EPF8820AQC160-4 - 8K Gate FLEX 8000 FPGA 672 Cells 160-PQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF8820AQC160-4 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25.6 | $256.00 |
| 100 | $22.75 | $2,275.00 |
| 500 | $20.1 | $10,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $17.95 | $17,950.00 |
EPF8820AQC160-4 Overview
A FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that allows engineers to implement custom digital logic through a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs / LEs), programmable interconnect, and I/O cells. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and smaller CPLDs in the programmable logic hierarchy: they offer higher density and richer register-rich architecture than CPLDs, while providing faster prototyping and lower NRE cost than ASICs. The FLEX 8000 family targets glue-logic, bus-interface, DSP preprocessing, and data-path applications where register density and continuous fast routing matter more than absolute gate count.
Key features of the EPF8820AQC160-4 include 84 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), continuous high-performance routing resources, in-circuit reconfigurability (ICR) via external configuration devices, and a register-rich architecture suitable for state machines, pipelined datapaths, and DSP frontend functions. The four-input look-up-table (LUT) based LE delivers predictable combinational and sequential logic performance, while multiple fast-row and fast-column interconnect channels minimize critical-path delay across the die.
Technically, the EPF8820AQC160-4 implements an SRAM-based configuration memory (volatile, must be configured at every power-up from an external EPROM or micro-controller). Each LE embeds a 4-input LUT plus a programmable register, and groups of eight LEs form a LAB with local interconnect. The device supports JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan testing, tri-state bus drivers on every I/O, and PCI-compatible output drive strengths. It uses 5 V CMOS/TTL I/O with multi-voltage I/O (MVIO) capability through separate VCCIO banks in some package variants.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card glue logic, industrial-control interface bridging, DSP co-processing front-ends, wide data-path manipulation, and data-format conversion in legacy 5 V systems. Designers often select the EPF8820AQC160-4 when they need moderate logic density with abundant I/O in a proven mature-node process.
A key design consideration is configuration: this device does not retain its bitstream when power is removed, so designers must pair it with a serial configuration EPROM (EPC1, EPC2, EPC16) or use a micro-controller to load the bitstream at boot. Because the FLEX 8000 family has been NRND for many years, designers should verify long-term availability and consider the Altera Cyclone series for new designs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, application guidance, and drop-in same-family alternatives not typically collected on a single manufacturer datasheet page — useful when extending the lifecycle of installed FLEX 8000 designs or sourcing replacements for obsolete stock.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8820AQC160-4 — 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 EPF8820AQC160-4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, User I/Os, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF8820AQC160-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC160-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8636AQC160-4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8636AQC160-4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8452AQC160-4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC160-4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 672 |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 84 |
| User I/Os | 120 |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 4.75 V to 5.25 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -4 |
| Package | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Memory | SRAM (volatile) |
| In-Circuit Reconfigurability | Yes (via external configuration device) |
EPF8820AQC160-4 160-pin pqfp / bqfp Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF8820AQC160-4 (160-pin pqfp / bqfp 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 EPF8820AQC160-4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF8820AQC160-4 is suitable for 6 applications: 5 V Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Control Interface Bridging, DSP Front-End Pre-Processing, Wide Data-Path Manipulation & Format Conversion, Legacy Computing Bus Interface / Adapter, Test & Measurement Front-End Logic.
5 V Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
The EPF8820AQC160-4 is well suited to legacy 5 V telecom line-card glue logic where it bridges backplane buses, multiplexers, and protocol converters. With 672 logic cells and 120 user I/Os, it can absorb multiple 32-bit bus bridges and FIFO controllers on a single device. Its native 5 V TTL/CMOS I/O eliminates level-shifters when interfacing to legacy ASICs. The -4 speed grade comfortably meets 25–40 MHz backplane timing at the lowest unit cost in the FLEX 8000 family, making it cost-effective for high-volume line-card production where absolute Fmax is not critical.
Recommended
Industrial Control Interface Bridging
In industrial-control PLC and DCS backplanes, the EPF8820AQC160-4 acts as a programmable interface bridge between field-bus controllers (Profibus, CAN, RS-485) and 5 V parallel control logic. Its 84 LABs and continuous fast-row routing accommodate state machines for protocol parsing, while the 120 I/Os handle 16-bit and 32-bit parallel data buses without external muxing. Commercial 0 °C to 70 °C operation suits cabinet-mounted equipment. Designers appreciate the deterministic FLEX 8000 timing model and Quartus II legacy support for replicating proven industrial designs.
Recommended
DSP Front-End Pre-Processing
The EPF8820AQC160-4 functions as a DSP front-end preprocessor — implementing FIR/IIR filter stages, sample-rate converters, and data-packing logic in front of a fixed-point DSP or ASIC. With 672 logic cells and 8,000 usable gates, it can implement 8–16 parallel multiplier-accumulator taps at audio-bandwidth sample rates (8–48 kHz) and 16-bit widths. The continuous routing fabric minimizes critical-path delay between MAC stages, while 5 V I/O allows direct connection to legacy audio ADCs/DACs without level translation. The -4 grade targets cost-sensitive consumer-audio designs where maximum Fmax is not required.
Recommended
Wide Data-Path Manipulation & Format Conversion
Wide data-path manipulation is a flagship FLEX 8000 use case, and the EPF8820AQC160-4 with 120 I/Os is ideal for 32-bit data-format converters (e.g., big-endian to little-endian, parallel-to-serialized video streams, CRC generators). Its register-rich LAB structure provides abundant pipeline registers between bit-slice operations, supporting multi-stage pipelined datapaths at 40–60 MHz on the -4 grade. PCI-compatible output drive strength enables direct bus attachment in legacy PCI add-in cards and embedded systems, while JTAG boundary-scan simplifies board-level test.
Recommended
Legacy Computing Bus Interface / Adapter
The EPF8820AQC160-4 is a common choice for legacy computing adapter cards (ISA, VME, PCI) where 5 V signaling is mandatory. With 120 user I/Os it can implement 32-bit bus mastering plus interrupt/arbitration logic on a single device. The FLEX 8000 PCI-compatible I/O drivers meet PCI 5 V signaling requirements directly. The -4 speed grade supports 33 MHz PCI at typical bus-master workloads, while the PQFP-160 package is compatible with conventional through-hole and socketed adapter form factors still in service in industrial and military computing.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Front-End Logic
In test & measurement instrumentation, the EPF8820AQC160-4 functions as the timing-and-control FPGA that sequences stimulus/response cycles, multiplexes ADC channels, and formats results for the host processor. Its 672 cells comfortably handle 16-channel scanners, pulse-pattern generators, and IEEE-488 / GPIB interface glue. The 5 V-tolerant I/O simplifies interfacing to legacy instrumentation buses, while the JTAG port allows in-system reconfiguration for different test routines. Designers value the mature Quartus II MAX+PLUS II toolchain for backporting legacy test programs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8820AQC160-4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8820AQC160-3 | EPF8820AQC160-2 | EPF8636AQC160-4 | EPF8636AQC160-4N | EPF8452AQC160-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel |
| Package | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP (same) | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP (same) | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP (same) | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP (same, lead-free) | 160-pin PQFP / BQFP (same) |
| Logic Cells | 672 | 672 | 672 | 576 (-14%) | 576 (-14%) | 452 (-33%) |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 4,000 |
| Speed Grade | -4 (slowest) | -3 (mid) | -2 (fastest) | -4 | -4 | -4 |
| User I/Os | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Supply Voltage | 4.75 V – 5.25 V | 4.75 V – 5.25 V | 4.75 V – 5.25 V | 4.75 V – 5.25 V | 4.75 V – 5.25 V | 4.75 V – 5.25 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic-cell density in the FLEX 8000 160-PQFP family (vs EPF8636AQC160-4)
- Same die as EPF8820AQC160-3, configurable at lowest cost (vs EPF8820AQC160-3)
- 5 V TTL/CMOS native I/O — directly compatible with legacy logic (vs Altera Cyclone IV (modern 3.3 V/2.5 V/1.8 V FPGA))
Design Notes
The EPF8820AQC160-4 requires a tightly regulated 5 V ±5 % supply on VCCINT/VCCIO. Decouple each VCC pin with a 0.1 µF ceramic plus a shared 10 µF tantalum bulk capacitor within 25 mm of the package. The I/O banks share VCCIO, so mixing 5 V TTL and 3.3 V LVCMOS peripherals on the same banks is not supported on this 5 V-only FLEX 8000 variant — use external level-shifters for sub-5 V interfaces.
The FLEX 8000 family uses SRAM configuration memory — the bitstream is volatile and must be reloaded from an external EPC1/EPC2 configuration EPROM or micro-controller at every power-up. Forgetting this is the #1 reason FLEX 8000 prototypes appear "dead". Also note: bitstreams are NOT interchangeable across FLEX 8000 sub-families (EPF8820 vs EPF8636 vs EPF8452). Migration between sub-families requires re-synthesis with the corresponding MAX+PLUS II / Quartus library.
Estimated: at 125 MHz toggle rate with 50 % I/O switching, the EPF8820AQC160-4 dissipates approximately 0.8–1.2 W. The 160-pin PQFP has θJA ≈ 38 °C/W (typical, still-air, no heatsink), giving a junction-temperature rise of ~30–45 °C above ambient. No heatsink is required in standard commercial-temperature (0–70 °C) cabinet environments, but provide continuous copper pours on VCC/GND planes and thermal vias beneath the die-attach pad area when possible.
Route all 160 PQFP signals on the top layer with via-stitching to inner VCC/GND planes, keeping trace lengths matched within 25 mm for buses wider than 16 bits. Place the configuration EPROM (EPC2LC20) within 50 mm of the FPGA's DATA0/DCLK/nCONFIG pins and add 33 Ω series damping on DCLK. JTAG TDI/TDO/TMS/TCK should be pulled up per IEEE 1149.1 and brought to a header for in-system programming.
Compliance Information
Compliance information for the EPF8820AQC160-4 was not present in the verified web data. RoHS/REACH/lead-free status must be confirmed directly with the distributor or via the manufacturer's PCN documentation. The -4 suffix denotes speed grade only, not lead-free; for lead-free finish, the -N suffixed variant (e.g., EPF8820AQC160-4N if available) is typically specified. Not AEC-Q100 — FLEX 8000 is commercial/industrial grade only.
