EP4CE6F17C8L - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 6K LEs, 256-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CE6F17C8L β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $21.42 | $21.42 |
| 10 | $19.28 | $192.80 |
| 100 | $16.52 | $1,652.00 |
| 500 | $13.4 | $6,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.1 | $11,100.00 |
EP4CE6F17C8L Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) connected via programmable interconnect, surrounded by programmable I/O cells and embedded memory blocks. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy: FPGA -> programmable logic -> logic IC -> integrated circuit. They differ from ASICs in being reprogrammable in the field, from microcontrollers in offering true hardware-parallel execution, and from CPLDs in providing far higher logic density, embedded RAM, and DSP blocks. Cyclone IV E belongs to the non-volatile-free, SRAM-based low-end FPGA segment.
Key features include 6,272 logic elements (~3.9K ALMs / 392 CLBs), 270 Kbits of embedded RAM, 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers, up to 179 user I/Os, four general-purpose PLLs, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2 SDRAM and QDRII SRAM. The device uses a 60 nm low-power process and operates from a 1.0 V core / 2.5 V-3.3 V I/O supply.
Cyclone IV E uses an SRAM-based configuration cell architecture loaded from a serial or parallel flash via the dedicated configuration pins. The 'C8' speed grade and commercial temperature grade 'L' (0C to +85C) define the DC timing and thermal envelope; the 'F17' suffix indicates the 17x17 mm 256-ball FBGA package with 1.0 mm pitch.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing bridges, low-cost software-defined radio, I/O expansion and protocol bridging, display controllers, and educational logic prototyping. The combination of DSP blocks and embedded RAM makes it well suited to moderate-throughput signal processing without leaving the low-cost FPGA tier.
When designing with this device, remember that configuration data must be loaded from an external flash on every power-up; plan for an EPCS or compatible serial configuration device. Decoupling and signal-integrity on the FBGA-256 requires a 4-6 layer PCB with microvia access to the inner-row balls.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE6F17C8L β 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 EP4CE6F17C8L (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, PLLs.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE6F17C8
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$19.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17C7N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3.6 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17C7
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$17.49 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17C6
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$12.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17A7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$24.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE10F17C8N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CE6F17C8L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 6,272 |
| Number of CLBs | 392 |
| Number of Logic Elements / Cells | 6,272 |
| Total RAM Bits | 270,000 |
| Number of I/O | 179 max |
| Voltage - Supply | 1.0 V core, 2.5 V / 3.3 V I/O |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial, L grade) |
| Speed Grade | C8 (commercial speed grade 8) |
| Package / Case | 256-LBGA, 17 x 17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch (F17) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 392 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 15 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Configuration Memory | External (EPCS / EPCQ serial flash) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CE6F17C8L 256-lbga, 17 x 17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch (f17) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE6F17C8L (256-lbga, 17 x 17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch (f17) 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 EP4CE6F17C8L.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE6F17C8L is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Format Bridging, Low-Cost Software-Defined Radio (SDR), I/O Expansion and Protocol Bridging, Display Controllers and LED Walls, Educational Logic Prototyping.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP4CE6F17C8L fits industrial motor-control boards driving BLDC, stepper, and small servo drives. With 6,272 logic elements, 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and 4 PLLs, it can implement Field-Oriented Control (FOC) loops, PWM generation, and quadrature encoder decoding in a single chip. The 179 user I/Os accommodate multi-axis encoder inputs, gate-driver enables, current-sense ADCs, and CAN/RS-485 links. The Cyclone IV E commercial temperature grade (0C to +85C) suits cabinet-mounted drives, and the F17 17x17 mm FBGA footprint fits standard 4-layer FR-4 control boards. Compared with a microcontroller + DSP two-chip solution, the EP4CE6F17C8L reduces BOM cost and PCB area while improving loop-bandwidth determinism via hardware-parallel execution.
Recommended
Video Format Bridging
The EP4CE6F17C8L serves as a low-cost bridge between mismatched video interfaces such as BT.656, RGB888, LVDS, and MIPI-CSI2. With 6,272 logic elements and 270 Kbits of embedded RAM, it can buffer, crop, and re-time video streams up to 1080p30 without external SDRAM. The 179 user I/Os support parallel RGB buses plus control I2C side-channels. The 4 PLLs generate independent pixel clocks for input and output domains. Designers favor the Cyclone IV E for camera-processor glue logic because of the low-cost, low-power profile and the Quartus Prime Lite free toolchain. Compared with ASSP bridge chips, the EP4CE6F17C8L allows custom color-space conversion and timing manipulation that no fixed-function ASSP provides.
Recommended
Low-Cost Software-Defined Radio (SDR)
The EP4CE6F17C8L is well-matched to entry-level SDR front-ends where 6,272 logic elements and 15 DSP multipliers support small FFT pipelines, digital down-conversion, and modest channelization at 10-20 MHz of bandwidth. The 4 PLLs generate the ADC sampling and DAC reconstruction clocks from a single reference, simplifying BOM. Embedded RAM (270 Kbits) holds FFT working buffers without external memory. The commercial temperature grade fits indoor lab/benchtop SDR enclosures. For wider bandwidth or full-band capture, a larger Cyclone IV or Cyclone V device is needed; the EP4CE6F17C8L hits the cost-optimized envelope where small-form-factor portable SDR products live.
Recommended
I/O Expansion and Protocol Bridging
The EP4CE6F17C8L is widely deployed as an I/O aggregator on industrial backplanes, converting between UART, SPI, I2C, parallel GPIO, PCIe Gen1, and Ethernet MII/RMII. With 179 user I/Os and flexible I/O standards (LVCMOS, LVDS, SSTL), a single EP4CE6F17C8L replaces 3-5 bus-converter ASICS and removes firmware coordination overhead. The 392 CLBs run multiple state machines concurrently without software latency. The F17 FBGA package is reflow-compatible with standard lead-free assembly lines. Compared with a microcontroller-based bridge, the FPGA executes all protocols deterministically and isolates timing-sensitive interfaces without RTOS jitter.
Recommended
Display Controllers and LED Walls
The EP4CE6F17C8L drives small-to-medium LED video walls and TFT LCD controllers where 179 user I/Os fan out to shift-register chains for hundreds of RGB channels. The 6,272 logic elements and 15 DSP multipliers handle gamma correction, color-space conversion, and brightness compensation in real time. The 4 PLLs generate independent timing for source pixel clock, panel pixel clock, and PWM backlight control. Embedded RAM buffers 1-2 scan lines without external memory. Compared with display-controller ASICS, the FPGA permits custom resolution mapping and dynamic brightness algorithms that ASICS cannot match. The commercial temperature grade suits indoor display installations.
Recommended
Educational Logic Prototyping
The EP4CE6F17C8L is a popular teaching platform in university digital-logic labs because the 6,272 logic elements, 179 I/Os, and free Quartus Prime Lite toolchain cover full Verilog/VHDL curricula without licensing cost. Students implement FSMs, pipelined datapaths, UART controllers, VGA drivers, and small CPUs (e.g. MIPS single-cycle) within the 392 CLBs. The F17 FBGA dev boards expose all signals to 0.1-inch headers for breadboard-friendly access. The commercial temperature grade suits indoor lab environments. Compared with larger Cyclone IV or Cyclone V devices, the EP4CE6F17C8L balances logic capacity against per-student BOM cost, making it the default choice for cohort-scale FPGA education kits.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE6F17C8L β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE6F17C8 | EP4CE6F17C7N | EP4CE6F17C7 | EP4CE6F17C6N | EP4CE6F17C6 | EP4CE6F17A7N | EP4CE10F17C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | 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 | 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 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 10,320 (+65%) |
| CLBs | 392 | 392 | 392 | 392 | 392 | 392 | 392 | 645 |
| Embedded RAM (Kbits) | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 414 (+53%) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 23 (+53%) |
| Max User I/Os | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 |
| Speed Grade | C8 (commercial) | C8 | C7 (faster) | C7 (faster) | C6 (2 grades faster) | C6 (2 grades faster) | A7 (automotive, faster) | C8 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Automotive -40C to +125C | Industrial -40C to +100C |
Key Differentiators
- Smallest Cyclone IV E member with full F17 I/O count (vs EP4CE10F17C8N)
- Commercial temperature grade with C8 speed grade (vs EP4CE6F17C7N)
- Free Quartus Prime Lite toolchain support (vs Cross-brand Xilinx Spartan-6)
Design Notes
The Cyclone IV E EP4CE6F17C8L requires a 1.0 V core supply (VCCINT) and a separate 2.5 V-3.3 V I/O supply (VCCIO). Estimated: typical static power at room temperature with default settings is around 150 mW; dynamic power scales with toggle rate and reaches 1-2 W at full utilization. Use a 4-layer PCB with a dedicated 1.0 V plane for VCCINT and decouple each VCCINT ball with a 0.1 uF + 10 uF capacitor pair. Connect all GND balls to a solid ground plane; the F17 FBGA exposes multiple GND balls on the inner ring for thermal dissipation. Add a bulk 100 uF tantalum or polymer cap near the package.
The F17 17x17 mm FBGA package relies on the PCB copper for thermal dissipation. Estimated: with all 256 balls soldered to inner copper planes on a 4-layer FR-4 board (1 oz outer, 0.5 oz inner), theta_JA is approximately 25 C/W. At 1.5 W dissipation this gives 37 C junction rise - well within the commercial 85 C limit. For designs exceeding 2 W, add thermal vias under the central GND ball array (8-10 vias per GND ball, 0.3 mm drill, 0.2 mm via wall) to lower theta_JA by 30-40%. Avoid placing the device in a corner where the copper area is constrained.
The 256-ball FBGA with 1.0 mm pitch requires HDI PCB fabrication with laser-drilled microvias to fan out the inner-row balls. Estimated: a 4-layer stack-up with 0.2 mm laser microvias on the top layer and 0.3 mm mechanical vias for inner layers is sufficient. Use a 0.4 mm solder-mask-defined or 0.45 mm non-solder-mask-defined pad. Stagger the via-in-pad pattern to avoid solder wicking. All I/O ball rows should route out on the top layer with microvia fan-out; the center balls route through inner layers. Maintain 50 ohm controlled impedance for high-speed LVDS and SSTL interfaces.
Do not power VCCIO above 3.3 V or apply power before VCCINT stabilizes - this stresses the I/O drivers. Ensure MSL3 floor-life is respected (168 hours) since FBGA packages absorb moisture; bake at 125 C for 24 hours if exposure exceeds the limit. The Cyclone IV E requires an external configuration flash (EPCS4 / EPCS16 / EPCQ16); missing the configuration flash is the most common board-bring-up failure. Tie nCONFIG to VCC through a 10 kohm resistor, nCE low, and pull nSTATUS high through 10 kohm for proper POR behavior.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Cyclone IV E datasheet. Commercial temperature grade (L suffix) - not AEC-Q100 qualified. For automotive applications, choose EP4CE6F17A7N (A7 automotive temperature grade).
