EPM2210F256C4 - 2210 LE MAX II CPLD, 256-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EPM2210F256C4 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $64.99 | $64.99 |
| 10 | $58.49 | $584.90 |
| 100 | $52.5 | $5,250.00 |
| 500 | $47.2 | $23,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $42.8 | $42,800.00 |
EPM2210F256C4 Overview
What is a CPLD? A Complex Programmable Logic Device is a non-volatile programmable logic IC that bridges the gap between discrete 74-series glue logic and FPGAs. CPLDs typically feature instant-on, deterministic timing, wide input gating, and modest logic density (hundreds to a few thousand macrocells). The MAX II architecture positions the family at the high-density end of the CPLD hierarchy: CPLD -> non-volatile programmable logic -> programmable logic IC -> digital semiconductor. The 'LE' (logic element) count is a vendor-specific unit; for MAX II, 1 LE ≈ 1.3 macrocells, which is why the 2,210-LE device is described as 1,700 macrocells.
Key features include 1.8 V core supply with MultiVolt I/O supporting 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V interfaces, an 8 Kbit User Flash Memory (UFM) block for non-logic data storage, JTAG-based in-system programmability (ISP), and 212 user I/O pins. The internal 7 ns pin-to-pin propagation delay (tPD1) supports glue-logic and bus-interface bridging at frequencies up to approximately 201 MHz.
Typical applications include bus interface bridging, I/O expansion and voltage translation, power-up and power-sequencing control, configuration of larger FPGAs, and glue-logic replacement on industrial, telecom, and consumer motherboards. The UFM block additionally supports small-data EEPROM-style storage such as revision IDs, calibration tables, or boot parameters.
When designing with the EPM2210F256C4, treat the 256-ball FineLine BGA as a fine-pitch package and follow standard BGA PCB design rules: microvia or via-in-pad recommended, matched-length impedance for high-speed edges, and proper thermal relief for the center balls that sit beneath the die. Quartus II (or the current Quartus Prime Lite) is the supported design entry and programming toolchain.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the same MAX II family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EPM2210F256C4 — 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 EPM2210F256C4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Programming Interface, Configuration Memory, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPM2210F256C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM2210GF256C4
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM2210F256C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$47.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM2210F256A5NGA
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$48.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM2210F256C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | MAX II |
| Logic Elements | 2,210 |
| Equivalent Macrocells | 1,700 |
| User Flash Memory (UFM) | 8 Kbits |
| User I/O Pins | 212 |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) |
| Process Technology | 0.18 µm 6-layer-metal flash |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage (MultiVolt) | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Pin-to-pin Delay (tPD1) | 7 ns |
| Maximum Frequency (fMAX) | 201 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial extended) |
| Programming Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) ISP |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EPM2210F256C4 256-ball fineline bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPM2210F256C4 (256-ball fineline bga (fbga) 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 EPM2210F256C4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPM2210F256C4 is suitable for 6 applications: Bus Interface Bridging, Power Sequencing and Reset Control, FPGA Configuration and Control, Glue Logic Replacement on Industrial Boards, I/O Expansion and Voltage Translation, Embedded EEPROM-Style Data Storage with UFM.
Bus Interface Bridging
The EPM2210F256C4 is well suited to bus-bridging applications where a microcontroller or processor must communicate with peripherals on different voltage domains. Its 212 user I/O pins and MultiVolt support for 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V rails allow direct connections to legacy 5 V-tolerant buses and modern low-voltage cores without external level shifters. With a 7 ns pin-to-pin delay and 201 MHz fMAX, the device comfortably bridges 50-100 MHz parallel buses including SRAM, NOR flash, and FPGA configuration interfaces. The 256-ball FBGA gives designers more than enough I/O for wide data buses plus control signals, and the instant-on non-volatile flash storage removes the need for an external boot PROM.
Recommended
Power Sequencing and Reset Control
The EPM2210F256C4's instant-on non-volatile configuration makes it ideal for power-sequencing tasks in multi-rail systems. As soon as the 1.8 V core rail comes up, the device begins driving the pre-programmed reset and power-good signals without waiting for an external configuration source. Its 1,700 macrocells and 8 Kbit UFM block are sufficient to monitor and sequence several supply rails in FPGAs, ASICs, or complex SoC designs. The deterministic 7 ns tPD1 and 212 user I/O pins support simultaneous control of multiple rails, including enable signals, fault flags, and watchdog inputs, while the commercial-extended 0 °C to +85 °C rating suits industrial control environments.
Recommended
FPGA Configuration and Control
The EPM2210F256C4 is frequently deployed as a configuration controller for larger SRAM-based FPGAs such as Cyclone or Stratix families, where the CPLD can hold a bitstream in its UFM and load it on power-up. With 8 Kbits of User Flash Memory and 2,210 logic elements, the part can store one to several small bitstreams and orchestrate multi-FPGA configuration, JTAG re-programming, and golden-image fallback. The wide 212-I/O count supports passive parallel configuration across multiple FPGAs in parallel, and the 7 ns tPD1 keeps the DCLK-to-DATA timing budget well within Cyclone configuration requirements.
Recommended
Glue Logic Replacement on Industrial Boards
Industrial SBCs and telecom motherboards often accumulate discrete 74-series glue logic, bus transceivers, and address decoders that can be consolidated into a single MAX II device. The EPM2210F256C4's 2,210 logic elements (1,700 macrocells) replace dozens of discrete gates while providing deterministic timing, JTAG ISP, and non-volatile storage in the same 256-ball FBGA. The 8 Kbit UFM is a useful side benefit for storing revision IDs, calibration data, or MAC addresses directly on the board. With a 7 ns tPD1, address decoders, chip-select logic, and interrupt controllers all fit comfortably inside this one device.
Recommended
I/O Expansion and Voltage Translation
The EPM2210F256C4 with its 212 user I/O pins and MultiVolt capability is a strong fit for I/O expansion and voltage-level translation tasks between processors running at 1.8 V cores and peripherals at 3.3 V or 2.5 V. Each I/O bank can be independently configured for 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V, allowing up to four voltage domains to be bridged on a single chip. The 7 ns tPD1 supports moderate-speed translation up to roughly 100 MHz, and the 256-ball FBGA package provides ample I/O for matrix-style expander designs used in telecom backplanes and test equipment.
Recommended
Embedded EEPROM-Style Data Storage with UFM
The EPM2210F256C4 includes an 8 Kbit User Flash Memory (UFM) block that can be accessed from user logic and programmed via the JTAG interface, providing on-board EEPROM functionality without a separate serial EEPROM chip. Typical uses include storing board revision, calibration coefficients, MAC addresses, or serial numbers. The UFM is rated for 100,000 program/erase cycles and 100 years of data retention per the Altera MAX II datasheet. The 256-ball FBGA footprint gives plenty of room for both the data-storage interface logic and the surrounding glue logic that reads the UFM at boot.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM2210F256C4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM2210F256C5N | EPM2210GF256C4 | EPM2210F256C3N | EPM2210F256A5NGA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) - same |
| Logic Elements | 2,210 | 2,210 | 2,210 | 2,210 | 2,210 |
| Pin-to-pin Delay (tPD1) | 7 ns | 5.5 ns | 7 ns | 8.5 ns | 5.5 ns |
| Temperature Grade | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial extended) | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial extended) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial extended) | Automotive (AEC-Q100) |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V / 1.0 V (G variant) | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| UFM Size | 8 Kbits | 8 Kbits | 8 Kbits | 8 Kbits | 8 Kbits |
| User I/O Pins | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 |
Key Differentiators
- Commercial-extended temperature with 7 ns tPD1 at the standard speed grade (vs EPM2210F256C3N)
- Standard MAX II variant with well-known 1.8 V core, broad Quartus support (vs EPM2210GF256C4)
- Higher maximum frequency for bus-bridging applications (vs EPM2210F256C3N)
Design Notes
The 256-ball FineLine BGA has 1.0 mm pitch and a 17 mm × 17 mm body. PCB fabrication should specify microvia or via-in-pad technology to fan out the inner balls. Per the Altera MAX II package guidelines, route signals on the top layer with dog-bone fan-outs and use a 4-6 layer stackup with continuous reference planes for the high-speed I/O banks. Decoupling: place one 0.1 µF X7R ceramic close to every VCCIO/VCCINT ball pair and one bulk 10 µF tantalum per quadrant. Estimated: at 212 simultaneous-switching outputs at 100 MHz, expect 5-10 bulk caps for VCCIO rails to control ground bounce.
The MAX II core requires a clean 1.8 V supply; the I/O banks (VCCIO) accept 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V independently per bank. According to the Altera MAX II datasheet, VCCINT ramp time should be slower than 100 µs to ensure proper power-on-reset behavior. If the host system cannot guarantee a monotonic 1.8 V ramp, add a small RC delay on the nCONFIG/nSTATUS equivalent (the device has dedicated JTAG-only configuration). Estimated: at 50% I/O toggle at 100 MHz, the device draws roughly 200-300 mA from VCCINT and 50-100 mA per active VCCIO bank.
Do not assume MAX II G (EPM2210GF256C4) and standard MAX II (EPM2210F256C4) are fully interchangeable in software: the G variant adds a 1.0 V core option, and Quartus pin assignments differ slightly. Also avoid confusing the C4 / C5 / C3 speed grades: tPD1 is 7 ns / 5.5 ns / 8.5 ns respectively. When migrating from the EPM2210F256C4 to the EPM2210F256C5N for industrial temperature, regenerate the Quartus fitter settings because timing margins are tighter at -40 °C; static timing analysis is recommended. JTAG chain order matters: place the MAX II last in a JTAG chain with other devices, or include appropriate bypass instructions.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per the Altera (Intel) product page. The EPM2210F256C4 itself is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications, the EPM2210F256A5NGA variant carries the AEC-Q100 screening.
