EP4CE6F17C6N - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 6K LEs, 256-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP4CE6F17C6N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25.2 | $252.00 |
| 100 | $22.1 | $2,210.00 |
| 500 | $19.8 | $9,900.00 |
| 1,000 | $17.95 | $17,950.00 |
EP4CE6F17C6N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, multiplier/DSP blocks, and programmable interconnect, all controlled by SRAM configuration cells. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and programmable microcontrollers, offering hardware-level parallelism, deterministic timing, and post-production reprogrammability. Cyclone IV E belongs to the low-cost, low-power FPGA family, with the broader taxonomy being FPGA -> programmable logic -> digital IC -> semiconductor.
Key features of the EP4CE6F17C6N include 179 maximum user I/O pins supporting common single-ended and differential I/O standards, integrated phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, and dedicated hardware multiplier blocks for DSP operations. The -C6 speed grade balances performance against power consumption, with the C6N suffix indicating the commercial temperature range and lead-free, RoHS-compliant FBGA-256 package.
Architecturally, the device uses a 60 nm low-power process, four-input look-up tables (LUTs) per logic element, embedded RAM blocks of M9K type (9 Kbits each), and a configuration scheme that supports JTAG, Active Serial, and Active Parallel modes. The 256-ball FBGA package provides high I/O density for board-constrained designs while keeping the footprint small.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing bridges, low-cost display controllers, USB/Ethernet interface bridging, and educational FPGA development platforms. The combination of moderate logic capacity and a low-cost FBGA package makes the EP4CE6F17C6N a common choice for volume production designs replacing discrete logic or older CPLDs.
When designing with this FPGA, ensure the PCB supports the 1.0 mm ball pitch of the FBGA-256 package and that the Quartus II / Quartus Prime toolchain is used for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation. Adequate decoupling, a clean reference clock, and a reliable configuration source are essential for stable operation.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, pin-compatible drop-in alternatives within the Cyclone IV E family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE6F17C6N — 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 EP4CE6F17C6N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Configuration Modes, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE6F17C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$13.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$15.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$3.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 6,272 |
| Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) | 392 |
| Embedded Memory | 270 Kbits |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 179 |
| Package | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Lead free, RoHS compliant |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, Active Serial, Active Parallel |
EP4CE6F17C6N 256-fbga (f17), 17x17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE6F17C6N (256-fbga (f17), 17x17 mm, 1.0 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 EP4CE6F17C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE6F17C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Format Conversion / Bridging, Low-Cost USB / Ethernet Interface Bridging, Educational FPGA Development Boards, LED Display Controllers, Industrial Sensor Aggregation Gateways.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP4CE6F17C6N fits low-channel motor control designs by providing 6,272 logic elements for PWM generation, encoder feedback decoding, and current-loop calculation in a single FBGA-256 package. Its 179 user I/Os accommodate multiple Hall-sensor or quadrature-encoder inputs plus three-phase gate-driver outputs without external logic. The C6 speed grade gives deterministic timing for trapezoidal or field-oriented control at moderate PWM frequencies. Compared with a microcontroller plus CPLD split, the integrated FPGA reduces BOM count and improves noise immunity in factory-floor environments.
Recommended
Video Format Conversion / Bridging
The EP4CE6F17C6N is widely used in video format converters that translate between HDMI, DVI, RGB, or LVDS panel interfaces. Its 270 Kbits of embedded memory buffer line-rate video, and the abundant LVDS-capable I/Os drive modern display panels directly. The 60 nm low-power process keeps board thermal budget low for sealed display enclosures. Designers typically pair the FPGA with an external HDMI transceiver and an EEPROM for the configuration bitstream, enabling field updates via JTAG.
Recommended
Low-Cost USB / Ethernet Interface Bridging
The EP4CE6F17C6N serves as a flexible protocol-bridging FPGA between USB 2.0, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, and UART domains in industrial gateways. Its 179 user I/Os allow simultaneous connection to multiple peripheral buses without external mux logic. The C6 speed grade supports 100 Mbit Ethernet MAC operation comfortably while leaving headroom for custom packet processing. Designers can integrate soft IP cores from the Quartus Prime library to minimize external chip count.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Development Boards
The EP4CE6F17C6N is one of the most popular FPGA choices for university labs and learning kits thanks to its low unit cost and FBGA-256 package that maps to standardized 1.0 mm-pitch dev board footprints. Students learn Verilog/VHDL, state-machine design, and embedded soft-core (Nios II) implementation on a real Cyclone IV E device. Quartus Prime Web Edition is free for synthesis, so total BOM + toolchain cost is minimized. Many third-party boards expose PMOD, GPIO, and SDRAM headers wired directly to the FPGA banks.
Recommended
LED Display Controllers
The EP4CE6F17C6N drives large LED matrix panels by generating row-scanning waveforms, gamma-correction tables, and high-speed serial data streams to LED driver ICs. With 270 Kbits of embedded memory it can hold one full scan-line buffer, allowing smooth refresh without external SDRAM. The 60 nm low-power process keeps total board power low enough for outdoor signage enclosures. The FBGA-256 package also fits slim-profile display-controller PCBs.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Aggregation Gateways
The EP4CE6F17C6N aggregates data from multiple industrial sensors (SPI, I2C, analog-front-end LVDS) and forwards pre-processed packets over Ethernet or CAN. Its 392 CLBs comfortably fit small RISC-V or Nios II soft cores plus custom DSP pre-processing, eliminating a separate microcontroller. The 1.0 mm-pitch FBGA-256 package is robust against factory-floor vibration when assembled with underfill, and the commercial C6 grade is sufficient for indoor enclosures. Designers appreciate the ability to update sensor-fusion algorithms via JTAG after deployment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE6F17C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE6F17C8N | EP4CE6F17I7N | EP4CE6F17A7N | EP4CE6F17C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm - same | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm - same | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm - same | 256-FBGA (F17), 17x17 mm - same |
| Logic Elements | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) | C8 (faster) | I7 (industrial temp, A7 speed) | A7 (faster, industrial-like) | C7 (faster, +1 grade) |
| Temperature Range | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +125C (extended) | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| User I/O Pins | 179 max | 179 max | 179 max | 179 max | 179 max |
| Embedded Memory | 270 Kbits | 270 Kbits | 270 Kbits | 270 Kbits | 270 Kbits |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, AS, AP | JTAG, AS, AP | JTAG, AS, AP | JTAG, AS, AP | JTAG, AS, AP |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost entry point in Cyclone IV E family (vs EP4CE10F17C8N)
- Commercial temperature range, lead-free FBGA (vs EP4CE6F17I7N)
- Balanced speed grade with low power (vs EP4CE6F17C8N)
Design Notes
The 256-ball FBGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch which requires 4-6 layer PCB with laser-drilled or micro-via technology for breakout. Use a stacked-via or dog-bone fanout pattern under the BGA and ensure the inner-layer reference planes are uninterrupted beneath the device. Apply NSMD (Non-Solder Mask Defined) pads to improve solder joint reliability. Underfill is recommended for high-vibration industrial environments.
The Cyclone IV E core and I/O banks each require separate regulated supplies (typically VCCINT 1.2V, VCCIO 1.2V-3.3V per bank). Place bulk decoupling capacitors within 100 mils of each supply pin and add 0.1 uF + 10 uF combinations near every VCCIO bank. Use a ferrite bead or Pi filter between switching regulator output and VCCINT to suppress switching ripple that can couple into PLL analog supplies.
For LVDS or DDR memory interfaces above 200 MHz, enforce length-matching within 50 mils on the FPGA-side traces and use 100-ohm differential impedance. Enable on-chip dynamic phase-shift (DPS) or PLL-based deskew for source-synchronous interfaces. The MSEL pins must be strapped correctly for the chosen configuration mode; incorrect MSEL settings cause silent configuration failure at power-up.
Estimated: bitstream size for a fully utilized EP4CE6F17C6N with Nios II soft-core is typically 2-4 Mbits, requiring EPCS16 or larger configuration flash. Do not use EPCS1/EPCS4 - they will overflow. Always generate the JIC (JTAG Indirect Configuration) file in Quartus Prime for factory programming, and verify the bitstream CRC before depanelizing production boards.
Estimated: at typical commercial usage the EP4CE6F17C6N dissipates 0.5-2 W depending on toggle rate and I/O utilization. The 17x17 mm FBGA-256 package has theta_JA around 25-30 C/W with standard JEDEC test board airflow. For sealed enclosures without airflow, derate by 30% and add thermal vias under the exposed die pad if the package variant supports it.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant lead-free FBGA-256 package per Altera/Intel product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; choose industrial-temp EP4CE6F17I7N for harsh environments.
