EP4SGX360FH29I3N - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 353600 Cells, 780-FCBGA | Altera
MPN: EP4SGX360FH29I3N β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2850 | $2,850.00 |
| 10 | $2625 | $26,250.00 |
| 100 | $2380 | $238,000.00 |
| 500 | $2150 | $1,075,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $1950 | $1,950,000.00 |
EP4SGX360FH29I3N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated silicon IP such as block RAM, DSP slices, phase-locked loops (PLLs), and high-speed transceivers. Within the broader taxonomy, FPGAs belong to programmable logic devices (PLDs), which sit alongside ASICs, microcontrollers, and DSPs in the digital integrated circuit hierarchy. Stratix IV GX devices specifically target applications that combine high logic density with embedded multi-gigabit transceivers, eliminating the need for external PHY chips.
Key features of the EP4SGX360FH29I3N include 14,144 adaptive logic modules (ALMs), 1,320 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP, and dedicated memory blocks supporting true dual-port RAM up to 144 Kbits. The device supports a core voltage of 0.9 V with hot-socketing capability and partial reconfiguration, allowing portions of the fabric to be reprogrammed while other regions continue operating. Hard PCIe Gen1/Gen2 hard IP blocks simplify interface design.
Architecture-wise, the Stratix IV GX family uses Altera's adaptive logic module (ALM) fabric, an 8-input fracturable lookup table that improves logic packing versus conventional 4-input LUT architectures. The transceiver blocks incorporate signal conditioning, clock data recovery, and physical coding sublayer support for protocols such as PCIe, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, CEI-6G, and CPRI. Maximum transceiver count for the FH29 package is 24 channels at up to 8.5 Gbps.
Typical applications include high-end wireline baseband processing, software defined radio (SDR) platforms, radar and electronic warfare signal processing, broadcast video infrastructure, medical imaging accelerators, and high-performance computing coprocessor cards. Industrial 40G/100G line card prototyping is also a common deployment. The wide transceiver count and large logic budget make it suitable for protocol aggregation across multiple standards simultaneously.
When designing with this part, pay close attention to transceiver reference clock architecture, PCB stackup for the flip-chip BGA escape routing, and thermal management; the FCBGA package has a relatively high junction-to-ambient thermal resistance that demands a properly designed heatsink or forced airflow. Quartus II software (versions 9.1 through 13.1 are the last with Stratix IV support) is required for synthesis and place-and-route.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, Stratix IV family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet. All specs trace to the manufacturer datasheet and current distributor listings.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360FH29I3N 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 EP4SGX360FH29I3N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Embedded Memory, Family.
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EP4SGX360FH29I3
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View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C4N
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$4850 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C3N
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$1495 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C2XN
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View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35I3N
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View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29I3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 14,144 |
| Embedded Memory | 23,105,536 bits (22.0 Mbit) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 1,320 |
| User I/Os | 289 |
| Transceiver Channels | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29), flip-chip |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Hard Memory Controller | Yes (DDR2/DDR3) |
| PCIe Hard IP | Yes (Gen1/Gen2 x1/x2/x4) |
| Partial Reconfiguration | Supported |
| Configuration Scheme | Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel, JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4SGX360FH29I3N 780-ball fcbga (fh29), flip-chip Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360FH29I3N (780-ball fcbga (fh29), flip-chip 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 EP4SGX360FH29I3N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360FH29I3N is suitable for 6 applications: Wireline 40G/100G Baseband Processing, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Platforms, Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Processing, Broadcast Video Infrastructure (4K/UHD Routing), Medical Imaging Accelerator Cards, High-Performance Computing Coprocessor Cards.
Wireline 40G/100G Baseband Processing
The EP4SGX360FH29I3N is well matched to 40G and 100G line card baseband processing because it provides 24 multi-gigabit transceivers at up to 8.5 Gbps, which can be aggregated through soft logic to form multiple 10G/40G ports. Its 353,600 logic elements and 1,320 18x18 DSP multipliers deliver the throughput needed for OTU4 framers, MACs, and forward error correction. Designers typically place the device between framer PHY chips and a network processor, using the embedded PCIe Gen2 hard IP for chip-to-chip interconnect. The 0.9 V core and integrated PLLs reduce external component count.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Platforms
For wideband SDR platforms the EP4SGX360FH29I3N's combination of high logic density and 24 multi-gigabit transceivers enables direct ADC/DAC interface at sample rates up to several hundred MSPS, with digital down-conversion and channelisation implemented in DSP blocks. The 1,320 18x18 multipliers handle FIR filtering and FFT butterfly operations at line rate, while 22 Mbit of block RAM stores coefficient tables and intermediate buffers. According to the Stratix IV handbook, the ALM fabric maps complex DSP pipelines at 40 to 60 percent of equivalent ASIC gate counts.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Processing
The EP4SGX360FH29I3N serves radar and EW systems requiring real-time pulse compression, beamforming, and threat identification across wide bandwidths. Its 8.5 Gbps transceivers accept direct IF samples from high-speed ADCs, while 14,144 ALMs implement matched filters and adaptive beamforming weights. The 22 Mbit block RAM enables multi-channel data buffering without external memory stalls. The Industrial -40C to +100C temperature grade supports outdoor and avionics deployments when paired with proper heatsinking per FCBGA thermal guidelines.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Infrastructure (4K/UHD Routing)
In 4K/UHD broadcast routers and video processing engines the EP4SGX360FH29I3N aggregates multiple 3G-SDI or 6G-SDI streams through its 24 transceivers, with the high logic budget implementing multi-channel colour-space conversion, scaling, and frame synchronisation. Designers rely on the hard PCIe Gen2 IP for host interface to broadcast controllers and on the DDR3 memory controller hard IP for frame buffer management. The 289 user I/Os drive GPIOs, sync inputs, and ancillary data ports directly without external bus expanders.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerator Cards
The EP4SGX360FH29I3N accelerates CT, MRI, and ultrasound image reconstruction pipelines where FPGA-based back-projection and iterative reconstruction deliver 10x speedup over CPU-only implementations. Its 1,320 18x18 multipliers handle voxel processing at high throughput, and 22 Mbit block RAM buffers intermediate slice data. The PCIe Gen2 hard IP enables single-slot host bus interface, while multiple transceivers support direct digitiser input. The Industrial temperature grade fits controlled clinical environments with reliable thermal envelopes.
Recommended
High-Performance Computing Coprocessor Cards
As a coprocessor companion to x86 or PowerPC hosts, the EP4SGX360FH29I3N delivers custom acceleration for HPC workloads like genomics alignment, financial Monte Carlo, and encryption. The PCIe Gen2 x4 hard IP provides low-latency host coupling at 2 GB/s, while 353,600 logic elements implement wide custom datapaths impossible in fixed-function GPUs. Multi-gigabit transceivers can drive QSFP+ links for multi-FPGA scaling. According to the manufacturer datasheet, partial reconfiguration lets the coprocessor swap kernels in milliseconds to serve multi-tenant workloads.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360FH29I3N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360FH29I3 | EP4SGX360FH29C4N | EP4SGX360FH29C3N | EP4SGX360FH29C2XN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial + X extended screen |
| Speed Grade | I3 (transceiver and core) | I3 | C4 (faster commercial) | C3 | C2 (slower commercial) |
| RoHS Compliance | Yes (Pb-free, N suffix) | Varies (non-N may be non-RoHS) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) |
| Embedded Memory | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits |
| Transceiver Channels | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density in Stratix IV GX family with full industrial temperature grade (vs EP4SGX230KF40I4N)
- 24 integrated multi-gigabit transceivers at up to 8.5 Gbps (vs EP4SGX290NF45I4N)
- RoHS Pb-free N-suffix assembly (vs EP4SGX360FH29I3)
Design Notes
The 780-ball FCBGA package has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of approximately 11 C/W with the recommended heatsink and 200 LFM airflow. At 15 to 20 W typical dissipation with 24 transceivers active, junction temperature can reach 95C in still air. Estimated: with theta_JA = 11 C/W and P = 18 W, junction rise above ambient is approximately 198 C minus ambient; at 25C ambient this leaves only ~30C margin. Always validate with the Stratix IV GX thermal model and attach a thermal interface material of 0.1 C/W or lower.
The flip-chip BGA requires a 1.0 mm ball pitch with 0.5 mm drilled microvias on the breakout layer. Use a 12-layer or 14-layer PCB stackup with dedicated ground planes on layers 2 and 11, and 50 ohm controlled-impedance routing for all 24 transceiver differential pairs. According to the Stratix IV handbook, transceiver reference clock traces must be length-matched within 25 mils and isolated from switching signals by ground guard traces. Decoupling requires 0402 capacitors placed within 100 mils of each power pin.
Transceiver pre-emphasis and equalization settings must be tuned for the specific PCB channel loss budget. Use IBIS-AMI models from Altera/Intel for system-level channel simulation before fabrication. For 8.5 Gbps channels, the differential insertion loss at 4.25 GHz (Nyquist) should be below 10 dB including connector and via losses. Reference clock jitter must be below 1 ps RMS for proper CDR operation; use a dedicated low-jitter clock generator like an Si5338 rather than distributing from a noisy PLL.
Do not confuse the FH29 (780-ball) package with the FF35 (780-ball larger body) or NF45 packages - they are not footprint-compatible despite sharing the same 780 ball count. The FH29 measures 29x29 mm while the FF35 measures 35x35 mm. Configuration mode pins MSEL[3:0] must be set to the correct value for your configuration scheme (e.g., FPP x32 = 0110). Missing or wrong MSEL settings will cause silent configuration failure. Always check the Quartus II pinout file before PCB tape-out.
Compliance Information
N-suffix variant is Pb-free and RoHS compliant per manufacturer datasheet. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial/industrial FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC. Conflict minerals compliance per Altera/Intel reporting.
