EPF10K50VRI240-4N - 50K Gates Flex 10K FPGA, 240-Pin RQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF10K50VRI240-4N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $78.5 | $78.50 |
| 10 | $72.4 | $724.00 |
| 100 | $64.85 | $6,485.00 |
| 500 | $57.2 | $28,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $49.95 | $49,950.00 |
EPF10K50VRI240-4N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and programmable I/O cells. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic device (PLD) hierarchy (PAL/GAL -> CPLD -> FPGA) and are widely used to implement custom digital logic, glue logic, glue-less bus interfaces, and high-throughput data-pipeline accelerators. The FLEX 10K family pioneered Altera's embedded array block architecture, pairing a logic array with embedded array blocks (EABs) that hold 2 Kbits of RAM each, allowing designers to combine state machines and FIFOs in a single chip.
Key features of the EPF10K50VRI240-4N include 189 user I/O pins, 360 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), support for 3.3 V core supply (3.0 V min, 3.6 V max), a maximum internal operating frequency of 125 MHz, and a 66.67 MHz internal PLL-assisted clock domain. The device offers multiVolt I/O compatibility for interfacing with 5.0 V, 3.3 V, and 2.5 V logic, supports in-system programmability through the IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG) boundary-scan test interface, and integrates a built-in ByteBlasterMV / BitBlaster programming path. Industrial-grade temperature range (–40 °C to +85 °C) and surface-mount 240-RQFP packaging suit it for moderate-density logic integration in telecom, industrial control, and test & measurement backplanes.
Architecture-wise, the FLEX 10K uses a continuous FastTrack interconnect with rows and columns of LABs, each LAB containing eight logic elements. Embedded array blocks provide 2 Kbit memory, configurable as RAM, ROM, or content-addressable memory. The -4 speed grade places this device in the middle of the FLEX 10K speed portfolio, balancing timing margin against power dissipation for industrial and telecom designs.
Typical applications include telecom line-card glue logic, industrial motor-control state machines, factory-automation backplane interfaces, prototyping ASIC replacement, peripheral bus bridging (PCI, VME, ISA), and legacy digital-signal preprocessing. Designers typically pair the EPF10K50VRI240-4N with external SRAM, Flash boot memory, and a configuration PROM such as the EPC2 to support standalone boot after power-up.
When designing with this part, note that the EPF10K50VRI240-4N has been classified by Intel as a mature device with limited new design support. Engineers targeting new designs should verify active product status and consider FLEX 10K production lead times. Power sequencing of the 3.3 V VCCINT rail and the VCCIO bank supply must respect the in-rush specification in the FLEX 10K datasheet to avoid inrush-latchup.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in package-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes that are not consolidated in the original Altera datasheet, accelerating your component selection.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K50VRI240-4N — 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 EPF10K50VRI240-4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Family, Operating Temperature, Configuration Method, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K50VRI240-4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$13.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRI240-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$25.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRI240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRC240-4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$89.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRC240-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VRI240-4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | FLEX 10K |
| Family | FLEX 10K (Altera) |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 2880 |
| Total RAM Bits | 20480 |
| Typical Gate Count | 50000 gates |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 360 |
| Number of EABs | 10 |
| User I/O Pins | 189 |
| Core Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (nominal 3.3 V) |
| I/O Supply Voltage (VCCIO) | 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V compatible |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Internal PLL Reference | 66.67 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Propagation Delay | 0.6 ns |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) |
| Package | 240-BFQFP / RQFP, exposed pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), ByteBlasterMV, BitBlaster |
| Speed Grade | -4 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free RQFP variant) |
EPF10K50VRI240-4N 240-bfqfp / rqfp, exposed pad Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K50VRI240-4N (240-bfqfp / rqfp, 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 EPF10K50VRI240-4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K50VRI240-4N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Motor-Control State Machines, Factory-Automation Backplane Bridge, ASIC Replacement Prototyping, Peripheral Bus Bridging (PCI / VME / ISA), Legacy Digital-Signal Preprocessing.
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
The EPF10K50VRI240-4N's 189 user I/O pins and 360 LABs make it ideal for telecom line-card glue logic bridging legacy TDM buses, H.110 backplanes, and newer packet fabrics. With 50 K typical gates of logic and 20 Kbits of embedded RAM distributed across 10 EABs, it absorbs framer/mapper functions and protocol-conversion FIFOs at the 66.67 MHz internal clock rate without external SRAM for small buffers. Designers configure the chip through JTAG during board bring-up and use the multiVolt I/O banks to talk to 5 V framer ASICs on the same board. Pin count (240 RQFP) is comfortable for medium-complexity backplane designs but stays within legacy surface-mount assembly lines.
Recommended
Industrial Motor-Control State Machines
Industrial servo and stepper controllers need deterministic state machines for commutation, braking, and fault handling. The EPF10K50VRI240-4N's industrial –40 °C to +85 °C rating, 0.42 µm CMOS process, and 125 MHz internal toggle rate handle PWM generation, encoder quadrature decoding, and CAN-bus arbitration concurrently. The 10 embedded array blocks provide lookup tables for sine/cosine drive profiles, while the 189 I/O pins accommodate multi-axis feedback and H-bridge gate-drive signals. Designers use the 0.6 ns propagation delay to clock PWM dead-time logic safely above the audible spectrum, and the JTAG port supports in-field firmware updates on deployed drives.
Recommended
Factory-Automation Backplane Bridge
The EPF10K50VRI240-4N bridges VME, ISA, and proprietary factory-automation backplanes with protocol-conversion state machines in a single chip. Its 189 I/O pins carry 32-bit data buses plus full address, control, and interrupt lines, while 360 LABs implement full bus-watching and arbitration logic in hardware. The 5 V-tolerant I/O banks talk directly to legacy 5 V peripheral ASICs without external level shifters, and the SRAM-based architecture supports in-system reprogramming when production protocols change. The industrial temperature grade handles factory-floor ambient swings, and the 240-RQFP package remains in active inventory across multiple distributors for legacy equipment support.
Recommended
ASIC Replacement Prototyping
The EPF10K50VRI240-4N is widely used as an ASIC replacement during pre-silicon validation because it offers 50,000 typical gates with deterministic timing and SRAM-based reprogrammability. Engineers map RTL to FLEX 10K logic elements, validate system behavior in real time, and iterate via JTAG bitstream downloads — collapsing weeks of ASIC re-spin cycles into hours. The 10 EABs implement small register files and FIFO buffers required by typical SoC subsystems, while 189 I/O pins break out to the same pads an ASIC would use. Once validated, the design is ported to a hard ASIC or migrated to a modern Cyclone-class device.
Recommended
Peripheral Bus Bridging (PCI / VME / ISA)
The EPF10K50VRI240-4N bridges legacy PCI, VME, and ISA peripheral buses in test & measurement and military backplane systems. Its 240-pin RQFP package exposes enough I/O to drive a 32-bit PCI bus plus auxiliary control and interrupt lines, and 50K gates of logic implement the full bus-state machine in hardware. The 0.6 ns propagation delay meets the 33 MHz PCI timing budget with margin, and multiVolt I/O banks negotiate between 5 V ISA signaling and 3.3 V PCI environments without external transceivers. Embedded array blocks provide FIFOs for bus-master DMA hand-off, removing the need for external SRAM on cost-sensitive designs.
Recommended
Legacy Digital-Signal Preprocessing
Although not a DSP-optimized part, the EPF10K50VRI240-4N handles digital preprocessing tasks in legacy radar, sonar, and instrumentation signal chains — pre-filtering, decimation, and protocol framing before handing data to a downstream DSP. With 360 LABs and 189 I/O pins, it can implement multi-channel sample rate conversion and synchronous parallel I/O to ADC banks. Industrial temperature rating and 125 MHz toggle rate support system-clock rates well above the Nyquist limit for typical audio and vibration bands. The JTAG interface simplifies bench characterization, while the 240-RQFP package is widely accepted by existing assembly lines at production scale.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K50VRI240-4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K50VRI240-4 | EPF10K50VRI240-3N | EPF10K50VRI240-3 | EPF10K50VRC240-4N | EPF10K50VRC240-3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad | 240-RQFP (BFQFP), exposed pad |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Speed Grade | -4 | -4 | -3 (slower) | -3 (slower) | -4 | -3 (slower) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) |
| Lead Finish | Lead-free (RoHS) | Leaded (SnPb) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Leaded (SnPb) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) |
| Logic Cells | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 | 2880 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 20480 | 20480 | 20480 | 20480 | 20480 | 20480 |
| User I/O Pins | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial operating temperature range (vs EPF10K50VRC240-4N)
- Lead-free RoHS-compliant finish (vs EPF10K50VRI240-4)
- Highest speed grade in the FLEX 10K VRI family (vs EPF10K50VRI240-3N)
Design Notes
The EPF10K50VRI240-4N requires 3.0 V to 3.6 V on VCCINT (nominal 3.3 V) and a separately decoupled VCCIO rail per I/O bank (2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V). Power sequencing must keep VCCIO within VCCINT + 1.5 V during ramp-up to avoid forward-biasing the I/O ESD diodes and triggering latch-up. Decouple each VCCINT pin with a 0.1 µF X7R ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the pin, and add a 33 µF bulk tantalum on the board entry. Estimated ICCINT at 125 MHz toggle is ~30 mA static plus dynamic current proportional to switching activity; derate to 50 mA worst-case when budgeting the 3.3 V regulator.
The 240-RQFP package dissipates up to ~1.5 W at full logic utilization. The exposed pad on the package underside must be soldered to a copper pad on the top layer of the PCB and tied to the internal ground plane through 9 thermal vias in a 3×3 grid. This drops θJA from approximately 38 °C/W (pad not soldered) to ~28 °C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, keeping junction temperature below 100 °C at 25 °C ambient. Forced-air cooling is not required for typical designs but extend the thermal via grid to at least 3×3 if the device sits adjacent to a heat source.
Route FastTrack interconnect reference pins (GND) in a continuous ground grid directly under the BGA escape region, even though the package is RQFP — these pins dominate return-path continuity at the 125 MHz toggle rate. Place the BitBlasterMV / JTAG header on the PCB edge or near the configuration EEPROM for bench access. Keep configuration signals (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK, DATA0) at most 50 mm long and isolated from switching I/O to avoid false triggers during power-up. Add a 10 kΩ pull-up on nCONFIG and a 10 kΩ pull-up on nSTATUS per the FLEX 10K datasheet's configuration section.
Do not omit the external 33 Ω series damping resistors on each LVTTL output driving long PCB traces — without them, undershoot below –0.5 V can stress the I/O ESD structure and cause long-term reliability drift. Do not leave unused user I/O pins floating: configure them as outputs driving ground in the Quartus II pin planner to keep them out of contention during JTAG boundary-scan. Do not exceed the VCCIO-to-VCCINT differential of 1.5 V during hot-plug events; add a soft-start controller or hot-swap FET if the board may be inserted into a live backplane.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance inferred from the '-N' suffix on the FLEX 10K family (lead-free matte-tin plating). REACH status not explicitly listed in the available data — set to 'unknown' rather than guessing. AEC-Q100 not applicable (this is an FPGA, not an automotive-qualified IC).
