EP4CGX110DF27I7 - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 110K LEs, 672-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX110DF27I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
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EP4CGX110DF27I7 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable semiconductor device whose logic function is defined by the user via an HDL description and a configuration bitstream. Architecturally, an FPGA sits between a custom ASIC and a general-purpose processor: it provides ASIC-like parallelism and deterministic timing while retaining the field-reprogrammability that allows late-stage design changes and in-system updates. Within the broader taxonomy, the Cyclone IV GX belongs to the low-cost FPGA family positioned below the mid-range Arria and high-end Stratix devices, targeting applications where price, power, and I/O bandwidth matter more than absolute logic density.
Key Cyclone IV GX features include integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers, dedicated hard IP blocks for PCI Express Gen1, embedded multipliers (18x18), and configurable M9K memory blocks. The device family supports common I/O standards (LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL) and offers a flexible clock management network with up to 8 PLLs per device. Hard memory controllers and an embedded soft-core (Nios II) processor ecosystem round out the offering for system-on-chip integration.
Typical applications include industrial video bridging, low-cost software-defined radio front-ends, factory automation controllers, machine-vision interfaces, and PCIe endpoint cards. The combination of transceivers and high logic count also makes it attractive for legacy telecom line-card designs, motor-control DSP blocks, and protocol-bridging adapters where multiple bus standards must coexist.
When designing with this FPGA, ensure the Quartus II / Quartus Prime design toolchain version supports the device (Cyclone IV support ends at Quartus Prime 21.1 and later is no longer updated by Intel). Use the Altera EthernetBlaster or USB-Blaster for JTAG configuration. Verify thermal design for 1.2 V core current at full toggle rate and provide a robust decoupling network on all VCC/VCCIO rails.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Cyclone IV GX alternatives, application recommendations, and practical design notes not collected in a single place on the manufacturer datasheet portal.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX110DF27I7 — 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 EP4CGX110DF27I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Transceiver Data Rate.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX110DF27I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$152.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$204.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$272.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$225.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$119.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 109,424 |
| Embedded Memory | 5,621,760 bits |
| Number of User I/Os | 393 |
| Maximum Transceiver Data Rate | 3.125 Gbps |
| PCI Express Hard IP | PCIe Gen1 x1 / x2 / x4 |
| Process Technology | 60 nm (low-power) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Package | 672-ball FBGA (F27) |
| Package Pin Count | 672 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial, 'I7' suffix) |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / Active Serial / Passive Serial |
| Recommended Toolchain | Quartus II / Quartus Prime (Cyclone IV support) |
EP4CGX110DF27I7 672 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX110DF27I7 (672 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 EP4CGX110DF27I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX110DF27I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Video Bridging and Protocol Conversion, PCI Express Endpoint Add-In Cards, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, Motor Control and Industrial Drives, Machine Vision and Image Processing, Legacy Telecom Line-Card Bridging.
Industrial Video Bridging and Protocol Conversion
The EP4CGX110DF27I7 is well suited to industrial video bridging designs that must convert between Camera Link, CoaXPress, HDMI, LVDS, and GigE Vision streams. Its 109,424 logic elements plus 5.36 Mbit of embedded memory provide enough fabric to implement wide FIFO buffers, line-rate color-space converters, and GenICam protocol stacks without external memory. The integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers can drive HDMI 1.4 TMDS links or HD-SDI coax outputs directly, while 393 user I/Os support multiple parallel video buses concurrently. Designers typically pair the FPGA with DDR2 or LPDDR2 memory and run the system from a 24V industrial rail. Because the device ships in industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C), it can be deployed directly on factory-floor PCBs without conformal-coating derating.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint Add-In Cards
Thanks to its hard PCI Express Gen1 IP block, the EP4CGX110DF27I7 enables low-cost PCIe x1 / x2 / x4 endpoint cards such as data-acquisition boards, software-radio receivers, and frame grabbers. The hard IP block eliminates the need for a soft PCIe core, saving roughly 5K-10K logic elements and simplifying timing closure. The 3.125 Gbps transceivers are used directly for the PCIe lanes, leaving the remaining logic and 393 I/Os free for application logic and external interfaces. Designers typically implement a DMA engine plus a scatter-gather list processor in the FPGA fabric, with the system memory mapped through the PCIe BAR windows. Industrial temperature grade allows deployment in ruggedized hosts and outdoor enclosures.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
The EP4CGX110DF27I7 is a popular platform for narrow-band software-defined radio (SDR) front-ends, where its transceivers handle the ADC/DAC interface and the FPGA fabric implements digital down-conversion (DDC), digital up-conversion (DUC), channelization, and demodulation. At 3.125 Gbps per lane, the device can interface with 14-bit ADCs and DACs such as the AD9643 and AD9779a at up to 250 MSPS, leaving substantial logic headroom for DSP blocks. Embedded M9K memory blocks serve as windowed FFT buffers, while 18x18 multipliers implement the FIR filter banks. Industrial temperature grade suits outdoor and vehicular SDR deployments. The compact 672-ball FBGA package also fits onto low-cost 4-layer PCBs, keeping the BOM competitive against ASIC alternatives.
Recommended
Motor Control and Industrial Drives
Motor-control designers favor the EP4CGX110DF27I7 because it combines enough logic for field-oriented control (FOC) loops, space-vector modulators, and encoder interfaces on a single chip. The 393 user I/Os accept quadrature encoder, Hall-sensor, resolver, and SPI feedback signals from up to three axes simultaneously. Hardware multipliers accelerate the Park/Clarke transforms and SVPWM computations at PWM frequencies up to 50 kHz with sub-microsecond loop latency. Integrated transceivers can drive isolated industrial Ethernet links such as EtherCAT or SERCOS-III without an external PHY. Industrial temperature grade and 1.2 V low-power process help the design meet IEC 61800 standards for drive ambient temperature.
Recommended
Machine Vision and Image Processing
The EP4CGX110DF27I7 supports mid-resolution machine-vision pipelines at line rates up to Gigabit Ethernet or Camera Link speeds. The FPGA can perform Bayer demosaic, lens correction, Sobel edge detection, and Hough transform processing in real time for cameras up to 4K resolution at 30 fps. Embedded memory holds multiple scan lines for 2D filter operations, while 18x18 multipliers accelerate convolution kernels. The 393 user I/Os accept MIPI CSI-2, LVDS, or parallel CMOS sensor inputs through simple bridge PHY chips. Designers can co-implement image preprocessing and a Nios II soft-core for higher-level decision logic on the same device, lowering system cost compared with separate vision processor + FPGA architectures.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Line-Card Bridging
Telecom designers use the EP4CGX110DF27I7 to build protocol-bridging adapters between legacy TDM buses (T1/E1, H.110, PCM Highway) and modern packet networks. The 393 user I/Os can bus-mux parallel H.110 streams at 8.192 MHz, while the transceivers drive SGMII or 1000BASE-X Ethernet uplinks to a host processor or switch fabric. Hard PCIe Gen1 IP block also enables advancedMC-style carrier cards. Industrial temperature grade and 1.2 V core supply simplify thermal design in sealed central-office equipment. The Cyclone IV GX family is widely supported by telecom OEMs for low-volume protocol-converter builds where an ASIC NRE would be uneconomical.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX110DF27I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX110DF27I7N | EP4CGX110DF27C8N | EP4CGX110DF27C7N | EP4CGX110DF27C7 | EP4CGX110DF27C8 | EP4CGX110DF27C6N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel |
| Package | 672-FBGA (F27) | 672-FBGA (F27) - same | 672-FBGA (F27) - same | 672-FBGA (F27) - same | 672-FBGA (F27) - same | 672-FBGA (F27) - same | 672-FBGA (F27) - same |
| Logic Elements | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 |
| Embedded Memory | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits | 5,621,760 bits |
| User I/Os | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 |
| Speed Grade | 7 | 7 | 8 (faster) | 7 (same) | 7 (same) | 8 (faster) | 6 (slower) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Lead Finish | SnPb (non-RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) | SnPb (non-RoHS) | SnPb (non-RoHS) | Pb-free (RoHS) |
| Transceivers / PCIe Hard IP | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 | 3.125 Gbps / PCIe Gen1 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in the same F27 672-ball FBGA package (vs EP4CGX110DF27C8N)
- Hard PCI Express Gen1 IP block eliminates soft PCIe core (vs EP4CGX110CF23I7N (Cyclone IV E without transceivers))
- Integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers (vs EP4CE75F29I7N (Cyclone IV E))
- RoHS vs SnPb lead finish options within same die (vs EP4CGX110DF27C7 (non-N, commercial, speed 7))
Design Notes
Estimated: at full utilization (109K logic elements, 100% toggle rate, transceivers active), the EP4CGX110DF27I7 draws approximately 1.5-2.0 A from the 1.2 V VCCINT rail and an additional 0.3-0.6 A from VCCIO depending on I/O switching. Designers must provide a low-impedance 1.2 V regulator with bulk decoupling (>= 220 uF) plus per-pin 0.1 uF and 10 nF ceramics placed within 5 mm of the package. Transceiver supply (VCCE_GX) requires an isolated, well-filtered 1.2 V/2.5 V LDO. Refer to the Cyclone IV GX device datasheet power section for accurate ICC estimates based on PowerPlay early power estimator output.
The 672-ball FBGA (F27) package uses a fine-pitch ball grid that demands 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with controlled-impedance routing for transceiver lanes (100 ohm differential). Use length-matching within 150 mil on all high-speed pairs and keep reference plane continuity under BGA breakouts. Solder paste stencil aperture reduction (e.g. 0.85 ratio) is recommended for BGA pads to mitigate mid-chip solder-ball bridging. Plan a 5 mm keep-out around the BGA for via-in-pad microvia fan-out; the device datasheet provides escape routing recommendations specific to the F27 package.
Place configuration device (EPCS16 or EPCQ16) within 25 mm of the FPGA DATA, DCLK, nCS, and ASDO pins to ensure signal integrity. Keep JTAG chain traces short and add a 4.7 kohm pull-up on TCK, TMS, TDI and a 4.7 kohm pull-down on nCEO. Use a dedicated ground island for the FPGA core and stitch the inner ground planes with 1 mm vias on a 5 mm grid around the BGA. Reference the Cyclone IV GX hardware design guidelines for clock network and PLL placement guidance.
Transceiver channels require AC-coupling capacitors (typically 100 nF) in series between the FPGA and the external connector or PHY. Maintain 90 ohm differential impedance on transceiver lanes with intra-pair skew < 1 ps and inter-pair skew < 50 ps. Use IBIS-AMI or HSPICE simulations to validate channel loss budgets against 3.125 Gbps signalling. Add a common-mode choke on each lane to suppress EMI from the backplane connector.
Do not confuse EP4CGX110DF27I7 (F27 package, 672-ball) with EP4CGX110DF31I7N (F31 package, 896-ball) - the pin assignments and ball maps are not interchangeable. Do not assume Cyclone IV E (no transceivers) and Cyclone IV GX (with transceivers) are pin-compatible even at the same package code - the transceiver pin functions differ. Ensure the Quartus Prime toolchain version supports Cyclone IV GX - Intel deprecated Cyclone IV support after Quartus Prime 21.1, so newer toolchain releases will not compile this device family.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance data were not present in the verified web snapshot. EP4CGX110DF27I7 ships with SnPb lead finish (non-RoHS by default); the N suffix variant EP4CGX110DF27I7N is the Pb-free RoHS-compliant option. AEC-Q100 is not applicable for FPGAs of this density. Compliance attributes should be confirmed against the manufacturer datasheet before production release.