EP4CE6F17I7 - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 6K LEs, 256-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CE6F17I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.75 | $2,875.00 |
| 500 | $24.1 | $12,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.85 | $21,850.00 |
EP4CE6F17I7 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device that allows hardware designers to configure digital logic blocks, interconnects, and I/O behavior after manufacturing. FPGAs occupy a tier between fixed-function ASICs and microcontrollers, offering parallel processing capability and deterministic timing. Cyclone IV E belongs to the Cyclone IV family within Intel's (formerly Altera's) programmable logic hierarchy, positioned as a low-power, cost-optimized family for industrial, automotive, and consumer applications.
Key features of the EP4CE6F17I7 include 6,272 logic elements (LEs), 392 Kbits of embedded RAM distributed as M9K blocks, 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and four general-purpose PLLs. The I-variant denotes the industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C). The device also supports configuration via JTAG and Active Serial (AS) modes, and integrates on-chip voltage regulators that allow single-supply operation from a single 1.0V/1.2V rail.
From an architectural standpoint, the EP4CE6F17I7 uses an SRAM-based logic fabric with 4-input look-up tables (LUTs), fast carry chains for arithmetic, and dedicated memory blocks (M9K) that can be cascaded to support wider or deeper memory configurations. The 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers can be configured as individual multipliers or paired for 9x9 / 18x18 / 36x36 modes, enabling efficient DSP operations without consuming general logic.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, low-cost video bridging, machine vision pre-processing, USB/Ethernet protocol bridging, and embedded display controllers. The wide I/O count and DSP blocks also make this device a popular choice for educational development boards (e.g., the DE0-Nano platform).
When designing with the EP4CE6F17I7, pay close attention to power sequencing: VCCINT (1.2V) and VCCIO must ramp together within datasheet-specified monotonicity to avoid in-rush damage. Decoupling capacitors (0.1uF and 10uF) must be placed adjacent to each power pin, and the exposed pad (EP) thermal ball array must be soldered to the ground plane for thermal dissipation.
This page synthesizes verified distributor pricing, package-level dimensions, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet, providing a one-stop reference for engineers evaluating the EP4CE6F17I7 for new designs or sourcing for production.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE6F17I7 — 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 EP4CE6F17I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Core Voltage (VCCINT), Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE6F17C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$13.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C9LN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C8LN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.25 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17C8L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE10F17C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE6F17I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Cyclone IV E |
| Series | EP4CE6 |
| Logic Elements | 6,272 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 392 |
| Embedded Block RAM | 270 Kbit (30 M9K blocks) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 15 |
| General-purpose PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 179 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial grade) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.0 V to 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.2 V / 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 200 MHz |
| Package | 256-LBGA (17 x 17 mm, 1 mm pitch, FBGA-256) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Configuration Mode | JTAG / Active Serial (AS) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low power |
EP4CE6F17I7 256-lbga (17 x 17 mm, 1 mm pitch, fbga-256) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE6F17I7 (256-lbga (17 x 17 mm, 1 mm pitch, fbga-256) 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 EP4CE6F17I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE6F17I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Bridge and HDMI/VGA Conversion, USB/Ethernet Protocol Bridge, Machine Vision Pre-Processing, Educational FPGA Development Boards, Embedded Display Controllers.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP4CE6F17I7 fits industrial motor control because its 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers and 4 PLLs deliver real-time PID computation and field-oriented control (FOC) loops at switch frequencies up to 200 MHz, while the industrial -40C to +85C temperature rating withstands factory-floor thermal stress. The 179 user I/Os support quadrature encoder inputs, PWM outputs to gate drivers, and isolated serial links. With 270 Kbits of block RAM, the device can cache speed profiles and run state-machine commutation without external memory. Estimated: at 1.2V VCCINT and typical 50% toggle rate, the 60-nm Cyclone IV E core dissipates ~0.4 W - acceptable for sealed IP54 enclosures.
Recommended
Video Bridge and HDMI/VGA Conversion
The EP4CE6F17I7 suits HDMI-to-VGA, HDMI-to-LVDS, and DisplayPort-to-LVDS bridging because its 179 user I/Os accommodate multiple LVDS pairs, its M9K blocks form line buffers for raster conversion, and its DSP blocks handle scaling and color-space conversion. Operating at 150 MHz pixel clock, the device can drive 720p60 with full color depth. Industrial temperature rating lets the bridge module sit behind a display panel without thermal concern. Design note: the F17 BGA ball-out groups LVDS pairs on bank 3 and 4 - consult the pin-out file before routing the differential pair stack-up to avoid stub mismatches.
Recommended
USB/Ethernet Protocol Bridge
The EP4CE6F17I7 works as a low-latency protocol bridge between USB 2.0 high-speed, 10/100 Ethernet, and UART/SPI peripherals because its 6,272 logic elements implement the PHY glue logic, packet buffers, and state machines in a single chip. With 270 Kbits of block RAM, the device buffers ~1 KB of packet data without external SRAM. The four PLLs derive 50 MHz PHY clocks and 480 MHz USB clocks from a single 25 MHz reference. Industrial grade lets the bridge sit in factory automation gateways where ambient temperatures vary widely.
Recommended
Machine Vision Pre-Processing
The EP4CE6F17I7 is well-matched to entry-level machine vision pre-processing pipelines - Bayer demosaicing, Gaussian filtering, Sobel edge detection - because its 15 embedded 18x18 multipliers accelerate convolution kernels and its M9K blocks hold 640x480 line buffers. A MIPI-CSI or parallel CMOS sensor interface fits within the 179 available user I/Os. The 200 MHz fabric supports 60 fps processing at VGA resolution. The industrial temperature rating enables camera module deployment in food inspection and packaging lines where ambient temperatures reach 80C.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Development Boards
The EP4CE6F17I7 powers educational FPGA development kits like the DE0-Nano because its 6,272 LEs and 179 I/Os provide enough logic for a Nios II soft processor, on-chip peripherals, and student projects, while the industrial temperature rating protects lab environments and demo boards shipped overseas. The 256-LBGA package is well-suited to small PCBs (17x17 mm BGA), enabling credit-card-sized development boards with on-board SDRAM, HDMI, USB, and GPIO headers. The mature Quartus II toolchain keeps the educational ramp-up short.
Recommended
Embedded Display Controllers
The EP4CE6F17I7 drives small TFT and OLED displays as an embedded controller because its M9K blocks act as a frame buffer for 320x240 RGB images, its PLLs synthesize pixel clocks from a single reference, and its LVDS-capable I/Os drive newer MIPI-style panels. The 6,272-LE fabric is sufficient for font rendering, touch controller I/O glue, and an embedded Nios II CPU running the UI. Industrial temperature rating suits automotive dashboard and industrial HMI applications. The 60 nm low-power process keeps thermal dissipation under 0.5 W even at 60% utilization.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE6F17I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE6F17C8N | EP4CE6F17C7N | EP4CE6F17C9LN | EP4CE6F17C8LN | EP4CE10F17C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-LBGA (F17) | 256-LBGA (F17) - same | 256-LBGA (F17) - same | 256-LBGA (F17) - same | 256-LBGA (F17) - same | 256-LBGA (F17) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 6,272 | 10,320 (larger die) |
| Embedded Block RAM | 270 Kbit | 270 Kbit | 270 Kbit | 270 Kbit | 270 Kbit | 414 Kbit |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 23 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 | 179 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +85C |
| Speed Grade | 7 (industrial) | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.0 V to 1.2 V | 1.0 V to 1.2 V | 1.0 V to 1.2 V | 1.0 V to 1.2 V | 1.0 V to 1.2 V | 1.0 V to 1.2 V |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in same F17 footprint (vs EP4CE6F17C8N)
- Higher LE density than smaller Cyclone IV E parts (vs EP4CE10F17C8N)
- Mature Quartus II toolchain with broad IP library support (vs Lattice ECP5 LFE5U-25F-8BG256I)
Design Notes
The EP4CE6F17I7 requires three power rails: VCCINT (1.0-1.2V core), VCCIO (1.2-3.3V I/O banks), and VCCA (2.5V PLL analog). Power sequencing must follow datasheet Section 6 - VCCINT must monotonically ramp first or simultaneous with VCCIO within 100 ms; violating this can trigger latch-up. Estimated: at 1.2V VCCINT and 50% toggle rate, core current is ~330 mA - budget a 1A LDO or switching regulator with adequate headroom for transients.
The 256-LBGA package has 1 mm ball pitch requiring microvia or 0.4 mm trace-and-space PCB technology. Place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors within 2 mm of each VCC pin and 10 uF bulk capacitors per bank on the bottom side. The exposed die pad must be soldered to a continuous ground plane with thermal vias (0.3 mm pitch, 0.5 mm drill) for heat dissipation - omitting thermal vias can raise junction temperature 15-20 C above ambient.
Differential pairs (LVDS) must be routed with 100 ohm differential impedance and matched within 0.5 mm across the pair. Reference plane must be continuous under the entire LVDS trace - splits in the reference plane cause common-mode noise that violates the LVDS spec. Length matching across the parallel bus should be within 50 ps for reliable DDR/DDR2 interfaces. Use the Cyclone IV I/O Bank placement diagram from the pin-out file to place clock inputs on bank 5/6 for PLL access.
Do not leave the MSEL configuration-mode pins floating - tie them to VCCIO or GND through 1 kohm resistors to set the correct configuration mode (AS standard, AS fast, JTAG, etc.). A floating MSEL pin can cause configuration failures and brick the device in production. Also ensure the nCONFIG pin has a 10 kohm pull-up to VCCIO and a 0.1 uF bypass capacitor - this enables clean reconfiguration during user operation.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Intel/Altera product page. Lead-free 256-LBGA package suitable for reflow profiles up to 245C peak. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive applications consult Intel automotive-grade Cyclone IV variants.
