EP2S30F672C3N - 33,880 LEs Stratix II FPGA, 672-FBGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP2S30F672C3N β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $95 | $95.00 |
| 10 | $82.5 | $825.00 |
| 100 | $71 | $7,100.00 |
| 500 | $62.5 | $31,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $55 | $55,000.00 |
EP2S30F672C3N Overview
An FPGA is a programmable logic device that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital circuits - combinational logic, state machines, multipliers, and full microprocessors - by configuring an on-chip array of look-up tables, block RAM, DSP blocks, and routing. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, FPGAs sit alongside CPUs and ASICs as the three principal ways to realize digital hardware: ASICs are lowest-cost at high volume but have high NRE and long lead times; CPUs are fully programmable but limited in throughput; FPGAs offer hardware-level parallelism with no NRE and re-programmability. The Stratix II family is positioned for high-density, high-performance applications such as telecommunications, ASIC prototyping, and high-speed signal processing.
Key features of the EP2S30F672C3N include 33,880 LEs for general logic, 1,369,728 bits of embedded RAM for buffers and FIFOs, embedded DSP blocks (typical Stratix II count in this density is up to ~64 18x18 multipliers), and flexible I/O support including LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, and SSTL standards. The device also integrates high-speed transceivers and a hard PCI Express core on certain speed grades, making it attractive for protocol bridging and high-bandwidth interface applications. Compared with smaller Cyclone II parts, the EP2S30F672C3N offers roughly four times the logic capacity and significantly more block memory, at the cost of higher power and a larger 672-ball FBGA footprint (27 mm body typical).
Architecturally, the Stratix II uses Altera's adaptive logic modules (ALMs) - 8-input fracturable LUTs that can be split into smaller functions to improve utilization - feeding into a multi-tier routing fabric with dedicated high-speed paths for clocks and reset distribution. The 90 nm process and 1.2 V core deliver a favorable performance-per-watt ratio for the era, while on-chip PLLs synthesize user-configurable clocks from a single reference.
Typical applications include high-speed digital signal processing (radar baseband, software-defined radio baseband), telecommunications line cards (SONET/SDH framers, Ethernet MAC aggregation), ASIC prototyping for SoC validation, video broadcast equipment (HD/3G-SDI multiplexing), and military/aerospace image processing. The large embedded memory count makes it suitable for deep packet buffering, while the rich DSP blocks accelerate FFTs and channelization.
When designing with the EP2S30F672C3N, plan a multi-layer PCB (typically 8+ layers) to fan out the 672-ball FBGA and provide clean planes for the 1.2 V core and PLL supplies. Decoupling must follow Altera's Stratix II pin connection guidelines (PDF: pin connection guidelines) - every VCCINT/VCCIO pin requires a low-ESR decoupling capacitor placed within 100 mils of the ball. Configure unused I/O pins per the device handbook to minimize leakage and crosstalk, and plan JTAG access for in-system programming and debug.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in equivalents from the Stratix II family and adjacent Altera FPGA families, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer handbook.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2S30F672C3N β 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 EP2S30F672C3N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Speed Grade, Package, Operating Temperature, Total RAM Bits, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2S30F672C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$450 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S30F672C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$121 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S30F672C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$780 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S15F672C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$142.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S30F672C3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II |
| Number of Logic Elements (LEs) | 33,880 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,694 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 1,369,728 |
| Embedded Memory (Kbits) | 500 Kbits |
| Number of I/Os | 500 |
| Number of Outputs | 492 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 816.99 MHz (per published spec) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial ("C") |
| Speed Grade | 3 |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Pb-free (suffix "N") |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2S30F672C3N Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | VCCINT β Core 1.2 V supply |
| Pin B2 | GND β Ground reference |
| Pin C3 | I/O Bank 1 β User I/O - LVDS/LVCMOS/SSTL |
| Pin D4 | I/O Bank 2 β User I/O - LVDS/LVCMOS/SSTL |
| Pin E5 | TCK β JTAG clock |
| Pin F6 | TMS β JTAG mode select |
| Pin G7 | TDO β JTAG data out |
| Pin H8 | TDI β JTAG data in |
| Pin J9 | nCONFIG β Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin K10 | nSTATUS β Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin L11 | CONF_DONE β Configuration done (open drain) |
| Pin M12 | MSEL0 β Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin N13 | MSEL1 β Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin P14 | CLK0 β Primary clock input 0 |
| Pin R15 | CLK1 β Primary clock input 1 |
| Pin T16 | VCCIO1 β I/O bank 1 reference supply |
Typical Applications
EP2S30F672C3N is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Digital Signal Processing, Telecom Line Card / Protocol Bridging, ASIC Prototyping for SoC Validation, HD/3G-SDI Video Broadcast Equipment, Industrial Control and Machine Vision, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Digital Signal Processing
The EP2S30F672C3N fits high-speed digital signal processing (DSP) workloads such as FFT engines, channelizers, and radar baseband preprocessing. With 33,880 logic elements and Stratix II's embedded DSP blocks (typically dozens of 18x18 multipliers in this density), the device can implement FIR filters and FFTs directly in fabric, sustaining throughputs not achievable on general-purpose microcontrollers. The 816 MHz-class Fmax and 1,369,728 bits of embedded RAM (500 Kbits) provide the bandwidth headroom needed for parallel sample streams. Designers pair it with external ADCs and DACs on LVDS or LVCMOS links, configure the FPGA via JTAG after PCB bring-up, and use the on-chip PLLs to derive multiple synchronized clocks. Trade-offs: power dissipation scales with logic utilization and clock rate, so a well-designed thermal envelope and clean 1.2 V core supply are essential.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card / Protocol Bridging
In telecommunications infrastructure, the EP2S30F672C3N serves as a line-card aggregation device bridging SONET/SDH framers, Ethernet MACs, and tributary mappers. The 500 user I/Os and LVDS/LVCMOS/SSTL I/O standards support direct connection to multiple SFP cages, framers, and backplane SERDES without external glue logic. Stratix II's hard PCI Express core (available in select variants) and embedded transceivers reduce external PHY count, simplifying board layout. The 672-ball FBGA provides ample I/O headroom for future feature expansion without requiring a footprint change. Designers typically instantiate multi-channel packet classifiers and traffic shapers in fabric, using the embedded RAM as deep FIFO buffers. Trade-off: the FBGA requires a multi-layer PCB (8+ layers) and tight decoupling; consider migration to Stratix IV for newer production builds.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping for SoC Validation
ASIC prototyping is a textbook application for the EP2S30F672C3N. The 33,880 logic elements accommodate substantial ASIC blocks - on the order of 5-10 million ASIC gates depending on utilization - enabling pre-silicon validation of SoC designs before committing to fab. The large embedded RAM (500 Kbits) supports system-level simulation and traffic generation, while the rich clock network and PLLs allow emulating multiple ASIC clock domains. Altera's Quartus II synthesis tools offer ASIC-friendly flows with area/performance trade-offs. Design teams partition the ASIC RTL across one or multiple Stratix II FPGAs using Time Borrowing or pin-multiplexing to handle pin-count overflows. Trade-off: timing closure across FPGA boundaries in multi-FPGA setups requires careful floorplanning and manual pipelining.
Recommended
HD/3G-SDI Video Broadcast Equipment
Broadcast video equipment such as HD-SDI / 3G-SDI routers, multiviewers, and format converters leverages the EP2S30F672C3N's high logic density and abundant embedded memory to handle real-time video processing. Each 3G-SDI stream consumes 3 Gbps of serial bandwidth, and a multiviewer processing 8-16 inputs requires substantial parallel fabric to perform scaling, color-space conversion, and overlay composition. Stratix II's LVDS I/O supports direct connection to SDI cable equalizers and drivers, and the device's embedded transceivers (where available) eliminate external PHYs. The 1,369,728-bit embedded RAM acts as line and frame buffers for de-interlacing and scaling. Designers typically integrate the SMPTE 259M/292M/424M physical layer and protocol stack in fabric. Trade-off: thermal management requires a heatsink or airflow at 90 nm power levels; consider Cyclone IV GX for lower-power broadcast designs.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Machine Vision
Industrial control and machine-vision systems use the EP2S30F672C3N to combine multiple Camera Link or GigE Vision camera interfaces with real-time image processing on a single programmable device. The FPGA aggregates pixel streams from several cameras, performs preprocessing (flat-field correction, Bayer demosaic, edge detection), and forwards results to a host CPU over PCI Express or Gigabit Ethernet. With 500 user I/Os, the device supports parallel Camera Link base/medium/full configurations plus general-purpose GPIO for PLC integration. The rich embedded DSP blocks accelerate convolution and morphological operations, while the 500 Kbits of embedded RAM buffer line-scan or area-scan frames. Designers harden critical loops in hardware (real-time triggers, deterministic latency) and run slower logic in soft processors (Nios II). Trade-off: industrial deployments often require an industrial-temperature (-40 to +85 C) variant; the C3N is commercial grade only.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Test and measurement instruments such as logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and arbitrary waveform generators leverage the EP2S30F672C3N's programmable fabric for trace capture, protocol decoding, and stimulus generation. The 500 user I/Os and high-speed LVDS support multi-channel sampling at hundreds of megahertz, while the 500 Kbits of embedded RAM provide deep capture buffers per channel. Logic analyzer designs use the FPGA to compress and time-stamp transitions in real time, then stream summaries to a host. In protocol analyzers (USB, PCIe, I2C, SPI, etc.), the FPGA implements both physical-layer capture and protocol-state decoding. The 1.2 V core and 90 nm process deliver a favorable performance-per-watt at the high fanout required by multi-channel probing. Trade-off: BGA fanout and signal integrity demand a high-layer-count PCB and controlled-impedance stack-up; engineers should budget for SI/PI simulation early.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2S30F672C3N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2S30F672C5N | EP2S30F672C4N | EP2S30F672C3 | EP2S15F672C3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera (Intel FPGA) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 33,880 LEs | 33,880 LEs | 33,880 LEs | 33,880 LEs | ~15,480 LEs (-54%) |
| Embedded Memory | 500 Kbits (1,369,728 bits) | 500 Kbits | 500 Kbits | 500 Kbits | ~420 Kbits (-16%) |
| Speed Grade | 3 | 5 (faster) | 4 (intermediate) | 3 (same) | 3 (same) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (C) | Commercial (C) | Commercial (C) | Commercial (C) | Commercial (C) |
| Lead Finish | Pb-free (N) | Pb-free (N) | Pb-free (N) | Leaded (no N) | Pb-free (N) |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade -5 within the Stratix II 30K-LE family at the same footprint (vs EP2S30F672C5N)
- Pb-free lead finish vs leaded finish (vs EP2S30F672C3)
- Full 33,880-LE density vs half-density option in the same 672-BGA (vs EP2S15F672C3N)
Design Notes
The 672-ball FineLine BGA requires an 8+ layer PCB stack-up with microvia escape or via-in-pad for the inner-row balls. Estimated stack-up: top signal, ground, signal 1V2 core power, ground, signal, IO voltage planes (one per bank), ground, bottom signal. Use 50 ohm controlled-impedance traces for LVDS/PCIe links. Allow 0.2 mm pitch escapes with 0.4 mm microvias. Decoupling: every VCCINT and VCCIO ball needs a 0.1 uF and 10 uF decoupling pair placed within 100 mils of the ball per the Stratix II pin connection guidelines.
Estimated: at 90 nm process and 1.2 V core, a fully utilized EP2S30F672C3N draws 3-5 W depending on toggle rate and I/O activity. Stratix II thermal resistance (theta_JA) for the 672-ball FBGA is approximately 18-22 C/W on a 1 oz 8-layer PCB (per Altera thermal characterization). Estimated junction-temperature rise is therefore ~50-110 C above ambient at full load - mandate a heatsink or 200 LFM airflow at >70 C ambient. Industrial-temperature variants (-40 to +85 C) require stricter thermal design.
Avoid these Stratix II pitfalls: (1) Do not leave unused I/O pins floating - configure them per the device handbook (input tri-stated with weak pull-up) to minimize leakage and crosstalk; (2) MSEL pins must be tied per configuration mode (AS, AP, FPP, JTAG) - wrong settings cause configuration failure; (3) The 1.2 V VCCINT must use a switching regulator with +/-30 mV tolerance and load-step slew rate matching the FPGA's configuration inrush (several amps in microseconds); (4) CLK[0..15] clock inputs are sensitive to duty-cycle distortion - use LVDS or LVPECL reference clocks, not LVCMOS, for high-frequency designs.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance inferred from "N" Pb-free suffix per Altera part-numbering convention. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGAs are not automotive-qualified in this family). Halogen-free and conflict-mineral status not stated in verified web data - set to unknown.