ATMEGA169PA-ANR - 8-bit AVR MCU 16KB Flash 16MHz LCD | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA169PA-ANR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.2 | $3.20 |
| 10 | $2.88 | $28.80 |
| 100 | $2.56 | $256.00 |
| 500 | $2.3 | $1,150.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.05 | $2,050.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.85 | $5,550.00 |
ATMEGA169PA-ANR Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a processor core, nonvolatile program memory, RAM, and peripherals on one die. Within the power hierarchy of embedded systems, the ATmega169PA sits in the mid-range 8-bit class: it is a system-on-chip successor to discrete MCU-plus-glue-logic designs and a member of the AVR ATmega family, which spans small ATtiny devices up to large ATmega2560-class parts.
Key features include the advanced AVR RISC architecture with 133 powerful instructions, most executing in a single clock cycle, and 32 general-purpose working registers. The picoPower technology platform provides aggressive power savings through multiple sleep modes, clock gating, and register retentive shut-down, making it suitable for battery-powered designs. Uniquely in this class, the device integrates a segment LCD driver, allowing direct drive of glass LCD panels without an external display controller. In-system programmable (ISP) flash with read-while-write capability and on-chip JTAG debugging round out the feature set.
Architecturally, the Harvard-structure AVR core fetches instructions and data over separate buses, achieving up to 16 MIPS throughput at 16 MHz. Analog integration includes a 10-bit ADC and an analog comparator, while timer resources cover one 16-bit and two 8-bit timers with PWM outputs. Supply operation spans 2.7 V to 5.5 V per the datasheet, with 54 general-purpose I/O lines available in the 64-TQFP variant.
Typical applications include battery-operated instruments with LCD displays, utility metering, industrial control panels, handheld measurement devices, and automotive-audio front panels where the integrated segment LCD controller reduces bill-of-material cost.
Design consideration: budget the LCD controller bias current separately, as LCD drive dominates sleep-mode consumption; disable the LCD block in deep-sleep states to exploit picoPower benefits fully.
This page synthesizes verified distributor pricing, drop-in family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, as of 2026-09-16.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA169PA-ANR β 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 ATMEGA169PA-ANR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Core Architecture, Debug Interface, Mounting Type, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA169PA-AN
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA169PA-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA169PA-AU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA169P-15AT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3.6 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA169PA-ANR vs ATMEGA169P-15AZ
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA169PA-ANR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | AVR 8-bit RISC, 133 instructions, most single-cycle |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 16 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB (8K x 16), ISP, read-while-write |
| EEPROM | 512 B |
| SRAM | 1 KB |
| General Purpose I/O | 54 lines (64-TQFP variant) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| LCD Driver | Integrated segment LCD controller |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit |
| Timers | 1 x 16-bit, 2 x 8-bit with PWM |
| Debug Interface | JTAG (on-chip debug) |
| Programming | In-System Programmable (ISP) flash |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower with multiple sleep modes |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +105 C (industrial) |
| Package | TQFP-64, 14 x 14 mm body, 1.0 mm height |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (Gull Wing) |
| Lifecycle Stage | Active |
ATMEGA169PA-ANR tqfp-64, 14 x 14 mm body, 1.0 mm height Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATMEGA169PA-ANR (tqfp-64, 14 x 14 mm body, 1.0 mm height 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 ATMEGA169PA-ANR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATMEGA169PA-ANR is suitable for 6 applications: Utility Metering (Electricity/Gas/Water), Handheld Test and Measurement Instruments, Industrial Control Panels and HMI, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Automotive Audio and Display Front Panels, White Goods and Appliance Controls.
Utility Metering (Electricity/Gas/Water)
The ATMEGA169PA-ANR fits utility metering because metering products center on a segmented LCD readout, infrequent computation, and years of battery life. Its integrated LCD driver drives meter digits directly from port pins with no external display controller, and picoPower sleep modes keep average consumption in the microampere region between measurement bursts. The 10-bit ADC samples analog front-end outputs, while the 512 B EEPROM stores calibration and tariff data across power loss. In a typical topology, the MCU wakes on a timer or sensor interrupt, computes consumption, updates the LCD, and returns to deep sleep. The 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply range tolerates a single lithium cell or 3.6 V stack directly, and the -40 C to +105 C industrial rating covers outdoor meter enclosures.
Recommended
Handheld Test and Measurement Instruments
Handheld multimeters, environmental meters, and panel gauges are natural fits for the ATMEGA169PA-ANR: they combine a small segment LCD, push-button input, battery supply, and modest compute load - exactly the profile this part targets. The 16 MHz AVR core delivers up to 16 MIPS for DSP-lite tasks such as RMS windowing, while the 10-bit ADC digitizes sensor channels and the analog comparator supports zero-cross or threshold detection. JTAG debugging is valuable during handheld product development because the board is usually tightly packed with no test pads for beds-of-nails. With the LCD driver on-chip, the display consumes only segment bias current rather than a controller chip's overhead, extending battery runtime. The industrial -40 C to +105 C rating survives cold storage and hot vehicles, and the 64-TQFP gull-wing package reflows reliably on standard SMT lines.
Recommended
Industrial Control Panels and HMI
Industrial control panels use the ATMEGA169PA-ANR where a status LCD, keypad scanning, and actuator control must coexist on one low-cost chip. The 54 GPIO lines in the 64-TQFP variant drive relays, optocouplers, and annunciators while simultaneously scanning a matrix keypad and refreshing the segment LCD through the integrated controller. Two 8-bit timers and one 16-bit timer provide PWM for heater or fan control and precise measurement intervals for process logic. The -40 C to +105 C operating range suits sealed panels near motors or in unheated cabinets, and the 5.5 V supply maximum permits direct operation from industrial 5 V logic rails. The 16 KB flash accommodates communication stacks (UART-based Modbus ASCII/RTU via the on-chip USART) plus the display and control firmware with headroom, and EEPROM retains setpoints through power cycles.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
For battery-operated sensor nodes, the ATMEGA169PA-ANR's picoPower architecture is the core value: multiple sleep modes, register-retentive shut-down, and clock gating allow the node to spend most of its life below microamp-level draw and wake on timer or external interrupt to sample, compute, and transmit. The USART interfaces to a wireless module or RS-485 transceiver, the 10-bit ADC reads analog sensors, and the 1 KB SRAM buffers packet payloads. A small segment LCD adds a local user interface in places where a smartphone app is impractical - such as cold-chain tags or valve controllers - and the on-chip LCD driver avoids adding display power overhead. Firmware updates over the air are supported by the read-while-write ISP flash bootloader mechanism, letting fleets be reprogrammed in the field without physical access.
Recommended
Automotive Audio and Display Front Panels
The ATmega169 family has a documented history in automotive-audio front panels, where a segmented LCD, rotary encoder input, and button matrix form the human-machine interface. The ATMEGA169PA-ANR handles display refresh in hardware via the LCD controller, offloading the CPU for tasks like UART communication with a head-unit DSP, button debouncing, and backlight PWM dimming through the timer outputs. Its wide 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply accommodates automotive load-dump-conditioned 5 V rails, and the 105 C maximum junction rating survives dashboard heat in the -40 C to +105 C industrial window. Interrupt-driven wake-up from sleep supports key-press responsiveness while keeping quiescent current low enough for always-powered accessory rails. Designers should verify automotive qualification requirements (such as AEC-Q100) for their specific program before selecting this standard industrial-grade part.
Recommended
White Goods and Appliance Controls
Appliance controllers - coffee machines, cooktops, ventilation units - match the ATMEGA169PA-ANR profile: a segmented LCD for status and settings, touch or membrane buttons, relay or triac drive for heaters and motors, and strict cost targets. The integrated LCD driver removes a dedicated display IC, the 54 GPIO lines directly drive relays and read user inputs, and timer PWM supports zero-cross synchronized heater power control and fan speed regulation. The 16 KB flash holds a full state-machine UI plus control loops, while EEPROM preserves user preferences and fault history through outages. The 2.7 V to 5.5 V range allows a simple transformer-supplied 5 V rail, and the industrial temperature range covers cabinet interiors near heating elements. In-system programmable flash enables late-stage firmware changes on the production line without socketing parts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA169PA-ANR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA169PA-AN | ATMEGA169PA-AUR | ATMEGA169PA-AU | ATMEGA169P-15AT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | TQFP-64 (14x14 mm) | TQFP-64 - same | TQFP-64 - same | TQFP-64 - same | TQFP-64 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB |
| SRAM / EEPROM | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B |
| Max Clock Frequency | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz |
| LCD Controller | Yes (segment LCD) | Yes (segment LCD) | Yes (segment LCD) | Yes (segment LCD) | Yes (segment LCD) |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower (PA silicon) | picoPower (PA silicon) | picoPower (PA silicon) | picoPower (PA silicon) | Standard (P silicon) |
| Packaging Format | Tape & Reel (ANR) | Tray (AN) | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated segment LCD driver on-chip (vs ATMEGA168PA-ANR)
- picoPower silicon revision (vs ATMEGA169P-15AT)
- JTAG on-chip debug and boundary scan (vs ATMEGA169PA-AN (same die))
Design Notes
When exploiting picoPower sleep modes, remember the LCD controller itself draws continuous bias current to keep segments visible. In deep-sleep states where the display need not show data (transport mode, storage), explicitly disable the LCD block via its control register; simply entering power-down without disabling the LCD keeps the LCD charge pump active and erodes battery life. Measure sleep current on real hardware with the display configuration you intend to ship, since segment count affects drive current.
Decouple VCC and AVCC independently with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of the respective pins, plus one bulk 10 uF per rail. Connect AVCC to VCC through an RC filter (e.g., 10 ohm + 100 nF) if the ADC is used in a noisy switching environment. The TQFP-64 thermal pad requirement is modest at 16 MHz, so no dedicated heat spreading is needed; a standard ground pour is sufficient. Route the LCD segment traces away from the crystal to prevent display ghosting from coupling.
Do not confuse the PA and P silicon when sourcing alternates: although Microchip app note AVR529 confirms the ATmega169PA is a drop-in replacement for the ATmega169P, migrating backward from PA to P changes the power profile and may alter sleep-current budgets your firmware was tuned against. Also verify the supply range used in your design against the 2.7 V minimum rather than assuming the full AVR family 1.8 V range, and confirm JTAG fuse settings - enabling JTAG consumes the PF4-PF7 pins that otherwise serve as ADC inputs.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant lead-free TQFP-64 classification per current distributor listing of Microchip production parts. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations should be confirmed via the Microchip product compliance page.
