EPF8820AQC208-4 - FLEX 8000 FPGA, 672 Cells, 152 I/O, 5V | Intel
MPN: EPF8820AQC208-4 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $47.5 | $47.50 |
| 10 | $42.75 | $427.50 |
| 100 | $38.2 | $3,820.00 |
| 250 | $35.1 | $8,775.00 |
| 500 | $32.8 | $16,400.00 |
EPF8820AQC208-4 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that combines the density of gate arrays with the design flexibility of in-system reprogrammability. FPGAs occupy a tier between simple PLDs (PAL/GAL, CPLDs) and ASICs in the broader semiconductor hierarchy: programmable logic -> PLD -> CPLD/FPGA -> programmable semiconductor. The FLEX 8000 series was Altera's first generation of register-rich, SRAM-based FPGAs with in-circuit reconfigurability, marking a transition away from one-time programmable fuse-link devices.
Key features of the EPF8820AQC208-4 include 84 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 152 user I/O pins, MultiVolt I/O support for 3.3 V and 5.0 V interface operation, in-circuit reconfigurability (ICR) via external configuration devices, and a continuous commercial temperature range of 0 °C to 70 °C. The PQFP-208 package provides a robust gull-wing lead footprint compatible with standard surface-mount assembly lines.
From an architectural standpoint, the EPF8820AQC208-4 uses an SRAM-based look-up-table (LUT) fabric with embedded register-rich LABs, a fast continuous interconnect network, and dedicated I/O cells supporting JTAG boundary-scan and MultiVolt I/O standards. In-circuit reconfigurability allows the device to be reprogrammed on the PCB without removing the part, a major advantage over fuse-based PLDs.
Typical applications for the EPF8820AQC208-4 include industrial glue-logic replacement, PCI bus interface bridging, telecommunications line-card controllers, and legacy embedded control systems. The 152 I/Os make it attractive for designs that need to consolidate multiple discrete 74-series logic functions onto a single programmable device.
When designing with this device, note that it is now a mature legacy part with limited distributor stock; engineers should verify long-term availability or plan a migration to a Cyclone-family replacement before entering volume production. The 5 V VCCIO option supports direct interfacing to legacy TTL/CMOS logic without level shifters.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and design notes not found in the original FLEX 8000 datasheet, providing practical sourcing and engineering guidance for engineers maintaining legacy FLEX 8000 designs.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF8820AQC208-4 — 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 EPF8820AQC208-4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Configuration Method, Logic Array Blocks (LABs).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF8820AQC208-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPF8636AQC208-4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$10.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF8820AQC208-4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 672 |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 84 |
| User I/Os | 152 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 5 V |
| I/O Voltage Support | 3.3 V or 5.0 V (MultiVolt) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (Commercial) |
| Package Type | 208-BFQFP / PQFP-208 (gull-wing) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Reconfigurability | In-Circuit Reconfigurable (SRAM) |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free -4 suffix per datasheet ordering info) |
EPF8820AQC208-4 208-bfqfp / pqfp-208 (gull-wing) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF8820AQC208-4 (208-bfqfp / pqfp-208 (gull-wing) 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 EPF8820AQC208-4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF8820AQC208-4 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Consolidation, PCI Bus Interface and Bridge Logic, Telecommunications Line-Card Controllers, Legacy Embedded Control Systems, Test and Measurement Front-End Logic, Military/Aerospace Legacy Avionics.
Legacy Industrial Glue Logic Consolidation
The EPF8820AQC208-4 fits legacy industrial glue-logic replacement because it consolidates 8K gates of discrete 74-series logic onto a single in-circuit-reconfigurable device. Its 152 user I/Os accommodate the high pin count typical of multi-chip glue-logic boards, while the PQFP-208 package survives the mechanical vibration profiles of factory-floor equipment. The 5 V MultiVolt I/O interfaces directly to TTL logic without level shifters, preserving the original BOM voltage rails. Compared with discrete 74HC/74LS implementations, the FLEX 8000 FPGA reduces board area, simplifies ECOs, and enables post-assembly logic revisions through in-circuit programming via JTAG. The 0-70 °C commercial temperature range covers most indoor industrial enclosures.
Recommended
PCI Bus Interface and Bridge Logic
The EPF8820AQC208-4 was widely used for PCI bus interface bridges in the late 1990s and early 2000s because its 8K-gate capacity comfortably implemented 32-bit PCI target or master state machines plus DMA and interrupt controllers. The 125 MHz internal frequency supports 33 MHz PCI clocking with timing margin to spare. The 152 I/Os in PQFP-208 handle both the 32-bit PCI bus plus local-bus side signals, plus parity and arbitration pins. 5 V VCCIO matches the original PCI 5 V signaling environment (pre-PCI 3.3 V). Engineers maintaining legacy PCI cards in industrial PCs, medical instruments, and telecommunications line cards continue to source this part.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line-Card Controllers
The EPF8820AQC208-4 served telecom line-card controllers implementing HDLC framing, T1/E1 time-slot management, and low-speed serial multiplexing. The 672 logic cells and 8K usable gates fit these control-plane functions while leaving headroom for proprietary vendor extensions. Its 5 V core tolerates the +5 V supplies common in legacy central-office equipment, and the PQFP-208 package is robust against the conformal coating and wave-solder rework typical of telecom hardware. The SRAM-based in-circuit reconfigurability allowed field firmware updates via JTAG without board removal. Modern replacements are typically Lattice MachXO2/3 or Intel MAX V CPLDs.
Recommended
Legacy Embedded Control Systems
The EPF8820AQC208-4 is well-suited as a peripheral expansion and custom I/O controller for legacy embedded microcontroller boards. Its 152 I/Os extend the host MCU's GPIO count, and the SRAM-based fabric enables state-machine, PWM, encoder, and custom-protocol peripherals to be implemented in hardware rather than software. The 5 V tolerance allows direct interfacing to legacy 8051, 68HC11, or x86 host systems without level translation. In-circuit reconfigurability enables field updates through the JTAG port. The commercial 0-70 °C temperature grade covers most indoor cabinet and chassis-mount embedded applications.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Front-End Logic
The EPF8820AQC208-4 functions as the timing-and-control FPGA in legacy test and measurement equipment, generating stimulus patterns, capturing response waveforms, and routing signals to ADC/DAC channels. The 8K-gate density is sufficient for multi-channel digital pattern generation, while the 152 I/Os accommodate the many parallel test points required for mixed-signal test. The 125 MHz internal clock generates sub-ns timing edges when paired with the -2 speed grade. The 5 V VCCIO directly drives TTL/CMOS test fixtures from the 1990s era. PQFP-208 is hand-solderable for prototype rework.
Recommended
Military/Aerospace Legacy Avionics
The EPF8820AQC208-4 was specified into military and aerospace avionics designs of the late 1990s as a redundant control FPGA whose SRAM-based fabric allowed in-flight firmware updates via mission data loader. The PQFP-208 package is suitable for through-hole-converted-to-SMT board assemblies used in ruggedized enclosures. Although modern military programs have migrated to radiation-hardened FPGAs (Microsemi/Actel RTAX), long-life sustainment programs still procure the EPF8820AQC208-4 as a form-fit-function replacement. Source through authorized distributors with full traceability documentation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF8820AQC208-4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF8820AQC208-3N | EPF8820AQC208-3 | EPF8820AQC208-2N | EPF8820AQC208-2 | EPF8820AQC208-4N | EPF8636AQC208-4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same |
| Speed Grade | -4 (slowest) | -3 (mid) | -3 (mid) | -2 (fastest) | -2 (fastest) | -4 (slowest) | -4 (slowest) |
| Logic Cells | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | 672 | ~432 |
| Usable Gates | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 4,000 |
| User I/Os | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 152 | 148 |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Slowest commercial speed grade (-4) for cost-optimized legacy designs (vs EPF8820AQC208-3)
- Highest-density PQFP-208 pin count (152 I/Os) within the FLEX 8000 family (vs EPF8636AQC208-4N)
- In-circuit reconfigurability via SRAM-based fabric (vs MAX 7000-series CPLD (EPM7128S))
Design Notes
The EPF8820AQC208-4 requires a clean +5 V supply at typically 100-300 mA depending on logic utilization and toggle rate. Place 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitors near every VCC pin (the PQFP-208 has multiple VCC/GND pairs) and a bulk 47-100 µF tantalum or aluminum electrolytic at the board power entry. The SRAM-based configuration memory draws continuous bias current even when logic is idle; unlike CPLDs, the FLEX 8000 cannot be powered down to zero quiescent current without losing configuration. Estimate: at 50% utilization and 50 MHz toggle rate, ICC ≈ 150 mA, so the regulator must source at least 250 mA with headroom.
The PQFP-208 package has a 0.5 mm lead pitch and a 30.6 mm × 30.6 mm body; allocate a minimum 4-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane beneath the device to provide thermal spreading and controlled impedance for I/O traces. Each output pin can source/sink up to 25 mA per the FLEX 8000 datasheet, so route high-current outputs with 0.2 mm wide traces or use a fan-out to multiple vias. Keep configuration-related signals (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, DCLK) short and away from switching I/O to avoid configuration failure during power-up.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EPF8820AQC208-4: (1) forgetting that the device loses its configuration on power-down, so an external configuration EEPROM (EPC1, EPC2, EPCQ) is mandatory for non-volatile designs; (2) confusing the 5 V VCCINT core with the MultiVolt VCCIO - both must be present; (3) using the -4 speed grade for timing-critical paths when the -3 or -2 variant is required; (4) failing to terminate clock inputs when driving with long traces; (5) assuming modern Altera/Intel Quartus software supports FLEX 8000 - the latest fully-supported Quartus version is Quartus II 13.0sp1, after which support was dropped. Plan tooling lifecycle accordingly.
The PQFP-208 lead frame has approximately 1-2 nH lead inductance per pin; this can cause ringing on high-speed outputs (>50 MHz). Place 33 Ω series damping resistors on outputs driving >2 inch traces, and use a continuous ground return path beneath each signal trace. For clock outputs, drive from a dedicated PLL/global clock buffer pin (the FLEX 8000 has 4 dedicated clock inputs) rather than a general-purpose I/O. Keep JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) away from high-frequency switching nets to avoid programming failures during in-circuit reconfiguration.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance verified by the -4 speed grade suffix and lead-free PQFP-208 package per Altera/Intel ordering information. Halogen-free status not specifically called out in legacy datasheet; assume unknown. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA with no automotive qualification.
