EP3C5U256I7 - Cyclone III FPGA 5K LE 256-UBGA | Altera (Intel)
MPN: EP3C5U256I7 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.07 | $38.07 |
| 10 | $34.26 | $342.60 |
| 100 | $30.45 | $3,045.00 |
| 500 | $26.69 | $13,345.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.65 | $23,650.00 |
EP3C5U256I7 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit composed of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated hard IP such as block RAM, PLLs, and DSP slices. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy, above CPLDs and below ASICs in terms of integration density and per-unit cost. The Cyclone III family specifically positioned Altera in the low-power FPGA market, competing directly with Xilinx Spartan-6 and Lattice ECP3 families for industrial, automotive, and consumer designs.
Key features include up to 5,136 logic elements, 46 embedded 9-Kbit M9K memory blocks for a total of 414 Kbits (423,936 bits) of RAM, 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP operations, two general-purpose PLLs per device, and a maximum user I/O count of 182. The device also supports configuration via serial passive (EPCS), JTAG, or Active Serial schemes, and operates over the industrial -40 °C to +100 °C junction temperature range per the I7 speed/grade code.
Architecturally, Cyclone III uses a four-input look-up table (LUT) based logic element with dedicated carry chains for arithmetic and dedicated routing for fast adder trees. The 65 nm process node combined with Altera's power-aware compiler yields typical static power under 100 mW, while the programmable power technology can selectively power down unused logic elements to extend battery life in portable applications.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and machine vision, low-cost video processing for surveillance and consumer displays, software-defined radio (SDR) front-end signal conditioning, automotive infotainment and driver-assistance subsystems, and portable medical device controllers. The Cyclone III device family is well-suited for high-volume production designs that require reprogrammability in the field.
When designing with the EP3C5U256I7, designers must pay attention to I/O bank voltage grouping, since the device supports mixed-voltage I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, LVDS, SSTL, HSTL) across eight I/O banks. Decoupling capacitor placement, signal integrity, and proper configuration mode selection (AS, PS, JTAG) are critical to first-pass success on the 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the Cyclone III family and selected same-footprint Altera parts, and practical design considerations not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet. It is intended for hardware engineers, BOM managers, and FAE teams evaluating Cyclone III FPGA sourcing.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C5U256I7 — 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 EP3C5U256I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Configuration Modes, Package, Mounting Type, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C5U256I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5F256I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$24 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C10U256C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C16U256C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$48.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F256I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$48.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6E144I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C5U256I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements | 5,136 |
| Total Memory Bits | 423,936 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 23 |
| Maximum User I/O | 182 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm TSMC low-power |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (I7) |
| Package | 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA (UBGA) |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Global Clock Networks | 10 |
| Maximum Memory Blocks (M9K) | 46 |
| Configuration Modes | Active Serial, Passive Serial, JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP3C5U256I7 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 (per Cyclone III handbook pin table) |
| Pin A2 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 |
| Pin A3 | VCCIO8 — I/O bank 8 supply voltage |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 |
| Pin B2 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin B3 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 |
| Pin C1 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 |
| Pin C2 | I/O — User I/O - bank 8 |
| Pin C3 | VCCINT — Core 1.2 V supply |
Typical Applications
EP3C5U256I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and PLC, Low-Cost Video Processing and Display Controllers, Software-Defined Radio Front-End Signal Conditioning, Automotive Infotainment and Driver-Assistance Subsystems, Portable Medical Device Controllers, Telecom Line Cards and Protocol Bridging.
Industrial Motor Control and PLC
The EP3C5U256I7 fits industrial motor control designs because its 5,136 logic elements are sufficient to host PWM generators, encoder interface logic, and a soft processor core such as Nios II, while the 23 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate field-oriented control (FOC) and Park/Clark transforms. The 65 nm low-power process combined with programmable power technology keeps total power below 1 W typical, suitable for compact DIN-rail motor drives. The 182 user I/O pins accommodate multiple encoder inputs, Hall-sensor feedback, and 3-phase gate-driver interfaces without external muxing.
Recommended
Low-Cost Video Processing and Display Controllers
The EP3C5U256I7 is well matched to entry-level video processing such as LCD timing controllers, de-interlacers, and OSD overlay generation. Its 46 M9K memory blocks provide 414 Kbits of fast block RAM, large enough to buffer a single 480p frame in 8-bit grayscale or to host dual-line video FIFOs. LVDS support on select I/O banks enables direct connection to flat-panel displays, while the 182 available I/Os accommodate parallel RGB, BT.656, or Camera Link interfaces common in industrial vision.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End Signal Conditioning
In SDR front ends, the EP3C5U256I7 is used for digital downconversion, FIR filtering, and decimation prior to handing data to a host processor. The 23 hardware 18x18 multipliers accelerate complex multipliers in quadrature mixer chains, while the 423 Kbits of block RAM provide sample buffering for CIC and FIR filter pipelines. Two PLLs generate low-jitter clock trees for ADC/DAC synchronization, which is critical for ADC SNR performance in narrow-band receivers.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Driver-Assistance Subsystems
The EP3C5U256I7 industrial-grade operating range and low static power make it suitable for automotive infotainment HMI controllers, rear-seat entertainment video pipes, and simple driver-assistance subsystems such as parking-sensor fusion. Reproactive hardware in field over the CAN or UART boot loader allows OEMs to update feature sets after production. The 1.2 V core voltage simplifies power tree design alongside typical 3.3 V/5 V automotive rails.
Recommended
Portable Medical Device Controllers
Portable medical devices such as handheld ultrasound probes, patient monitors, and point-of-care diagnostics benefit from the EP3C5U256I7's low power and small 256-ball BGA footprint. Cyclone III's programmable power technology allows unused logic to be shut down between measurement bursts, extending battery life. The 23 hardware multipliers enable front-end DSP for sensor linearization and noise shaping, while 182 I/Os drive LCD panels, touchscreen controllers, and wireless module interfaces.
Recommended
Telecom Line Cards and Protocol Bridging
The EP3C5U256I7 is frequently used in telecom line cards to bridge legacy TDM (T1/E1) streams to packet networks, implement HDLC controllers, and host custom serializer/deserializer logic. Its two PLLs generate the precise clocks needed for E1 framing, while the 46 M9K blocks buffer packet payloads between TDM and Ethernet domains. Reproactive capability via JTAG or Active Serial allows in-field feature deployment without board removal.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C5U256I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C5U256I7N | EP3C5F256I7N | EP3C10U256C8N | EP3C16U256C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA (UBGA) | 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA (UBGA) | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) | 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA (UBGA) | 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA (UBGA) |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 5,136 | 5,136 | 5,136 | 10,320 | 15,408 |
| Total Memory Bits | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 516,096 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 56 |
| Maximum User I/O | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 168 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (I7) | Industrial (I7N) | Industrial (I7N) | Commercial (C8N) | Commercial (C8N) |
Key Differentiators
- Ultra FineLine BGA with 0.8 mm pitch (vs EP3C5F256I7 (FineLine BGA))
- Industrial temperature grade at same cost class (vs EP3C10U256C8N (commercial grade))
- Lowest-cost Cyclone III density point (vs EP3C16U256C8N (15,408 LEs))
Design Notes
Estimated: Cyclone III core power is dominated by toggle rate and logic utilization. At 5,136 LEs and 50% toggle rate at 200 MHz, expect roughly 0.5-1.0 W of dynamic core power plus I/O bank power. Use a switching DC-DC regulator with at least 1.5x headroom on the 1.2 V rail and place a 100 uF bulk capacitor near each VCCINT ball group. The 1.2 V core rail must ramp monotonically to within 1 ms; failure to meet the monotonic requirement can latch-up the device.
The 256-ball Ultra FineLine BGA has a 0.8 mm ball pitch, which requires microvia or via-in-pad PCB technology for reliable fan-out. Use a 4-6 layer stack-up with continuous ground planes on layers 2 and 5 to provide low-inductance return paths for high-speed signals. Decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF X7R per VCCIO ball, 10 uF bulk per bank, 470 uF low-ESR on the core rail) must be placed within 5 mm of their respective balls for first-pass SI compliance.
Cyclone III has eight I/O banks supporting mixed-voltage I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS 1.2-3.3 V, LVDS, SSTL, HSTL). Each bank has an independent VCCIO rail, but all VREF pins within a bank share the same reference voltage. Plan I/O assignments early so that high-speed LVDS pairs are routed on adjacent balls with matched trace lengths (within 150 mil). Avoid routing clock signals across bank boundaries to minimize skew.
Common pitfalls: (1) attempting to migrate between U256 (Ultra FineLine BGA) and F256 (FineLine BGA) without a PCB redesign - the ball patterns are NOT compatible; (2) failing to program the configuration mode pins MSEL[3:0] correctly for Active Serial vs Passive Serial configuration; (3) not providing proper JTAG TCK pull-up or TMS pull-up resistors, which can prevent configuration in noisy environments; (4) using non-AEC-qualified industrial grade parts in under-hood automotive applications where Grade 1 is required.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. Industrial temperature grade (I7) but not AEC-Q100 qualified for automotive; for AEC-Q100 designs consult Altera/Intel automotive-grade FPGA portfolio.
