EP4CGX22BF14I8N - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 21.2K LE, 169-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP4CGX22BF14I8N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $35.2 | $352.00 |
| 100 | $31.8 | $3,180.00 |
| 500 | $28.4 | $14,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $25.1 | $25,100.00 |
EP4CGX22BF14I8N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device (PLD) that allows designers to implement custom digital circuits by configuring an array of logic blocks, embedded memory, multipliers, and I/O elements via a hardware description language (HDL) such as Verilog or VHDL. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy, above CPLDs (complex PLDs), and below application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) in terms of power, density, and per-unit cost. The Cyclone IV GX variant specifically adds high-speed serial transceivers, positioning it between general-purpose FPGAs and high-end transceiver-based devices.
Key features of the EP4CGX22BF14I8N include up to two 3.125 Gbps transceivers, integrated PCI Express hard IP, dedicated hardware multipliers for DSP workloads, configurable I/O supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, and SSTL standards, and on-chip PLLs for clock management. The device targets cost-sensitive applications where serial connectivity is required but full transceiver density is unnecessary. Compared with Cyclone IV E, the GX variant trades pure logic density for integrated serial links.
Typical applications include industrial control interfaces, low-cost video processing, motor control, software-defined radio front-ends, USB 3.0/PCIe bridging, and prototyping interfaces. The wide industrial temperature range allows deployment in factory automation and outdoor installations. The combination of low quiescent power, embedded transceivers, and DSP blocks also suits portable test and measurement instruments.
Designers should use the Quartus Prime design suite for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation. Critical considerations include proper power-rail decoupling (the device requires 1.2 V core plus separate PLL and transceiver supplies), thermal management in enclosed industrial enclosures, and JTAG pin protection during in-system programming to prevent back-drive damage.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX22BF14I8N — 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 EP4CGX22BF14I8N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Transceivers, Speed Grade, Embedded Memory Bits.
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View Datasheet →EP4CGX22BF14I8N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 21,280 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 774,144 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 66 |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Package | 169-ball FBGA (14 mm x 14 mm) |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Transceivers | Up to 2 channels, 3.125 Gbps |
| PCI Express Hard IP | Yes |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP4CGX22BF14I8N 169-ball fbga (14 mm x 14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX22BF14I8N (169-ball fbga (14 mm x 14 mm) 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 EP4CGX22BF14I8N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX22BF14I8N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, Industrial Camera Image Pipeline, PCIe Endpoint Bridge, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, LED Display and Lighting Controllers.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N fits motor-control designs because its 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers accelerate field-oriented control (FOC) math while 21,280 logic elements hold encoder interfaces and PWM generation. The integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers allow isolated high-speed feedback links (BiSS-C, EnDat, or proprietary serial protocols). The industrial -40C to +100C operating range tolerates factory-floor enclosures without derating. Estimated logic utilization in a typical 3-axis servo loop: ~60% LEs, 30% multipliers, 25% RAM, leaving headroom for safety state machines.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N serves as a low-cost baseband processor in software-defined radio platforms, leveraging its 3.125 Gbps transceivers for ADC/DAC serialized LVDS streams and its 66 multipliers for channelization and digital down-conversion (DDC). The 774 Kbits embedded RAM acts as sample-line buffering between FFT blocks. With proper PCB layout, the 169-FBGA package keeps signal paths short to preserve SNR; designers commonly pair it with an external ADC and DAC for sub-6 GHz receivers.
Recommended
Industrial Camera Image Pipeline
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N's 66 hardware multipliers accelerate Bayer demosaicing, white-balance, and gamma-correction kernels in industrial vision cameras. Its MIPI-CSI2 or LVDS serializer outputs (via transceivers) drive external ISP links, while the 21,280 LEs implement timing-critical pixel pipelines at 1080p/60. Industrial temperature support enables outdoor and factory-floor mounting. Typical resource utilization for 1080p ISP: ~70% LEs, 40% multipliers, 50% RAM.
Recommended
PCIe Endpoint Bridge
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N includes a built-in PCI Express hard IP block that supports Gen1 x1/x2 endpoint configurations, ideal for cost-sensitive PCIe-to-GPIO, PCIe-to-serial, or PCIe-to-memory bridges. The 3.125 Gbps transceivers handle the PCIe physical layer directly, eliminating external PHY chips and BOM cost. Industrial temperature grade supports PCIe cards in industrial PCs and edge servers.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N drives cost-sensitive bench instruments such as protocol analyzers, function generators, and logic analyzers where its transceivers handle multi-Mbps serial decoding while logic density holds waveform-memory state machines. The FBGA-169 footprint enables compact handheld form factors. Industrial temperature support allows portable instruments to operate in lab and field environments. Estimated: 1 Gbps UART decode uses ~15% LEs; 8-bit logic-analyzer state machine uses ~30% LEs.
Recommended
LED Display and Lighting Controllers
The EP4CGX22BF14I8N drives large LED video walls and architectural lighting controllers by combining high-speed serial links (transceivers) for incoming video streams with parallel LVDS outputs to LED driver chains. Its 66 multipliers support pixel-level color correction and gamma mapping. The industrial temperature range suits outdoor signage and stage-lighting installations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX22BF14I8N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX22BF14I7N | EP4CGX22BF14C8N | EP4CGX22BF14I8 | EP4CGX15BF14I8N | EP4CGX22BF14C8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) - same | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) - same | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) - same | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) - same | 169-ball FBGA (14x14 mm) - same |
| Logic Elements | 21,280 | 21,280 | 21,280 | 21,280 | 14,400 (-32%) | 21,280 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 774,144 | 774,144 | 774,144 | 774,144 | 540,288 (-30%) | 774,144 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 48 (-27%) | 66 |
| Transceivers (3.125 Gbps) | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Pb-Free ('N' suffix) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (leaded) | Yes | No (leaded) |
Key Differentiators
- Wider operating temperature than commercial drop-ins (vs EP4CGX22BF14C8N)
- Faster speed grade than the I7N drop-in (vs EP4CGX22BF14I7N)
- Higher logic density than the CGX15 package alternative (vs EP4CGX15BF14I8N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the EP4CGX22BF14I8N requires a clean 1.2 V core rail with separate PLL analog supplies (typically 2.5 V) and transceiver supply (typically 2.5 V or 3.3 V). Place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every supply pin, plus bulk 47 uF-100 uF tantalum or polymer caps near the device. Power sequencing must bring up VCCINT before VCCPD/VCCAUX to prevent I/O latch-up; verify against the Quartus Prime pin planner's power-sequencing report before tape-out.
Estimated: at full utilization (21,280 LEs at 80% toggle rate, 66 multipliers at 100 MHz, both transceivers at 3.125 Gbps) the FBGA-169 package dissipates approximately 1.0-1.5 W. With a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of approximately 25-35 C/W for the FBGA-169, junction temperature rise is roughly 25-50 C above ambient. In enclosed industrial enclosures, attach a small copper pad beneath the BGA or add 4-6 thermal vias to the inner power plane to keep Tj below 100 C.
The 169-ball FBGA package uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch. Escape routing requires the use of micro-via (laser-drilled) technology with via-in-pad or dog-bone fanouts. Maintain a continuous reference plane (ground) under the BGA field, and provide a dedicated analog ground island for the PLL and transceiver analog supplies. JTAG, MSEL, and configuration pins must be accessible for in-system programming; add a 4-pin or 10-pin JTAG header even on production boards for failure analysis.
Differential transceiver pairs (the 3.125 Gbps GXB channels) require 100 ohm differential impedance with matched length (within 150 mils) on P and N. Route high-speed pairs over a continuous ground plane, avoid splitting planes, and place AC-coupling capacitors (typically 100 nF) within 1 cm of the FPGA's transmit/receive pins. For LVDS user I/O, follow Intel's LVDS routing guidelines in the Cyclone IV GX Device Handbook to avoid common-mode noise and timing skew.
Common pitfalls include: (1) failing to configure MSEL pins correctly for the desired configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG); (2) leaving nCONFIG, nSTATUS, or CONF_DONE floating; (3) exceeding transceiver VOD pre-emphasis settings beyond the recommended operating range; (4) using un-buffered LVCMOS 3.3 V outputs into high-capacitance loads; and (5) ignoring the 100 ms POR delay before configuration mode sampling. Always validate the design in Quartus Prime with full hardware verification.
Compliance Information
Pb-free 'N' suffix indicates RoHS-compliant lead-free finish per Intel product marking. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGA as automotive qualification is system-level, not device-level; check Intel's automotive-grade MAX 10 or Cyclone V devices for AEC-Q100 qualified alternatives.
