EP3SL50F780C4 - Stratix III L FPGA, 47.5K LE, 780-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP3SL50F780C4 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $270 | $2,700.00 |
| 100 | $250 | $25,000.00 |
| 500 | $235 | $117,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $220 | $220,000.00 |
EP3SL50F780C4 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device that allows designers to implement arbitrary digital logic circuits through configuration of on-chip look-up tables, flip-flops, routing, and dedicated hardware blocks such as block RAM, DSP slices, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs occupy a position in the system hierarchy between fixed-function ASICs and general-purpose microcontrollers, and are widely used for prototyping, custom compute acceleration, signal processing, and high-speed interfacing. The Stratix III L family specifically targets designs that need high logic capacity combined with reduced dynamic and static power relative to the standard Stratix III family.
Key features of the EP3SL50F780C4 include approximately 1,900 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 488 user I/O pins, and integrated DSP blocks that simplify implementation of high-throughput arithmetic pipelines. The 65 nm process node enables a balance of speed and integration, while the FC-FBGA package provides high pin count and excellent electrical and thermal performance for high-speed signaling.
Technically, the device supports multiple I/O standards (LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, HSTL, SSTL, and differential variants), embedded memory arranged in M9K and M144K blocks, and configuration via JTAG or serial configuration devices. Designers use the Altera Quartus II design suite to compile, simulate, and program the part, and Altera reference designs demonstrate transceiver, memory controller, and DSP pipelines.
Typical applications include high-speed digital signal processing, telecom baseband processing, broadcast video infrastructure, military/aerospace signal processing, and ASIC prototyping. The 780-ball FC-FBGA footprint supports high pin-count designs requiring both high logic density and a substantial number of user I/Os.
When designing with this FPGA, careful attention to PCB stack-up, power distribution network design, and signal integrity is critical. The 1.1 V core supply requires low-noise regulation, and multiple auxiliary rails must be sequenced correctly during power-up. Decoupling, ground plane stitching, and thermal management are essential at this density.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, comparison parameters, and design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL50F780C4 — 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 EP3SL50F780C4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Family, Operating Temperature, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL50F780C4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$162 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$555 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$540 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C2N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$312 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$199.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F780C4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$726.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 |
| Embedded Memory | 2,184,192 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,900 |
| User I/Os | 488 |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG / Serial |
| Design Tool | Quartus II |
EP3SL50F780C4 780-ball fc-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL50F780C4 (780-ball fc-fbga 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 EP3SL50F780C4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL50F780C4 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Digital Signal Processing, Telecom Baseband Processing, Broadcast Video Infrastructure, ASIC Prototyping, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, High-Speed Data Acquisition.
High-Speed Digital Signal Processing
The EP3SL50F780C4 is well-suited to high-speed DSP pipelines such as channelization, FFT, and filter banks. With 47,500 logic elements, dedicated DSP blocks, and 2,184,192 bits of embedded block RAM, it implements high-throughput arithmetic stages at rates that fixed-function DSPs cannot match. The 488 user I/Os support parallel sample streams at hundreds of MHz, while the 1.1 V core and Stratix III L power optimization keep thermal dissipation manageable in dense compute arrays.
Recommended
Telecom Baseband Processing
The EP3SL50F780C4 supports telecom baseband applications such as LTE PHY, baseband routing, and CPRI/OBSAI framer designs. Its embedded memory and DSP slices enable soft-decision FEC, equalization, and FFT/iFFT kernels at baseband sample rates. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package provides the high pin count required to interface to multiple SFP/SFP+ transceivers and parallel ADC/DAC interfaces on the line card.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Infrastructure
The EP3SL50F780C4 implements broadcast video processing such as up/down/cross conversion, color-space conversion, and overlay blending. Its 488 user I/Os route multiple SDI/HDMI parallel data streams into the device, while the embedded memory acts as line and frame buffers. The 1.1 V core keeps power budgets within rack-mount chassis limits, and Quartus II IP cores accelerate SDI/HDMI protocol layer integration.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
The EP3SL50F780C4 is widely deployed as an ASIC prototype platform, allowing RTL verification of large multi-million-gate ASIC designs before tape-out. With 47,500 LEs plus DSP and embedded memory, it can map medium-complexity ASIC blocks at full clock speed, exposing system-level timing and functional bugs that simulation misses. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package provides abundant general-purpose I/O for bridging to prototype ASIC test boards.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP3SL50F780C4 serves in radar signal processing, electronic warfare front-ends, and avionics data acquisition where the 488 user I/Os, embedded memory, and DSP blocks accelerate beamforming and pulse compression. Its commercial-grade temperature rating suits many platform-internal applications; for harsher environments, designers migrate to the industrial-temperature (I-grade) variants of the same family. The Altera Quartus II toolchain supports DO-254 and MIL-STD-1553 reference flows.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition
The EP3SL50F780C4 interfaces to multi-channel ADCs and DACs in high-speed data acquisition systems such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and scientific instruments. Its 488 user I/Os accept LVDS parallel ADC data streams from multiple channels, and 2,184,192 embedded memory bits act as deep capture buffers. The 1.1 V core and Stratix III L efficiency keep thermal rise within compact module envelopes, while Quartus II IP supports JESD204B and LVDS-based ADC interfaces.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL50F780C4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL50F780C4N | EP3SL50F780C3N | EP3SL50F780C3 | EP3SL50F780C2N | EP3SL50F780C2 | EP3SE50F780C4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 |
| Speed Grade | C4 (-4) | C4 (-4) | C3 (-3) | C3 (-3) | C2 (-2) | C2 (-2) | C4 (-4) |
| User I/Os | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Embedded Memory | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits | 2,184,192 bits |
| Family Sub-Variant | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III L (low power) | Stratix III E (standard) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Higher speed grade at same silicon cost (vs EP3SL50F780C2N)
- Low-power Stratix III L variant (vs EP3SE50F780C4)
- Same-footprint drop-in alternative exists (vs EP3SL50F780C4N)
Design Notes
The EP3SL50F780C4 requires a clean 1.1 V core supply plus separate auxiliary rails for I/O banks and PLL blocks. Power-on sequencing must follow the Stratix III Device Handbook order: ramp the 3.3 V/2.5 V rails first, then 1.1 V core. Reverse sequencing or simultaneous ramp risks device latch-up. Use low-impedance decoupling (typically 100 nF plus bulk ceramic) within 5 mm of each supply pin.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA package dissipates heat primarily through the die and BGA balls; thermal resistance theta_JA depends strongly on PCB stack-up and copper density. Estimated: with 1 square inch of 4-layer copper pour, theta_JA is approximately 18 C/W, so at 2 W dissipation, junction rises about 36C above ambient. For full-load DSP designs, a thermal via array under the BGA and at least 6 inner copper planes are recommended to keep junction below 100C.
High-speed LVDS and other differential signals on the EP3SL50F780C4 require matched-length routing (typically <150 mil tolerance), controlled-impedance traces (100 ohm differential, 50 ohm single-ended), and continuous ground reference. Keep via transitions to a minimum and maintain unbroken return paths under each high-speed net. Use the Quartus II pin planner to constrain I/O standards and placement early in the layout.
Common pitfalls include leaving JTAG pins floating (tie TMS high through a pull-up to avoid spurious configuration), omitting the external configuration flash on the board (required for production builds - rely on JTAG-only for prototype only), and using a regulator with insufficient current capability (Stratix III L can draw peaks of 3-4 A on the 1.1 V rail during dynamic switching). Always validate the design with the Quartus II power estimator before sign-off.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free status for EP3SL50F780C4 are not stated in the provided data - refer to the manufacturer datasheet or contact Altera/Intel for confirmed compliance status. AEC-Q100 is not applicable for FPGAs; commercial-grade part only - migrate to industrial-temperature variants for harsh environments.