EP3C5U256C8N - Cyclone III FPGA, 5K LE, 256-UBGA | Altera / Intel
MPN: EP3C5U256C8N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.75 | $2,875.00 |
| 500 | $23.1 | $11,550.00 |
| 1,000 | $19.85 | $19,850.00 |
EP3C5U256C8N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that can be configured by the customer or designer after manufacturing to implement any digital logic function, from glue logic and state machines to full processor subsystems and DSP pipelines. FPGAs belong to the broader programmable logic device hierarchy (CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA) and offer far higher logic density than CPLDs thanks to an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable routing channels, and dedicated hard IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. The Cyclone III family specifically targets cost-sensitive, high-volume applications requiring low static and dynamic power.
Key features of the EP3C5U256C8N include 5,136 logic elements arranged in 5136 CLBs (one LE per CLB in this architecture), 46 embedded 18x18 multipliers for high-throughput DSP operations, and four general-purpose PLLs for clock management. The device supports LVDS, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards, with each I/O bank programmable for the required voltage level. Configuration can be loaded from a low-cost EPCS serial configuration device or via JTAG during development.
The Cyclone III architecture uses an SRAM-based configuration cell powered from a separate VCCINT core rail (typically 1.2 V), while VCCIO pins configure I/O bank voltages (1.2 V to 3.3 V). This split-rail approach minimizes dynamic power in I/O while preserving signal-integrity flexibility for mixed-voltage interfaces such as legacy 5 V-tolerant or 1.5 V SSTL memory buses. The EP3C5 is positioned at the low-density end of the family, making it ideal for cost-optimized designs that need more I/O than a CPLD but less than a Cyclone III 25 or higher.
Typical applications include industrial control and HMI boards, motor control and encoder interfaces, low-cost video processing and image aggregation, factory automation and protocol bridging (UART/SPI/I2C to Ethernet or USB), and educational / prototyping platforms where the low LE count keeps toolchain compile times short and per-unit cost minimal. The 256-UBGA 14x14 mm package provides 182 usable pins with 0.8 mm ball pitch, balancing board-routing density with assembly yield.
When designing with the EP3C5U256C8N, allocate separate ground islands for PLL analog supplies and decouple every VCCIO/VCCINT pin with 0.1 µF capacitors placed within 100 mils of the package ball. Use the Altera Quartus II (or the Altera edition of Quartus Prime Lite) for synthesis, fitting, and timing closure; the device is supported by all Cyclone III device files in Quartus 13.1 and earlier.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical layout/timing guidance not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C5U256C8N — 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 EP3C5U256C8N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Configuration Modes, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C5U256C8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$17.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5U256C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5U256C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$25.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C10U256C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C16U256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$48.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25U256I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C5U256C8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Family Name | Cyclone® III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 5,136 |
| Number of CLBs | 5,136 |
| Number of Logic Cells | 5,136 |
| Total RAM Bits | 423,936 |
| Number of I/O | 182 |
| Supply Voltage | 1.2 V core, 1.2-3.3 V I/O |
| Number of Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 46 |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Speed Grade | 8 (commercial) |
| Package | 256-UBGA (Ultra FineLine BGA) |
| Package Dimensions | 14 x 14 mm, 0.8 mm ball pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lead Free / RoHS | Lead Free, RoHS Compliant |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial, "C" suffix) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm CMOS, SRAM-based configuration |
EP3C5U256C8N 14 x 14 mm, 0.8 mm ball pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C5U256C8N (14 x 14 mm, 0.8 mm ball 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 EP3C5U256C8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C5U256C8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and HMI Boards, Motor Control and Encoder Interfaces, Low-Cost Video Processing and Image Aggregation, Factory Automation and Protocol Bridging, Educational and Prototyping Platforms, LED Display and Lighting Controllers.
Industrial Control and HMI Boards
The EP3C5U256C8N fits industrial control and HMI applications because its 5,136 logic elements, 182 user I/O, and 4 PLLs deliver sufficient capacity to implement multiple communication stacks (Modbus RTU, CAN, RS-485, Ethernet MAC glue) plus a TFT-LCD controller, while the commercial 0C to +85C temperature range covers most factory-floor enclosures. The 256-UBGA package provides 182 I/O to wire up keypad matrices, encoder inputs, PWM outputs, and isolated digital I/O without external mux logic. Its low static power (typical Cyclone III family feature) is well suited to always-on PLC backplanes.
Recommended
Motor Control and Encoder Interfaces
The EP3C5U256C8N suits motor control designs because its 46 embedded 18x18 multipliers handle field-oriented control (FOC) and Park/Clarke transforms at PWM rates up to 50 kHz, while 182 I/O easily wire up quadrature encoders, Hall sensors, and multi-axis PWM outputs. The 4 PLLs provide independent clock domains for the encoder sample clock, PWM switching frequency, and communication UART, eliminating the need for external clock buffers. The Cyclone III family's low-latency DSP blocks yield deterministic control-loop timing for servo and stepper drive stages.
Recommended
Low-Cost Video Processing and Image Aggregation
The EP3C5U256C8N fits entry-level video processing because 5,136 LEs can drive a 640x480@30fps image pipeline, implement a BT.656 capture interface, or aggregate multiple camera streams via a simple time-multiplexed arbiter. The 423,936 bits of embedded RAM act as line buffers for video scalers and frame stores without external SRAM. The 46 multipliers support 2D convolution kernels and basic color-space conversion. The 256-UBGA package's 182 user I/O can interface directly to parallel CMOS camera modules and TFT-LCD panels.
Recommended
Factory Automation and Protocol Bridging
The EP3C5U256C8N works well in factory protocol bridges because 5,136 LEs comfortably fit UART-to-Modbus, SPI-to-CAN, or I2C-to-Ethernet bridges with full protocol stacks and watchdog logic. The 182 I/O let you fan out multiple fieldbuses (RS-485, RS-232, CAN, SPI slave) without an external bus switch. The 4 PLLs generate isolated clocks for each fieldbus domain. Cyclone III low-power operation keeps DIN-rail gateway enclosures cool without active cooling, important for sealed IP65 cabinets.
Recommended
Educational and Prototyping Platforms
The EP3C5U256C8N is widely used in university FPGA labs and dev boards because the Cyclone III 5,136 LE count is large enough for full RISC-V or Nios II soft-core implementations, VGA controllers, and basic SDR experiments, yet small enough to keep Quartus compile times short. The 182 I/O accommodate typical lab daughter cards (ADCs, DACs, keypads, displays) without external bus mux. The 256-UBGA package is mechanically robust for repeated lab hand-rework cycles and is supported by every Cyclone III development kit from Altera/Intel.
Recommended
LED Display and Lighting Controllers
The EP3C5U256C8N drives professional LED display controllers because its 182 I/O multiplex hundreds of PWM channels (via external shift registers like TLC5941) for fine-grained RGB dimming, while the 46 multipliers compute per-pixel gamma and color-temperature corrections. The 4 PLLs derive high-frequency shift clocks for HUB75 LED panels up to 64-scan rows. 423 Kbits of embedded RAM store a few full refresh frames of small displays, avoiding external SDRAM on compact signage modules.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C5U256C8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C5U256C8 | EP3C5U256C7N | EP3C5U256C6N | EP3C10U256C8N | EP3C16U256C8N | EP3C25U256I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 256-UBGA | 256-UBGA - same | 256-UBGA - same | 256-UBGA - same | 256-UBGA - same | 256-UBGA - same | 256-UBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 5,136 | 5,136 | 5,136 | 5,136 | 10,320 | 15,408 | 24,624 |
| Total RAM Bits | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 516,096 | 594,432 |
| Multipliers (18x18) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 56 | 66 |
| Max User I/O | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 |
| Speed Grade | 8 (commercial) | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial -40C to +100C |
Key Differentiators
- Drop-in scalability to 10K and 15K LE without PCB change (vs EP3C10U256C8N / EP3C16U256C8N)
- Largest logic capacity within EP3C5 LE tier (vs Xilinx Spartan-6 XC6SLX9)
- Industrial-temperature upgrade path on identical footprint (vs EP3C25U256I7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: Cyclone III EP3C5U256C8N static power is approximately 50-100 mW with all I/O banks at 3.3 V and the core at 1.2 V. Dynamic power depends on toggle rate and design utilization. Use the Altera PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet in Quartus II to model core and I/O power for your specific toggle pattern. Estimate I/O bank power at roughly 3-5 mW per MHz per toggling pin at LVCMOS 3.3 V.
Place one 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor within 100 mils of every VCCINT and VCCIO ball. Add four 4.7 µF bulk capacitors distributed around the package, one near each corner of the BGA. For PLL analog supplies (VCCA_PLL), use a dedicated filtered 1.2 V LDO output with pi-filter (ferrite bead + 10 µF + 0.1 µF) and keep the analog ground island isolated from the digital ground, joining at a single point under the FPGA.
Route all 182 user I/O as matched-length pairs if any are used as LVDS (Cyclone III supports LVDS on selected I/O standards only). Keep 50 Ω impedance-controlled traces for SDR/DDR memory interfaces. Use the smallest possible number of via transitions on clock and high-speed I/O nets to minimize reflection and stub-induced ringing.
Configure the EP3C5U256C8N from an EPCS4, EPCS16, or EPCS64 serial configuration device, or via JTAG during development. Pull MSEL[2:0] high/low to select the configuration mode (AS, PS, FPP, JTAG). Add a 10 kΩ pull-up on nCE and a 10 kΩ pull-down on nCONFIG for predictable boot behavior at power-up.
Do not power VCCIO before VCCINT - this can latch-up the SRAM configuration cells. Always sequence VCCINT first, then VCCIO. If using LVDS, ensure the LVDS I/O standard is enabled only on compatible I/O banks (per Cyclone III device handbook Chapter 5). Confine clock inputs to dedicated clock input pins (CLK[0..15]) to use PLL feedback paths; routing clocks to general I/O wastes PLL resources.
Compliance Information
Lead-free and RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel Cyclone III product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is an FPGA intended for commercial/industrial embedded use, not automotive-grade silicon.
