EP2C5Q208I8 - Cyclone II FPGA, 4,608 LEs, 208-PQFP | Intel
MPN: EP2C5Q208I8 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $13.33 | $13.33 |
| 10 | $12.2 | $122.00 |
| 100 | $10.85 | $1,085.00 |
| 500 | $9.4 | $4,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $8.2 | $8,200.00 |
EP2C5Q208I8 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that contains an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated silicon resources such as block RAM and multiplier blocks. After manufacture, the device is configured by the customer using a Hardware Description Language (HDL) such as Verilog or VHDL, making FPGAs ideal for parallel processing, custom glue logic, and rapid prototyping without the NRE cost of an ASIC. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy of digital semiconductors: IC -> programmable logic -> FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> Cyclone II family.
Key specifications include 2 PLLs for clock management, 4 clock networks, support for LVDS, LVTTL, PCI, SSTL-2, and SSTL-3 I/O standards, an operating temperature range of -40C to +100C (commercial/industrial grade), and configuration via passive serial, active serial, or JTAG. The Cyclone II architecture also provides dedicated DDR SDRAM interface support, making it suitable for memory-intensive data buffering and video line-store applications.
Typical applications include industrial control and motor drives, video processing and display controllers, automotive infotainment, low-cost digital signal processing, communication protocol bridging (UART/SPI/I2C to parallel), and educational FPGA development boards. The 208-PQFP package supports hand-soldering and through-hole-style prototyping workflows, which are less common on newer BGA-only FPGA families.
When designing with this device, plan for a 1.2V core supply plus a separate I/O bank voltage, and review the Quartus II (or the supported Quartus Prime 13.0sp1 legacy edition) timing constraints for your clock domains. The 208-PQFP package has higher lead inductance than BGA equivalents, so high-speed LVDS above 640 Mbps may require external termination adjustments.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes not consolidated on a single manufacturer or distributor product page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C5Q208I8 — 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 EP2C5Q208I8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Total RAM Bits, Package, Maximum Clock Frequency, Number of Logic Elements.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C5Q208C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$26.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5Q208C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5Q208C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5Q208C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$15.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5Q208I8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 4,608 |
| Logic Cells / Logic Blocks | 312 |
| Total RAM Bits | 119,808 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 13 |
| M4K RAM Blocks | 26 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Global Clock Networks | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 142 |
| Core Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Package | 208-PQFP (BFQFP) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial, I8 grade) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | Passive Serial, Active Serial, JTAG |
EP2C5Q208I8 208-pqfp (bfqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2C5Q208I8 (208-pqfp (bfqfp) 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 EP2C5Q208I8.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2C5Q208I8 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor and Machine Controllers, Video Display and Image Preprocessing, Automotive Infotainment and Body Electronics, Custom Peripheral Bridges and Glue Logic, Educational FPGA Development Boards, Low-Cost Digital Signal Processing.
Industrial Motor and Machine Controllers
The EP2C5Q208I8 is well suited to industrial motor and machine controller applications because it provides enough logic capacity (4,608 LEs), 13 hardware 18x18 multipliers for PID and field-oriented control loops, and 142 user I/O pins in the easy-to-proto 208-PQFP package. Engineers typically use it to implement multi-axis stepper and BLDC motor control, encoder quadrature decoding with hardware counters, and isolation-friendly GPIO expansion over SPI/I2C. The 2 PLLs and 4 global clock networks let designers distribute deterministic timing for pulse-width modulation while the -40C to +100C industrial temperature range supports factory-floor deployments.
Recommended
Video Display and Image Preprocessing
The EP2C5Q208I8 fits video display and image preprocessing pipelines thanks to its dedicated DDR SDRAM interface support, 26 M4K RAM blocks (119,808 total bits) that implement line buffers and frame stores, and LVDS I/O for high-speed parallel video buses. Typical implementations include 480p to 720p upscalers, on-screen-display overlays, color-space converters, and camera sensor pre-processing before handing data to an application processor. The 208-PQFP package allows the FPGA to be placed on a single-sided reflow board with conventional inspection and rework techniques favored in display manufacturing.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Body Electronics
Within automotive infotainment and body-electronics modules, the EP2C5Q208I8 serves as a flexible I/O expansion and protocol-bridging device between microcontrollers, MOST or CAN buses, head-unit displays, and audio codecs. Its 142 user I/O pins absorb the multiple voltage domains (1.8V, 3.3V, 5V) used in legacy automotive networks, while the 13 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate audio sample-rate conversion. The -40C to +100C industrial temperature rating aligns with cabin and under-dash thermal environments, though under-hood applications require the AEC-Q100 grade which the Cyclone II family does not provide.
Recommended
Custom Peripheral Bridges and Glue Logic
Designers frequently choose the EP2C5Q208I8 as a programmable bridge that converts parallel buses to SPI, I2C, UART, I2S, or custom protocols without paying for a large FPGA. The device's 4,608 logic elements absorb decoder logic, FIFOs, and state machines, while the M4K RAM blocks implement elastic buffers for clock-domain crossing. The 208-PQFP package simplifies hand-rework during prototype bring-up, making the device a favorite on custom carrier boards that need to fix timing mismatches between legacy microcontrollers and modern peripherals.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Development Boards
The EP2C5Q208I8 is widely deployed on university and hobbyist FPGA development boards because the 208-PQFP package is hand-solderable, supports standard breakout boards, and exposes 142 user I/O pins to breadboard-friendly headers. The Cyclone II family is fully supported by the free Quartus II Web Edition and the legacy Quartus Prime 13.0sp1 branch, removing license cost barriers. Students can practice Verilog and VHDL coding, implement soft-core processors like Nios II, and prototype complete SoC designs without specialized BGA rework equipment.
Recommended
Low-Cost Digital Signal Processing
With 13 dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers and up to 250 MHz multiply-accumulate throughput, the EP2C5Q208I8 implements modest DSP functions such as FIR filters, Goertzel DFT detectors, audio equalizers, and vibration analysis pipelines at production cost. The 4,608 logic elements plus 119,808 RAM bits accommodate 32-tap to 64-tap FIRs and small FFT cores, while the 2 PLLs synthesize the required DSP clocks from low-frequency external references. Designers in industrial condition monitoring, audio processing, and instrumentation use this combination as a coprocessor next to a low-cost microcontroller.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C5Q208I8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C5Q208C8 | EP2C5Q208C8N | EP2C5Q208C7N | EP2C5Q208C7 | EP2C5F256I8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-PQFP | 208-PQFP - same | 208-PQFP - same | 208-PQFP - same | 208-PQFP - same | 256-FBGA - different |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel - same | Intel - same | Intel - same | Intel - same | Intel - same |
| Logic Elements | 4,608 | 4,608 | 4,608 | 4,608 | 4,608 | 4,608 |
| RAM Bits | 119,808 | 119,808 | 119,808 | 119,808 | 119,808 | 119,808 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| User I/O Pins | 142 | 142 | 142 | 142 | 142 | 158 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial I8) | 0C to +85C (Commercial C8) | 0C to +85C (Commercial C8) | 0C to +85C (Commercial C7) | 0C to +85C (Commercial C7) | -40C to +100C (Industrial I8) |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 (faster) | 7 (faster) | 8 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in same pin-compatible PQFP package (vs EP2C5Q208C8)
- 208-PQFP package supports hand-soldering and rework (vs EP2C5F256I8N)
- Wide Cyclone II family ecosystem with mature Quartus II toolchain (vs Cross-brand Lattice XP2 or Xilinx Spartan-3A FPGAs)
Design Notes
The Cyclone II EP2C5Q208I8 requires a clean 1.2V core supply plus per-bank VCCIO rails (typically 1.8V, 2.5V, or 3.3V depending on the I/O standard). Decouple each VCC pin with a 0.1 uF X7R ceramic placed within 100 mils of the pin, and add bulk 33 uF to 100 uF tantalum or polymer capacitors near the FPGA. Estimated: based on Altera Cyclone II power estimator, an EP2C5Q208I8 design at 50% utilization and 100 MHz typical clock draws approximately 200-400 mA from VCCINT (1.2V). Always validate with the Quartus PowerPlay early-estimation tool against your real RTL.
For high-speed LVDS or DDR interfaces on the 208-PQFP package, match trace lengths within +/- 20 mil and use 100 ohm differential impedance. The PQFP lead inductance (typically 5-8 nH per pin) is higher than BGA packages, so high-speed signals above 640 Mbps may require external source-termination resistors near the FPGA pin. Provide at least 4 GND and 4 VCC pins distributed around the package to minimize loop inductance for the core supply.
Do not confuse the I8 temperature grade letter with a speed grade - I8 means Industrial temp (-40C to +100C) with speed grade 8, while C8 means Commercial temp (0C to +85C) with speed grade 8. Lower speed-grade numbers (e.g., 7 or 6) are faster but not always cheaper; verify your timing constraints before swapping. Also note that Cyclone II is supported by Quartus II 13.0sp1 and earlier, but not by current Quartus Prime releases - download the legacy toolchain before starting RTL development.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH status not explicitly confirmed in retrieved data. Cyclone II family predates widespread AEC-Q100 FPGA programs; not AEC-Q100 qualified for under-hood automotive. Compliance fields marked 'unknown' pending manufacturer datasheet revision check.
