EP3C55F484C7N - Cyclone III FPGA, 55K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C55F484C7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $79.36 | $79.36 |
| 10 | $72.5 | $725.00 |
| 100 | $65.2 | $6,520.00 |
| 500 | $58.4 | $29,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $52.75 | $52,750.00 |
EP3C55F484C7N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by a programmable interconnect fabric. FPGAs sit above microcontrollers and fixed-function ASICs in the programmable logic hierarchy: microcontrollers run sequential firmware, ASICs are hard-wired for one function, while FPGAs deliver hardware-level parallelism and can be reconfigured in-system to implement custom digital signal processing, glue logic, control planes, and high-speed bus interfaces. The Cyclone III family is positioned by Intel as the lowest-power FPGA family of its generation, optimized for cost-sensitive, high-volume applications.
Key features of the EP3C55F484C7N include 4 transceivers absent (no high-speed serial transceivers - digital I/O only), 156 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP blocks, dedicated hardware for memory controllers and PLL clock management, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR, DDR2, and QDRII SRAM. The device is built on TSMC's low-power 60 nm process, achieving substantially lower static and dynamic power than the prior Cyclone II generation. Embedded RAM is distributed as true dual-port M9K blocks totalling 2.4 Mbits, ideal for FIFO buffers, register files, and small lookup tables.
The Cyclone III architecture provides DSP blocks, embedded multipliers, and dual-port block RAM tightly coupled to the logic array, enabling efficient implementation of video processing pipelines, motor control loops, and protocol bridging. Configuration is supported through JTAG, Active Serial (AS), Active Parallel (AP), and Passive Serial (PS) modes with built-in decompression and decryption using AES-256. The device is supported by the Quartus II design toolchain.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and PLC logic, video surveillance image processing, machine vision front-ends, telecom protocol bridging, low-cost ASIC prototyping, and embedded display controllers. Designers choose Cyclone III when they need FPGA-class logic density and DSP performance at a unit cost below larger families such as Stratix, while still benefiting from hardened memory controllers and PLL.
When designing with the EP3C55F484C7N, allocate dedicated VCCINT, VCCA, VCCD_PLL, and VCCIO bank supplies with sufficient decoupling - each bank can operate at a different I/O standard voltage (1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.0V, 3.3V LVTTL/LVCMOS). A multi-rail power-on sequence (VCCINT first, then VCCA, then VCCIO) is recommended for in-system programming reliability.
This page consolidates current distributor pricing, drop-in FPGA alternatives in the 484-FBGA footprint, and practical design notes beyond the manufacturer datasheet to accelerate Cyclone III part selection and supply chain decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C55F484C7N — 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 EP3C55F484C7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Embedded 18x18 Multipliers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C55F484C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$148.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$222 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$264 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C80F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$306.54 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$118.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$185 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements | 55,856 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,396,160 |
| Maximum User I/O | 327 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 3,491 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 156 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Package | 484-FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm TSMC low-power |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, AS, AP, PS |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Supply Voltage | 1.2 V core (VCCINT) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C55F484C7N 484-fbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C55F484C7N (484-fbga (fineline bga) 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 EP3C55F484C7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C55F484C7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and PLC Logic, Video Surveillance Image Processing, Telecom Protocol Bridging and TDM Switching, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Embedded Display Controllers and Touch HMI, Medical Imaging Front-End Processing.
Industrial Motor Control and PLC Logic
The EP3C55F484C7N's 55,856 logic elements and 156 dedicated 18x18 multipliers make it well-suited for industrial motor control and PLC logic consolidation. Its 4 PLLs and 20 global clock networks support multi-axis field-oriented control (FOC) loops running at 10-50 kHz PWM switching frequencies, while the 2.4 Mbits of M9K embedded memory provides deterministic latency for capture registers. The 484-FBGA package's 327 user I/O pins are sufficient to drive multiple encoder interfaces, digital I/O banks, and EtherCAT or PROFINET side-band signals. Compared to a discrete microcontroller + logic array solution, the EP3C55F484C7N consolidates glue logic, encoder capture, and PWM generation into one reconfigurable device.
Recommended
Video Surveillance Image Processing
The EP3C55F484C7N is widely used in mid-channel-count video surveillance recorders (DVR/NVR) for image preprocessing, motion detection, and H.264 encoding assist. Its 156 embedded 18x18 multipliers accelerate DCT and SAD computations at video frame rates, while 312 M9K blocks enable line buffers for up to 1080p60 video streams without external SDRAM for buffer storage. The 327 user I/O pins support parallel camera interfaces, MIPI CSI-2 bridges via soft IP, and PCIe gen1 x1 host links. Compared to a dedicated SoC, the EP3C55F484C7N offers hardware-level parallelism for motion-compensated temporal filtering at lower cost than DSP-based alternatives.
Recommended
Telecom Protocol Bridging and TDM Switching
The EP3C55F484C7N serves as a cost-effective protocol bridge between legacy TDM (T1/E1/J1), serial RapidIO, and packet-based networks in small-cell backhaul and voice gateway equipment. Its 4 PLLs and 20 global clock networks easily handle multiple E1 (2.048 MHz) and T1 (1.544 MHz) reference clocks, while 2.4 Mbits of block RAM is sufficient for TDM timeslot cross-connection tables. The 484-FBGA's 327 I/O pins accommodate LVDS lanes and multi-protocol glue logic. The Cyclone III architecture is supported by the Quartus II toolchain's hard LVDS serializer/deserializer and SERDES IP, eliminating external bridge ICs.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3C55F484C7N functions as a mid-density prototyping platform for ASIC designs up to ~1 million gates. Designers partition large ASIC RTL across multiple Cyclone III devices using JTAG-chained configuration to validate logic and timing pre-silicon. The 55K logic elements, 2.4 Mbits embedded RAM, and 156 hardware multipliers accommodate representative slices of networking, multimedia, or microcontroller SoC designs. The 484-FBGA package's 1.0 mm pitch is hand-solderable on prototyping carriers, and Quartus II's incremental compilation and LogicLock regions preserve timing closure across rapid design iterations.
Recommended
Embedded Display Controllers and Touch HMI
The EP3C55F484C7N drives TFT-LCD panels up to 1280x800 (WXGA) resolution with on-chip frame buffer and timing controller, supporting LVTTL, LVDS, and RSDS output standards. Its 156 embedded multipliers accelerate 2D graphics operations (alpha blending, color space conversion), while 327 user I/O pins handle RGB888 data buses plus capacitive touch I2C/SPI interfaces. Compared to standalone LCD controller ASICs, the EP3C55F484C7N enables custom on-screen display (OSD) overlays, gesture recognition, and animated menus with full hardware parallelism. The commercial 0-85C temperature range suits indoor HMI panels.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Front-End Processing
The EP3C55F484C7N is used in ultrasound, endoscopy, and patient monitor front-ends where its 55,856 logic elements and 156 18x18 multipliers execute beamforming and FFT signal processing pipelines. The 2.4 Mbits of embedded RAM acts as a sample buffer for high-frequency ADC data streams at 40-80 MSPS, while the 4 PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for ADC sampling, DSP, and LVDS output to a host processor. Per the Cyclone III medical design guides, this device's deterministic latency supports IEC 60601-1 functional safety architectures when properly designed with redundancy and watchdogs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C55F484C7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C55F484C7 | EP3C55F484C6N | EP3C40F484C7N | EP3C80F484C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel/Altera | Intel/Altera | Intel/Altera | Intel/Altera |
| Logic Elements | 55,856 | 55,856 | 55,856 | 39,600 (-29%) | 81,264 (+45%) |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,396,160 | 2,396,160 | 2,396,160 | 1,134,720 | 2,745,408 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 156 | 156 | 156 | 108 | 244 |
| Maximum User I/O | 327 | 327 | 327 | 332 | 295 |
| Speed Grade | 7 (Commercial) | 7 (Commercial) | 6 (slower) | 7 (Commercial) | 7 (Commercial) |
| RoHS Compliance | Yes (lead-free) | No (leaded) | Yes (lead-free) | Yes (lead-free) | Yes (lead-free) |
| Approx Unit Price (USD, qty 1) | $79.36 | $70-78 | $76-82 | $58-68 | $115-130 |
Key Differentiators
- Mid-density Cyclone III sweet spot with full 484-FBGA I/O utilization (vs EP3C40F484C7N)
- RoHS compliance out-of-the-box (vs EP3C55F484C7)
- Commercial speed grade 7 - balanced timing-power (vs EP3C55F484C6N)
Design Notes
The EP3C55F484C7N requires four independent supply rails: VCCINT (1.2 V core), VCCA (2.5 V PLL analog), VCCD_PLL (1.2 V PLL digital), and VCCIO (per-bank, 1.2V-3.3V). Per the Altera Cyclone III power management guidelines, a recommended power-on sequence is VCCINT -> VCCA -> VCCIO with monotonic rise times under 100 ms, achieved with point-of-load regulators such as the LTM4623 or ISL8201M. Decoupling requires at least 30 x 100 nF X7R capacitors placed adjacent to each VCCINT ball cluster plus bulk polymer or ceramic capacitance per power rail.
The 484-FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch with 0.6 mm ball diameter. Per the Cyclone III package specifications, the PCB land pattern should be NSMD (non-solder-mask-defined) pads with 0.5 mm diameter and 0.10 mm via-in-pad or microvia escape routing. Maintain 4-6 layer stackup with continuous ground planes below the BGA to control impedance on 50 ohm single-ended and 100 ohm differential pairs. Signal integrity at >250 MHz requires a transmission-line analysis using HyperLynx or similar field solver.
Estimated: at maximum toggling rate (all 327 I/O at 100 MHz, full DSP utilization), total power dissipation is approximately 3.5 W with the 484-FBGA's theta_JA of ~16 C/W (still air, JEDEC 4-layer test board). Junction temperature rise above 25C ambient is ~56 C. For fanless operation in 70C ambient, derate toggle activity or add thermal vias under the exposed pad to inner copper planes; the 484-FBGA has a 0 mm2 central thermal pad but uses ball-grid copper spreading on inner layers.
Common pitfalls with the EP3C55F484C7N include: (1) leaving JTAG TCK floating during configuration - tie to known state with 1-10 kohm pulldown; (2) hot-plugging I/O during AS mode - always disable ASx4 contention through MSEL pins; (3) exceeding I/O bank VCCIO - each of the 8 I/O banks has independent supply and must be configured before use; (4) using stretched configuration beyond Quartus II's AS configuration - DCLK frequency in Cyclone III is fixed internally; (5) ignoring nCONFIG / nSTATUS handshake during warm reset - these signals require external pull-up resistors per Altera reference schematics.
For LVDS signaling at >400 Mbps on Cyclone III, use the dedicated true-LVDS pairs in each I/O bank. Per the Altera Cyclone III I/O features documentation, each LVDS pair requires 100 ohm differential termination at the receiver. For DDR2 memory interfaces running at 333 MHz, follow the Altera DDR2 controller PHY guidelines - matching trace lengths within +/-25 mils on byte lanes, with fly-by topology for clock-distributed routing. Quartus II TimeQuest timing analyzer provides read/write margin validation against the JEDEC DDR2 spec.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per the 'N' suffix in the Intel/Altera ordering code scheme. AEC-Q100 is not applicable - FPGAs are not qualified to AEC-Q100; for automotive designs, Cyclone III automotive-grade variants are recommended instead. REACH and conflict minerals declarations available through Intel's product compliance portal.