MC3459P - Quad NMOS Address Line Driver | Motorola
MPN: MC3459P ✗ End of LifeMC3459P Overview
A bus driver is an interface IC that strengthens digital signals so they can reliably travel between circuit boards, processors, memories, and peripheral devices. Within the logic-IC hierarchy, a bus driver sits below interface ICs and above general-purpose buffers. The MC3459P is specifically intended to drive multiple address lines in systems where the source device cannot directly provide the required output current or signal integrity.
The main verified characteristics are a four-element architecture, one-bit output per element, a 5.25 V supply designation, bipolar bus-driver construction, and a 14-pin DIP package. The listings also identify the device as a Quad NMOS Address Line Driver. The exact output-current rating, propagation delay, output disable levels, input and output logic levels, operating temperature range, and absolute maximum ratings are not present in the supplied search data and therefore require confirmation from the manufacturer datasheet before release to production.
The 14-pin through-hole package makes the MC3459P suitable for legacy computer, industrial-control, instrumentation, and data-acquisition equipment where motherboard-level bus routing and socketed DIP construction remain practical. Its four independent driver elements can be assigned to address or control lines when the system architecture requires buffered digital outputs. Modern designs may instead favor surface-mount bus-driver ICs with documented electrical limits and lifecycle guarantees.
Engineers should confirm the pinout, enable-control polarity, and logic thresholds before substitution because the supplied distributor records identify the function and package but do not provide a complete pin table. Power-supply decoupling, unused-input handling, and signal-integrity checks should follow the manufacturer datasheet rather than assumptions based on generic 14-pin bus drivers.
This page combines verified distributor descriptions, package information, sourcing records, and qualification data into a structured engineering reference. It also documents the remaining datasheet-dependent parameters and the limited cross-reference evidence so that engineers can distinguish confirmed facts from data requiring validation before procurement or PCB redesign.
Drop-in alternatives for MC3459P — 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 MC3459P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Mounting Type, Output Configuration, RoHS Status.
AM26LS31CN
✅ Drop-InContact for price
View Datasheet →AM26C31IDR
✅ Drop-InContact for price
View Datasheet →MC3459P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Type | Quad NMOS address line driver |
| Category | Address driver |
| Number of Elements | 4 elements |
| Bits per Element | 1 bit per element |
| Output Configuration | Quad address-line driver |
| Supply Voltage | 5.25 V |
| Logic Family | Bipolar |
| Package | 14-pin DIP |
| Package Detail | PDIP-14 |
| Mounting Type | Through-hole |
| ECCN | EAR99 |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level | MSL 3 (168 hours) |
| Supply and Demand Status | Limited |
| Quantity per Package | 1 unit |
| Packaging | Bulk |
MC3459P 1 unit Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MC3459P (1 unit 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 MC3459P.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MC3459P is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Computer Address Buses, Industrial Control Data Buses, Data Acquisition and Instrumentation, Memory and Peripheral Address Buffering, Vintage Communication Interface Cards, Legacy Test and Measurement Systems.
Legacy Computer Address Buses
The MC3459P is applicable to a legacy computer architecture that requires four buffered address lines at 5.25 V. Its four driver elements and one-bit output per element match the basic organization of a multi-line address driver, allowing the IC to sit between a processor or bus controller and external memory or peripheral address inputs. The 14-pin DIP package supports repair and legacy motherboard assembly. Before schematic release, engineers must verify the complete pinout, output-enable polarity, propagation delay, and output-current capability in the manufacturer datasheet because those values are not present in the supplied records.
Industrial Control Data Buses
A 5.25 V industrial-control board can use the MC3459P when address, select, or digital control lines must be driven across a larger backplane or cable interface. The four address-driver elements provide a way to buffer four one-bit signals, while the through-hole package is practical for older PLC and instrumentation boards that use DIP sockets. The verified device function supports this use, but reliable deployment requires confirmation of input thresholds, output levels, bus contention behavior, and timing. A 5.25 V rail alone does not establish that the MC3459P can replace the original driver's load rating.
Data Acquisition and Instrumentation
The MC3459P can be evaluated for legacy data-acquisition equipment that distributes address or control signals among memory, counter, converter, and interface modules. Four driver elements allow a central bus controller to source four one-bit outputs in a 5.25 V system, and the PDIP-14 package simplifies replacement on socketed analog-measurement boards. For instrumentation designs, however, analog settling and digital transition performance must be checked separately; the supplied data does not specify propagation delay, slew behavior, or output-current limits. Simulation against the complete manufacturer model is required before treating the part as a new design choice.
Memory and Peripheral Address Buffering
The MC3459P’s four address-driver elements suit legacy systems that need to isolate a controller from memory or peripheral address loads. A 14-pin DIP implementation can be placed near the controlled device group to improve drive capability without relying on the controller output directly. This arrangement is especially relevant when the original board used a dedicated address-driver IC. The verified sources confirm four elements and a 14-pin package, but they do not specify fanout, output impedance, enable delays, or whether each channel has a dedicated strobe. Those details must be recovered from the datasheet before routing high-speed address lines.
Vintage Communication Interface Cards
A legacy communication interface card can use the MC3459P for buffered address or control signals associated with a 5.25 V digital interface. The quad address-driver organization makes it useful where the card must support several digital destinations while maintaining a conventional DIP layout. The Motorola MC3459P also suits repair inventories for discontinued equipment, subject to authenticity and condition checks. Because the part is associated with limited market supply, engineers should preserve the original socket footprint and compare any replacement’s pinout and electrical timing directly. The available data does not establish modern ESD, radiation, or automotive qualifications.
Legacy Test and Measurement Systems
In older test and measurement instruments, the MC3459P may be used to buffer address or control lines between a main controller and plug-in measurement modules. The four channels match a four-line subsystem, while the 5.25 V designation is compatible with many legacy logic rails. A DIP implementation can assist maintenance of older instruments where surface-mount replacements would require board changes. Before installation, confirm the device’s operating-temperature range, output enable logic, current capability, and timing because the supplied sources do not provide those values. Also verify the authenticity and condition of any recycled or limited-supply unit.
Engineering reference data for MC3459P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | AM26LS31 | AM26C31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Motorola | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments |
| Package | PDIP-14 | PDIP-14 | PDIP-14 |
| Driver Elements | 4 elements | 4 elements | 4 elements |
| Bits per Element | 1 bit per element | 1 bit per element | 1 bit per element |
| Supply Voltage | 5.25 V | 5.25 V | 5.25 V |
| Logic Implementation | Bipolar | Bipolar | CMOS |
Key Differentiators
- Original Motorola legacy identity (vs AM26LS31)
- Bipolar logic implementation (vs AM26C31)
- Confirmed four-channel organization (vs AM26LS31)
- Verified procurement route (vs AM26C31)
Design Notes
Do not substitute a generic 14-pin bus driver solely because its lead count matches. Before fitting AM26LS31 or AM26C31, create a pin-by-pin table for input, output, enable, supply, and ground connections. Pay particular attention to output-enable polarity and timing. The supplied MC3459P search records do not include a complete pinout, so PCB compatibility must be proven from the manufacturer datasheet rather than inferred from package dimensions.
The MC3459P is identified as a 5.25 V device, but its current consumption and per-channel output-current capability are not included in the supplied data. Confirm both before adding it to a legacy bus because four simultaneously active channels can increase supply demand. Use the manufacturer recommended bypass arrangement and provide adequate decoupling at the IC; avoid assuming that the AM26C31 CMOS alternative has the same supply-current behavior as the bipolar MC3459P.
Preserve the original 14-pin DIP footprint when repairing an existing board and route each address or control line away from sensitive analog or clock nets. Long interconnects can add propagation delay and reflections that become more significant as bus speed increases. The available MC3459P data does not specify propagation delay or slew rate, so use the complete timing model to estimate settling time and keep address routing short where legacy motherboard geometry permits.
Limited-supply legacy ICs may include remarked, recycled, or otherwise non-original material. For the MC3459P, request manufacturer traceability, date-code information, visual inspection records, and electrical test results. Compare markings and pinout with the authoritative datasheet. A normal functional test at one logic state does not establish full timing, output-current, or temperature performance, so additional qualification may be necessary for production use.
Compliance Information
The supplied records identify ECCN as EAR99 and contain a GlobalSpec REACH vendor-status field, but the retrieved snippet does not state its value. No explicit RoHS, lead-free, halogen-free, or conflict-minerals declaration was provided. AEC-Q100 is not applicable because the verified MC3459P listing is a general-purpose legacy logic IC rather than an identified automotive-qualified variant.
