EP2C70F672I8 - Cyclone II FPGA, 68K LE, 672-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2C70F672I8 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $245 | $245.00 |
| 10 | $232.75 | $2,327.50 |
| 100 | $215 | $21,500.00 |
| 500 | $198.5 | $99,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $185 | $185,000.00 |
EP2C70F672I8 Overview
What is a Cyclone II FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and embedded memory blocks that the user can redefine after manufacture. FPGAs belong to the broader programmable logic device (PLD) category, sitting alongside CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices) in the digital semiconductor hierarchy. Within Intel's portfolio, the Cyclone II family targets cost-sensitive, high-volume applications such as consumer electronics, industrial control, and digital signal processing where ASIC-level performance is unnecessary but custom hardware acceleration is required.
The EP2C70F672I8 integrates 250 Kbit of distributed RAM, dedicated 18x18 multipliers (up to 150 DSP blocks) for hardware-accelerated arithmetic, and four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management. It supports configuration via active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), JTAG, and Fast Passive Parallel (FPP) modes, enabling flexible design flows with the Quartus II design software. The device is qualified for the industrial temperature range of -40C to +100C.
Typical applications include video processing, industrial motor control, telecommunications infrastructure, test and measurement equipment, and embedded system prototyping. The high logic density and embedded multiplier blocks make it particularly well-suited for digital signal processing (DSP) functions and soft-processor implementations such as the Nios II embedded processor.
When designing with the EP2C70F672I8, pay close attention to power integrity - decoupling must be placed directly under the FBGA balls and multiple supply rails (VCCINT, VCCIO, VCCA, VCCD_PLL) must be properly sequenced. Always use the latest Quartus II software version that supports Cyclone II to avoid configuration bitstream compatibility issues with newer toolsets.
This page synthesizes distributor stock data, package-comparable alternatives within the Cyclone II family, and practical design guidance not consolidated on any single manufacturer page, helping procurement and design engineers make informed sourcing and design trade-offs.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C70F672I8 — 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 EP2C70F672I8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Family, Package, RoHS Status, Configuration Modes.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C70F672C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$239.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C70F672I8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C70F672C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C80F672C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2C70F672C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$278 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C70F672I8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 68,416 |
| Logic Array Blocks (CLBs) | 4,276 |
| Total Memory Bits | 1,152,000 bits (1,152 Kbit) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 150 DSP blocks |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 422 |
| Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 16 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V (multi-voltage I/O) |
| Package | 672-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Internal Performance | 402.58 MHz |
| Configuration Modes | AS, PS, JTAG, FPP |
| RoHS Status | Lead-Free, Compliant |
EP2C70F672I8 672-ball fbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2C70F672I8 (672-ball fbga (fineline 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 EP2C70F672I8.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2C70F672I8 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing and Image Pipeline, Telecommunications and Networking Equipment, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Embedded Nios II Soft-Processor Systems, Legacy Hardware Maintenance and Repair.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP2C70F672I8's 150 hardware 18x18 multipliers and 422 user I/O pins make it ideal for multi-axis industrial motor control, where it implements field-oriented control (FOC) and space-vector PWM (SVPWM) loops. The 672-ball FBGA package provides ample I/O for parallel encoder inputs (QEP, Hall sensors) and PWM outputs to three-phase inverter bridges. Cyclone II FPGAs can run FOC computation at 50 kHz loop rates while leaving logic headroom for CANopen/EtherCAT communication and protective relay logic - features that simplify integration compared with separate DSP and MCU architectures.
Recommended
Video Processing and Image Pipeline
The EP2C70F672I8 supports real-time video processing at D1 (720x480) and 720p resolutions through its abundant logic and 1,152 Kbit of block RAM. The 18x18 multipliers accelerate 2D convolution kernels for edge detection, noise reduction, and color-space conversion (YUV/RGB), while the 422 I/Os can directly drive parallel camera sensor inputs and HDMI/DVI output controllers. Engineers have historically used Cyclone II FPGAs as cost-effective pre-processors feeding compressed video streams into ARM processors for analytics.
Recommended
Telecommunications and Networking Equipment
The EP2C70F672I8 implements high-speed serial interfaces and packet processing logic for legacy telecom and networking gear, supporting protocols like SPI-4.2, UTOPIA, and POS-PHY via LVDS I/O. Its 402 MHz internal performance enables gigabit-rate packet classification and queuing in routers and switches, while the 672-ball FBGA delivers the I/O count needed for multi-port serializer/deserializer (SerDes) companion chips. Cyclone II FPGAs served as the workhorse for CPE (customer-premises equipment) and small-cell base station designs during the 2005-2012 era.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2C70F672I8's combination of 68,416 LEs and 150 multipliers makes it a strong fit for custom digital test equipment such as protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, and arbitrary waveform generators. Engineers use Cyclone II FPGAs to implement deep pattern-matching state machines, hardware-accelerated correlation, and parallel ADC/DAC interfacing at sample rates up to 200 MSPS. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) of the EP2C70F672I8 supports both lab and field deployment of instrumentation hardware.
Recommended
Embedded Nios II Soft-Processor Systems
The EP2C70F672I8 runs the Nios II embedded soft-processor (Altera's RISC CPU) with adequate headroom for OS-capable configurations (Nios II/f), enabling fully custom SoC integration without an external MCU. With 68,416 LEs, designers can instantiate the processor plus substantial custom peripherals - SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet MAC, custom DMA controllers - all on a single chip. The 1,152 Kbit block RAM supports instruction and data caches, while 422 I/Os provide flexible external device interfacing for custom embedded designs.
Recommended
Legacy Hardware Maintenance and Repair
The EP2C70F672I8 remains in demand for repairing and maintaining legacy industrial, medical, and military equipment shipped between 2007 and 2015 that used Cyclone II FPGAs as the central programmable logic. Because the part is obsolete (NRND) but still widely deployed in fielded systems, OEMs and third-party repair shops source the part for board-level replacements. Engineers verifying replacement designs must check silicon revision and JTAG ID codes to ensure bitstream compatibility with existing configuration memory devices.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C70F672I8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C70F672C8N | EP2C70F672I8N | EP3C70F672C8N | EP3C80F672C8N | EP2C70F672C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-ball FBGA | 672-ball FBGA - same | 672-ball FBGA - same | 672-ball FBGA - same | 672-ball FBGA - same | 672-ball FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Family | Cyclone II | Cyclone II | Cyclone II | Cyclone III | Cyclone III | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements | 68,416 | 68,416 | 68,416 | 70,208 | 81,360 | 68,416 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm | 90 nm | 90 nm | 65 nm (lower power) | 65 nm (lower power) | 90 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Embedded Multipliers | 150 (18x18) | 150 (18x18) | 150 (18x18) | 200 (18x18) | 244 (18x18) | 150 (18x18) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (NRND) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | $245.00 | $220.00 - $240.00 | $240.00 - $260.00 | $260.00 - $290.00 | $310.00 - $340.00 | $195.00 - $215.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density 672-ball FBGA option in Cyclone II family (vs EP2C50F672I8)
- Industrial temperature qualification with full 68K LE silicon (vs EP2C70F672C8N)
- Drop-in compatible footprint across Cyclone II and Cyclone III families (vs EP3C70F672C8N)
Design Notes
The EP2C70F672I8 requires four separate supply rails - VCCINT (1.2 V core), VCCIO (1.5 V/1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V I/O banks), VCCA (1.2 V PLL analog), and VCCD_PLL (1.2 V PLL digital) - per the Cyclone II Device Handbook CII51002. Power-on sequencing is critical: VCCINT must ramp first, then VCCA, then VCCIO, to prevent latch-up. Decoupling must be placed directly under the FBGA balls - typical recommendation is 100 nF X7R per 10 power pins plus 10 uF bulk per supply. Estimated: total core current at full logic utilization can reach 1.5 A; verify against your actual utilization in the Quartus II PowerPlay analyzer before finalizing power tree design.
Estimated: at 100% logic utilization running at 250 MHz, the EP2C70F672I8 dissipates approximately 1.5-2 W. The 672-ball FBGA package has a theta_JA of approximately 15-20 C/W with a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board, resulting in a junction temperature rise of 30-40 C above ambient. For industrial applications at 100 C ambient, this can push junction temperature near 140 C, requiring either reduced logic utilization or enhanced PCB thermal relief (2 oz copper, thermal vias under the BGA).
The 672-ball FBGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch, requiring 4-layer or 6-layer PCB construction with laser-drilled or micro-via technology for breakout. Use Intel's Cyclone II board design guidelines for via-in-pad recommendations - typically 0.2 mm pad with 0.1 mm via drill for the BGA fanout. Route differential pairs (LVDS) with 100 ohm differential impedance and length-matching within 100 mils for source-synchronous interfaces like DDR or LVDS interfaces.
Common pitfalls include: (1) failing to configure unused I/O pins as tri-stated inputs with weak pull-ups - leaving them floating can cause excessive I/O current; (2) using a configuration mode without proper CRC checking, which risks silent bitstream corruption; (3) ignoring MSL3 moisture sensitivity, which mandates pre-bake before reflow for FBGA packages. Per Cyclone II datasheet CII51002, configuration pins nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE have specific external pull-up resistor requirements that must not be omitted.
Compliance Information
Lead-free FBGA package per Altera/Intel Cyclone II datasheet. RoHS compliant. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; choose EP2C70F672I8N variant or automotive-grade Cyclone IV E for AEC-Q100 designs.
