EP2C8Q208C7N - Cyclone II FPGA, 8256 Logic Elements | Altera
MPN: EP2C8Q208C7N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10.07 | $10.07 |
| 10 | $9.35 | $93.50 |
| 100 | $8.49 | $849.00 |
| 500 | $7.52 | $3,760.00 |
| 1,000 | $6.89 | $6,890.00 |
| 3,000 | $6.43 | $19,290.00 |
EP2C8Q208C7N Overview
An FPGA is an integrated circuit whose logic fabric is configured after manufacturing rather than being fixed at the factory. In the product hierarchy, the EP2C8Q208C7N is an FPGA, which is a subclass of programmable logic devices and integrated circuits. Designers describe digital logic in an HDL such as Verilog or VHDL, synthesize it, and load the resulting bitstream into the FPGA. Because the device is SRAM-based, the configuration data is lost at power-off and must be reloaded from an external memory or through a JTAG interface at every power-up.
From the verified distributor data, the EP2C8Q208C7N provides 8,256 logic elements, 165,888 total RAM bits, and 138 user I/O pins. This resource level supports moderate combinational and sequential logic, small FIFOs, state machines, soft-core processors, and custom peripherals. The 208-BFQFP package gives design teams a reworkable QFP alternative for systems that do not require a fine-pitch BGA. The seven in the ordering code indicates speed grade -7, and the N suffix represents the lead-free package option used by Altera ordering nomenclature.
Technically, the Cyclone II family is a 90 nm SRAM-based FPGA architecture. Its logic cells are suited to designs with modest density requirements, while the embedded memory bits allow on-chip buffering without always adding external SRAM. The 138 user I/O pins can be organized into banks for interfacing with standard logic families and bus interfaces. Exact supported I/O standards, PLL details, configuration pin behavior, and timing tables should be confirmed from the manufacturer datasheet; those silicon-level details are not included in the distributor snippets used on this page.
Typical uses include industrial motor control, protocol bridging, small video and image-processing pipelines, LED display control, data acquisition, and medical monitoring front ends. Because of its low-cost QFP format and mature tool flow, it is also used in legacy industrial and communications systems where redesign is undesirable. For high-speed or memory-intensive applications, external SDRAM or higher-density FPGAs are more appropriate.
When designing with this FPGA, budget a serial configuration device such as an EPCS flash or provide JTAG configuration during production test. Keep power supplies clean and decoupled close to the FPGA package, and verify the I/O bank voltage before connecting external logic. Treat Cyclone II as a mature product family: for new designs, confirm availability and Intel lifecycle support before committing to a production program.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, package and availability data, practical design notes, and drop-in alternatives that are not all stated on a single distributor page, providing a useful companion to the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C8Q208C7N — 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 EP2C8Q208C7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Total RAM Bits, Process Technology, PLLs.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C8Q208C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$19.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$43.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208I8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$9.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208C7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) |
| FPGA Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements | 8256 |
| Total RAM Bits | 165888 |
| User I/O Count | 138 |
| Number of Pins | 208 |
| Package / Case | 208-BFQFP |
| Package Shape | Square (FQFP) |
| Terminal Form | Gull wing |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | 7 (from ordering code C7N) |
| RoHS Status | Unknown (N suffix often indicates lead-free) |
EP2C8Q208C7N square (fqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2C8Q208C7N (square (fqfp) 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 EP2C8Q208C7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2C8Q208C7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and Factory Automation, FPGA Protocol Bridging and Interface Logic, Video and Image Processing Pipeline, LED Display and Realtime Control, Data Acquisition and Test Instrumentation, Medical Monitoring and Diagnostic Front Ends.
Industrial Motor Control and Factory Automation
The EP2C8Q208C7N provides a practical density for industrial motor-control boards because 8,256 logic elements can implement closed-loop PID blocks, multiple PWM channels, encoder counters and safety-interlock logic in parallel without a processor. Its 165,888 RAM bits handle small data FIFOs and diagnostic trace buffers, and its 138 user I/O can route signals to gate drivers, current sensors, quadrature encoders and a host UART or SPI interface. When used with isolated driver ICs, the FPGA stays on the low-voltage control side, simplifying electromagnetic compatibility. The 208-BFQFP package also permits rework with standard QFP equipment, useful in factory and panel applications where field maintenance is needed. Before releasing a board, verify that I/O standards match the opto-isolation and driver rails used in the module.
Recommended
FPGA Protocol Bridging and Interface Logic
EP2C8Q208C7N is well matched to protocol bridging tasks such as converting UART to SPI, I2C to parallel bus, or legacy 8-bit bus to custom serial formats. With 8,256 logic elements, the FPGA can contain FIFO controllers, bus state machines, CRC/generator checkers, and small soft-core processors. The 165,888 RAM bits provide packet buffering without adding an external FIFO on short links. The 138 user I/O pins support multiple 8-bit and 16-bit buses, control lines, and sideband signals on one device. Because the FPGA is SRAM-based, configuration is loaded at power-up from EPCS flash or through JTAG, so a field update can be done by reprogramming flash. Development teams can also reuse the same board across different protocols by only changing the FPGA bitstream.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing Pipeline
The EP2C8Q208C7N can implement small video and image-processing pipelines, including video timing generation, line buffering, chroma/keying logic, and simple spatial filters. Its 165,888 RAM bits allow line buffers for moderate-resolution video at lower color depths, while 138 user I/O can connect to legacy CMOS sensors, memory interfaces, or display drivers. With 8,256 logic elements, designs should stay focused on streaming logic rather than large image storage. External SDRAM is recommended for frame buffers or high-resolution images. The C7 speed grade gives useful timing margin for pixel clocks in common VGA and small embedded display applications. Because FPGAs process pixels in parallel, an EP2C8 implementation can offload real-time synchronization and formatting tasks from a host processor or MCU.
Recommended
LED Display and Realtime Control
Large LED display controllers need real-time refresh, pulse-width modulation, addressing, and serial data shifting, all tasks well suited to the EP2C8Q208C7N. Its 8,256 logic elements can implement scan controllers, grayscale PWM generators, gamma lookup tables, and multiple serial output channels. The 165,888 RAM bits store frame segments, lookup tables, or small pixel buffers, while 138 user I/O can drive shift-register clocks, latch lines, and color data buses with enough parallelism to maintain high refresh rates. The 208-BFQFP package is practical for low-cost display control boards and prototype builds. By using an EPCS serial configuration device, the display controller can auto-start after power-on and support field upgrades through a host microcontroller interface instead of requiring an external programmer.
Recommended
Data Acquisition and Test Instrumentation
FPGAs are useful in data acquisition because they can implement high-speed counters, trigger logic, ADC interface timing, data formatting, and multichannel FIFO management. The EP2C8Q208C7N has enough logic for compact benchtop instruments, industrial data loggers, and custom test fixtures. Its 165,888 RAM bits act as small acquisition buffers before transferring samples to a host, and its 138 user I/O can connect to parallel ADCs, DACs, digital potentiometers, and control relays. Because hardware timing is implemented in the FPGA fabric rather than in software, deterministic response is easier to achieve. The SRAM configuration is loaded from EPCS flash or JTAG during development, allowing firmware engineers to iterate quickly. For high-channel-count systems, connect several FPGA I/O banks to isolated or differential input front ends and use an external SDRAM for deeper capture.
Recommended
Medical Monitoring and Diagnostic Front Ends
Medical monitoring equipment often requires flexible I/O, deterministic data handling, and low-cost control logic. The EP2C8Q208C7N can acquire physiological signals through external analog front ends, generate synchronized timing, filter or decimate data, and communicate with a host processor through SPI or USB bridge chips. Its 8,256 logic elements are enough for multiple small processing engines, status LEDs, and watchdog functions. With 138 user I/O, it can interface to many sensor channels while keeping trace lengths manageable. The 165,888 RAM bits support waveform FIFOs and temporary data storage. Designers must still meet all applicable medical safety and isolation standards; Cyclone II is not itself a medical certificated part. The lead-free N suffix is desirable for modern assembly, and commercial temperature grade C is sufficient for controlled indoor medical devices.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C8Q208C7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C8Q208C7 | EP2C8Q208C8N | EP2C8Q208I8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 208-BFQFP | 208-BFQFP same | 208-BFQFP same | 208-BFQFP same |
| Logic Elements | 8256 | 8256 | 8256 | 8256 |
| Total RAM Bits | 165888 | 165888 | 165888 | 165888 |
| User I/O | 138 | 138 | 138 | 138 |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -8 | -8 |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free N suffix supports modern RoHS-compliant assembly (vs EP2C8Q208C7)
- Speed grade -7 provides more timing margin than -8 (vs EP2C8Q208C8N)
- QFP package is easier to route and rework than fine-pitch BGA (vs EP2C8F256I8N)
Design Notes
Do not power up an SRAM FPGA with no configuration source. The EP2C8Q208C7N is SRAM-based and will not retain logic contents. Provide an EPCS serial flash or plan JTAG configuration during production. During power-up, I/O pins may float until configuration is complete; include appropriate pull-ups, pull-downs, or tri-state buffers on signals that connect to active devices.
Use a low-impedance core rail for the Cyclone II FPGA and separate I/O bank voltages according to the interface requirements. Place a 0.1 uF ceramic bypass capacitor near each supply pin pair and add bulk capacitance on every power rail. Estimated current consumption should be checked with an FPGA power estimator for the configured design; do not assume a single current value from a generic data sheet snippet.
The 208-BFQFP package is a surface-mount gull-wing QFP. Since the package-svg library does not include a dedicated 208-pin key, confirm pin-1 orientation and land pattern from the official Altera package drawing before layout. Follow IPC-7351 or manufacturer footprint recommendations, place vias adjacent to the pin rows, and keep configuration pins accessible for JTAG programming.
For differential or high-speed I/O, route signals over solid return planes and keep the trace impedance close to the receiver specification. The EP2C8Q208C7N has 138 user I/O pins; avoid placing a noisy switching regulator directly under these traces. If driving long cables, add series termination resistors near the FPGA output and use controlled slew-rate settings available in the device configuration.
Compliance Information
No explicit RoHS/REACH/halogen declarations were present in the verified web data. The N suffix in the Altera ordering code typically indicates lead-free finish, but this was not confirmed by an official compliance document in the supplied data.
