EPF81188AQC240-3 - 12K Gates FLEX 8000 FPGA 240-PQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF81188AQC240-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $46 | $46.00 |
| 10 | $42.5 | $425.00 |
| 100 | $38 | $3,800.00 |
| 500 | $33.5 | $16,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $30 | $30,000.00 |
EPF81188AQC240-3 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that contains an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by programmable routing resources. The logic and interconnections in the FLEX 8000 architecture are configured with CMOS SRAM elements; FLEX 8000 devices are configured at system power-up with data stored in an industry-standard parallel EPROM, an Altera serial configuration device (EPC1, EPC1213, EPC1064, or EPC1441), or provided by a system controller. The "-3" speed grade at the commercial 0–70 °C temperature range is the mid-tier speed bin for the family, balancing timing margin against cost relative to the -2 and -4 grades.
Key features of the EPF81188AQC240-3 include 126 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 184 user I/O pins, 5 V single-supply operation, in-circuit reconfigurability (ICR), and JTAG-based IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test support. The device's high pin count allows integration of multiple 32-bit buses into a single device, simplifying multi-bus bridge designs. All configuration data is volatile and must be reloaded after each power-up, requiring a companion configuration memory on the board.
Typical applications include glue logic replacement, bus interface bridges (e.g., PCI/ISA bridge, microprocessor I/O expansion), telecommunications line-card controllers, industrial control logic, prototyping platforms for ASICs, and high-density state machines. Engineers typically select this part when a design has outgrown a complex PLD but does not yet justify a larger FLEX 10K, Cyclone, or MAX II device, and where 5 V tolerant I/O is required to interface with legacy logic.
A key design consideration is that the EPF81188AQC240-3 requires a configuration source at every power-up, so a dedicated EPC-series configuration EPROM or a microcontroller-driven download is mandatory. Designers should also budget for the configuration time before the FPGA becomes user-active and ensure JTAG chain integrity for boundary-scan testing.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle observations, and drop-in alternatives drawn from the same FLEX 8000 family, not found in isolation on the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF81188AQC240-3 — 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 EPF81188AQC240-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF81188AQC240-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$27.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF81188AQC208-3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$14.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF81188AQC208-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$21.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VQC240-3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$21.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VQC240-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$28.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF81188AQC240-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Altera (now Intel) |
| Series | FLEX 8000 |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) |
| Usable Gates | 12,000 |
| Logic Cells / Elements | 1,008 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 126 |
| User I/Os | 184 |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage | 4.75 V to 5.25 V (5 V nominal) |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) |
| Package | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) 32x32 mm |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, loaded at power-up via EPC1/EPC1213/EPC1064/EPC1441 or controller |
| Boundary-Scan Support | JTAG IEEE 1149.1 |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant (per ICComponents listing) |
| In-Circuit Reconfigurability | Yes (ICR) |
EPF81188AQC240-3 240-pin pqfp (bfqfp) 32x32 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF81188AQC240-3 (240-pin pqfp (bfqfp) 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 EPF81188AQC240-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF81188AQC240-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy 5 V Bus Interface Bridge (PCI/ISA), Microprocessor I/O Expansion & Glue Logic, Telecommunications Line-Card Controller, Industrial Control State Machine & PLC Logic, ASIC Prototyping & Logic Emulation, Flat-Panel Display & Video Timing Controller.
Legacy 5 V Bus Interface Bridge (PCI/ISA)
The EPF81188AQC240-3 is well suited to 5 V PCI-to-ISA and other bus-bridge designs because of its 184 user I/Os and 5 V single-supply operation, which lets it sit directly on legacy 5 V bus lines without external level shifters. With 12,000 usable gates and 125 MHz toggle frequency, the part can implement a 32-bit transparent bridge plus bus-arbiter state machine in a single device. The 240-pin PQFP package exposes enough I/O to drive an 8/16/32-bit data bus plus full address, control, and interrupt lines, while FLEX 8000 LABs deliver the predictable timing required for bus-cycle compliance. In-circuit reconfigurability allows field firmware updates without board rework.
Recommended
Microprocessor I/O Expansion & Glue Logic
The EPF81188AQC240-3 is a strong fit for microprocessor peripheral expansion, where 8/16/32-bit MCUs need custom address decoding, wait-state insertion, and interrupt controllers that standard PAL/GAL devices cannot implement. Its 1,008 logic cells handle address-latch, chip-select, and DMA-handshake logic in one device, replacing 8–12 discrete PLDs and shrinking board area. The 5 V I/O matches 5 V microcontrollers and 5 V peripheral chips (e.g., 8255, 8254, 16550 UART) directly, while JTAG support speeds board bring-up. Engineers typically select this part when a design has outgrown a MAX 7000 CPLD but does not yet justify a 50K-gate FLEX 10K device.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line-Card Controller
Telecom line cards in the FLEX 8000 era relied on the EPF81188AQC240-3 to implement framing, HDLC/SDLC controllers, timeslot crossbar switches, and T1/E1 backplane interfaces. The 184 user I/Os accommodate 8-bit TDM buses plus parallel control/status lines, while 125 MHz toggle rate sustains the bit-clock recovery at standard telecom rates (1.544 / 2.048 Mbps). The 5 V-tolerant I/O is critical for legacy backplane levels, and the FLEX 8000 fast carry chain efficiently implements CRC-4 and HDLC FCS. In-circuit reconfigurability allows line-card firmware to be upgraded in service.
Recommended
Industrial Control State Machine & PLC Logic
The EPF81188AQC240-3 fits well into industrial control platforms where deterministic, scan-cycle-bounded state machines replace soft-core CPUs for safety-critical sequencing. Its 126 LABs and 12,000-gate density implement ladder-logic equivalents, PID controllers, and EtherCAT/CANopen glue logic in a single device, with 184 user I/Os handling 24 V isolated inputs via external optos. The commercial 0–70 °C operating range suits cabinet-mounted controllers; for harsher environments, the FLEX 8000 industrial-grade (-I) variant is required. JTAG supports in-system test on populated PCBs before firmware loading.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping & Logic Emulation
Engineers used the EPF81188AQC240-3 widely in the late-1990s to prototype ASIC RTL before mask commit, mapping 10–15K ASIC gates into the FLEX 8000 fabric for functional and timing validation. The 240-pin PQFP exposes 184 I/Os for emulating real-system pads, and the 125 MHz maximum toggle rate supports prototypes of mid-speed ASICs (PCI, ISA, video, bus interfaces). Multiple FLEX 8000 devices can be JTAG-chained for larger emulation, and the SRAM-based configuration allows design-iteration turnarounds in minutes. The part is still found in legacy lab equipment.
Recommended
Flat-Panel Display & Video Timing Controller
The EPF81188AQC240-3 historically served as a video timing controller in flat-panel displays, generating HSYNC/VSYNC, DE, and pixel-clock signals while performing color-space conversion and on-screen-display (OSD) overlays. The 125 MHz toggle rate is sufficient for XGA-class panels (65 MHz pixel clock) and the 184 I/Os handle 18/24-bit digital RGB buses plus control lines. The 5 V I/O is compatible with legacy LVDS/TTL interface bridges, and the 240-pin PQFP leaves enough logic room for gamma-correction lookup tables. JTAG enables display calibration scripts to be loaded at factory.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF81188AQC240-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF81188AQC240-2 | EPF81188AQC208-3 | EPF10K50VQC240-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 240-PQFP (32x32 mm) | 240-PQFP (32x32 mm) - same | 208-PQFP (different footprint) | 240-PQFP (32x32 mm) - same |
| Family | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 8000 | FLEX 10K |
| Usable Gates | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 50,000 |
| Logic Cells | 1,008 | 1,008 | 1,008 | 2,880 |
| User I/Os | 184 | 184 | 148 | 189 |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -2 (slower) | -3 (same) | -3 (same) |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V (4.75–5.25 V) | 5 V | 5 V | 3.3 V core / 5 V I/O |
| Max Toggle Frequency | 125 MHz | Slower than -3 | 125 MHz | 125 MHz |
Key Differentiators
- Same 240-PQFP footprint and 5 V I/O as EPF10K50VQC240-3 with a 4× upgrade path (vs EPF10K50VQC240-3)
- Slower speed grade -2 variant available in identical footprint for cost reduction (vs EPF81188AQC240-2)
- 12,000 usable gates is the largest FLEX 8000 density in PQFP (vs EPF81188AQC208-3)
Design Notes
The EPF81188AQC240-3 requires a 5 V ±5% supply (4.75–5.25 V) with adequate decoupling: place 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors adjacent to every VCC pin (the 240-PQFP has multiple VCC/VCCIO pins) and a 10 µF tantalum bulk capacitor at the board input. During configuration the FPGA draws Icc from the configuration device side; after configuration, the Icc rises with toggle rate — typical Icc at 100 MHz is 150–200 mA per datasheet, so budget a 500 mA regulator for the FLEX 8000 supply rail. Power sequencing is not required, but VCCIO must reach 5 V before the I/O drivers are enabled by the bitstream.
The 240-pin PQFP requires a 32 × 32 mm land pattern with 0.5 mm lead pitch and exposed leads on all four sides. Use a 4-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane under the device to provide both thermal dissipation and controlled impedance for the I/O drivers. Route all clock signals (CLK0–CLK3) on the inner layer with ground shielding, and keep global reset/clear (DEV_CLRn, DEV_OE) traces short — these are global nets that affect all registers when asserted. FLEX 8000 outputs have 5 ns typical rise times, so 50 Ω series termination is recommended on long PCB traces to the connector.
Common design pitfalls: (1) Forgetting that the FLEX 8000 bitstream is volatile — without an EPC1/EPC1064/EPC1213/EPC1441 or controller-driven configuration, the FPGA will not wake up at power-up. (2) Confusing the nCONFIG pin (initiates reconfiguration) with the nSTATUS pin (status of configuration) — they are distinct signals and must be handled separately. (3) Mixing 3.3 V peripherals with the 5 V FLEX 8000 I/O without level shifters — the FLEX 8000 I/O is 5 V TTL-compatible but not 3.3 V LVCMOS tolerant without external translation. (4) Driving the JTAG TCK above 10 MHz on long chains — keep JTAG clock slow for chain integrity.
Compliance Information
RoHS non-compliant per ICComponents distributor listing; lead-bearing PQFP finish is consistent with the FLEX 8000 family era. AEC-Q100 is not applicable to a commercial-grade FPGA. REACH and conflict-mineral statements should be requested from the franchise distributor (Rochester Electronics) for procurement compliance.
