FPGA Altera Cyclone-III EP3C25F256C7N device package

FPGA schematic symbol

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are configurable integrated circuits used in a variety of digital processing and control applications. The FPGAs can be programmed using a Hardware Description Language (HDL) such as Verilog or VHDL. In this article we will discuss the EP3C25F256C7N FPGA from Altera.

What is EP3C25F256C7N？

The EP3C25F256C7N belongs to the Cyclone-III family of FPGA devices from Altera. The Cyclone-III FPGA devices exhibit powerful technical features along with low power consumption and low cost. Due to these prominent features, the EP3C25F256C7N is ideal for high-volume, low-power, and cost-sensitive applications. The logic block density of Cyclone-III family ranges from 5000 to 200,000. The Cyclone-III family also implements security features at hardware, firmware, and intellectual property (IP) levels.

Pin Configuration

The pin configuration of the EP3C25F256C7N is provided as following:

Features

• Very low power consumption due to TSMC’s low power technology and Altera’s power-aware design flow
• Advanced built-in security features using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with 256-bit volatile key
• Security provision for disabling the external JTAG interface
• Zero writing technique used for wiping off the firmware, CRAM, embedded memory, and encryption key
• High memory-to-logic and multiplier-to-logic ratio
• Availability of high number of I/Os
• Configurable I/O slew rates for improving signal integrity
• Excellent internal and external clock management due to the presence of four PLLs (Phase Locked Loops)
• Capability of remote system upgrade without using any extra controller
• Built-in cyclic redundancy code checker hardware for the detection of SEU (Single Event Upset) issues
• Availability of customizable NIOS-II embedded processor compatible with Cyclone-III device family

Applications

Some of the popular applications of Altera Cyclone-III EP3C25F256C7N FPGA are listed as following:

• Video processing systems
• Image and signal processing systems
• Large screen display systems
• Wireless communication systems
• Software define radio (SDR) systems
• Military grade electronic systems
• Industrial machine control systems

Specifications

The major technical specifications of the EP3C25F256C7N are provided as following:

• 24,624 logic elements
• 66 M9K blocks
• 608,256 RAM bits
• 66 18×18 multiplexers
• 4 PLLs
• 20 global clock networks
• 215 maximum user I/Os
• 156 single-ended I/O pins, 54 differential I/O channels
• Dimensions of 17mm x 17mm

Alternatives

M1A3P600L-FG256YI, M1A3P600L-1FGG256Y, M1A3P600L-FG256; 

How EP3C25F256C7N work?

Digital systems are designed using two different approaches. The first approach is known as the sequential approach and employs microcontrollers and microprocessors for data processing and data communication. The second approach is the parallel approach which utilizes FPGAs and ASICs for high-performance computing.

FPGAs technology has advanced a lot in the recent past and can now be used to implement SoCs (System on Chip). In an SoC, the microcontroller and the associated digital circuits are housed in the same device package. This offers the benefits of high performance, high efficiency, low power consumption and low cost. Customized SoCs can be used for a wide variety of applications such as video processing, signal processing, industrial control and biomedical applications. The parallel operation of FPGAs makes them faster and superior to the traditional microcontrollers.

FPGA based motor control application circuit diagram

Keywords and Tags

• EP3C25F256C7N
• FPGA
• Altera Cyclone-III
• SoC

EP3C25F256C7N Related Products Prices

Parts	Mfr.	Description	Stock	Prices	Buy Now
EP3C25F256C7N	Altera	IC FPGA 156 I/O 256FBGA	4145	$20.271 Lowest
EP3C25F256C8N	Altera	IC FPGA 156 I/O 256FBGA	600	$28.872 Lowest
EP3C25F256C6N	Altera	IC FPGA 156 I/O 256FBGA	2275	$17.181 Lowest
EP3C25F256I7N	Altera	IC FPGA 156 I/O 256FBGA	26	$42.213 Lowest

EP3C25F256C7N DATASHEET PDF