EP3CLS200F780C7 - 198K LE Cyclone III LS FPGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP3CLS200F780C7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $142 | $142.00 |
| 10 | $128.5 | $1,285.00 |
| 100 | $115.2 | $11,520.00 |
| 250 | $108.75 | $27,187.50 |
| 500 | $102.4 | $51,200.00 |
EP3CLS200F780C7 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit based on a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected via programmable interconnect. Unlike an ASIC, an FPGA's logic and routing can be redefined after manufacture via a configuration bitstream loaded into on-chip SRAM. In the broader taxonomy, FPGAs sit between microcontrollers (fixed instruction sets, software-defined behavior) and ASICs (fixed hardware, optimized for a single function), offering hardware-timed parallelism for DSP, video, communications, and protocol bridging. The Cyclone III LS family specifically targets cost- and power-sensitive applications with hardening features such as on-chip termination and dedicated memory interfaces.
Key features include 198,464 logic elements (LEs), 413 Kbit of distributed embedded memory per the standard Cyclone III block, 8 embedded memory blocks per logic array block group, support for multiple I/O standards (LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL) via dedicated PHY, and dedicated hardware multipliers for DSP. The 780-ball FBGA package with 1 mm pitch and 29 mm x 29 mm body allows high I/O count while remaining manageable for mid-density PCB manufacturing.
The Cyclone III LS architecture combines an SRAM-based lookup table fabric with embedded 18x18 multipliers, dual-purpose registers on every I/O pin, and per-channel PLLs that synthesize multiple clock domains from a single reference. Configuration is loaded from a serial NOR flash, JTAG, or via a passive serial / parallel interface. The on-chip memory controller hard IP supports DDR, DDR2, QDRII, and RLDRAM II, removing the need for an external PHY in many designs.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing and display controllers, telecom baseband preprocessing, software-defined radio front ends, and low-cost ASIC prototyping. The Cyclone III LS family is widely used in cost-optimized designs where Cyclone V silicon is overkill but microcontroller throughput is insufficient.
When designing with the EP3CLS200F780C7, ensure adequate decoupling on every VCCINT and VCCA rail (100 nF plus 10 uF bulk), maintain signal integrity on high-speed LVDS pairs with matched-length routing, and respect JTAG chain topology when multi-device configuration is required. Quartus II software (version 13.0sp2 and later 13.x service packs) is the recommended design environment and is still required for legacy Cyclone III LS bitstream generation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives in the FBGA-780 footprint, and practical design notes not aggregated in the manufacturer datasheet. Cross-references are drawn from DigiKey, Mouser, and Octopart listings verified as of 2026-09-09.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3CLS200F780C7 — 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 EP3CLS200F780C7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, RoHS Status, Configuration Modes.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3CLS200F780C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$199.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS200F780C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$943.88 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS200F780I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$240 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS200F780I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$142.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$162 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS200F780C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III LS |
| Device Type | FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array |
| Number of Logic Elements (LE) | 198,464 |
| Number of Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 8,212 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 8,211,456 bit (7.83 Mbit) |
| Maximum User I/Os | 429 |
| Package / Case | 780-BGA, FBGA-780, 29 mm x 29 mm, 1 mm pitch |
| Operating Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.15 V to 1.25 V |
| Mounting Style | SMD/SMT |
| Maximum Operating Temperature | +70 C |
| Minimum Operating Temperature | 0 C |
| Process Technology | CMOS, low-power |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, JTAG, Passive Serial, Passive Parallel |
| Number of Transceivers | 0 (no embedded high-speed transceivers) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3CLS200F780C7 780-bga, fbga-780, 29 mm x 29 mm, 1 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3CLS200F780C7 (780-bga, fbga-780, 29 mm x 29 mm, 1 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 EP3CLS200F780C7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3CLS200F780C7 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Motor Control and Servo Drive, Video Processing and Display Controller, Software Defined Radio Baseband, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Telecom Protocol Bridge and Interface Conversion, Low-Cost Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assistance.
Industrial Motor Control and Servo Drive
The EP3CLS200F780C7 is well suited for industrial motor control and multi-axis servo drive designs where parallel hardware loops must execute current, velocity, and position control faster than any microcontroller. Its 198,464 logic elements and dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers enable SVPWM, field-oriented control (FOC), and encoder decoding in a single device. The 429 available user I/Os accommodate multiple quadrature encoder interfaces, Hall sensor inputs, and PWM outputs for 3-phase inverters up to several kW. Industrial-grade variants (EP3CLS200F780I7N) extend the operating range to -40C to +85C for factory-floor environments. Compared with discrete DSP+microcontroller solutions, the integrated fabric reduces BOM cost and simplifies deterministic latency in safety-critical motion loops.
Recommended
Video Processing and Display Controller
The EP3CLS200F780C7 serves video processing and display-controller roles in broadcast, medical imaging, and digital signage applications. Its 7.83 Mbit embedded memory buffers full HD frames line-by-line for deinterlacing, scaling, and overlay operations, while the high I/O count supports parallel RGB, LVDS, and HDMI/DVI bridge logic via external TMDS drivers. The fabric's hardware multipliers accelerate DCT and motion-compensation kernels used in MJPEG or H.264 encode assist. Designers typically pair the device with DDR2 SDRAM for frame buffer storage, leveraging the Cyclone III LS hard memory controller to sustain throughput above 1 Gbyte/s. Compared with DSP+ASIC solutions, this FPGA offers in-system reconfigurability for late-stage display protocol changes.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio Baseband
The EP3CLS200F780C7 enables software-defined radio (SDR) baseband preprocessing where I/Q data streams from an RF front-end must be decimated, channelized, and demodulated in real time. The fabric's distributed register-rich architecture and 18x18 multipliers support polyphase filter banks and FFT engines for OFDM demodulation at baseband. With up to 429 user I/Os the device exposes parallel LVDS interfaces to high-speed ADCs and DACs, while dedicated PLLs synthesize the multiple clock domains required for sample rate conversion. SDR applications benefit from SRAM-based configuration, allowing bitstream updates to add new waveforms without board rework. Compared with fixed-function DSP chips, this FPGA offers superior parallel sample processing at the cost of higher power dissipation.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3CLS200F780C7 is widely used as an ASIC prototyping and pre-silicon validation platform for designs targeting 100K to 200K ASIC gates. Its 198,464 logic elements, large embedded memory pool, and Quartus II synthesis flow allow engineers to map RTL into real silicon running at full system clock before committing to a costly mask set. The 780-ball FBGA footprint enables breakout to high-speed logic analyzers and signal-probing headers for debug. Multi-FPGA partitioning tools (e.g., Synopsys Certify, Mentor Graphics Precision HiRel) treat the Cyclone III LS as a cost-effective node for medium-complexity ASICs. Compared with ASIC respins, this prototyping flow compresses verification cycles from months to weeks.
Recommended
Telecom Protocol Bridge and Interface Conversion
The EP3CLS200F780C7 is deployed as a telecom protocol bridge converting between legacy TDM (T1/E1, HDSL) and packet-based (Ethernet, CPRI) interfaces in access network equipment. Its high I/O count supports multiple E1/T1 transceivers and gigabit Ethernet MACs, while the embedded memory pool accommodates jitter buffers and protocol-stack tables. Designers implement HDLC, MLPPP, and GFP mapping in the fabric alongside hardware FIFO engines that offload the host CPU. Compared with discrete protocol converters, this FPGA offers flexible multi-protocol support in a single device, reducing board area and power. The Cyclone III LS family is also favored for low-cost CPRI front-haul compression in small-cell base stations.
Recommended
Low-Cost Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP3CLS200F780C7 powers low-cost test and measurement instruments such as bench-top logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, and custom data-acquisition systems. Its fabric implements deep acquisition memory, pattern generators, and trigger sequencers that would otherwise require multiple discrete ASICs. The 780-ball FBGA's 429 user I/Os allow direct interfacing to high-channel-count probe pods at LVDS or LVTTL levels. Reconfigurability lets the same hardware serve as a logic analyzer today and a protocol exerciser tomorrow by simply loading a new bitstream. Compared with fixed-function instruments, this FPGA approach gives small-batch T&M manufacturers rapid product differentiation at low NRE cost.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assistance
The EP3CLS200F780C7 supports automotive infotainment and entry-level driver-assistance systems where cost-sensitive designs still require parallel image processing. Engineers implement surround-view stitching, lane-departure warning, and driver-display graphics in the 198,464 logic element fabric, while the embedded memory holds frame buffers and overlay planes. LVDS pairs drive automotive-grade LCD panels without external serializers. The industrial-temperature variant (EP3CLS200F780I7N) operates reliably in cabin environments from -40C to +85C. Compared with automotive-grade ASICs, this FPGA shortens the AEC-Q100 design cycle and allows late firmware updates for evolving driver-assistance algorithms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3CLS200F780C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3CLS200F780C7N | EP3CLS200F780C8N | EP3CLS200F780I7N | EP3C120F780C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 780-BGA (FBGA-780) | 780-BGA (FBGA-780) - same | 780-BGA (FBGA-780) - same | 780-BGA (FBGA-780) - same | 780-BGA (FBGA-780) - same |
| Logic Elements | 198,464 LE | 198,464 LE | 198,464 LE | 198,464 LE | 119,088 LE |
| Embedded Memory | 7.83 Mbit | 7.83 Mbit | 7.83 Mbit | 7.83 Mbit | 3.89 Mbit |
| Maximum User I/Os | 429 | 429 | 429 | 429 | 429 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C | 0C to +70C | 0C to +70C | -40C to +85C | 0C to +70C |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -8 (faster) | -7 industrial | -8 |
| RoHS Compliance | Non-RoHS (legacy) | RoHS | RoHS | RoHS | RoHS |
| Security / Lock Feature | LS family (enhanced) | LS family (enhanced) | LS family (enhanced) | LS family (enhanced) | Standard (lower security) |
| Approximate Unit Price (qty 100) | 115.20 USD | 115.20 USD (similar) | 125.00 USD (typical) | 130.00 USD (industrial grade) | 85.00 USD (lower density) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic element density in the Cyclone III LS family (vs EP3CLS150F780C7 (150K LE))
- Enhanced security and lock features of the LS sub-family (vs EP3C120F780C8N (Cyclone III, non-LS))
- Same-package drop-in for industrial temperature grades (vs EP3CLS200F780C7N (RoHS variant))
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical utilization (60% LE, 50% memory, 200 MHz core) the EP3CLS200F780C7 draws approximately 1.5 W to 2.5 W from the 1.2 V VCCINT rail. Decouple every VCCINT pin with a 100 nF X7R ceramic plus a 10 uF bulk per power region. Per the Cyclone III LS datasheet chapter 8, VCCA (PLL analog) requires a pi-network (10 ohm ferrite + 10 uF tantalum + 100 nF ceramic) to minimize PLL jitter. Power sequencing: assert VCCINT before VCCIO to avoid latch-up.
Route all 780 FBGA balls on a minimum 6-layer PCB with continuous VCCINT and GND planes directly beneath the package. The 1 mm ball pitch demands laser-drilled microvias or 4-mil line/space escape routing on the top layer. Per Cyclone III LS Hardware Manual, place configuration flash (EPCS16 or compatible) within 2 inches of the FPGA to minimize passive serial interface skew. Match CLK[0..3] differential pair lengths within 25 mils for proper PLL lock.
Separate high-speed LVDS pairs (e.g., DDR2 memory interface) from low-speed configuration and JTAG signals by at least 3W trace spacing. Use 100 ohm differential impedance for LVDS pairs and 50 ohm single-ended for clock distribution. Per Cyclone III LS layout guidelines, provide at least 4 stitching vias around the BGA perimeter to suppress edge radiation and ensure low-impedance return paths for high-speed transients.
The Cyclone III LS I/O buffers support 3.3 V LVTTL/LVCMOS, 2.5 V SSTL/HSTL, and LVDS at up to several hundred Mbps. For DDR2 interfaces, use the Cyclone III LS hard memory controller IP and follow the on-chip termination (OCT) calibration procedure documented in the device handbook. Estimated: at 200 MHz DDR2 the controller can sustain over 1 Gbyte/s throughput with proper PCB stackup and matched-length routing.
Do not assume JTAG works without proper TCK pull-down and TMS pull-up during configuration. Per the Cyclone III LS handbook, the nCONFIG pin must be held high through POR and released only after VCCINT and VCCIO are stable. The MSEL[2..0] pins select configuration mode and must match the design intent (AS standard = 100, AS fast = 110, PS = 000) - wrong settings cause silent configuration failure. Always validate the bitstream CRC and CONF_DONE assertion in the Quartus II programmer before deployment.
Compliance Information
EP3CLS200F780C7 is the legacy non-RoHS variant; choose EP3CLS200F780C7N for RoHS-compliant designs. Industrial temperature grade EP3CLS200F780I7N is available for harsh environments.
