EP4CGX22BF14C6 - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 22K LE, 169-LBGA | Altera
MPN: EP4CGX22BF14C6 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25.6 | $256.00 |
| 100 | $22.1 | $2,210.00 |
| 500 | $19.8 | $9,900.00 |
| 1,000 | $17.9 | $17,900.00 |
EP4CGX22BF14C6 Overview
What is a Cyclone IV GX FPGA? An FPGA (field-programmable gate array) is a reconfigurable digital integrated circuit containing an array of programmable logic blocks, routing interconnect, I/O cells, and hard IP blocks such as transceivers, PLLs, and memory blocks. The Cyclone IV GX family sits within the programmable-logic hierarchy as: FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> low-power FPGA -> Cyclone series -> Cyclone IV generation -> Cyclone IV GX transceiver variant. Compared with ASICs, FPGAs allow in-system reconfiguration, faster prototyping, and lower NRE cost.
Key specifications include 21,280 logic elements, 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers, 4 PLLs, 483 Kbits of distributed RAM, 291 Kbits of embedded block RAM (M9K blocks), and 72 maximum user I/O pins. The device supports LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards with hot-socketing capability, enabling board-level design flexibility. Hard PCIe Gen1 IP blocks simplify interface to host processors.
The Cyclone IV GX architecture pairs a 4-input ALM (adaptive logic module) fabric with high-speed transceivers and a rich set of hard IP (PCIe, PLLs, memory controllers). The C6 commercial speed grade is positioned for mid-range performance with the lowest static and dynamic power of the family. Designers benefit from Quartus II / Quartus Prime toolchain support and an extensive IP catalog.
Typical applications include industrial control and motor drive, video bridging and image processing, low-cost PCIe endpoint cards, USB3.0/2.0 interface bridging, broadcast equipment, and portable instrumentation. The Cyclone IV GX is particularly suited to designs that need high-speed serial but not at the bandwidth of Stratix-grade FPGAs.
For power planning, use the Intel Early Power Estimator (EPE) before tape-out. Decouple each PLL supply pin with 0.1 uF and 10 uF capacitors placed within 100 mils of the pin. Differential transceiver channels require 100-ohm impedance-controlled routing and AC-coupling capacitors.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from the Cyclone IV GX family, design notes, and an AI-friendly FAQ set that goes beyond the datasheet and helps engineers verify availability and pin compatibility at a glance.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX22BF14C6 — 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 EP4CGX22BF14C6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Transceivers, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Logic Array Blocks (LABs).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX22BF14C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$39.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX22BF14C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX22BF14I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$45.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX22BF14C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone IV GX |
| Device Family | EP4CGX22 |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 21,280 |
| Total Memory Bits | 774,144 |
| Maximum User I/O | 72 |
| Supply Voltage | 1.2 V (core) |
| Package | 169-LBGA (F14) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CGX22BF14C6 169-lbga (f14) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX22BF14C6 (169-lbga (f14) 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 EP4CGX22BF14C6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX22BF14C6 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and Drive, Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Cards, Video Bridging and Image Processing, Portable Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Broadcast and Pro-AV Equipment, USB 3.0/2.0 Interface Bridging.
Industrial Motor Control and Drive
The EP4CGX22BF14C6's 21,280 logic elements and embedded 18x18 multipliers are well-matched to field-oriented control (FOC) loops for three-phase AC induction and PMSM motors. With 72 user I/O pins in the 169-LBGA package, the device can drive multi-axis inverter stages while handling quadrature encoder, Hall-sensor, and resolver feedback via LVDS-capable I/O. Hard PLLs provide deterministic clock generation for PWM carrier frequencies up to 200 kHz, and the C6 commercial speed grade keeps static power below 1.5 W typical for sealed IPM enclosures. Designers benefit from Quartus Prime Qsys integration of motor-control IP cores, plus PCI-based host interfaces for line-side controllers.
Recommended
Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Cards
The Cyclone IV GX EP4CGX22BF14C6 hard PCIe Gen1 IP block simplifies endpoint designs such as data-acquisition cards, software-defined radio front-ends, and industrial I/O expansion. The 169-LBGA F14 package dedicates four transceiver channels supporting PCIe Gen1 lane plus auxiliary serial links up to 3.125 Gbps. With 21,280 logic elements and 774 Kbits of memory, the device can buffer DMA transfers and execute on-card preprocessing in firmware. Compared to ASIC PCIe solutions, the FPGA approach lets designers iterate protocol behavior without respinning silicon - particularly valuable for proprietary host-bridge cards.
Recommended
Video Bridging and Image Processing
With LVDS-capable I/O and 18x18 multipliers, the EP4CGX22BF14C6 is well suited to video format conversion, scaling, and basic image-processing pipelines in broadcast and surveillance markets. The 72 user I/O pins accommodate parallel RGB/YCbCr buses alongside HDMI bridge chips, while embedded M9K memory blocks serve as line buffers for up to 1080p60 streams. Designers commonly pair the device with external HDMI transmitters or camera-sensor ISPs to build compact video-conversion modules. The C6 speed grade is sufficient for real-time 1080p processing at typical pixel-clock rates.
Recommended
Portable Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Battery-powered oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers benefit from the EP4CGX22BF14C6's low static power (~1.5 W typical) combined with high-speed serial transceivers for USB 3.0, SATA, or Ethernet bridging. The 169-LBGA package keeps board footprint small for handheld form factors, while 21,280 logic elements provide the headroom for custom trigger logic, deep memory acquisition, and DSP-based pre-processing. Quartus Prime toolchain support for Soft-Core Nios II enables integrated CPU control without an external host MCU, reducing BOM cost.
Recommended
Broadcast and Pro-AV Equipment
Studio-grade routers, format converters, and audio embedders/de-embedders use the EP4CGX22BF14C6 for SDI/HDMI bridging with on-card audio processing. The device's transceivers handle SDI rates up to 3 Gbps, while LVDS I/O supports parallel TDM audio buses such as TDM8 and TDM16. Hard PLLs generate low-jitter clocks required for AES/EBU and word-clock distribution. The 169-LBGA F14 package provides sufficient I/O density for typical single-card designs and supports JTAG boundary-scan per IEEE 1149.1 for in-system test.
Recommended
USB 3.0/2.0 Interface Bridging
The EP4CGX22BF14C6 acts as a flexible bridge between legacy parallel buses and USB 3.0/2.0 via external ULPI/PIPE PHY chips. Designers use the FPGA's transceivers to implement high-speed serial, while 21,280 logic elements host custom device-class firmware (vendor-specific, CDC, HID, mass storage). The 774 Kbits of embedded memory buffer USB packet payloads, and Quartus Prime provides USB protocol IP cores. Compared to fixed-function USB bridge ASICs, the FPGA approach allows firmware upgrades for evolving USB specifications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX22BF14C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX22BF14C7N | EP4CGX22BF14C8N | EP4CGX22BF14I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 169-LBGA (F14) | 169-LBGA (F14) - same | 169-LBGA (F14) - same | 169-LBGA (F14) - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) - same | Altera (Intel) - same | Altera (Intel) - same |
| Logic Elements | 21,280 | 21,280 | 21,280 | 21,280 |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) | C7 (faster) | C8 (fastest) | I7 (industrial) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Total Memory Bits | 774,144 | 774,144 | 774,144 | 774,144 |
| Maximum User I/O | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Supply Voltage | 1.2 V core | 1.2 V core | 1.2 V core | 1.2 V core |
| RoHS Compliance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lower static power than faster C7/C8 grades (vs EP4CGX22BF14C8N)
- Commercial temperature window for cost-driven designs (vs EP4CGX22BF14I7N)
- Same-package migration path within Cyclone IV GX family (vs EP4CGX22CF19C8N)
Design Notes
Estimated: The Cyclone IV GX EP4CGX22BF14C6 static current is roughly 1-1.5 W typical at the C6 speed grade with no transceivers active. Add 150-250 mW per active 3.125 Gbps transceiver channel and 30-50 mW per 100 MHz toggling LVDS pair. Use the Intel Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet, available on the Altera product page, before finalizing your power tree. Decouple each VCCINT pin with one 0.1 uF and one 10 uF X7R ceramic placed within 100 mils. Transceiver supplies (VCCA_PLL, VCCR_PLL, VCCT, VCCA) each require their own ferrite bead and 10 uF + 0.1 uF decoupling network to isolate PLL noise from the core logic supply.
The 169-LBGA F14 package uses a 0.8 mm ball pitch and requires a 4-6 layer PCB with microvia technology for escape routing. Top-layer fanout should use a dog-bone pattern with via-in-pad for inner balls if PCB fabricator supports it. Maintain a continuous reference ground plane on layer 2 beneath all signal traces to control impedance to 50 ohm single-ended or 90-100 ohm differential. JTAG and configuration pin access (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) must be brought out to a header or test pad for in-system programming. ESD protection diodes on USB and HDMI interface lines should be placed within 50 mils of the connector.
Do not assume pin compatibility across Cyclone IV GX speed grades without verifying the Quartus pin planner output - even within the same F14 package, hard IP pin assignments can shift between C6, C7, and C8 grades. The PCIe Gen1 hard IP pins and transceiver channels are package-fixed, so changing from BF14C6 to BF14C7N does not require PCB rework, but mixed-version designs on the same PCB should be reviewed carefully. Avoid leaving unused transceiver channels floating: tie TX outputs through AC-coupling caps to ground and let RX inputs be unconnected. The Cyclone IV GX datasheet chapter on configuration recommends 25-ohm series damping resistors on configuration clock and data lines for EMI control.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Altera product page and DigiKey listing. Lead-free reflow profile per JEDEC J-STD-020. AEC-Q100 not applicable - FPGAs are not typically AEC-Q100 qualified unless specified in automotive-grade variants (not the C6 commercial grade).
