EP3C120F780C8NAE - Cyclone III FPGA, 119K LE, 780-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP3C120F780C8NAE ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $252 | $2,520.00 |
| 100 | $215.5 | $21,550.00 |
| 500 | $188 | $94,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $162.4 | $162,400.00 |
EP3C120F780C8NAE Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose digital logic fabric, interconnect, and I/O behavior are defined by a user-supplied configuration bitstream rather than at the foundry. FPGAs occupy a tier above general-purpose microcontrollers for high-throughput parallel DSP, high-speed serial interfacing, and custom glue logic. Within Altera's (now Intel PSG) portfolio, the Cyclone III family sits between the low-cost Cyclone II and the higher-end Cyclone IV/Arria/Cyclone V families, combining a 65 nm TSMC process, M9K memory blocks, and embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP.
Key features of the EP3C120F780C8NAE include four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, up to 531 user I/O pins, support for external memory interfaces such as DDR, DDR2, and QDR II SRAM, dedicated LVDS channels, and a configuration scheme supporting JTAG, Active Serial (AS), Active Parallel (AP), and Passive Serial (PS) modes. The C8 speed grade places it in the moderate-performance tier, while the 'N' suffix confirms lead-free / Pb-free assembly and the 'AE' suffix denotes an alternate, enhanced or specific temperature-grade variant per Altera's ordering scheme.
Architecturally, the device integrates column- and row-based M9K memory blocks (9 Kbits each) totaling 3,981,312 bits, variable-precision DSP blocks that can be configured as 9x9, 18x18, or 36x36 multipliers, and a routing fabric engineered for predictable timing closure. The 780-FBGA FineLine BGA package provides a compact 29x29 mm footprint with 1.0 mm ball pitch, enabling dense board layouts while preserving signal-integrity headroom for LVDS and DDR signaling.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, software-defined radio, telecom line cards, test and measurement instrumentation, and embedded display controllers. The large logic and memory capacity also makes it suitable for ASIC prototyping and high-channel-count data acquisition front-ends. When designing with the EP3C120F780C8NAE, ensure the Quartus II / Quartus Prime toolchain is matched to the device family revision, and budget for the device's 1.0 V core supply plus separate PLL and I/O bank voltages; the FBGA's 0.4 W typical static power should be validated against the system's thermal envelope.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and design considerations not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, helping engineers verify availability, choose compatible substitutes, and accelerate board bring-up.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C120F780C8NAE — 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 EP3C120F780C8NAE (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Configuration Modes, Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C120F780C8N
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View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7N
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$162 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7AD
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$139 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7NAD
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$44.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C8N
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View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C8NAE Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,981,312 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 531 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 531 |
| Speed Grade | 8 (commercial) |
| Package | 780-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Package Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Package Size | 29 x 29 mm |
| Process Node | 65 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V (typ) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, AS, AP, PS |
| RoHS Status | Pb-free (lead-free per 'N' suffix) |
| Memory Interfaces | DDR, DDR2, QDR II SRAM |
EP3C120F780C8NAE 29 x 29 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C120F780C8NAE (29 x 29 mm 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 EP3C120F780C8NAE.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C120F780C8NAE is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing and Image Pipeline, Software Defined Radio (SDR), Telecom Line Card and Baseband Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C120F780C8NAE fits industrial motor control because its 119,088 logic elements and 531 18x18 hardware multipliers can simultaneously handle field-oriented control (FOC) loops, encoder interfaces, and safety logic on a single device. The four PLLs generate precisely phased PWM carriers and sample clocks for ADC feedback, while the 3,981,312 bits of M9K memory buffer per-cycle current and voltage samples without starving the DSP pipeline. In servo drives and AC inverter designs, this part replaces multiple MCUs and a separate DSP, reducing BOM and BOM risk. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C) and 65 nm low-static-power process allow deployment in factory-floor enclosures without active heatsinking at moderate switching frequencies.
Recommended
Video Processing and Image Pipeline
Cyclone III is widely used for video bridging, scaling, and overlay. The 531 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate color-space conversion (YUV/RGB), deinterlacing, and resampling kernels that would otherwise starve a CPU. The 3,981,312-bit memory array provides line buffers and frame-delay FIFOs supporting HD resolutions at common refresh rates. LVDS and DDR2 external memory interfaces supported by the EP3C120F780C8NAE connect directly to image sensors, HDMI bridges, and SDRAM frame stores. The 780-FBGA's 531 user I/Os allow simultaneous exposure to parallel camera interfaces, BT.656/1120 buses, and display panel links, making the part a practical choice for broadcast and pro-AV equipment.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR)
The Cyclone III EP3C120F780C8NAE's 119K logic elements and 531 dedicated 18x18 multipliers comfortably implement wideband digital down/up-conversion, FIR pulse-shaping filters, and channelization for narrowband and wideband SDR front-ends. The four PLLs derive sample clocks locked to ADC/DAC references, while LVDS pairs support high-speed ADC data capture. M9K memory buffers decimate-and-process sample bursts without external SRAM for many narrowband waveforms. Cyclone III's low static power makes it attractive for portable and vehicular SDR, and the F780 BGA's signal-integrity headroom preserves timing margins on multi-hundred-MHz LVDS buses feeding the FPGA.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card and Baseband Processing
The EP3C120F780C8NAE is well suited to telecom line cards where it implements CPRI / OBSAI framer logic, channel aggregation, and protocol bridging for small-cell and picocell base stations. Its 531 18x18 multipliers and ample M9K memory handle turbo-decoder and FFT accelerators needed in LTE PHY chains, while 4 PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for backhaul Ethernet and radio interfaces. DDR2 controller IP from Altera/Intel interfaces directly to commodity memories, and the 780-ball BGA's high I/O count exposes many SERDES-like LVDS lanes for backplane interconnect. Industrial temperature grade and Pb-free assembly qualify it for carrier-grade equipment.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
In bench-top and modular test equipment, the EP3C120F780C8NAE acts as a high-speed acquisition controller: it captures LVDS ADC data, performs real-time decimation and triggering in logic, and forwards results over USB 3.0 or Ethernet. The 119K logic elements implement state machines and trigger logic; the 3,981,312-bit memory array stores pre-trigger sample histories; and the 531 user I/Os accept dozens of analog front-end channels. The 65 nm low-power process keeps channel-count expansion within thermal envelopes of compact PXI and LXI modules, while JTAG/AS configuration support simplifies factory programming and field firmware updates.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
ASIC prototyping demands high logic density, abundant memory, and high I/O for multi-FPGA partitioning - all delivered by the EP3C120F780C8NAE. The 119,088 LEs map mid-complexity ASIC RTL, the 531 multipliers accelerate DSP blocks, and the 531 user I/Os drive high-pin-count daughter-card interconnect. Multiple EP3C120F780 parts can be tiled with LVDS multi-Gbps links for larger ASIC emulation. The 780-ball FineLine BGA's 1.0 mm pitch supports dense prototype boards, and Quartus II/Prime synthesis flows provide ASIC-friendly timing constraints. Cost-per-prototype is reasonable since Cyclone III is mature and widely available on the secondary market.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C120F780C8NAE — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C120F780C8N | EP3C120F780C7N | EP3C120F780C7AD | EP3C120F780C7NAD | EP3C120F780C8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FBGA (F780) | 780-ball FBGA - same | 780-ball FBGA - same | 780-ball FBGA - same | 780-ball FBGA - same | 780-ball FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 |
| Speed Grade | C8 (commercial) | C8 | C7 (slower) | C7 (slower) | C7 (slower) | C8 |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (Pb-free, N suffix) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | No (non-N) |
| AE / AD Suffix Variant | AE suffix present | No AE suffix | No AD suffix | AD suffix | AD suffix | No suffix |
Key Differentiators
- Top-of-family Cyclone III density with 119K LEs and 3.98 Mbit memory (vs EP3C55F780C8N (lower-density Cyclone III))
- Same-package speed-grade flexibility via drop-in C6/C7 variants (vs EP3C120F780C6N (faster grade))
- AE suffix variant for qualification-specific builds (vs EP3C120F780C8N (standard variant))
Design Notes
Estimated: Cyclone III EP3C120F780C8NAE core supply is nominally 1.2 V. With typical static power around 0.4 W and dynamic power dominated by toggle rate and clock tree loading, designers should budget 2-5 W total board power including PLL analog and I/O bank supplies. Provide separate decoupling (1uF + 0.1uF per supply pin) close to the FBGA balls, and use a star-ground topology for PLL analog VCC to minimize jitter.
The 780-ball FBGA at 1.0 mm pitch requires 4-6 layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad for reliable BGA breakout. Keep all BGA decoupling on the top layer, fan out signal traces on inner layers with 50 ohm controlled impedance for LVDS and DDR2 routing. Match length within +/- 50 mil for DDR2 byte lanes; route differential pairs to within 5 mil tolerance for LVDS. Reference plane continuity under the BGA is critical - avoid splits in adjacent power/ground planes.
Estimated: at 1.2 V core with 0.4 W static plus 3 W dynamic, total dissipation is roughly 3.4 W. With the F780 FBGA's theta_JA of about 15-20 C/W (depends on PCB copper), junction temperature rise is approximately 50-70 C above ambient. For industrial 85 C ambient operation, the device must stay under 100 C Tj; provide thermal vias to inner copper planes and adequate airflow in sealed enclosures.
Do not assume the AE suffix is interchangeable with non-AE variants without verifying the device variant table in the Cyclone III datasheet ordering information. Confirm configuration mode pin strapping resistors match the chosen mode (AS/AP/PS/JTAG) before board bring-up, and ensure the configuration flash (e.g., EPCS device) voltage matches VCCIO of the configuration bank. Misconfigured VCCIO is the most common cause of Quartus AS configuration failures on Cyclone III boards.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per N (Pb-free) suffix. Industrial operating temperature range -40C to +85C. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is an FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC; AEC-Q100 not applicable.
