EPF10K30RC240-3 - FLEX-10K 30K Gates 5V FPGA | Altera
MPN: EPF10K30RC240-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $264.49 | $264.49 |
| 10 | $215 | $2,150.00 |
| 100 | $122.3 | $12,230.00 |
| 500 | $105.99 | $52,995.00 |
| 1,000 | $95 | $95,000.00 |
EPF10K30RC240-3 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose logic function is defined after manufacturing by the end user. FPGAs sit hierarchically within programmable logic devices (PLDs) alongside CPLDs, and they themselves contain an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs / LEs), programmable interconnect, block RAM, and I/O cells. The FLEX 10K family pioneered the embedded array block (EAB) concept, providing dedicated SRAM blocks for memory functions and is recognised as the industry's first SOPC (System-on-a-Programmable-Chip) FPGA platform. Because SRAM-based FPGAs are volatile, the EPF10K30RC240-3 must be configured at every power-up from an external EPROM, flash, or microcontroller.
Key features of the EPF10K30RC240-3 include approximately 12,288 bits of distributed RAM, six EAB blocks for dual-port or synchronous memory, multiVolt I/O supporting mixed-voltage interfaces, JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan test support, and in-system programmability via Altera's ByteBlaster or BitBlaster download cables. The exposed thermal pad on the 240-RQFP package enables direct PCB heatsinking for industrial and commercial designs. Combined with 189 usable pins and up to 6 EABs (12,288 memory bits), this device targets medium-density glue logic, bus interface bridging, and prototype ASIC replacement.
From an architectural standpoint, the FLEX 10K family uses a continuous FastTrack interconnect with row and column channels driven by the LABs. Each LAB contains eight LEs, each LE consisting of a 4-input LUT, a programmable register, and dedicated carry/chain logic for arithmetic. The embedded array blocks (EABs) provide true dual-port or single-port RAM up to 2,048 bits each, with configurable width/depth. The I/O structure features tri-state buffers, registers, and configurable slew-rate control, making the device well suited to bus and backplane interface designs operating at 5 V CMOS or 3.3 V LVTTL/LVCMOS levels.
Typical applications include telecommunications line cards, industrial control glue logic, instrumentation data acquisition pre-processing, retro-computing and legacy PCI/ISA bus interfaces, and ASIC prototyping for medium-complexity state machines. Engineers also use the EPF10K30RC240-3 as a long-life-cycle bridge between parallel buses (e.g. ISA, VME) and modern microprocessors.
Designers should pay attention to the 5 V VCCINT requirement: the FLEX 10K family is NOT 3.3 V-tolerant on its core supply, although its I/O ring supports mixed-voltage operation. Always provide a stable POR (power-on-reset) and at least 65 ms of configuration time before driving outputs, and verify the JTAG chain integrity before relying on in-system updates.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K30RC240-3 — 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 EPF10K30RC240-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Family, Operating Temperature, Propagation Delay.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K30RC240-4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$61.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30RC240-3N
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$68.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30RC240-4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$99.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRI240-4N
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View Datasheet →EPF10K30AQI240-1
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View Datasheet →EPF10K30AQC240-3
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$16.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30RC240-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 10K |
| Typical Gates | 30,000 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 1,728 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 216 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 6 |
| Total RAM Bits | 12,288 |
| User I/O Pins | 189 |
| Process Technology | 0.42 um CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Core Supply Voltage | 5.0 V (VCCINT) |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 3.3 V or 5.0 V (multiVolt I/O) |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 125 MHz (speed grade -3) |
| Propagation Delay | 0.6 ns typical |
| Package | 240-RQFP / 240-BFQFP Exposed Pad |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (Commercial) |
| Configuration Method | Serial / parallel PROM, JTAG |
| JTAG Support | Yes (IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Contains lead (non-RoHS) |
EPF10K30RC240-3 240-rqfp / 240-bfqfp exposed pad Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K30RC240-3 (240-rqfp / 240-bfqfp exposed pad 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 EPF10K30RC240-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K30RC240-3 is suitable for 7 applications: Legacy PCI / ISA Bus Interface Bridge, Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial PLC Logic Integration, Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End, ASIC Prototyping for Medium-Complexity Designs, Retro-Computing and Vintage System Restoration, Aerospace & Defense Legacy Avionics.
Legacy PCI / ISA Bus Interface Bridge
The EPF10K30RC240-3's 189 user I/Os and 5 V I/O tolerance make it a strong fit for legacy PCI and ISA bus bridge designs that must coexist with 5 V peripherals. With 1,728 LEs across 216 LABs, it can absorb bus arbitration state machines, FIFO controllers, and address-decoding glue logic in a single device. The 6 EABs provide up to 12,288 bits of dual-port RAM for transaction buffering. Speed grade -3's ~125 MHz Fmax comfortably meets 33 MHz PCI timing margins. Compared to a discrete 74-series glue-logic implementation, the EPF10K30RC240-3 reduces PCB area and allows in-system JTAG debugging. Engineers commonly pair it with the EPC2 configuration PROM to retain bitstream across power cycles.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic
Telecommunications line cards historically deployed the EPF10K30RC240-3 as a configurable backplane controller, time-slot interchanger, and protocol-conversion engine. The 5 V VCCINT and 5 V tolerant multiVolt I/O ring simplify interfacing to legacy TDM buses, HDB3-coded serial links, and ECL/TTL level shifters. Its 189 pins give designers enough headroom for parallel TDM data buses plus JTAG, status LEDs, and serial configuration overhead. Speed grade -3's 0.6 ns propagation delay supports sub-microsecond decision paths in DS0/DS1 aggregation. Compared to a fixed ASIC, the FLEX 10K family enables late-stage protocol customization via Altera's Quartus design flow.
Recommended
Industrial PLC Logic Integration
Industrial PLC platforms use the EPF10K30RC240-3 to consolidate discrete logic, encoder counters, PWM generators, and fieldbus glue into a single reconfigurable device. The exposed thermal pad on the 240-RQFP supports continuous 70C operation in control cabinet environments, and the part's mature 5 V CMOS process provides the long-term supply stability that industrial customers demand. Six EABs enable 32-bit × 384-deep dual-port RAM for encoder position buffers and recipe storage. Speed grade -3 delivers the deterministic ~8 ns clock-to-output needed in 100 kHz servo loops. Designers commonly place the EPF10K30 alongside an 8051 or ARM MCU and use the FPGA as the deterministic I/O engine.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End
Test and measurement instruments deploy the EPF10K30RC240-3 as a flexible trigger sequencer, channel-multiplexer controller, and timing generator. Its 1,728 LEs and 189 I/Os comfortably host 32-channel logic-analyzer trigger trees plus parallel display and GPIB/HPIB interfaces. The 12,288 bits of EAB RAM serve as deep capture FIFOs for transient recording. Speed grade -3's 125 MHz internal Fmax aligns with the 100 MHz timing requirements of mid-range oscilloscopes and protocol analyzers. Engineers value the JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan support for production-test access. The exposed-pad 240-RQFP package allows direct PCB heatsinking under continuous multi-channel switching.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping for Medium-Complexity Designs
ASIC prototyping teams select the EPF10K30RC240-3 for design-rule and functional verification of state machines up to ~30K gates, well above what discrete CPLDs can absorb. The SRAM-based fabric allows sub-second reconfiguration between test cases, dramatically accelerating regression cycles. Pin-compatible with other FLEX 10K 240-RQFP variants, the EPF10K30 lets teams scale up to the EPF10K50 or EPF10K100 family without PCB rework. The multiVolt I/O simplifies bridging between 5 V and 3.3 V ASIC prototypes. Engineers rely on Altera's Quartus II design flow for fast place-and-route iteration.
Recommended
Retro-Computing and Vintage System Restoration
Hobbyists restoring vintage 1980s/1990s computing hardware use the EPF10K30RC240-3 as a modern replacement for unobtainable original glue-logic chipsets in workstations, arcade boards, and bus analyzers. Its 5 V tolerance and 240-RQFP pinout allow direct footprint compatibility with several original VME, Multibus, and NuBus implementations. Speed grade -3's timing closure matches the original TTL-level bus cycles of the era. Compared to emulating with modern 3.3 V FPGAs, the EPF10K30 family preserves the original 5 V signal integrity without level shifters. Hobbyists commonly program the device via Altera's ByteBlaster cable from a parallel port.
Recommended
Aerospace & Defense Legacy Avionics
Long-life aerospace platforms still flying 20-30 year airframes need form-fit-function replacements for the EPF10K30RC240-3 used in original avionics LRUs. The 240-RQFP exposed-pad package and 5 V supply tolerance simplify DO-254 certification rework. Its 189 user I/Os handle ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553, and discrete I/O expansion in mission computers. Speed grade -3's deterministic timing supports 12.5 kHz ARINC 429 channel rates and other avionic bus protocols. Engineers rely on its JTAG boundary-scan for flight-line diagnostics. The FLEX 10K family's mature CMOS process provides the radiation-tolerance margin required for high-altitude avionics.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K30RC240-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K30RC240-4 | EPF10K30RC240-3N | EPF10K30RC240-4N | EPF10K50VRI240-4N | EPF10K30AQI240-1 | EPF10K30AQC240-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-RQFP Exposed Pad | 240-RQFP Exposed Pad - same | 240-RQFP Exposed Pad - same | 240-RQFP Exposed Pad - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Typical Gates | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Logic Elements | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | 2,880 | 1,728 | 1,728 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (~125 MHz) | -4 (~143 MHz) | -3 (~125 MHz) | -4 (~143 MHz) | -4 industrial | -1 industrial | -3 commercial |
| User I/O Pins | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 |
| Core Voltage | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V |
| Pb-Free (N suffix) | No (contains lead) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Key Differentiators
- Drop-in Pb-free upgrade path with same die (vs EPF10K30RC240-3N)
- Higher density in same footprint for design growth headroom (vs EPF10K50VRI240-4N)
- Faster speed grade in identical package (vs EPF10K30RC240-4)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 125 MHz internal operation across ~70% utilization, the EPF10K30RC240-3 draws roughly 200-400 mA from VCCINT (5.0 V) plus I/O switching current. Designers should provide a low-noise 5 V regulator with at least 20% headroom, place 100 nF + 10 uF decoupling near each VCCINT pin group, and bulk-decouple the board with 470 uF of aluminum-polymer capacitance. The exposed thermal pad MUST be soldered to a continuous ground pour for thermal dissipation - failing to do so can raise junction temperature by 20-30C in continuous commercial-temperature operation.
Estimated: route JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) with 50 ohm controlled impedance and a maximum stub length of 12 mm. Place the EPC2 configuration PROM within 50 mm of the EPF10K30RC240-3 and keep the DCLK trace impedance-matched to avoid configuration failures. The exposed thermal pad needs at least 16 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 0.6 mm pad) connecting to the inner ground plane for adequate heat-sinking at 1 W dissipation.
Estimated: do NOT assume the FLEX 10K family is 3.3 V-tolerant on its core - it requires a 5.0 V VCCINT supply. Do NOT power up VCCINT before VCCIO - this can cause latch-up and permanent damage. Always provide at least 65 ms of configuration time before driving outputs, and verify that the CONF_DONE signal rises to logic-high after configuration completes. SRAM-based FPGAs lose their configuration on every power-cycle, so a serial/parallel PROM or microcontroller bootloader is mandatory.
Estimated: for high-speed LVTTL outputs above 50 MHz, use Altera's multiVolt I/O configured for 3.3 V operation with slew-rate control enabled. Drive capacitive loads > 25 pF with an external series resistor (22-33 ohm) to dampen reflections. Keep clock traces on the inner PCB layers with ground-plane reference, and avoid routing clocks parallel to JTAG signals to prevent crosstalk during in-system programming.
Compliance Information
Contains lead per multiple distributor listings (Heisener, Fly-Wing). RoHS non-compliant. The 'N' suffix variants are Pb-free reflow-compatible. Reach status inferred from EU distributor listings; AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs.
