EP2C8T144C8 - Cyclone II FPGA, 8K LEs, 144-TQFP | Intel
MPN: EP2C8T144C8 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.8 | $2,880.00 |
| 500 | $24.5 | $12,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.6 | $21,600.00 |
EP2C8T144C8 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and embedded memory that engineers can re-program in-system to implement arbitrary digital functions. The Cyclone II family sits in the low-cost FPGA tier of the Intel product portfolio, below the high-performance Stratix series and the low-power MAX series, targeting cost-sensitive applications where unit cost and design simplicity outweigh raw logic density. FPGAs differ from microcontrollers in that logic is implemented in parallel hardware rather than sequential firmware, providing deterministic timing and high I/O throughput.
Key feature highlights include 8,256 LEs, 36 M4K (4 Kbit) RAM blocks totaling 165,888 RAM bits, up to 18 embedded 18 x 18 multipliers, two PLLs for clock management, and configuration via passive serial (PS), fast passive parallel (FPP), or Altera configuration devices such as EPCS series flash. The TQFP-144 package is offered in commercial (0C to +85C junction) and industrial (-40C to +100C ambient) variants; the 'C8' suffix denotes commercial temperature range with the medium-fast speed grade.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, low-cost video processing, education and development kits, consumer display controllers, and prototyping bridges for ASIC emulation. Designers select Cyclone II when they need more parallel logic or I/O bandwidth than a microcontroller can provide but want to avoid the PCB complexity of fine-pitch BGA packages. Quartus II Web Edition software (legacy, replaced by Quartus Prime Lite for newer device families) supports full synthesis, place-and-route, and JTAG programming for Cyclone II designs.
When designing with Cyclone II, observe that core 1.2 V must be generated from an external regulator, JTAG pinout follows IEEE 1149.1, and unused I/O pins should be configured as tri-stated inputs with weak pull-ups to avoid floating-node contention. The 90 nm process has higher static leakage than modern 28/14 nm FPGAs, so thermal management matters more in enclosed industrial housings. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the Cyclone II family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2C8T144C8 — 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 EP2C8T144C8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2C8T144C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$41.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$20.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$14.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$28.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144I8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$17.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144I8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$21.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C5T144C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$19.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2C8T144C8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone II |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 8,256 |
| Total RAM Bits | 165,888 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | Up to 18 |
| User I/O Pins | 85 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V (typical) |
| Package | 144-pin TQFP (TQFP-144) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial, 'C8' grade) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Configuration Modes | Passive Serial (PS), Fast Passive Parallel (FPP), JTAG |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2C8T144C8 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 7 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 11 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 12 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 21 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 23 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 24 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 27 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 28 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 29 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage |
| Pin 30 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 33 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 34 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 36 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 37 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 38 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 39 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 40 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 41 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 42 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 43 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 44 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 45 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 46 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 47 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 48 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 49 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 51 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 52 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 53 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 54 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 55 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 56 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 57 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 58 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 60 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 61 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage |
| Pin 62 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 63 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 66 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 67 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 69 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 71 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 72 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 74 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 75 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 77 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 78 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 80 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 81 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 82 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 83 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage |
| Pin 84 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 3) |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 87 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 89 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 90 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 92 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 93 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage |
| Pin 94 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 95 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 96 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 97 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 98 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 99 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 100 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 101 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 102 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 103 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 104 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 105 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 106 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 109 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 110 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 111 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 112 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 115 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 117 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 4) |
| Pin 118 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin 119 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 120 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 121 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 122 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin 123 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 124 | nCE — Chip Enable (active low) |
| Pin 125 | nCONFIG — Configuration start (active low) |
| Pin 126 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin 127 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done (open drain) |
| Pin 128 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select bit 0 |
| Pin 129 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select bit 1 |
| Pin 130 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 131 | DCLK — Configuration clock (PS/FPP mode) |
| Pin 132 | DATA0 — Configuration data input bit 0 |
| Pin 133 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 134 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 135 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 136 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 137 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 138 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 139 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 140 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin 141 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 142 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 143 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 144 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
Typical Applications
EP2C8T144C8 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Frame Buffer / Display Controller, University / Educational Digital-Logic Lab, ASIC Prototyping / Logic Replacement, Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Aggregation, Communications Protocol Bridge, Low-Cost Digital Signal Processing.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP2C8T144C8 fits industrial motor-control boards where 8,256 logic elements handle encoder quadrature decoding, Hall-sensor input conditioning, and field-oriented control (FOC) state machines concurrently. Its two embedded PLLs generate the 50 kHz PWM switching frequency and the 10 MHz encoder sampling clock from a single 50 MHz crystal, eliminating extra timing components. The 85 user I/Os route 3-phase PWM outputs, 6-7 servo encoder channels, and CAN/RS-485 transceivers without external mux ICs, while the 18x18 multipliers accelerate Clarke/Park transforms in hardware instead of software. The TQFP-144 footprint allows hand-reworkable assembly for low-volume industrial OEM batches.
Recommended
Video Frame Buffer / Display Controller
The EP2C8T144C8's 165,888 embedded RAM bits (36 M4K blocks) are sufficient for dual-port line buffering of VGA 640x480@60Hz streams (307 KB) or partial QVGA 320x240 buffering in 24-bit color. Designers implement a VGA-to-LVDS bridge or OSD overlay in the 8,256 logic elements, with the I/O driving HSYNC/VSYNC and 24-bit RGB directly from the LVCMOS33 pins. Two PLLs generate the 25 MHz pixel clock and a 2x oversampled clock for edge alignment, while 18 multipliers enable simple image scaling and gamma correction without an external DSP. The TQFP-144 pin count exposes full 24-bit color plus sync and control lines without bus multiplexing.
Recommended
University / Educational Digital-Logic Lab
The Cyclone II EP2C8T144C8 with 8,256 LEs provides students with enough capacity to implement entire RISC-V cores, VGA drivers, and audio processing chains within a single semester project. Its TQFP-144 package solders easily onto lab dev boards with 0.5 mm pitch pads and can be reworked with a hot-air station when student projects release magic smoke. The well-documented Quartus II Web Edition toolchain (free download) supports Verilog, VHDL, and schematic entry with built-in simulation, making it accessible to undergraduates. The 1.2 V core regulator and JTAG programming via USB-Blaster simplify lab PSU and programmer provisioning.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping / Logic Replacement
Designers use the EP2C8T144C8 to prototype ASIC functionality before committing to mask costs, taking advantage of 18 embedded multipliers and 165 KB RAM to model DSP and buffer subsystems. The 85 I/Os at LVCMOS33 interface directly with legacy ASIC pads, and TQFP-144 footprint allows quick breadboard iterations with through-hole adapters. The 1.2 V core regulator can be powered from a bench supply, and the JTAG port allows in-system reconfiguration within seconds to validate RTL changes. For ASIC emulators, multiple EP2C8 boards are daisy-chained via expansion headers to build larger logic capacity.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Aggregation
The EP2C8T144C8 aggregates 5-15 discrete 74-series logic ICs into a single programmable device, reducing PCB area by 50-70% in legacy industrial controllers facing component obsolescence. Engineers port existing discrete-logic schematics into Verilog or VHDL and compile them into the 8K LEs, with the 85 I/Os replacing up to 30 discrete gates per IO bank. The two PLLs replace external clock-distribution buffers, while the embedded 36 multipliers cover CRC and Manchester encoding tasks. Industrial temperature variants (EP2C8T144I8N) are pin-compatible for harsh-environment deployments.
Recommended
Communications Protocol Bridge
In protocol-bridge applications, the EP2C8T144C8 implements UART/SPI/I2C to CAN or Modbus conversion, with 18x18 multipliers handling CRC16/CRC32 calculation at wire speed. The 85 I/Os expose up to 4 UART channels, 3 SPI masters, 2 I2C buses, and 2 CAN controllers concurrently, replacing a microcontroller plus 3-4 external bus-expanders. The two PLLs generate independent baud-rate clocks for each interface from a single 50 MHz reference, and the 165 KB RAM buffers messages between asynchronous buses. TQFP-144 fits into standard 4-layer industrial PCBs with hand-reworkable assembly.
Recommended
Low-Cost Digital Signal Processing
The 18 embedded 18x18 multipliers in the EP2C8T144C8 deliver up to 1.1 GMAC throughput at 250 MHz, enough for FIR filters, FFT radix-2 butterflies, and DCT transforms in audio and image preprocessing. Designers pair the multipliers with the 36 M4K RAM blocks for coefficient storage and sample buffers, achieving 16-tap FIR at 50 MSPS in a single device. Two PLLs generate the required 50-250 MHz DSP clock and the 48 kHz audio rate from a master oscillator. The 85 I/Os accept parallel ADC data and output processed streams to DACs without an intermediate ASIC.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2C8T144C8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2C8T144C8N | EP2C8T144C7N | EP2C8T144C6N | EP2C8T144I8N | EP2C5T144C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | TQFP-144 | TQFP-144 - same | TQFP-144 - same | TQFP-144 - same | TQFP-144 - same | TQFP-144 - same |
| Logic Elements | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 8,256 | 4,608 |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C8 | C7 (faster) | C6 (fastest) | I8 (industrial) | C8 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial |
| User I/O Count | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 89 (more I/O with same LE count) |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 165,888 | 119,808 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 13 |
| Approx Unit Price (qty 100) | ~$28.80 USD | ~$28.80 USD | ~$33.00 USD | ~$38.00 USD | ~$45.00 USD | ~$22.00 USD |
Key Differentiators
- Combined 8,256 LEs + 18 multipliers + 85 user I/Os in TQFP-144 (vs EP2C5T144C8N)
- Same TQFP-144 package across the entire Cyclone II family (vs EP2C8F256C8N (BGA-256))
- C8 speed grade optimized for industrial temperature operation (vs EP2C8T144I8N)
Design Notes
The EP2C8T144C8 requires three separate supply rails: VCCINT (1.2 V core, +/-5% tolerance), VCCIO1-4 (1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V per bank), and VCCA_PLL (1.2 V analog PLL supply). Each rail must be decoupled with 0.1 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 0.25 inch of the respective supply pin, plus 100 uF bulk capacitors on each rail near the package. Use a low-noise LDO such as LT3021 or TPS7A45 for VCCA_PLL to minimize PLL jitter. Power-on sequencing is not strictly required but is recommended: VCCINT before VCCIO to avoid I/O driver latch-up.
Estimated: at 25C ambient with all 8,256 LEs switching at 50% toggle rate, the EP2C8T144C8 dissipates approximately 0.6-0.9 W. The TQFP-144 package has theta_JA around 28 C/W with standard JEDEC 4-layer test PCB, yielding a junction temperature rise of 17-25C above ambient. For enclosed industrial housings above 50C ambient, use a top-side copper heatsink or thermal vias to a bottom-side ground pour. Active cooling (fan) is generally not required at C8 speed grade.
The TQFP-144 package uses 0.5 mm pitch leads; PCB design rules require 0.2 mm trace width and 0.15 mm trace clearance. Place all VCCINT decoupling capacitors on the same side as the FPGA within 5 mm of the supply pins. Use a continuous ground plane on layer 2 with via stitching every 25 mm around the FPGA perimeter. JTAG chain signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) should be routed with 50 ohm controlled impedance and length-matched within 25 mm to avoid boundary-scan issues.
Do not exceed 1.26 V on VCCINT - permanent damage occurs above 1.4 V. Unused I/O pins must be configured in the Quartus II assignment as 'tri-stated input with weak pull-up' to avoid floating-node leakage. Do not hot-swap power supplies - the Cyclone II lacks hot-swap tolerance. The MSEL[1:0] pins must match the desired configuration mode (00 = AS, 01 = PS, 10 = FPP) or configuration will fail silently. Always include a 10 kohm pull-up on nCONFIG and CONF_DONE for reliable startup.
Compliance Information
EP2C8T144C8 (without N suffix) is original Pb-bearing assembly per Intel ordering code conventions. For RoHS compliance, use EP2C8T144C8N variant. AEC-Q100 not applicable for non-automotive FPGA grade.
