EP3C120F780I7 - 119K LE Cyclone III FPGA 780-FBGA | Altera/Intel
MPN: EP3C120F780I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $795.79 | $795.79 |
| 10 | $740.1 | $7,401.00 |
| 100 | $685 | $68,500.00 |
| 500 | $645 | $322,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $610 | $610,000.00 |
EP3C120F780I7 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by a programmable interconnect matrix, surrounded by programmable I/O cells. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy (CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA) and are used to implement arbitrary digital circuits, from glue logic and bus bridges to high-throughput parallel DSP pipelines and soft-core microprocessors. Unlike a fixed ASIC, the function is defined by a user-supplied bitstream stored in external configuration memory.
Key features of the EP3C120F780I7 include up to 531 user I/O pins, 4 PLLs for clock management, dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers for DSP, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2/QDRII SRAM. The device family provides up to 288 embedded 9x9 multipliers and 4 Mbits of on-chip RAM, making it suitable for cost-sensitive mid-density designs. Configuration is supported via passive serial, fast passive parallel, active serial (EPCS), and JTAG modes.
Architecturally, the Cyclone III EP3C120 uses a logic-array-based fabric with row and column interconnect, 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs), and per-MLAB distributed memory. Process technology is TSMC 65 nm low-power CMOS with 1.2 V core supply, giving a favorable performance-per-watt ratio compared to earlier Cyclone II and Stratix generations. The 780-FBGA package uses a wire-bond die with a controlled-impedance substrate, supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards across 8 I/O banks.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and machine vision, video processing and display controllers, telecom line cards and baseband prototyping, low-cost software-defined radio, and PCI/PCI Express endpoint bridges. The wide operating temperature range also makes it attractive for military and aerospace subsystems where extended-temperature commercial-grade FPGAs are acceptable.
When designing with the EP3C120F780I7, plan configuration memory carefully: the uncompressed bitstream exceeds 25 Mbits, so a 64-Mbit EPCS or parallel flash is typically required. Use the Quartus II PowerPlay analyzer early to model thermal dissipation, and follow the Altera pin connection guidelines for unused I/O banks to avoid leakage. Decoupling should follow the Altera reference design with 100 nF plus 10 µF bulk capacitors per power pin pair.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives from the Cyclone III family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C120F780I7 — 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 EP3C120F780I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Configuration Modes, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C120F780C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$162 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C8NAE
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$162.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7NAD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$44.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7AD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$139 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 7,443 |
| Total Memory Bits | 3,981,312 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 288 |
| User I/O Pins | 531 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Internal Frequency | 472 MHz (max) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial, "I" grade) |
| Package | 780-ball FBGA (F780), 29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C120F780I7 780-ball fbga (f780), 29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C120F780I7 (780-ball fbga (f780), 29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch 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 EP3C120F780I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C120F780I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control & Drive, Video Processing & Display Controllers, Telecom Line Card & Protocol Bridging, Software-Defined Radio Baseband, PCI/PCI Express Endpoint Bridge, Machine Vision & Image Acquisition.
Industrial Motor Control & Drive
The EP3C120F780I7 fits industrial motor control because its 119,088 logic elements and 288 18x18 multipliers can implement multi-axis field-oriented control (FOC) loops, encoder feedback decoding, and PWM generation simultaneously. The 4 on-chip PLLs generate the switching-frequency clock and the resolver-excitation reference from a single 50 MHz crystal, eliminating external clock buffers. With 531 user I/Os the device interfaces directly to multi-channel ADCs for current sensing, to gate drivers via differential LVDS, and to industrial Ethernet MACs. The -40C to +100C industrial temperature grade allows deployment in uncooled cabinet locations.
Recommended
Video Processing & Display Controllers
The EP3C120F780I7 is well matched to mid-density video processing: 3,981,312 bits of embedded memory provide enough line buffers for 1080p60 color-space conversion and deinterlacing, while 288 18x18 multipliers accelerate scaling and sharpening filters in real time. The 531 I/Os support parallel RGB/CMOS camera input, HDMI/DVI TMDS links via LVDS, and BT.656/1120 display output. The 65 nm process keeps dynamic power manageable at 148.5 MHz pixel clocks, and the 4 PLLs generate independent video, audio, and memory clocks. Altera's VIP suite can drop pre-verified video IPs directly into the fabric.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card & Protocol Bridging
Telecom line cards need dense glue logic, multi-protocol bridging, and timing recovery, all of which the EP3C120F780I7 provides. The 119K logic elements can host 8-16 channelized T1/E1 framers plus an HDLC controller and a Utopia/Serial RapidIO bridge on a single device, replacing multiple CPLDs and ASICs. The 4 PLLs derive per-channel clocks from a Stratum-3 reference, and the 531 I/Os mate with HFR/Framer ICs through HSTL/SSTL interfaces. The industrial -40C to +100C temperature grade covers outdoor DSLAM and base-station mezzanine cards.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
Low-cost software-defined radio baseband designs map naturally onto the EP3C120F780I7: the 288 18x18 hardware multipliers implement digital down/up-conversion, channelization, and pulse-shaping filters, while the embedded memory holds coefficient banks for adaptive demodulation. The 4 PLLs derive sampling and IF clocks from a single TCXO. The 531 I/Os connect to dual ADCs/DACs over LVDS, to a host CPU via parallel or serial interface, and to front-panel status LEDs. The 65 nm low-power process gives favorable W/MHz for portable SDR and tactical-radio form factors.
Recommended
PCI/PCI Express Endpoint Bridge
The EP3C120F780I7 implements a single-lane PCI Express endpoint or a 64-bit/66 MHz PCI bridge with its 119K logic elements comfortably, leaving 60-70% utilization for user application logic on the bus-master side. The 4 PLLs generate the 100 MHz PCIe reference and the 66 MHz PCI clock from a common source. The 531 I/Os handle the 64-bit PCI/PCI-X data bus, JTAG, and local-bus glue to DSPs and memories. The industrial temperature range covers blade-server mezzanine cards in unconditioned environments.
Recommended
Machine Vision & Image Acquisition
Machine vision pipelines combining image preprocessing, color-space conversion, and feature extraction benefit from the EP3C120F780I7's 288 multipliers and 3.98 Mbits of block RAM. The 531 I/Os accept multi-lane Camera Link, MIPI-CSI-2 (with soft PHY), and parallel RGB sensor inputs at full throughput. The 4 PLLs generate the camera pixel clock, the processing clock, and an Ethernet-side clock for GigE Vision output. The -40C to +100C industrial grade supports factory-floor and outdoor inspection cameras. Altera's VIP and OpenCL SDKs accelerate image-pipeline development.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C120F780I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C120F780C7N | EP3C120F780C8N | EP3C120F780C8NAE | EP3C120F780C7NAD | EP3C120F780C7AD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm | 780-FBGA (F780) 29x29 mm |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 |
| Speed Grade | 7 | 7 | 8 (slower) | 8 (slower) | 7 | 7 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Extended -40C to +125C | Automotive -40C to +125C | Commercial automotive flow 0C to +85C |
| User I/O | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 | 531 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 288 | 288 | 288 | 288 | 288 | 288 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade -40C to +100C in 780-FBGA (vs EP3C120F780C7N)
- Faster speed grade 7 timing closure (vs EP3C120F780C8N)
- Highest-density Cyclone III member in 780-FBGA (vs EP3C120F484I7)
Design Notes
The EP3C120F780I7 requires multiple power rails: VCCINT 1.2 V for the core logic, VCCAUX 2.5 V for PLLs and configuration, VCCIO 1.2-3.3 V per I/O bank (8 banks), and VCCPD 3.3 V for the configuration I/O. Decoupling per the Altera Cyclone III reference design is 100 nF plus 10 µF bulk per power pin pair, with the placement within 50 mils of the BGA via. A bulk capacitor of 330 µF on VCCINT and 100 µF on VCCAUX is recommended to handle inrush during configuration.
The 780-ball FBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 29x29 mm substrate, requiring a 6-layer PCB minimum with microvia-in-pad or via-in-pad technology for the inner-row escape. Signal fanout should use the dog-bone pattern from the BGA break-out layer to a 4-mil trace/space inner layer, with the top and bottom reserved for component placement and a solid ground/power plane. Differential pair length matching for LVDS must be within ±10 mil, and DDR/2 interface traces need ±25 mil matching with fly-by topology.
Configuration mode pins MSEL[3:0] must be set to the correct mode (e.g., 0000 for active serial, 0100 for passive parallel) before power-up; the wrong setting will prevent configuration. The nCONFIG pin must be held low during power-up to abort any spurious configuration attempts. Unused I/O banks should be tied to VCCIO through a 10 kΩ resistor and VREF pins left floating, per the Altera pin connection guidelines. JTAG TCK should be pulled to ground through 1 kΩ if unused to avoid noise-induced configuration attempts.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera/Intel product marking; the I7 industrial temperature grade is not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive use, choose the EP3C120F780C7NAD AEC-Q100 screened variant. Halogen-free status is not explicitly published for this part number.
