EP2C8F256I8K - Cyclone II FPGA, 8K LEs, FBGA-256 | Altera / Intel
MPN: EP2C8F256I8K ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32.5 | $32.50 |
| 10 | $28.75 | $287.50 |
| 100 | $24.2 | $2,420.00 |
| 500 | $21.4 | $10,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $18.95 | $18,950.00 |
EP2C8F256I8K Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and I/O cells that engineers can reconfigure in the field using an HDL description. Within the broader taxonomy, FPGAs sit alongside CPLDs, microcontrollers, and ASICs as programmable-logic devices; FPGAs are distinguished by high logic density, on-chip memory, DSP blocks, and (in newer families) hardened transceivers. The Cyclone II family targets volume, low-static-power applications such as consumer electronics, industrial control, and display bridging.
Key features of the EP2C8F256I8K include support for multiple single-ended I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, SSTL, LVDS), up to four PLLs with up to eight outputs for clock management, configurable JTAG boundary-scan, and on-chip bit-stream decryption for design IP protection. The device operates from a 1.2 V core supply with separate VCCIO banks for I/O flexibility, and its commercial-grade -40 °C to +100 °C junction temperature range suits industrial enclosures. Cyclone II devices are SRAM-based and require an external configuration memory, typically an EPCS or EPCQ serial flash.
Typical applications include video processing bridges, motor and motion control, industrial protocol converters (RS-485, CAN, Modbus), low-density DSP pre-processing, LED display controllers, and education or evaluation platforms. The EP2C8F256I8K is also a popular choice for legacy design maintenance because it combines a familiar Quartus II development flow with abundant reference designs.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing for VCCINT (1.2 V) and VCCIO banks carefully and respect the 90 nm SRAM volatile-configuration requirement by selecting a robust serial configuration flash. For new designs, evaluate the Cyclone IV or Cyclone V families first for lower static power; for drop-in board reuse of an existing Cyclone II layout, the EP2C8F256I8K remains a reliable choice.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C8F256I8K — 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 EP2C8F256I8K (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, RoHS Status, Embedded 18x18 Multipliers, Speed Grade, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C8F256I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256C8N
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256C8
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$28.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256C7
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$18.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256C7N
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$8.31 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256C6N
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$31.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5F256I8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$13.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8F256I8K Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements | 8,256 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 182 |
| Total RAM Bits | 165,888 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 36 |
| User I/O Pins (max) | 182 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 16 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Package | 256-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Operating Junction Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) |
| Configuration | SRAM, requires external serial flash (EPCS/EPCQ) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2C8F256I8K Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin B1 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin C1 | VCCIO1 — I/O supply for Bank 1 |
| Pin D1 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin E1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin F1 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin G1 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin H1 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.2 V |
| Pin A2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin B2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin C2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin D2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin E2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin F2 | I/O — General purpose user I/O, Bank 1 |
| Pin G2 | VCCIO1 — I/O supply for Bank 1 |
| Pin H2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin A16 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (open-drain) |
| Pin B16 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done indicator |
| Pin C16 | nCONFIG — Configuration start (active-low) |
| Pin D16 | nCE — Chip enable (active-low) |
Typical Applications
EP2C8F256I8K is suitable for 7 applications: Video Processing Bridge, Industrial Motor and Motion Control, LED Display Controller, Industrial Protocol Converter, Low-Density DSP Pre-Processing, Education and Evaluation Platform, Legacy Design Maintenance and Board Refresh.
Video Processing Bridge
The EP2C8F256I8K is a strong fit for video-format conversion bridges such as BT.656/1120 to HDMI or RGB-to-MIPI aggregation. Its 8,256 logic elements and 36 embedded 18x18 multipliers implement line buffers, color-space converters, and simple scaling filters without external DSP. The 182 user I/O pins accommodate parallel RGB, BT.656, and LVDS video buses simultaneously, while four PLLs generate pixel clocks from any input reference. Designers place the device between a video decoder and a display controller, using on-chip RAM (165,888 bits) for line-store buffers to minimize external SDRAM. Power dissipation stays below 1 W at typical video rates, eliminating the need for a heatsink.
Recommended
Industrial Motor and Motion Control
Industrial servo and stepper motor controllers benefit from the EP2C8F256I8K's parallel I/O count and deterministic logic. The 182 user I/O pins drive quadrature encoders, Hall-effect sensors, and PWM outputs to multiple H-bridge stages concurrently, while the 36 hardware multipliers compute PID loops and field-oriented-control (FOC) transforms at sub-microsecond latency. The industrial temperature grade (-40 to +100 C) ensures reliable operation inside unheated enclosures. The SRAM-based configuration boots from an EPCS flash at power-up in under 50 ms, enabling fast machine restart after power interruption. Cyclone II designs integrate cleanly with RS-485 and CAN transceivers for industrial networking.
Recommended
LED Display Controller
Large LED video walls and signage require a controller capable of scanning thousands of pixels per refresh with precise timing. The EP2C8F256I8K's 8,256 logic elements and high I/O count drive hub75, HUB12, or custom LED scan matrices up to 32 scan rows. The four PLLs synthesize dot-clock and blank-window timing from any incoming HDMI or DVI source. Embedded RAM (165,888 bits) caches at least one display line, smoothing refresh-rate conversion. The industrial temperature grade supports outdoor cabinet installations, and the FBGA-256 package's small footprint fits behind compact panel assemblies with minimal PCB area.
Recommended
Industrial Protocol Converter
Bridging legacy industrial protocols (Modbus RTU, PROFIBUS, CANopen) to Ethernet-based controllers is a common Cyclone II use case. The EP2C8F256I8K implements UART, SPI, and CAN MAC layers in fabric alongside a soft 10/100 Ethernet MAC, and the 8,256 logic elements leave headroom for protocol-state machines and message buffers. The 182 I/O pins connect to multiple isolated transceivers on a single board. The industrial temperature grade and on-chip PLLs generate independent baud-rate clocks for each port. Designers use Quartus II SOPC Builder to integrate Nios II soft-core firmware when CPU-side protocol parsing is required.
Recommended
Low-Density DSP Pre-Processing
Signal-conditioning front-ends such as audio sample-rate conversion, FIR filtering, and vibration analysis fit comfortably in the EP2C8F256I8K. The 36 embedded 18x18 multipliers implement 36 MACs per clock cycle, sufficient for 64-tap FIR filters at audio sample rates or simple FFT pre-processing. The 165,888 bits of embedded RAM store coefficient tables and circular buffers, avoiding external memory for low-channel-count applications. The Cyclone II PLL block synthesizes arbitrary audio-clock domains from a single crystal reference. Industrial temperature grade suits machine-monitoring installations where vibration sensors feed the FPGA directly.
Recommended
Education and Evaluation Platform
Universities and FPGA-training labs continue to use the Cyclone II family because of its mature Quartus II flow, abundant reference designs, and low board cost. The EP2C8F256I8K's 8,256 logic elements give students enough headroom for a full Nios II soft processor plus peripherals while leaving logic for course exercises. The FBGA-256 package is offered on Terasic DE2-style development boards that include SRAM, SDRAM, VGA, audio CODEC, and push-button IO - creating a turnkey teaching platform. Industrial temperature grade is incidental but provides thermal margin for student bench environments with limited airflow.
Recommended
Legacy Design Maintenance and Board Refresh
Many production boards shipped between 2007 and 2015 contain Cyclone II FPGAs that now require re-spin or replacement. The EP2C8F256I8K lets maintenance engineers refresh components on the same FBGA-256 footprint without re-laying out the PCB. Industrial temperature grade, identical 8,256 LE silicon die, and pin-compatible JTAG chain drop in directly. This is critical for medical, aerospace, and industrial OEMs with long field-deployment lifecycles where every PCB re-spin triggers costly regulatory re-qualification. Engineers preserve their existing Quartus II project files and IP cores unchanged, avoiding IP re-validation costs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C8F256I8K — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C8F256I8N | EP2C8F256C8N | EP2C8F256C8 | EP2C8F256C7 | EP2C8F256C7N | EP2C8F256C6N | EP2C5F256I8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | FBGA-256 | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) | FBGA-256 (same) |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 8,256 | 8,256 (identical) | 8,256 (identical) | 8,256 (identical) | 8,256 (identical) | 8,256 (identical) | 8,256 (identical) | 5,136 (-37.8%) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40 to +100 C | Industrial -40 to +100 C (same) | Commercial 0 to +85 C | Commercial 0 to +85 C | Commercial 0 to +85 C | Commercial 0 to +85 C | Commercial 0 to +85 C | Industrial -40 to +100 C (same) |
| Speed Grade | -8 | -8 (same) | -8 (same) | -8 (same) | -7 (slower Fmax) | -7 (slower Fmax) | -6 (slowest Fmax) | -8 (same) |
| Lead-Free Finish | K suffix (lead-free) | N suffix (lead-free) | N suffix (lead-free) | Non-lead-free | Non-lead-free | N suffix (lead-free) | N suffix (lead-free) | N suffix (lead-free) |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 165,888 | 165,888 (identical) | 165,888 (identical) | 165,888 (identical) | 165,888 (identical) | 165,888 (identical) | 165,888 (identical) | 119,808 (-27.8%) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 36 | 36 (identical) | 36 (identical) | 36 (identical) | 36 (identical) | 36 (identical) | 36 (identical) | 23 (-36.1%) |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | 32.50 | 32.50 (similar) | 29.50 | 30.00 | 28.00 | 27.50 | 26.00 | 30.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade with same silicon die as commercial variants (vs EP2C8F256C8N)
- Highest Fmax speed grade in the EP2C8 FBGA-256 family (vs EP2C8F256C7N / EP2C8F256C6N)
- Same FBGA-256 footprint with reduced logic density for cost-down variants (vs EP2C5F256I8N)
Design Notes
The EP2C8F256I8K requires three independent supply rails: VCCINT at 1.2 V for the core, VCCIO for each I/O bank (set per bank to 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V as needed), and VCCA_PLL at 1.2 V for the PLL analog blocks. VCCINT and VCCA_PLL must ramp monotonically together; if VCCIO is driven before VCCINT is stable the device can experience I/O latch-up. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF X7R capacitors within 5 mm of every VCCINT pin and bulk 47 uF tantalum or polymer capacitors near each voltage regulator. Total quiescent current is approximately 0.5-1.0 mA per LE bank plus dynamic current proportional to toggle rate.
Because the EP2C8F256I8K is SRAM-based, the bitstream is volatile - a power interruption of any duration forces a full reconfiguration. In applications where state must survive brown-outs, add an external watchdog plus battery-backed SRAM, or migrate to a non-volatile family such as Cyclone IV E with on-chip flash. A second common pitfall is leaving JTAG TCK/TMS/TDO unterminated; if the JTAG chain is not used in production, either pull TCK low with a 1 kohm resistor and TMS high, or leave the chain intact and accessible for factory programming.
Estimated: at 25 percent logic utilization and 100 MHz toggle rate, the EP2C8F256I8K dissipates approximately 0.5-0.8 W from VCCINT (1.2 V at 400-650 mA). The FBGA-256 package has theta_JA around 25-30 C/W on a 4-layer 1 oz PCB without a thermal pad, giving junction temperature rise of 12-25 C above ambient. For designs with all four PLLs active at maximum frequency and full I/O toggling, plan a copper pour of at least 1 square inch under the BGA exposed pad (if available) to stay within the industrial 100 C junction limit.
The FBGA-256 ball pitch is 1.0 mm, which requires laser-drilled or 0.4 mm mechanical drill micro-vias on a 4-layer or 6-layer stack-up. Escape-route all VCCINT and GND balls first through short micro-vias to internal planes; route signal balls on the top layer with the remaining inner layers for power and ground. Match the impedance of LVDS pairs to 100 ohm differential and control trace length matching to within 150 mil for DDR-style interfaces. Keep the EPCS serial configuration flash within 50 mm of the FPGA to avoid DCLK signal-integrity issues.
Place the EPCS configuration flash on the same board side as the FPGA, with DCLK trace less than 50 mm and DATA0 series-terminated with a 33 ohm resistor close to the FPGA driver pin. Group the four dedicated configuration pins (nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, nCONFIG, nCE) together on one bank to simplify PCB routing. For multi-FPGA chains using nCEO/nC Cascaded configuration, ensure the cable between boards does not exceed 150 mm to maintain signal integrity. Reserve one I/O bank exclusively for JTAG to allow board-test access.
Compliance Information
EP2C8F256I8K is RoHS compliant per Altera product datasheet marking convention (K suffix indicates lead-free finish). The part is not AEC-Q100 qualified - automotive customers should evaluate Cyclone IV automotive variants. NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs) status applies to the entire Cyclone II family.
