EPC8Q100C - 8Mb Enhanced Configuration Device | Altera/Intel
MPN: EPC8Q100C ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.4 | $18.40 |
| 10 | $16.2 | $162.00 |
| 100 | $13.95 | $1,395.00 |
| 500 | $11.8 | $5,900.00 |
| 1,000 | $9.65 | $9,650.00 |
EPC8Q100C Overview
A configuration device is a specialized serial-interface memory designed to load an FPGA's SRAM configuration memory through a standardized slave serial or parallel scheme at power-on reset. These devices sit in the boot hierarchy below FPGAs: at power-up the FPGA acts as a master that issues configuration clocks and reads bitstream data from the configuration PROM. Enhanced configuration devices, of which the EPC8Q100 family is part, add multi-page architecture, JTAG in-system programmability, and faster configuration times than the older non-enhanced EPC families, making them suitable for large LUT counts and field-updatable designs.
Key features include 8 Mbit of configuration storage, support for cascading up to four devices for very large bitstreams, 3.3V single-supply operation, and programmable configuration clock rates. The PQFP-100 footprint matches that of the larger EPC16 family at the lower pin count, simplifying board layout across multiple density options. The device supports both serial and parallel (x8) configuration modes and provides dedicated JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) that can also be used to program the FPGA bitstream through the EPC8Q100C.
Typical applications include boot configuration for Altera Cyclone, Cyclone II, Stratix, Stratix GX, and other SRAM-based LUT FPGAs in industrial control boards, telecom line cards, test and measurement instruments, and military/aerospace designs where the FPGA configuration must be retained across power cycles without external boot logic. Designers often pair the EPC8Q100C with a 3.3V reset supervisor and a JTAG header to enable in-field firmware updates.
When designing with the EPC8Q100C, observe the recommended decoupling (100 nF close to each VCC pin) and keep the JTAG trace lengths under 6 inches for reliable boundary-scan programming. The device is rated for 0-70C commercial operation in this part suffix, so for industrial temperature ranges the EPC8Q100I variant must be selected.
This page synthesizes real-time distributor stock data, drop-in alternatives from the same Altera/Intel configuration device family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EPC8Q100C — 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 EPC8Q100C (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Supported FPGA Families, Configuration Interface, Memory Size, Memory Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPC8Q100
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPC8C100T
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$10.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPC8Q100I
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPC16QC100
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$14.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPC16QC100N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPC8Q100C Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Memory Density | 8 Mbit |
| Device Family | Enhanced Configuration Device (EPC8Q100 series) |
| Configuration Interface | Serial / Parallel (x8) slave mode |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (typ) |
| In-System Programming | IEEE 1149.1 JTAG |
| Package | 100-pin PQFP (20 x 14 mm) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C (commercial, 'C' suffix) |
| Cascade Support | Up to 4 devices cascadable |
| Supported FPGA Families | Altera Cyclone, Cyclone II, Stratix, Stratix GX, Apex series |
| Configuration Clock | User-programmable internal oscillator |
| Programming Cycles | 100 minimum endurance cycles |
| Programming Voltage | 3.3 V in-system (no external VPP) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Lead-free per Altera/Intel Pb-free roadmap |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (PQFP) |
EPC8Q100C Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | DATA — Configuration data serial output to FPGA |
| Pin 2 | DCLK — Configuration clock output to FPGA |
| Pin 3 | nCS — Chip select (active low) |
| Pin 4 | nOE — Output enable (active low) |
| Pin 5 | nCE — Chip enable cascade input (active low) |
| Pin 6 | nCASC — Cascade output (active low) |
| Pin 7 | nINIT_CONF — Initiate configuration (active low) |
| Pin 8 | VCC — 3.3V supply |
| Pin 9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 10 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin 11 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin 12 | TDI — JTAG test data input |
| Pin 13 | TDO — JTAG test data output |
| Pin 14 | nSTATUS — Configuration status to FPGA (active low) |
| Pin 15 | CONF_DONE — Configuration complete to FPGA |
| Pin 16 | nCONFIG — Configuration request from FPGA (active low) |
| Pin 17 | OSC_EN — Internal oscillator enable |
| Pin 18 | PWRDWN — Power-down mode input |
| Pin 19 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 20 | VCC — 3.3V supply |
| Pin 21 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 22 | A0 — Address line 0 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 23 | A1 — Address line 1 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 24 | A2 — Address line 2 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 25 | A3 — Address line 3 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 26 | A4 — Address line 4 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 27 | A5 — Address line 5 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 28 | A6 — Address line 6 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 29 | A7 — Address line 7 (parallel mode) |
| Pin 30 | BYTE_n — Byte/serial mode select |
| Pin 31 | D0 — Parallel data bit 0 |
| Pin 32 | D1 — Parallel data bit 1 |
| Pin 33 | D2 — Parallel data bit 2 |
| Pin 34 | D3 — Parallel data bit 3 |
| Pin 35 | D4 — Parallel data bit 4 |
| Pin 36 | D5 — Parallel data bit 5 |
| Pin 37 | D6 — Parallel data bit 6 |
| Pin 38 | D7 — Parallel data bit 7 |
| Pin 39 | VCC — 3.3V supply |
| Pin 40 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 41 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 42 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 43 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 44 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 45 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 46 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 47 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 48 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 49 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 50 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 51 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 52 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 53 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 54 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 55 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 56 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 57 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 58 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 59 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 60 | VCC — 3.3V supply |
| Pin 61 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 62 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 63 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 64 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 65 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 66 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 67 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 68 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 69 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 70 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 71 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 72 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 73 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 74 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 75 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 76 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 77 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 78 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 79 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 80 | VCC — 3.3V supply |
| Pin 81 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 82 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 83 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 84 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 85 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 86 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 87 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 88 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 89 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 90 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 91 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 92 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 93 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 94 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 95 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 96 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 97 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 98 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 99 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
| Pin 100 | RSV — Reserved - leave unconnected |
Typical Applications
EPC8Q100C is suitable for 6 applications: Altera Cyclone II FPGA Boot Configuration, Stratix GX Telecom Line Card Configuration, Industrial Control PLC Backplane, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Military / Aerospace Avionics FPGA Board, Medical Imaging FPGA Front-End.
Altera Cyclone II FPGA Boot Configuration
The EPC8Q100C stores the 1.6 to 4.0 Mbit configuration image of an Altera Cyclone II EP2C5/EP2C8/EP2C20 and serializes it at power-up through the FPGA's slave-serial or x8 parallel mode. Its 8 Mbit density provides comfortable headroom for the bitstream plus optional soft-core NIOS firmware. Placed near the FPGA with DCLK routed with a 50 ohm-controlled trace, the EPC8Q100C delivers a clean cold-boot in under 100 ms and supports multi-device cascade if a larger FPGA is later retrofitted onto the board.
Recommended
Stratix GX Telecom Line Card Configuration
In Stratix GX-based line cards the EPC8Q100C provides the non-volatile storage for the FPGA bitstream and is JTAG-programmed during board bring-up. Its 3.3V single-supply operation matches the Stratix GX aux rail, and the cascading support lets up to four EPC8Q100C devices be chained for very large Stratix bitstreams. Per the datasheet, CONF_DONE and nSTATUS can be wire-OR'd so the host CPU can monitor configuration completion through a single GPIO.
Recommended
Industrial Control PLC Backplane
Industrial PLCs use the EPC8Q100C to configure APEX or Cyclone FPGAs that run motion-control loops. The commercial 0 C to +70 C range suits most factory-floor enclosures; for -40 C outdoor applications the EPC8Q100I variant must be substituted. The JTAG ISP capability allows field firmware updates via a maintenance laptop without opening the chassis, a key requirement for 24/7 process control deployments.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench-top oscilloscopes and logic analyzers use the EPC8Q100C to configure high-pin-count Altera FPGAs that aggregate ADC data streams. The 100-pin PQFP keeps the boot section compact on densely-populated acquisition boards, and JTAG re-programming lets the OEM push calibration updates to deployed units over a service portal. The 8 Mbit density supports typical Cyclone II-based DSP bitstreams including soft multipliers and FFT cores.
Recommended
Military / Aerospace Avionics FPGA Board
Avionics subsystems use the EPC8Q100C as the configuration source for SRAM-based LUT FPGAs that perform radar DSP or flight-control pre-processing. The PQFP-100 package has a long heritage in MIL-aerospace designs and is supported by the Altera/Intel military-grade datasheet addendum. For full -55 C to +125 C operation the military-screened variant is required; the commercial C-grade part is acceptable for warm-benign avionics bays only.
Recommended
Medical Imaging FPGA Front-End
Ultrasound and MRI front-end boards use the EPC8Q100C to configure Altera FPGAs that preprocess sensor data before handing off to the host CPU. The deterministic configuration time (~80 ms at default oscillator settings) lets the system meet IEC 60601 startup-time budgets. The in-system JTAG programming allows clinical engineers to load updated imaging algorithms without disassembling the device.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPC8Q100C — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPC8Q100 | EPC8C100T | EPC8Q100I | EPC16QC100 | EPC16QC100N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) - same | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) - same | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) - same | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) - same | PQFP-100 (20x14 mm) - same |
| Memory Density | 8 Mbit | 8 Mbit | 8 Mbit | 8 Mbit | 16 Mbit | 16 Mbit |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) | 0 C to +70 C | 0 C to +70 C | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | 0 C to +70 C | 0 C to +70 C |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V |
| JTAG ISP | Yes (IEEE 1149.1) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cascade Support | Up to 4 devices | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | Up to 4 |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy (2026) | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy |
Key Differentiators
- Same PQFP-100 footprint as the larger EPC16 family (vs EPC16QC100)
- Industrial-temperature variant available on same die (vs EPC8Q100I)
- JTAG ISP eliminates external programmer requirement (vs Legacy EPC2 parallel EPROMs)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of every VCC pin on the EPC8Q100C and add a single 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the 3.3V rail. The device draws peak current during configuration clocks; insufficient decoupling causes voltage droops that retrigger nSTATUS and force re-configuration loops.
Route DCLK as a 50 ohm controlled-impedance trace with length matching within 200 mil of the FPGA's DCLK pin. Keep DATA trace adjacent and matched in length to avoid setup-time violations at the maximum configuration clock rate. Keep JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) short and away from switching power converters to prevent ISP programming failures.
Do not leave reserved (RSV) pins floating; tie them to GND through 10 kohm resistors per the datasheet. Mistakenly driving RSV pins causes the configuration to abort. Always assert nOE low before DCLK starts toggling, and de-assert nCS between cascaded devices to prevent bus contention on the DATA line.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free confirmed per Altera/Intel product marking and PCN history. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in legacy datasheet; AEC-Q100 not applicable for commercial configuration memory. Last-time-buy status as of 2026-09-11.
