EPF10K50VQC240-1N - 50K-Gate FLEX-10K FPGA | Intel / Altera | 240-PQFP
MPN: EPF10K50VQC240-1N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.2 | $162.00 |
| 100 | $14 | $1,400.00 |
| 250 | $12.75 | $3,187.50 |
| 500 | $11.5 | $5,750.00 |
EPF10K50VQC240-1N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and I/O cells, allowing hardware designers to implement custom digital logic after fabrication. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy: programmable logic device (PLD) -> CPLD/FPGA -> reconfigurable logic -> digital IC -> semiconductor. The FLEX 10K family is the industry's first family to embed an array block (EAB) alongside the logic array, supporting System-on-a-Programmable-Chip (SOPC) integration that combines dedicated SRAM blocks with general-purpose logic.
Key features include 360 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 189 user I/Os, propagation delay of 0.6 ns, built-in low-skew clock distribution trees, FastTrack Interconnect continuous routing structure for predictable interconnect delays, tri-state emulation, and 100% functional testing of all devices. The "QC240" suffix denotes the 240-pin PQFP gull-wing package, while the "-1" indicates the speed grade and "N" indicates lead-free / Pb-free terminal finish.
The architecture combines a fine-grained logic fabric with coarse-grained embedded array blocks (EABs) that can be configured as RAM, ROM, or programmable logic. This hybrid approach allows the EPF10K50VQC240-1N to replace up to 50K gates of glue logic plus small memory blocks in a single device, with predictable timing closure thanks to the continuous routing architecture.
Typical applications include telecom interface glue logic, industrial control prototyping, PCI bridge logic, legacy 5 V/3.3 V system I/O expansion, ASIC prototyping, and educational development platforms. The 240-pin PQFP is hand-solderable and socket-compatible, making this part a popular choice for low-volume and legacy designs where surface-mount BGA rework would be impractical.
When designing with this part, ensure your configuration device (EPC2, EPC8, or compatible) provides the correct bitstream and that JTAG chain termination matches IEEE 1149.1. Use Quartus II version 13.0 or earlier for legacy FLEX 10K support; current Quartus releases no longer target this family.
This page synthesizes distributor stock, price tiering, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, giving an engineer a one-stop reference for the EPF10K50VQC240-1N.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K50VQC240-1N — 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 EPF10K50VQC240-1N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Mounting Type, Family, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K50VQC240-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VQC240-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$28.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VQC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50EQC240-1N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$132.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50EQC240-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$26.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50EQC240-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VQC240-1N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Intel / Altera |
| Series | FLEX-10K |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 2,880 |
| Total RAM Bits | 20,480 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 360 |
| User I/Os | 189 |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 3.6 V |
| Internal Frequency (max) | 250 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 0.6 ns |
| Package | 240-BQFP (PQFP, 32x32 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (gull-wing) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 70 C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -1 |
| Lead-Free / Pb-Free | Yes (N suffix) |
| Configuration Method | Serial / JTAG / EPC |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per N suffix Pb-free) |
EPF10K50VQC240-1N 240-bqfp (pqfp, 32x32 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K50VQC240-1N (240-bqfp (pqfp, 32x32 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 EPF10K50VQC240-1N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K50VQC240-1N is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Telecom Interface Glue Logic, Industrial Control Prototyping and ASIC Replacement, PCI Bus Bridge and Add-in Card Logic, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Educational Development and Training Boards, Legacy Avionics Display and Instrument Retrofits.
Legacy Telecom Interface Glue Logic
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N's 2,880 logic cells and 189 user I/Os comfortably absorb the bridge, framing, and protocol-conversion glue that ties legacy telecom backplanes (E1/T1, HDB3, RS-232/RS-449) to modern processors. Its 240-PQFP package is hand-solderable and socket-compatible, critical when reworking BGAs on installed telecom cards is impractical. The 250 MHz internal frequency and 0.6 ns propagation delay allow it to clock serial bitstreams at full E1 (2.048 MHz) and T1 (1.544 MHz) rates with margin. Embedded array blocks (EABs) provide small FIFO / lookup-table memory, replacing discrete 16x4 or 32x8 RAMs. Per the FLEX 10K datasheet, the FastTrack continuous routing structure gives predictable interconnect delays that simplify timing closure for multi-channel telecom interfaces.
Recommended
Industrial Control Prototyping and ASIC Replacement
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N replaces up to 50K gates of mid-complexity industrial logic - motor-control state machines, encoder counters, and safety interlocks - in a single device, eliminating the cost of a custom ASIC for low-volume production runs. Its commercial 0-70 C temperature range suits factory-floor enclosures, and the 189 I/Os accept 5V-tolerant inputs via clamping, easing connection to legacy 5V sensors. The PQFP package allows rework with standard hot-air stations, important when prototype iterations are frequent. Per the FLEX 10K datasheet, the device supports in-system programmability via JTAG, allowing field updates to industrial control firmware without board removal.
Recommended
PCI Bus Bridge and Add-in Card Logic
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N's 50K-gate capacity and 189 I/Os make it a practical single-chip host for PCI 2.2 (33 MHz, 32-bit) bridge designs, custom DMA controllers, and add-in card glue. Its 0.6 ns propagation delay and predictable FastTrack interconnect allow the 33 MHz PCI clock domain to be met with timing margin on both 32-bit and 64-bit variants. The 240-PQFP package sits comfortably on PCI add-in cards where BGA rework would be impractical for low-volume card production. Embedded array blocks supply 32x8 lookup-table RAM for PCI configuration-space registers. Per the FLEX 10K datasheet, the 3.3 V core supply matches the PCI signaling environment directly, eliminating level shifters.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N is widely deployed as an ASIC prototyping vehicle: its 2,880 logic cells and embedded array blocks let designers map RTL blocks 1:1 from a target ASIC, then verify timing and functionality in real hardware before taping out. Multiple EPF10K50VQC240-1N devices can be JTAG-chained to prototype ASICs larger than 50K gates. The 240-PQFP package exposes many I/Os (189) for connecting to breadboard-style verification harnesses, and the 3.3 V core aligns with most ASIC I/O libraries. Per Altera Quartus II design flow documentation, FLEX 10K is supported in Quartus versions up to 13.0 for legacy prototyping workloads.
Recommended
Educational Development and Training Boards
Universities and FPGA-training labs standardize on the EPF10K50VQC240-1N for teaching digital-design fundamentals because the 240-PQFP package is hand-solderable and the FLEX 10K family is simple enough to teach a complete Verilog/VHDL flow without overwhelming students. Its 50K-gate capacity is large enough to host meaningful projects (CPU cores, image-processing pipelines) yet small enough to fit on inexpensive development boards. The device's mature documentation, abundant reference designs, and support in legacy Quartus II versions make it an enduring teaching platform. Per distributor listings (DigiKey, Mouser), the part remains readily available from stockists serving the education market.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics Display and Instrument Retrofits
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N is deployed in certified avionics display retrofits where the original FPGA must be form-fit-function replaced: the 240-PQFP footprint matches legacy cockpit-instrument PCBs exactly, and its 50K-gate capacity is sufficient for ARINC 429 bus interfaces, discrete-to-graphic converters, and small bitmap-rendering pipelines. The commercial temperature grade (0-70 C) is acceptable in cockpit-temperature-controlled bays. Per distributor listings (Arrow, Rochester), the part remains purchasable for FAA-certified repair stations needing spares for legacy avionics LRUs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K50VQC240-1N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K50VQC240-1 | EPF10K50VQC240-2 | EPF10K50VQC240-3 | EPF10K50EQC240-1N | EPF10K50EQC240-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-BQFP (PQFP, 32x32 mm) | 240-BQFP (PQFP) - same | 240-BQFP (PQFP) - same | 240-BQFP (PQFP) - same | 240-BQFP (PQFP) - same | 240-BQFP (PQFP) - same |
| Brand | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel |
| Speed Grade | -1 (fastest) | -1 | -2 (~25-30% slower) | -3 (slowest) | -1 | -2 (~25-30% slower) |
| Lead Finish | Pb-free (N suffix) | Pb-bearing | Pb-bearing | Pb-bearing | Pb-free (N suffix) | Pb-bearing |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Logic Cells | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 | 2,880 |
| User I/Os | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (3.3 V process) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 4.75 V to 5.25 V (5.0 V process) | 4.75 V to 5.25 V (5.0 V process) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Pb-free lead finish supports RoHS-compliant assemblies (vs EPF10K50VQC240-1)
- -1 speed grade delivers the highest internal frequency in the family (vs EPF10K50VQC240-2)
- 240-PQFP package supports hand-soldering and socket-mounting (vs BGA-package FLEX 10K variants)
- Industry's first PLD family with embedded array blocks (EABs) (vs Discrete SRAM + CPLD implementations)
Design Notes
The EPF10K50VQC240-1N draws ICC (core supply current) that scales with toggle rate and clock frequency; for power estimation, use Altera's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (legacy spreadsheet) with a typical toggle rate of 12.5% and your target clock frequency. Add 20% design margin. Decouple VCCINT and VCCIO with 0.1 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each supply pin, plus a single 10 uF tantalum bulk capacitor per supply rail.
The 240-PQFP package has a 32x32 mm body with 0.5 mm pitch gull-wing leads; PCB land pattern must follow IPC-7351 nominal-density recommendations. Use at least 4 PCB layers with a dedicated ground plane directly under the device to provide low-impedance return paths for the high-frequency I/O transitions. Keep all 240-PQFP traces short and matched within 50 mils for clock nets; route differential pairs (LVDS) with 100 ohm differential impedance.
Do not confuse the V (3.3 V process) and E (5.0 V process) speed-grade suffixes - the EPF10K50VQC240-1N cannot be powered from a 5 V rail and the EPF10K50EQC240-1N cannot be powered from 3.3 V. Always confirm the supply voltage from the device marking before applying power. Reverse-supply incidents are not warrantied and may also damage configuration PROMs downstream on the JTAG chain.
Pin 1 on the 240-PQFP is located at the top-left of the package with the marker dot facing up; pin numbering proceeds counter-clockwise. JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, TRST) are typically grouped on one package corner (see datasheet pin table) and should be routed to a 10-pin JTAG header with no stubs longer than 5 mm. Add a 1 kohm pull-up on TCK and a 10 kohm pull-up on TMS, TDI, and TRST to ensure clean boundary-scan operation.
Compliance Information
Pb-free per N suffix (matte-tin terminal finish); RoHS compliance per Altera product declaration. Halogen-free status not declared in available data. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - FLEX 10K is commercial-temperature grade only.
