EP4CE40F29C8N - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 40K LEs, 780-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP4CE40F29C8N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $168.5 | $168.50 |
| 10 | $152.1 | $1,521.00 |
| 100 | $134.8 | $13,480.00 |
| 500 | $119.25 | $59,625.00 |
| 1,000 | $104.6 | $104,600.00 |
EP4CE40F29C8N Overview
A Cyclone IV E FPGA is a SRAM-based programmable-logic device: the FPGA category sits between fixed-function ASICs and software-defined DSPs in the semiconductor hierarchy, combining configurable logic fabric, embedded memory blocks, dedicated multipliers, and programmable I/O. The 'E' (Enhanced logic/memory, no transceivers) sub-family is optimized for low static and dynamic power, targeting applications where cost per logic element and per I/O is the primary constraint rather than raw transceiver bandwidth.
Key features include 4 PLLs for clock generation, 116 18x18 hardware multipliers (for DSP-style operations), support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2/QDRII SDRAM, and the Altera Quartus II design suite for synthesis, place-and-route, and configuration. The 780-FBGA package exposes the full user-I/O count of the device, enabling wide parallel buses and many independent peripherals. Cyclone IV E devices are widely used in industrial control, video/imaging bridging, motor control, and telecom line-card applications.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision and protocol bridging, motor-drive controllers, video processing pipelines, low-cost software-defined radio front-ends, and ASIC prototyping. The combination of embedded multipliers and external memory support also makes it suitable for low-cost digital-signal-processing implementations.
When laying out a board with this BGA, follow Intel/Altera's PCB layout guidelines for the FBGA package: matched-length clocks, decoupling close to every power pin, and 4 to 6 PCB layers are strongly recommended to meet signal-integrity targets on DDR memory interfaces.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE40F29C8N — 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 EP4CE40F29C8N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Configuration Modes.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE40F29C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F29C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$77.51 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F29C8LN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP4CE30F29C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE40F29C8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 39,600 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 1,161,216 bits |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 116 |
| User I/O Count | 532 |
| PLLs | 4 |
EP4CE40F29C8N standard Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE40F29C8N (standard 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 EP4CE40F29C8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE40F29C8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision and Image Processing, Motor Control and Drive Electronics, Video Bridging and Display Controllers, Software-Defined Radio Front-End Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Logic Emulation, Low-Cost Communications Line Cards.
Industrial Machine Vision and Image Processing
The EP4CE40F29C8N is a strong fit for cost-sensitive industrial machine-vision pipelines where pixel-rate processing of camera sensor data must be done in real time. With 39,600 logic elements plus 116 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, it can implement Bayer-to-RGB conversion, gamma correction, edge detection, and basic CNN inference on a single device. The 532 user I/Os in the 780-FBGA package comfortably absorb parallel camera interfaces (LVDS/CMOS), DDR2 frame buffers, and Ethernet or USB control links. Versus a software-only approach on a host MCU, the FPGA delivers deterministic latency and frees the host CPU for higher-level vision tasks.
Recommended
Motor Control and Drive Electronics
FPGAs in the Cyclone IV E family are widely used as multi-axis motor controllers in industrial drives because their deterministic logic and dedicated multipliers enable precise PWM generation, field-oriented control (FOC), and encoder/Resolver decoding. The EP4CE40F29C8N's 116 18x18 multipliers handle the Park/Clarke transforms for several axes concurrently, while its 4 PLLs synthesize the carrier frequencies required for high-switching-frequency IGBT/SiC gate drivers. The 780-FBGA exposes enough pins to drive multiple gate-driver ICs in parallel and to interface with current/voltage feedback ADCs via SPI or parallel buses.
Recommended
Video Bridging and Display Controllers
The EP4CE40F29C8N is well-suited to video format conversion and bridging between MIPI/CSI-2, parallel RGB, HDMI, and LVDS sources and sinks, a common requirement in digital signage, kiosks, and medical-imaging back-ends. With 1,161,216 bits of embedded SRAM and DDR2 memory-controller support, the FPGA can line-buffer full HD frames and perform color-space conversion, scaling, or alpha-blending in real time. The 780-FBGA ball-grid provides the wide parallel I/O buses needed for high-pixel-rate video and the DDR2 memory interface for frame buffering.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End Processing
The EP4CE40F29C8N is used as the digital front-end in low-cost software-defined radio platforms, where it performs channelization, decimation, and baseband processing between a wideband ADC and a host CPU. Its 116 hardware multipliers efficiently implement FIR filters and FFT butterflies, while the embedded SRAM provides the buffer space for overlap-add overlap-save convolution. The 4 PLLs synthesize the ADC sample clock and the LVDS reference clocks needed for high-speed ADC interfaces. The 780-FBGA package also exposes parallel or LVDS links to gigabit Ethernet MAC/PHY devices for sample streaming.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Logic Emulation
FPGAs in the Cyclone IV E family are popular vehicles for ASIC and SoC prototyping because their high I/O count and large logic capacity allow mapping of multi-million-gate ASIC RTL onto a small FPGA array. The EP4CE40F29C8N, with 39,600 LEs and 532 user I/Os in the 780-FBGA, is a representative mid-density building block used in multi-FPGA prototyping boards. Quartus Prime supports partition-based synthesis flows optimized for repeatable prototyping usage, and the device can be reconfigured in milliseconds via JTAG or active serial configuration from a commodity SPI flash.
Recommended
Low-Cost Communications Line Cards
Telecom and datacom line cards often use a low-cost FPGA like the EP4CE40F29C8N for protocol bridging, packet classification, and SERDES/serdes helper logic between an Ethernet switch ASIC and a backplane. The 780-FBGA's large I/O budget supports multiple SGMII or parallel Ethernet ports plus the DDR2/QDRII memory channels used for packet buffering. Altera's IP library for the Cyclone IV E family provides UART, I2C, SPI, SGMII, and PCS functions, allowing a fully functioning line card on a single FPGA at a low BOM cost.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE40F29C8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE40F29C7N | EP4CE40F29C6N | EP4CE40F29C8LN | EP4CE30F29C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 780-FBGA (F29) | 780-FBGA (F29) - same | 780-FBGA (F29) - same | 780-FBGA (F29) - same | 780-FBGA (F29) - same |
| Logic Elements | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | ~29,000 |
| Speed Grade | C8 (-8) | C7 (-7) | C6 (-6) | C8 (-8) | C8 (-8) |
| Embedded Memory | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | ~600 Kbits |
| User I/Os | 532 | 532 | 532 | 532 | 532 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 116 | 116 | 116 | 116 | ~66 |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade in the EP4CE40 F29 ordering options (vs EP4CE40F29C7N)
- Higher logic and memory density than the EP4CE30 in the same package (vs EP4CE30F29C8N)
- Lowest-cost high-I/O Cyclone IV E variant (vs EP4CE115F29C8N)
Design Notes
The 780-FBGA package requires a high-density PCB: minimum 4 layers (6 recommended), laser-drilled microvias or stacked microvias, and via-in-pad to escape the BGA balls. Match length and impedance for clock pairs and DDR2 memory lines per the Cyclone IV E pin connection guidelines. Provide at least one solid reference plane beneath the device for power distribution and thermal dissipation.
Cyclone IV E FPGAs require multiple supply rails (VCCINT core, VCCIO for I/O banks, VCCAUX, VCCPD, VCCPLL, VCCBAT for battery-backed configuration if used). Decoupling: place 0.1 uF and 1 uF capacitors within 100 mils of every power pin, and a bulk 47-100 uF tantalum or ceramic per rail. Estimating: an EP4CE40 typically draws 200-400 mA on VCCINT and several hundred mA on VCCIO depending on switching I/O utilization.
A common pitfall is forgetting the MSEL pins: they select the FPGA configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP) and must be pulled up or down through resistors before reset. Failing to strap MSEL correctly causes silent configuration failure. Also verify that the JTAG chain is correctly terminated with TCK pull-up, TMS/TDO pull-up/down per IEEE 1149.1, otherwise Quartus Programmer cannot find the device.
Estimated: with internal utilization of ~70 percent logic and ~50 percent I/O switching at ~100 MHz, expect junction-to-ambient theta_JA in the 15-20 C/W range for the 780-FBGA on a 6-layer board. Worst-case power consumption may reach 2-3 W, requiring either a small heatsink or substantial copper flooding beneath the package. Derate temperature according to Intel's power-estimator spreadsheet for production designs.
Compliance Information
Lead-free and RoHS-compliant per Altera/Intel standard ordering convention. Halogen-free status varies by date code; request the latest declaration from the distributor.
