Largest CPLD enters production

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Apr 7, 2005

The EPM2210 is the largest member of the MAX II CPLD family, featuring 2210 logic elements.

Altera Corp has announced the immediate production availability of the EPM2210 device, the largest member of the MAX II CPLD family, featuring 2210 logic elements (LEs).

This completes the rollout of the MAX II family, which is the industry's lowest-cost, highest-density and highest-performance CPLD offering.

Engineers can now leverage the MAX II family for complex control applications, which could not previously be addressed by CPLDs.

"We chose MAX II devices for our new NI CompactRIO embedded system modules because of their low cost, small size, and extended temperature range", said Brian MacCleery, Industrial Control and Measurements Group Manager at National Instruments.

"The MAX II CPLDs are an example of the kind of state-of-the-art technology that enables CompactRIO to deliver a low price point for high-volume embedded machine control applications".

More than 1000 customers worldwide have received MAX II devices since the family began shipping in July, 2004.

Because it offers the lowest cost per I/O pin, the MAX II family is being integrated into new, cost-sensitive, volume-driven applications in the consumer, communications, industrial, computing, and automotive markets.

CPLD designers now have an alternative to less flexible ASSPs, ASICs, and discrete components for many applications.

"The higher logic density offered by the MAX II family allows customers to integrate existing functions from other devices, substantially reducing board space and power requirements while lowering overall system costs", said Luanne Schirrmeister, Director of CPLD Product Marketing at Altera.

"The availability of the entire family allows our many CPLD customers to take full advantage of the benefits provided by Altera's high-density, low-cost MAX II product portfolio".

The MAX II device family includes four members ranging in density from 240 to 2210 LEs.

Low-cost packages are available for the MAX II devices, including 1.0mm FineLine BGA and 0.5mm thin quad flat pack.

Commercial-grade versions of all four members are widely available now through Altera distributors worldwide along with industrial-grade and lead-free package options.