EP2C5AF256I8N - 4,608 LEs Cyclone II FPGA, 158 I/O, 256-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2C5AF256I8N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $27.5 | $27.50 |
| 10 | $24.2 | $242.00 |
| 100 | $20.95 | $2,095.00 |
| 500 | $18.4 | $9,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $16.1 | $16,100.00 |
EP2C5AF256I8N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory, multipliers/DSP blocks, and programmable I/O, all stitched together by a programmable interconnect fabric. FPGAs belong to the broader class of programmable logic devices (PLDs) within the digital IC hierarchy (programmable logic -> logic IC -> integrated circuit). Unlike ASICs, FPGAs ship uncommitted and are configured in the field via a hardware description language (HDL) bitstream. Cyclone II sits in the low-power, low-cost segment of Intel's FPGA lineup, ideal when deterministic parallel logic, on-chip RAM, and DSP throughput are needed without the cost of a high-end transceiver-rich device.
Key features include 13 embedded 18x18 multipliers supporting up to ~25 GMACS DSP throughput, 4 PLLs for clock management, 117 Kbits of M4K block RAM organized as 4,608 bits per block, and True-LVDS differential I/O support on every I/O bank. The 90 nm process and 1.2 V core keep dynamic power low versus older 130 nm Cyclone parts, while JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) and active serial configuration interfaces support standard in-system programming flows.
Typical applications include digital signal processing front-ends, motor control, video processing pipelines, industrial communication protocol bridges (UART/SPI/I2C to Ethernet), and low-cost video/imaging capture. The 256-FBGA footprint (17 mm body) balances I/O density with PCB manufacturability and is well supported by Quartus II design tools. As one of Intel's most widely adopted low-cost FPGAs, the EP2C5A remains a preferred choice for legacy designs and cost-down re-spins where the EP4C or Cyclone V families are unnecessary.
Design considerations: choose the EP2C5A when logic density under 5K LEs and DSP throughput under ~30 GMACS suffices; step up to Cyclone IV E (EP4CE) for higher RAM/multiplier counts or to Cyclone V for transceivers. Plan configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG) early because the 256-FBGA pinout differs across modes. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C5AF256I8N — 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 EP2C5AF256I8N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C5AF256A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5F256I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$13.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5F256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11.84 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8AF256I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C15AF256I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.26 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE5F256C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
XC3S50A-4FTG256C
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2C5AF256I8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements | 4,608 |
| Total RAM Bits | 119,808 |
| Number of I/O Pins | 158 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 13 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 402.5 MHz |
| Package | 256-LBGA (FBGA), 17 mm body |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Configuration Modes | Active Serial (AS), Passive Serial (PS), JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free, 'N' suffix) |
| DSP Performance | Up to approximately 25 GMACS |
EP2C5AF256I8N Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O (bank 1, VCCIO selectable 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V) |
| Pin A2 | VCCIO1 — I/O supply for bank 1 |
| Pin A3 | I/O — User I/O |
| Pin A16 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.2 V |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O |
| Pin B16 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C1 | I/O — User I/O |
| Pin C16 | VCCA_PLL1 — PLL1 analog supply (2.5 V typical) |
| Pin D4 | nCONFIG — Configuration start (active low) |
| Pin D8 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select bit 0 |
| Pin E8 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select bit 1 |
| Pin F8 | MSEL2 — Configuration mode select bit 2 |
| Pin G8 | TCK — JTAG test clock (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Pin G9 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin G10 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin G11 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin H16 | VCCIO4 — I/O supply for bank 4 |
| Pin J16 | GND — Ground |
| Pin K16 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.2 V |
| Pin L16 | I/O — User I/O |
Typical Applications
EP2C5AF256I8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control (FOC / Servo Drive), Video Processing / Image Pre-Processing Pipeline, Industrial Communication Protocol Bridge, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Front-End, Legacy / Cost-Down System Controller, Education / Prototyping Platform.
Industrial Motor Control (FOC / Servo Drive)
The EP2C5AF256I8N is well suited to field-oriented control (FOC) and servo drive loops in industrial motor controllers, where deterministic latency and parallel arithmetic matter more than raw clock rate. Its 13 embedded 18x18 hardware multipliers handle Park/Clarke transforms and PI controllers at PWM switching frequencies up to several hundred kHz, while the 4 PLLs generate the multi-phase clocks needed for ADC sampling, PWM generation, and communication. The 158 user I/O comfortably drive three-phase gate drivers (e.g., IR2110, UCC27211), quadrature encoder interfaces, and fieldbus ports (EtherCAT, CAN, RS-485). The industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade ensures operation in sealed inverter cabinets. Pair the FPGA with companion parts like TI TMS320F28335 for hybrid control or ADS131M04 for shunt-current sensing.
Recommended
Video Processing / Image Pre-Processing Pipeline
The EP2C5AF256I8N serves effectively in cost-sensitive video pipelines - CCTV DVR front-ends, machine-vision preprocessing, or display-format conversion - where pixel-rate processing at 60-100 MHz is sufficient. With 119 Kbits of block RAM distributed across 26 M4K blocks, the device can buffer full lines of 720p or even small regions of 1080p without external memory; larger frames require an external DDR/DDR2 controller. The 158 I/O pins can carry parallel ITU-R BT.656, RGB888, or LVDS video buses. The 4 PLLs derive pixel clocks from a single 27 MHz reference. Compared with an ASIC, the Cyclone II gives faster time-to-market; compared with a DSP, it provides parallel throughput for per-pixel operations.
Recommended
Industrial Communication Protocol Bridge
The EP2C5AF256I8N acts as a multi-protocol industrial gateway - bridging Modbus RTU, Profibus, EtherCAT, CANopen, SPI, UART, and I2C peripherals onto an Ethernet or USB host - because its fabric can run many soft-core state machines in parallel. NIOS II soft processor can be instantiated on the device for housekeeping and configuration management, leaving the FPGA fabric free for hard real-time protocol handling. The 158 I/O accommodate multiple isolated fieldbus transceivers on separate banks. The Cyclone II's deterministic timing makes it suitable for industrial Ethernet MAC implementations (e.g., 10/100 Mbps EtherCAT slave). Industrial temperature grade supports factory floor deployments.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Front-End
The EP2C5AF256I8N provides roughly 25 GMACS of DSP throughput via its 13 embedded 18x18 multipliers, sufficient for FIR/IIR filtering, FFT kernels up to 1024 points, custom DSSS demodulation, and audio codecs at modest sample rates. Compared to a standalone DSP (e.g., TI C6000), the Cyclone II offers deterministic parallel processing at lower cost and BOM count, at the price of higher power and lower per-MHz efficiency. The 4 PLLs derive multiple domain clocks for ADC sampling, FFT computation, and DAC output simultaneously. The block RAM holds coefficient tables and windowing data without external memory for small kernels.
Recommended
Legacy / Cost-Down System Controller
The EP2C5AF256I8N remains a preferred choice for legacy designs and cost-down re-spins in industrial controllers, point-of-sale terminals, and medical instrumentation where 5K logic elements is plenty. Designers port verified HDL from Cyclone I / original Cyclone families and benefit from mature Quartus II tool support, abundant reference designs, and proven 90 nm silicon reliability. The 'I8' speed grade and lead-free finish ease obsolescence management. With 158 I/O, it can replace multiple CPLDs and small ASICs at lower total system cost. Combined with NIOS II soft processor, it can host a complete embedded control system on a single chip.
Recommended
Education / Prototyping Platform
The EP2C5AF256I8N powers university digital-design laboratories and hobbyist dev boards (e.g., Terasic DE0) where its 4,608 LEs provide enough capacity to implement soft processors, custom peripherals, and student projects without overwhelming a beginner. Quartus II Web Edition is a free toolchain and the device's 256-FBGA package is well-supported on low-cost development kits. The Cyclone II family has decades of academic reference material and textbook examples. Even at 2026, the EP2C5A remains one of the most cost-effective FPGAs for first-time learners and embedded-systems prototyping.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C5AF256I8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C5AF256A7N | EP2C5F256I8N | EP2C8AF256I8N | EP2C15AF256I8N | EP4CE5F256C8N | XC3S50A-4FTG256C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) - same brand | Intel (Altera) - same brand | Intel (Altera) - same brand | Intel (Altera) - same brand | Intel (Altera) - same brand | AMD (Xilinx) - cross-brand |
| Package | 256-LBGA (17 mm) | 256-LBGA - same | 256-LBGA - same | 256-LBGA - same | 256-LBGA - same | 256-LBGA - same | 256-FTBGA - same BGA pitch |
| Logic Elements | 4,608 | 4,608 | 8,256 | 15,408 | 5,000 | 1,584 | |
| Block RAM (Kbits) | 119 | 162 | 239 | 270 | 54 | ||
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 13 | 18 | 52 | 25 | 4 | ||
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
| Maximum User I/O | 158 | 158 | 152 | 179 | 144 | ||
| Process / Core Voltage | 90 nm / 1.2 V | 90 nm / 1.2 V | 60 nm / 1.2 V | 90 nm / 1.2 V | |||
| Temperature Grade / RoHS | Industrial (-40C to +85C), RoHS | Industrial, SnPb | Industrial RoHS, slower speed | Commercial, RoHS | Commercial, RoHS |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-density Cyclone II with full 158 I/O count (vs EP2C15AF256I8N)
- Industrial temperature grade with lead-free RoHS finish (vs EP2C5F256I8N)
- Mature 90 nm Cyclone II vs newer 60 nm Cyclone IV E (vs EP4CE5F256C8N)
- Higher DSP and RAM density vs entry-level Spartan-3A (vs XC3S50A-4FTG256C)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical utilization (~60% LEs, ~50% RAM, 100 MHz core) the EP2C5AF256I8N consumes approximately 0.5-1.0 W core (VCCINT 1.2 V). Decouple each VCCINT ball with a 0.1 uF X7R ceramic placed within 5 mm of the pin; bulk 10 uF per bank. PLL analog pins VCCA_PLL require a clean 2.5 V supply filtered with a ferrite bead and 10 uF + 0.1 uF local decoupling. VCCIO must match the I/O standard of each bank (1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V); avoid mixing 3.3 V and 1.5 V on adjacent banks without a ground isolation strategy.
The 256-LBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch; route signals on inner layers with 0.1 mm trace/space on a 4-6 layer stack-up. Place GND vias adjacent to every VCCINT / VCCIO ball to minimize inductance. Use a continuous ground plane under the BGA to provide a low-impedance return path; split planes only if absolutely required for high-frequency analog signals. The exposed thermal pad (if present in package variant) should be soldered to a flooded ground pad to improve thermal dissipation by ~15-20%.
Cyclone II supports LVDS on all I/O pins via True-LVDS transmitters/receivers, but LVDS pairs require matched trace lengths with <100 mil skew on the PCB. For DDR/DDR2 external memory interfaces, use controlled-impedance traces (50 ohm single-ended / 100 ohm differential) and route DQS clocks with matched length to the byte group. For high-speed (>200 MHz) GPIO, series-terminate outputs with 33 ohm resistors placed within 5 mm of the FPGA ball.
Do not drive JTAG signals from external logic during configuration - this can interfere with bitstream loading. Ensure MSEL[3:0] pins are tied to the correct logic levels for the chosen configuration mode (AS/PS/JTAG) before power-up. Configuration flash (EPCS4 / EPCS16) requires its VCC to ramp within 100 ms of VCCINT; add a power-good supervisor if the rails come up independently. The 'I8' speed grade and 'A' industrial temp suffix are critical - mis-ordering the 'C8' commercial variant in industrial environments will void reliability.
Compliance Information
Lead-free / RoHS-compliant per 'N' suffix in MPN. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial-grade FPGA, not automotive). REACH status not explicitly stated in the provided data; halogen-free status unknown - confirm with Intel product declaration.
