EPM3512AQI208-10 - 512-Macrocell CPLD, 208-PQFP | Intel (Altera)
MPN: EPM3512AQI20810 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $25 | $25.00 |
| 10 | $24.3 | $243.00 |
| 100 | $23.55 | $2,355.00 |
| 500 | $22.4 | $11,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.1 | $21,100.00 |
EPM3512AQI20810 Overview
A CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) is a non-volatile, instant-on programmable logic device that combines multiple PAL-like macrocell blocks with a central interconnect matrix. In the system hierarchy it sits below an FPGA but above discrete 74-series glue logic, providing deterministic timing, low power, and zero configuration time. The MAX 3000A family uses 3.3 V core operation, IEEE Std. 1149.1 (JTAG) and IEEE Std. 1532 in-system programmability, and is built on a 5-line, 5-cell EEpROM process.
Key features of the EPM3512AQI208-10 include a 87 MHz internal fMAX from logic feedback, a tPD of 10 ns (the suffix "-10"), 100% TTL-compatible I/O, 16 LABs, and a MultiVolt I/O interface that allows interfacing to 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V and 5.0 V devices. Each I/O has a programmable register with individual clock, clock-enable and clear controls. The part also provides four JTAG boundary-scan chains for board-level testing.
Architecturally, the device is built on a 0.30 µm CMOS EEPROM process with 4-input product-term macrocells. Each macrocell contains a programmable AND/OR/XOR/cascade array feeding a flipflop that can be configured as D, T, JK or SR. The global interconnect uses a fast, predictable switch matrix, which is why CPLDs deliver deterministic propagation delays that FPGAs cannot guarantee.
Typical applications include bus and address decoding, glue-logic integration, power-sequencer state machines, peripheral interfacing, and 5 V/3.3 V level translation bridges. Designers choose the EPM3512AQI208-10 when deterministic 10 ns timing, high I/O count, and zero boot time are required - for example in industrial controllers, telecom backplane glue logic and PCI/ISA bus interfaces.
When designing with the part, note that the package is PQFP (plastic quad flat pack), so pin-to-pin capacitance and lead inductance must be considered for signals above 50 MHz. Decoupling requires 0.1 µF ceramic plus 10 µF bulk per supply pin, and JTAG signals TMS/TCK/TDI/TDO must be pulled to defined states during power-up per IEEE 1149.1.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package drop-in alternatives and practical design notes that complement the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers evaluate the EPM3512AQI208-10 versus higher-density MAX II or modern MAX V CPLDs.
Drop-in alternatives for EPM3512AQI20810 — 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 EPM3512AQI20810 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Logic Array Blocks (LABs), Speed Grade, Package, Configuration Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPM3512AQI208-10N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQI208-7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQI208-7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC208-10
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC208-10N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$42.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC20810
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC20810N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$39.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQC208-10S
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AQI20810 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | MAX 3000A |
| Macrocells | 512 |
| Usable Gates | 10,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 16 (32 macrocells each) |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 172 |
| Pin-to-Pin Propagation Delay (tPD) | 10 ns |
| Internal fMAX (logic feedback) | 87 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V |
| MultiVolt I/O Interface | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V compatible |
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (PQ208) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Process Technology | 0.30 µm CMOS EEPROM |
| In-System Programmability | IEEE Std. 1149.1 JTAG + IEEE Std. 1532 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial, "I" suffix) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Contains lead / RoHS non-compliant (per Altera datasheet marking) |
EPM3512AQI20810 208-pin pqfp (pq208) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPM3512AQI20810 (208-pin pqfp (pq208) 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 EPM3512AQI20810.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPM3512AQI20810 is suitable for 6 applications: Bus and Address Decoding Glue Logic, Industrial Controller State Machines, 5 V to 3.3 V Level Translation Bridge, Telecom Backplane Glue Logic, Peripheral Interface Bridging (UART/SPI/I2C Multiplexing), Legacy Board Revisions and Field Replacement.
Bus and Address Decoding Glue Logic
The EPM3512AQI208-10 is well suited to bus-decoding glue logic because of its 172 user I/O pins and 10 ns deterministic pin-to-pin delay. With 512 macrocells the device can simultaneously decode PCI/ISA address ranges, generate chip-select strobes for memory banks, and arbitrate interrupt requests across a legacy backplane. The MultiVolt I/O interface lets the same CPLD bridge 5 V peripherals and 3.3 V processors without external level shifters, while the non-volatile EEPROM configuration provides instant-on behaviour at power-up - critical for systems that cannot tolerate FPGA configuration latency. Place the part near the address/control bus and route each chip-select through a dedicated output pin to minimise skew.
Recommended
Industrial Controller State Machines
Industrial controllers benefit from the EPM3512AQI208-10's deterministic timing, wide operating temperature (-40 °C to +85 °C industrial grade) and 16 LAB architecture that can host multiple independent state machines. With 10,000 usable gates and 16 LABs of 32 macrocells each, a single device can implement power-sequencer FSMs, motor-control interlocks and watchdog timers concurrently. The MAX 3000A family uses non-volatile EEPROM cells, eliminating external boot memory and allowing instant power-on recovery after brown-outs - an essential feature for factory-floor PLCs and process controllers where predictable restart behaviour is mandatory.
Recommended
5 V to 3.3 V Level Translation Bridge
The EPM3512AQI208-10 acts as a multi-channel level shifter between legacy 5 V peripherals and modern 3.3 V or 2.5 V ASICs thanks to the MAX 3000A MultiVolt I/O interface. Each of the 172 I/O pins can be individually configured to a different I/O standard, allowing the same device to translate 5 V, 3.3 V, 2.5 V and 1.8 V buses simultaneously without external resistors or diode clamps. With 10 ns tPD the propagation penalty of going through the CPLD is well under typical bus-cycle budgets, and the deterministic interconnect ensures consistent timing across all channels - useful in mixed-voltage backplanes and telecom line-card designs.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Glue Logic
Telecom backplanes demand high I/O count, deterministic timing and in-system reprogrammability for field upgrades - all of which the EPM3512AQI208-10 delivers through its 208-pin PQFP package and JTAG interface compliant with IEEE Std. 1149.1. A single device can implement E1/T1 framing strobes, HDLC channel arbitration, board-presence detection and hot-swap control logic across a 16-bit backplane. The non-volatile EEPROM configuration allows cards to come alive instantly on insertion, and 87 MHz internal fMAX supports the channelised timing requirements of legacy telecom systems up to about 50 MHz system clock.
Recommended
Peripheral Interface Bridging (UART/SPI/I2C Multiplexing)
The EPM3512AQI208-10 is widely deployed as a peripheral-interface multiplexer/bridge, aggregating multiple UART, SPI or I2C peripherals behind a single processor port. With 172 user I/O pins the device can expose 8-12 serial channels simultaneously, providing baud-rate generation, parity generation and chip-select arbitration under a single non-volatile configuration. The 10 ns tPD preserves tight SPI CS-to-clock timing, and the in-system programmability (IEEE 1532) allows firmware updates via the JTAG chain during production without removing the device from the board - reducing manufacturing rework cost.
Recommended
Legacy Board Revisions and Field Replacement
Because the EPM3512AQI208-10 remains in N/RND status with Intel but is still supported for legacy customers, it is the canonical choice for repairing or maintaining boards already designed around this 208-pin PQFP footprint. Industrial, military and medical equipment with 10- to 25-year field lifecycles often need exact drop-in replacements to avoid PCB re-spin; the -10 speed grade, industrial temperature grade and leaded (Pb-containing) finish allow direct substitution onto the original land pattern. When sourcing for maintenance, prefer factory-fresh or traceable-excess stock and verify the date code to ensure long-term EEPROM data retention, which Altera specifies at 20 years minimum.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM3512AQI20810 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM3512AQI208-10N | EPM3512AQI208-7N | EPM3512AQI208-7 | EPM3512AQC208-10 | EPM3512AQC208-10N | EPM3512AQC20810 | EPM3512AQC20810N | EPM3512AQC208-10S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-pin PQFP | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Macrocells | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 |
| Pin-to-Pin Delay (tPD) | 10 ns | 10 ns | 7 ns (30% faster) | 7 ns (30% faster) | 10 ns | 10 ns | 10 ns | 10 ns | 10 ns |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) |
| Lead Finish / RoHS | Contains lead / RoHS non-compliant | Pb-free / RoHS compliant | Pb-free / RoHS compliant | Contains lead | Contains lead | Pb-free / RoHS compliant | Contains lead | Pb-free / RoHS compliant | Special lead finish |
| User I/O Pins | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 | 172 |
| VCCINT (Core Supply) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V | 3.0 V to 3.6 V |
| Lifecycle Status | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND | N/RND |
Key Differentiators
- Highest macrocell count in the MAX 3000A family on a 208-pin PQFP footprint (vs EPM3256AQI208-10)
- Industrial temperature grade (-40 °C to +85 °C) without lead-free constraint (vs EPM3512AQC208-10)
- 10 ns tPD speed grade optimised for typical glue-logic timing budgets (vs EPM3512AQI208-7N)
Design Notes
The EPM3512AQI208-10 requires a clean 3.0 V to 3.6 V supply on every VCCINT pin. Decouple each VCCINT pin with a 0.1 µF X7R ceramic placed within 5 mm of the pin, and add a shared 10 µF tantalum or ceramic bulk capacitor per supply rail. I/O supply pins (VCCIO) must also be decoupled even if the I/O bank is unused - floating I/O supply pins can cause intermittent JTAG programming failures. Power-up ramp time should be <100 ms; faster ramps can trigger EEPROM programming-mode lockout.
Do not leave JTAG pins (TMS, TCK, TDI, TDO) floating. TMS and TDI must be pulled up to VCCIO via 10 kΩ resistors, and TCK should be pulled down or held low when not in use, per IEEE Std. 1149.1. A floating TCK can cause spurious boundary-scan transitions and unintended ISP writes. Also note that the part supports IEEE Std. 1532 ISP, so multi-vendor JTAG chains may need explicit instruction-register remapping to coexist with other devices on the same TCK/TMS chain.
The 208-pin PQFP package has a 0.5 mm lead pitch and gull-wing leads; the recommended PCB land pattern must follow IPC-7351 PQFP-2200 nominal with a 0.30 mm toe and 0.05 mm heel. For signals above 50 MHz, keep traces short and use a continuous ground plane on the layer beneath the device to control lead-inductance ringing. Avoid routing high-speed signals (above 50 MHz) under the PQFP body - use the breakout region immediately outside the package and route on inner stripline layers. Thermal performance of the PQFP package is adequate without an external heatsink for typical 5K-gate designs, but sustained high-utilisation designs may need copper-pour cooling on top of the package.
Compliance Information
Per Altera-Price and Alldatasheet stock listings, the EPM3512AQI208-10 is marked as containing lead / RoHS non-compliant. The Pb-free RoHS-compliant variant is the EPM3512AQI208-10N on the same 208-pin PQFP footprint. AEC-Q100 not qualified - for automotive use, pair with an external supervisor.
