMACs of multiply-accumulate throughput, enough for a 256-point complex FFT in under 5 microseconds. The four PLLs drive ADC sampling clocks and the LVDS I/O pairs capture converter data at up to 640 Mbps per channel. Industrial temperature and the 256-FBGA's compact 17x17 mm footprint suit embedded sensor modules.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
In telecom line-card and backhaul designs, the EP2C20F256I8N replaces multiple CPLDs and discrete bus-switches by consolidating TDM framing, clock-data-recovery glue, and I2C/SPI management into a single device. The 152 I/Os cover parallel framers, hot-swap controllers, and LED status pins, while the four PLLs generate multiple free-running clock domains needed for backplane synchronization. Cyclone II hardware multipliers handle simple FEC pre-processing (BCH, RS) at line rate, offloading the host processor. Industrial temperature grade and lead-free 256-FBGA package suit NEBS-compliant central-office hardware.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Prototyping
Consumer-product designers use the EP2C20F256I8N to validate custom display controllers, audio-processing engines, and human-interface pre-silicon prototypes. Its 18,752 logic elements comfortably fit a complete 1080p scaler, multi-channel I2S router, or capacitive-touch matrix decoder in a single chip, while Quartus II design flow with Cyclone II device support enables rapid iteration. The 256-FBGA's 1.0 mm ball pitch is friendly to 4-layer FR-4 prototypes, and Pb-free finish is mandatory for consumer RoHS compliance. The four PLLs drive HDMI pixel clock, audio master clock, and DDR memory reference from one crystal.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
Test-and-measurement instruments such as bench-top logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, and data-acquisition systems use the EP2C20F256I8N as a reconfigurable pattern generator and timing engine. The 152 I/Os drive channelized probe pods at up to 200 MHz LVDS, while the 52 hardware multipliers handle FFT, digital filtering, and statistical thresholding in real time. Industrial temperature and 256-FBGA's compact footprint suit portable handhelds and rack-mount instruments alike. Four PLLs generate multiple phase-locked sample rates from a single TCXO or OCXO reference, and embedded M4K RAM buffers capture buffers without external memory.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C20F256I8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C20F256I8 | EP2C20F256C8N | EP2C20F256C8 | EP2C20AF256I8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 256-FBGA (17x17 mm) - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +100C (TJ) | Industrial -40C to +100C (TJ) | Commercial 0C to +85C (TJ) | Commercial 0C to +85C (TJ) | Industrial -40C to +100C (TJ) |
| Logic Elements | 18,752 | 18,752 | 18,752 | 18,752 | 18,752 |
| User I/Os | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 239,616 | 239,616 | 239,616 | 239,616 | 239,616 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | Up to 52 | Up to 52 | Up to 52 | Up to 52 | Up to 52 |
| Ball Finish | Pb-free (lead-free) | SnPb (tin-lead) | Pb-free | SnPb | Pb-free |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade with Pb-free finish (vs EP2C20F256C8N)
- Lower-cost cyclotomic temperature/finish options exist for non-industrial use (vs EP2C20F256I8)
- Silicon revision 'A' provides timing margin improvements (vs EP2C20AF256I8N)
Design Notes
The Cyclone II EP2C20F256I8N requires three independent supply rails: a 1.15 V to 1.25 V VCCINT core (1.2 V typical, up to ~500 mA active), a separate 1.2 V VCCA_PLL analog supply for each of the four PLLs, and a per-bank VCCIO rail at 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V depending on the connected device. Intel recommends an RC filter or ferrite bead to isolate VCCA_PLL from VCCINT, plus 100 nF and 10 uF decoupling within 5 mm of each pin. Estimated: ICCINT at full fabric utilization near 400 MHz can reach 450 mA, so a 1.5 A-rated LDO is recommended.
The 256-FBGA package uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch with a 17x17 mm body, which mandates at least a 6-layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad technology for reliable assembly. Escape routing should follow Intel's Cyclone II device handbook BGA breakout pattern, with antipads on inner power planes to control impedance. Place at least one 0.1 uF decoupling cap per power pin pair on the underside of the package and bulk 47 uF to 100 uF tantalum capacitors at the FPGA power input. Estimated: a 4-layer FR-4 board can work for designs below 100 MHz LVCMOS, but LVDS at 400 Mbps+ requires 6+ layers.
LVDS and SSTL I/O standards on the EP2C20F256I8N require 100 ohm differential trace impedance and length matching within 20 ps for the clock-to-data lanes. Use the Quartus II pin planner's I/O assignment view to enable on-chip series termination (Rs) and pre-emphasis where needed. JTAG pins (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI) need a 10 kohm pull-up on TCK and TMS plus a 4.7 kohm pull-up on nCONFIG. When using passive-serial configuration mode, ensure the EPCS or EPCQ flash is within 10 cm of the FPGA to avoid signal-integrity problems at 40 MHz DCLK.
A common mistake is leaving MSEL[3:0] floating on the EP2C20F256I8N - these four pins must be tied high or low to select the configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG, or fast passive parallel). Without proper MSEL settings, the device will fail to enter user mode. Another pitfall is using the same 1.2 V rail for VCCINT and VCCA_PLL without a filter; PLL jitter increases dramatically. Estimated: shared supply can degrade PLL jitter from 200 ps to 500 ps. Always program the configuration bitstream CRC into the flash device to detect bit-errors on power-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per the 'N' suffix in the MPN. AEC-Q100 does not apply - this is a programmable logic device, not an automotive-grade IC. Halogen-free status was not stated in the provided data and is set to 'unknown'. Conflict-minerals compliance is the manufacturer default declaration.
