DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT - Dual-Core 16-bit DSC 256KB Flash TQFP-48 | Microchip
MPN: DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9.45 | $9.45 |
| 10 | $8.52 | $85.20 |
| 100 | $7.61 | $761.00 |
| 500 | $6.85 | $3,425.00 |
| 1,000 | $6.1 | $6,100.00 |
DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT Overview
A DSC (digital signal controller) is a hybrid device that combines a microcontroller's deterministic peripheral set with a DSP engine's MAC unit and SIMD instructions. In the taxonomy of microelectronics, a DSC sits between a microcontroller (MCU) and a digital signal processor (DSP), inheriting DSP-grade multiply-accumulate throughput while retaining on-chip ADCs, PWMs, and communication peripherals. This positions the dsPIC33CH family as a power management and motor-control optimized MCU/DSP hybrid for high-end embedded designs.
Key specifications include 200 MHz maximum CPU clock on the master (180 MHz on the slave), 8 DMA channels for low-overhead data movement, 5 general-purpose timers, dual 16-bit high-resolution PWM generators with 250 ps resolution, CAN FD peripheral, integrated op-amps and comparators for current sensing, and a 12-bit ADC with up to 3.5 MSPS sampling. Functional-safety hardware (ISO 26262-ready features) and live-update Flash support round out the integrated peripherals, enabling closed-loop FOC motor control, digital power conversion, and wireless charging at high switching frequencies.
Architecturally the device pairs a 16-bit dsPIC core with single-cycle MAC, a barrel shifter, and a 40-bit accumulator, achieving 100 MIPS sustained throughput at 200 MHz. The slave core exposes its own peripherals and program memory, allowing designers to partition firmware into real-time and non-real-time domains for improved isolation and certification paths. Hardware interlocks between cores and shared peripheral semaphores simplify inter-core messaging without software arbitration overhead.
Typical applications include field-oriented control (FOC) of PMSM/BLDC motors for industrial drives, on-board EV chargers and DC/DC converters using digital control loops, fan and pump control, server and telecom switched-mode power supplies (SMPS), digital illumination, and functional-safety robotics where two independent compute domains are required. The wide operating temperature range of -40C to +85C (industrial) suits outdoor and factory-floor deployments.
When designing with this DSC, allocate separate linker sections for the master and slave images, plan inter-core FIFOs and shared RAM carefully, and provide adequate bulk decoupling close to the AVDD/VDD pins to keep switching noise away from the analog front end. Compared with a single-core MCU plus external DSP coprocessor, the integrated dual-core topology reduces PCB area, lowers BOM cost, and shortens BOM risk on multi-source motor-control designs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, dual-core peripheral trade-offs, and drop-in same-package alternatives that are not aggregated in the manufacturer datasheet, including pin-to-pin variants for memory size and temperature grade.
Drop-in alternatives for DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT — 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 DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Package, High-Resolution PWM, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
DSPIC33CH128MP205-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CH256MP205-E/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33CH512MP205-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CH256MP505-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.08 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CH256MP206-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.91 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | Dual-core 16-bit dsPIC33 DSC (master + slave) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency (master) | 200 MHz (100 MIPS) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency (slave) | 180 MHz (90 MIPS) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 256 KB |
| Data RAM | 32 KB |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (nominal 3.3 V) |
| DMA Channels | 8 |
| General-Purpose Timers | 5 |
| High-Resolution PWM Resolution | 250 ps |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 3.5 MSPS |
| CAN FD | Yes |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | SDA1/RP45/PWM1H — I2C1 data / remappable peripheral / PWM |
| Pin 2 | SCL1/RP46/PWM1L — I2C1 clock / remappable peripheral / PWM |
| Pin 3 | AN0/RP32/RA0 — Analog input / remappable / port A bit 0 |
| Pin 4 | AN1/RP33/RA1 — Analog input / remappable / port A bit 1 |
| Pin 5 | VDD — Digital supply voltage (3.3V) |
| Pin 6 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 7 | OSCI/CLKI/RA2 — Crystal oscillator input / port A bit 2 |
| Pin 8 | OSCO/CLKO/RA3 — Crystal oscillator output / port A bit 3 |
| Pin 9 | MCLR — Master clear (reset) input |
| Pin 10 | PGED1/RP20/AN20 — Programming data / remappable / analog |
| Pin 11 | PGEC1/RP21/AN21 — Programming clock / remappable / analog |
| Pin 12 | AN2/RP34/RB0 — Analog input / remappable / port B bit 0 |
| Pin 13 | AN3/RP35/RB1 — Analog input / remappable / port B bit 1 |
| Pin 14 | AN4/RP36/RB2 — Analog input / remappable / port B bit 2 |
| Pin 15 | AVDD — Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 16 | AVSS — Analog ground |
| Pin 17 | AN5/RP37/RB3 — Analog input / remappable / port B bit 3 |
| Pin 18 | PWM2H/RP38/RB4 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port B bit 4 |
| Pin 19 | PWM2L/RP39/RB5 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port B bit 5 |
| Pin 20 | PWM3H/RP40/RB6 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port B bit 6 |
| Pin 21 | PWM3L/RP41/RB7 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port B bit 7 |
| Pin 22 | VCAP — Internal voltage regulator output capacitor |
| Pin 23 | PWM4H/RP42/RC0 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port C bit 0 |
| Pin 24 | PWM4L/RP43/RC1 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port C bit 1 |
| Pin 25 | PWM5H/RP44/RC2 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port C bit 2 |
| Pin 26 | PWM5L/RP55/RC3 — High-resolution PWM / remappable / port C bit 3 |
| Pin 27 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | RD0 — Port D bit 0 |
| Pin 32 | RD1 — Port D bit 1 |
| Pin 33 | RD2 — Port D bit 2 |
| Pin 34 | RD3 — Port D bit 3 |
| Pin 35 | RD4 — Port D bit 4 |
| Pin 36 | RD5 — Port D bit 5 |
| Pin 37 | RD6 — Port D bit 6 |
| Pin 38 | RD7 — Port D bit 7 |
| Pin 39 | RE0 — Port E bit 0 |
| Pin 40 | RE1 — Port E bit 1 |
| Pin 41 | RF0 — Port F bit 0 |
| Pin 42 | RF1 — Port F bit 1 |
| Pin 43 | RF2 — Port F bit 2 |
| Pin 44 | RF3 — Port F bit 3 |
| Pin 45 | RF4 — Port F bit 4 |
| Pin 46 | RF5 — Port F bit 5 |
| Pin 47 | RF6 — Port F bit 6 |
| Pin 48 | RF7 — Port F bit 7 |
Typical Applications
DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT is suitable for 6 applications: Field-Oriented Control (FOC) of PMSM/BLDC Motors, Digital-Controlled Switched-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS), On-Board EV Charger and DC/DC Converters, Industrial Servo Drives and Robotics, Wireless Charging and Resonant Power Transfer, Functional-Safety Motor Control.
Field-Oriented Control (FOC) of PMSM/BLDC Motors
The DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT is purpose-built for FOC motor control because its dual-core topology lets the master core execute the 100 MIPS control loop (Clarke/Park transforms, SVPWM, sensorless observer) while the slave core handles UART/CAN stack or housekeeping without disturbing the control timing. Its high-resolution PWM with 250 ps edge placement enables 50 kHz switching frequencies with sub-percent current ripple, and the 12-bit 3.5 MSPS ADC synchronizes to the PWM for precise current sampling at zero-crossing events. Compared with single-core MCUs, this device eliminates inter-core jitter and removes the need for an external companion MCU.
Recommended
Digital-Controlled Switched-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS)
For telecom and server SMPS, the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT delivers deterministic digital control loops thanks to its 100 MIPS master core running voltage-mode or peak-current-mode control at 100-500 kHz switching frequencies. The 250 ps PWM resolution provides fine duty-cycle adjustment for tight line/load regulation, and the high-speed ADC samples input voltage, output voltage, and inductor current with sub-microsecond latency. The slave core can run PMBus, I2C, or telemetry stacks independently, avoiding disturbances to the hard-real-time control loop.
Recommended
On-Board EV Charger and DC/DC Converters
In automotive on-board chargers (OBC) and HV-to-LV DC/DC converters, the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT runs interleaved PFC and LLC control loops on its master core while the slave handles CAN FD messaging, diagnostics, and functional-safety monitoring. The integrated op-amps and comparators reduce BOM by replacing external current-sense amplifiers, and the dual-core partition lets the safety-certified slave core perform plausibility checks on the master without software coupling. For AEC-Q100 designs, the DSPIC33CH256MP205-E/PT variant provides Grade 1 qualification in the same footprint.
Recommended
Industrial Servo Drives and Robotics
Servo drives and industrial robots benefit from the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT because its dual-core architecture cleanly separates the trajectory planner and EtherCAT/CAN stack on the slave from the current/torque loop on the master, achieving sub-microsecond loop determinism. The 12-bit ADC with 3.5 MSPS plus integrated op-amps supports direct shunt-based current sensing on multiple phases simultaneously, while the 250 ps high-resolution PWM delivers smooth torque at low RPM. Industrial temperature rating (-40C to +85C) and CAN FD connectivity suit factory-floor deployment.
Recommended
Wireless Charging and Resonant Power Transfer
Wireless charging transmitters operating at 100-200 kHz resonant frequencies require precise frequency tracking and dynamic impedance matching, both well-served by the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT. The master core runs the resonant control loop with the high-resolution PWM for soft-switching valley detection, while the slave core manages Qi or proprietary protocol stacks and foreign-object detection (FOD) algorithms. The 32 KB RAM accommodates look-up tables for coil calibration, and the 12-bit ADC captures envelope-detected signals with high fidelity for closed-loop power regulation.
Recommended
Functional-Safety Motor Control
For ISO 26262 or IEC 61508 safety-critical motor control, the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT's dual-core topology lets designers dedicate one core to the safety function (ASIL B/D or SIL 2/3) and the other to non-safety housekeeping, with hardware interlocks between them for cross-checking. The integrated windowed watchdog, CRC, and parity-checked memory support diagnostic coverage requirements. When paired with the DSPIC33CH256MP205-E/PT automotive variant, the design achieves ASIL B readiness in industrial servo and traction motor applications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | DSPIC33CH128MP205-I/PT | DSPIC33CH256MP205-E/PT | DSPIC33CH512MP205-I/PT | DSPIC33CH256MP505-I/PT | DSPIC33CH256MP206-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 48-pin TQFP (7x7 mm) - same |
| Program Flash | 256 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| RAM | 32 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 48 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| Master Core Speed | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS | 200 MHz / 100 MIPS |
| Slave Core Speed | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS | 180 MHz / 90 MIPS |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| AEC-Q100 Automotive | No (industrial grade) | No | Yes (Grade 1) | No | No | No |
Key Differentiators
- Dual-core DSC architecture on a single die (vs DSPIC33CH128MP205-I/PT)
- Industrial-grade temperature rating with automotive-grade variant available (vs DSPIC33CH256MP205-E/PT)
- 250 ps high-resolution PWM resolution (vs DSPIC33CH256MP206-I/PT)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 200 MHz operation on both cores with all peripherals active, the DSPIC33CH256MP205-I/PT consumes approximately 60-80 mA from VDD (3.3V). Decouple VDD with one 10 uF bulk + one 0.1 uF ceramic per VDD pin pair, and place a 1 uF ceramic close to the VCAP pin to stabilize the internal 1.2V regulator. AVDD must be tied to VDD through a ferrite bead for noise isolation of the ADC reference; otherwise ADC readings will degrade by 1-2 LSB.
The 48-pin TQFP package has theta_JA of approximately 60 C/W (no airflow, JEDEC EIA/JESD51 4-layer test board). At 80 mA worst-case consumption from 3.3V (estimated 264 mW dissipation), the junction temperature rise is roughly 16 C above ambient, which is well within the -40C to +85C industrial range. For high-temperature operation above 70 C ambient, consider a small copper pour under the exposed pad or forced airflow to maintain margin.
Route the high-resolution PWM signals (PWM1H/L through PWM5H/L) on the shortest paths to the gate drivers, keeping them away from ADC analog inputs. Place the 16 MHz or 20 MHz crystal within 5 mm of OSCI/OSCO with grounded guard traces. For dual-core firmware development, dedicate a separate JTAG header or trace-cut for the slave core to enable independent debug, as the master and slave cores have separate programming/debug interfaces.
Critical: do not assume the master and slave cores share RAM freely. The slave core has its own program memory and a smaller RAM region; shared memory must be explicitly defined and protected with hardware semaphores to prevent race conditions. Also, the high-resolution PWM requires the PWM clock source to be enabled via configuration bits before use, otherwise the module appears non-functional with default settings. Always verify VCAP capacitor value (recommended 4.7 uF) to avoid internal regulator instability.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. -I suffix denotes industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C); -E suffix is the AEC-Q100 automotive variant. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in distributor data.
