EP2C8Q208C8N - Cyclone II FPGA 8K LE, 208-QFP | Altera
MPN: EP2C8Q208C8N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $52.36 | $52.36 |
| 10 | $49.88 | $498.80 |
| 100 | $47.64 | $4,764.00 |
| 500 | $45.76 | $22,880.00 |
| 1,000 | $43.92 | $43,920.00 |
EP2C8Q208C8N Overview
A field-programmable gate array is an integrated circuit whose logic fabric can be configured after manufacturing by loading an HDL-generated bitstream. Cyclone II is Altera's low-cost 90 nm FPGA family, positioned in the hierarchy FPGA > programmable logic device > digital IC > semiconductor. The EP2C8Q208C8N combines logic elements, embedded RAM and flexible I/O without custom mask costs, allowing designers to prototype and deploy digital systems quickly. In system hierarchy, FPGAs often sit between processors and dedicated ASICs, providing reconfigurable glue logic, protocol bridging and parallel processing.
Key features include 8,256 logic elements, 165,888 RAM bits and 138 user I/O channels. The C8 speed grade gives balanced timing performance for many motor-control, video and communication designs. The 1.2 V core supply reduces dynamic power compared with older 1.5 V/1.8 V FPGA families while retaining ample routing resources. A 208-pin BFQFP package is a cost-effective, surface-mount, JEDEC-standard quad flat pack that is easier to route on multilayer PCBs than high-density BGA packages for moderate I/O counts.
Architecturally, Cyclone II is an SRAM-based FPGA: configuration data must be loaded at power-up from an external configuration device or host controller. The EP2C8Q208C8N uses a 1.2 V VCCINT, has multiple I/O banks, and belongs to the Cyclone II family documented in Intel-Altera Cyclone II device literature. Because the part is SRAM-based, no state is retained when power is removed, and an external boot source such as an EPCS serial configuration device is required for standalone operation.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video frame capture and preprocessing, communication protocol bridging, digital signal interfacing and FPGA training platforms. With 138 user I/O pins, the EP2C8Q208C8N can implement 8-/16-bit buses, quadrature encoder interfaces, parallel ADCs/DACs and general-purpose control logic in a single programmable device.
When designing with this component, place 100 nF decoupling capacitors close to every VCC pin and bulk capacitors on each VCCIO bank. Core voltage is 1.2 V; I/O bank voltages must match the interface standard connected to each bank. Since the package is SRAM-configurable, ensure the MSEL pins and configuration device are correctly wired before first power-up.
This page synthesizes distributor stock/price, drop-in Altera-family alternatives, and practical configuration guidance that complements the official Intel-Altera datasheet and the DigiKey/Mouser/LCSC product listings.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C8Q208C8N — 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 EP2C8Q208C8N (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:
EP2C8Q208C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.43 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$19.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208I8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$9.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8Q208I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2C8Q208C8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | Cyclone II |
| Number of Logic Elements / Cells | 8256 |
| Total RAM Bits | 165888 bits |
| Total User I/O | 138 |
| Package / Case | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208) |
| Number of Pins | 208 |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Technology | 90 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C8 |
| Maximum Internal Clock Frequency | 402.58 MHz |
| Configuration Memory | SRAM-based |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP2C8Q208C8N 208-bfqfp (pqfp-208) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2C8Q208C8N (208-bfqfp (pqfp-208) 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 EP2C8Q208C8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2C8Q208C8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Frame Capture and Preprocessing, Communication Protocol Bridging, FPGA Training and Prototyping Platform, Digital Signal Acquisition and Control, Medical Device Signal Monitoring.
Industrial Motor Control
EP2C8Q208C8N fits industrial motor-control applications because its 138 user I/O pins can capture incremental encoder signals, Hall sensors and current-sense ADCs while generating multiple PWM channels from a single FPGA fabric. With 8,256 logic elements and 165,888 RAM bits, it can implement PI/PID controllers, fault logic and communication bridges such as UART or SPI alongside the power-stage timing. The C8N commercial temperature version is suitable for enclosed industrial control cabinets that remain within 0°C to 85°C, while the I8N variant is better for exposed or high-temperature environments. Placing the FPGA between a MCU and a gate driver adds flexibility for changing motor algorithms without swapping the gate-driver hardware. Recommended support devices include configuration memories and serial ADC parts.
Recommended
Video Frame Capture and Preprocessing
EP2C8Q208C8N can receive parallel video data from CMOS image sensors or video decoder chips and perform line buffering, cropping, format conversion and basic filtering before sending the data to a display or host processor. Its 138 I/O pins provide enough lanes for 8-bit or 16-bit parallel video busses plus control signals, while the embedded RAM can hold line buffers for convolution windows. The 402.58 MHz internal clock capability reported in listings provides headroom for typical VGA/SVGA pixel rates, but designers must conservatively estimate timing based on their chosen I/O standard. A mature FPGA flow with register pipelining helps close timing on the video datapath. Recommended companion parts include serial configuration devices and external memory interface glue.
Recommended
Communication Protocol Bridging
The 138 user I/O pins and the reconfigurable logic architecture of EP2C8Q208C8N make it suitable for bridging between UART, SPI, I2C, parallel buses and simple LVDS or TTL-level serial links. Because FPGA logic is instantiated from HDL, the same PCB can be reused for different protocols by changing the configuration bitstream, reducing hardware inventory. The 1.2 V core helps keep switching power moderate in always-on bridge applications, though I/O bank voltage must be matched to the transceiver or connector voltage domain. Designers should pay attention to clock domain crossing and add proper synchronization in the bridge logic. For boards needing protocol adaptation in industrial networking gateways, this Cyclone II FPGA is a proven low-cost building block.
Recommended
FPGA Training and Prototyping Platform
EP2C8Q208C8N is popular in university and R&D FPGA development boards because it is inexpensive, easy to solder in a QFP package and large enough for typical counter, state-machine, memory and signal-processing lab experiments. The 208-BFQFP package allows simpler PCB routing than BGA packages and is well suited for student-made boards. With 8,256 logic elements, a compact design can include a soft processor core or several peripheral controllers. The requirement for external configuration memory is an educational advantage because it demonstrates SRAM-based boot flows. Standard evaluation flows use the Intel-Altera Quartus tool chain and ByteBlaster or USB-Blaster download cables for JTAG configuration.
Recommended
Digital Signal Acquisition and Control
With 138 I/O pins, EP2C8Q208C8N can interface to multiple parallel ADCs, DACs, digital potentiometers and control digital outputs. Its logic fabric can perform real-time data acquisition sorting, trigger logic, waveform generation and simple DSP functions such as finite impulse response filters using registered adders and multipliers inferred from HDL. The embedded 165,888 RAM bits can be used as data buffers for sampled signals. Since the device is SRAM-based, mission-critical acquisition systems should use watchdog circuitry plus external configuration memory with recovery capability. For deterministic timing, designers can use PLL and clock resources available in the Cyclone II architecture; exact capabilities should be confirmed in the Cyclone II datasheet.
Recommended
Medical Device Signal Monitoring
EP2C8Q208C8N is suitable for moderate-complexity medical monitoring front ends, such as patient-monitor acquisition boards and laboratory instrument controllers where deterministic parallel sampling and custom I/O are needed. The commercial temperature range is adequate for indoor medical equipment, while the industrial I8N variant supports wider environmental margins if required by the system design. FPGAs provide low-latency, parallel data-path control that can interface sensor ADCs and isolation interfaces without overloading a host processor. However, medical safety standards often require additional isolation and safety certification; an FPGA alone does not make the end product compliant. Careful power sequencing and configuration monitoring should be implemented in final medical designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C8Q208C8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C8Q208C8 | EP2C8Q208C7N | EP2C8Q208C7 | EP2C8Q208I8N | EP2C8Q208I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208) | 208-BFQFP | 208-BFQFP | 208-BFQFP | 208-BFQFP | 208-BFQFP |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 |
| RAM Bits | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 |
| User I/O | 138 | 138 | 138 | 138 | 138 | 138 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | -40°C to 100°C (industrial) | -40°C to 100°C (industrial) |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C8 | C7 | C7 | C8 | C7 |
| Lead-Free Finish | Yes (N suffix) | No | Yes (N suffix) | No | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Standard C8 commercial speed grade balances cost and timing (vs EP2C8Q208C7N)
- Lead-free N finish supports RoHS-oriented assembly (vs EP2C8Q208C8)
- Commercial temperature range is enough for many indoor systems (vs EP2C8Q208I8N)
Design Notes
EP2C8Q208C8N requires a 1.2 V VCCINT supply and separate VCCIO supplies for each I/O bank. Place at least one 100 nF ceramic capacitor on every VCC and VCCIO pin, and add 10 uF bulk capacitance per supply rail. The exact number of power pins depends on the package pinout, so confirm the pin table in the Intel-Altera Cyclone II datasheet. Missing decoupling on VCCINT is a common cause of configuration failures and intermittent logic errors in Cyclone II designs.
Cyclone II is SRAM-based, so the EP2C8Q208C8N cannot operate standalone without a configuration device or host loading the bitstream. Connect MSEL pins according to the selected configuration scheme and verify nCONFIG, nSTATUS and CONF_DONE pull-ups/pull-downs. If the FPGA is configured through active serial mode, use an EPCS4SI8N or EPCS16SI8N configuration device and verify the serial clock pin routing. Forgetting these straps is a frequent root cause of 'blank FPGA' system failures.
The 208-BFQFP package has no exposed thermal pad, so heat is dissipated mainly through the lead frame and PCB copper. Estimated heat removal improves when the QFP ground pins connect to a continuous ground plane and when the surrounding PCB has top and bottom copper pours. Because the power consumption depends heavily on logic utilization and I/O switching, compute an estimated total power using the Quartus Power Analyzer and ensure that the junction temperature stays within the 0°C to 85°C commercial limit for the C8N version. Add forced airflow if the board runs at high utilization.
Compliance Information
The N suffix in EP2C8Q208C8N is normally used by Altera to indicate lead-free finish, but the verified web snippets do not explicitly state RoHS, REACH, halogen-free or conflict minerals certification status. Confirm with the product page RoHS/Compliance tab before procurement.
