MC68HC908GT16CFB - 8-bit HC08 MCU, 16KB FLASH, 44-QFP | NXP
MPN: MC68HC908GT16CFB ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9.84 | $9.84 |
| 10 | $8.95 | $89.50 |
| 100 | $7.42 | $742.00 |
| 500 | $6.18 | $3,090.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.21 | $5,210.00 |
MC68HC908GT16CFB Overview
What is an HC08 microcontroller? An HC08 (or M68HC08) is a high-performance, low-cost 8-bit microcontroller architecture from Motorola/Freescale/NXP that succeeded the earlier HC05 family. It uses the enhanced CPU08 core, which adds a BGND instruction for in-circuit debugging and an XIRQ interrupt input alongside the original HC05 ISA. Within the broader taxonomy, an HC08 sits under 8-bit microcontrollers, which are themselves a subset of microcontrollers (MCUs) and ultimately embedded processors / semiconductors. HC08 devices typically integrate FLASH or ROM program memory, RAM, multiple timers, ADCs, and serial interfaces on a single die, making them cost-effective for volume embedded control.
Key features of the MC68HC908GT16CFB include 16KB FLASH with in-circuit programmability, 1KB on-chip RAM, an on-chip oscillator that can operate with an external crystal or resonator, a low-power STOP and WAIT mode with peripheral wakeup, a 10-bit successive-approximation ADC with up to 8 input channels, and a programmable timebase module with selectable periodic interrupts. The device supports single-wire background debug mode (BDM) for non-intrusive in-circuit development and FLASH programming.
Architecturally, the MC68HC908GT16CFB pairs the CPU08 core with a low-power CMOS process and an integrated oscillator/PLL block. The FLASH array includes a security feature that prevents unauthorized code readout, and the on-chip regulator supports wide operating voltages with low quiescent current draw. The 44-QFP package provides generous GPIO count and ADC channels for cost-sensitive industrial and appliance applications that do not require the throughput of a 16- or 32-bit MCU.
Typical applications for this device include appliance control boards (washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens), industrial sensor interfaces, automotive body and convenience modules, HVAC thermostat controllers, battery chargers, motor-control edge nodes, and consumer remote controls. Its robust peripheral set and mature toolchain make it attractive for designs where code-portability and long-term stability outweigh raw compute performance.
When designing with this MCU, ensure that decoupling capacitors (typically 100 nF + 10 µF) are placed close to the VDD/VSS pins and that the BDM debug header is reachable on the PCB to simplify field firmware updates. Engineers migrating from the earlier HC908GT8 (8KB FLASH) to this 16KB variant gain additional code space within the same 44-QFP footprint, easing in-field firmware expansion.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in-compatible same-family and cross-brand alternatives, pinout annotations, and practical design notes not found in the bare manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MC68HC908GT16CFB — 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 MC68HC908GT16CFB (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Mounting Type, ADC, Core Architecture, Maximum Clock Frequency.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MC68HC908GT16CFU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC68HC908GT8CFB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC908GT16CFBE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC908GT8CBE
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →MC68HC08GT16CFB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC68HC908GT16CFB Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | M68HC08 (CPU08) |
| Data Bus Width | 8 bit |
| Program Memory Type | FLASH |
| Program Memory Size | 16 KB (16K x 8) |
| RAM Size | 1 KB |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 8 MHz (internal bus) |
| ADC | 10-bit successive-approximation, up to 8 channels |
| Timers | 16-bit, with capture/compare/PWM |
| Serial Interfaces | SCI (UART), SPI |
| GPIO Count | Up to 36 |
| I/O Drive Strength | 10 mA source/sink; 20 mA on PTC0-PTC4 |
| Package | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Debug Interface | Background Debug Mode (BDM), single-wire |
| Low-Power Modes | STOP and WAIT with periodic wakeup |
MC68HC908GT16CFB Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PTC4 — Port C bit 4 (high drive 20 mA) |
| Pin 2 | PTC3 — Port C bit 3 (high drive 20 mA) |
| Pin 3 | PTC2 — Port C bit 2 (high drive 20 mA) |
| Pin 4 | PTC1 — Port C bit 1 (high drive 20 mA) |
| Pin 5 | PTC0 — Port C bit 0 (high drive 20 mA) |
| Pin 6 | PTE1 — Port E bit 1 (TCLK/SCI alternate) |
| Pin 7 | PTE0 — Port E bit 0 |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 9 | XTAL2 — Oscillator pin 2 (crystal) |
| Pin 10 | XTAL1 — Oscillator pin 1 (crystal) |
| Pin 11 | RST — Active-low external reset |
| Pin 12 | IRQ — External interrupt request (active-low) |
| Pin 13 | BKGD — Background Debug Mode / single-wire BDM |
| Pin 14 | PTA0 — Port A bit 0 |
| Pin 15 | PTA1 — Port A bit 1 |
| Pin 16 | PTA2 — Port A bit 2 |
| Pin 17 | PTA3 — Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 18 | PTA4 — Port A bit 4 |
| Pin 19 | PTA5 — Port A bit 5 |
| Pin 20 | PTA6 — Port A bit 6 |
| Pin 21 | PTA7 — Port A bit 7 |
| Pin 22 | PTB0 — Port B bit 0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 23 | PTB1 — Port B bit 1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 24 | PTB2 — Port B bit 2 / ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 25 | PTB3 — Port B bit 3 / ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 26 | PTB4 — Port B bit 4 / ADC channel 4 |
| Pin 27 | PTB5 — Port B bit 5 / ADC channel 5 |
| Pin 28 | PTB6 — Port B bit 6 / ADC channel 6 |
| Pin 29 | PTB7 — Port B bit 7 / ADC channel 7 |
| Pin 30 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 31 | VDD — Power supply |
| Pin 32 | PTC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 33 | PTC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 34 | PTC7 — Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 35 | PTD0 — Port D bit 0 / SPI MISO |
| Pin 36 | PTD1 — Port D bit 1 / SPI MOSI |
| Pin 37 | PTD2 — Port D bit 2 / SPI SCK |
| Pin 38 | PTD3 — Port D bit 3 / SS |
| Pin 39 | PTD4 — Port D bit 4 / SCI TxD |
| Pin 40 | PTD5 — Port D bit 5 / SCI RxD |
| Pin 41 | PTD6 — Port D bit 6 |
| Pin 42 | PTD7 — Port D bit 7 |
| Pin 43 | PTE2 — Port E bit 2 |
| Pin 44 | PTE3 — Port E bit 3 |
Typical Applications
MC68HC908GT16CFB is suitable for 6 applications: White-Goods Appliance Control, Industrial Sensor Interface / HVAC Thermostat, Automotive Body & Convenience Modules, Battery Charger & Power Management Edge Node, Consumer Remote Control & User Interface Panel, Motor-Control Edge Node (BLDC Commutation Logic).
White-Goods Appliance Control
The MC68HC908GT16CFB's 16KB FLASH, 36 GPIO lines, 10-bit ADC and 16-bit timer/PWM make it a strong fit for white-goods appliance control boards such as washing machines, dishwashers and microwave ovens. Its HC08 instruction set executes most appliance state-machine code in well under 2KB, leaving ample FLASH headroom for protocol stacks, fault logs, and OTA extensions. The 10 mA source / 10 mA sink drive - and 20 mA on PTC0-PTC4 - is sized to directly drive relay coils and triac optocouplers without intermediate buffers. The single-wire BDM port lets field service engineers reflash firmware without opening the enclosure, which dramatically reduces warranty RMA costs across multi-million-unit appliance production runs. For BLDC or universal-motor implementations, the timer's PWM channels pair cleanly with edge-aligned switching frequencies the HC08 can synthesize at 8 MHz CPU clock.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface / HVAC Thermostat
Industrial sensor interface boards and residential HVAC thermostats demand exactly the MC68HC908GT16CFB's I/O mix: multiple analog channels to read thermistors, pressure sensors and flow sensors, plus PWM/compare channels to drive TRIAC-gated blower speeds, damper actuators and compressor relays. The 10-bit ADC's 8-channel scan provides one conversion per channel per interrupt, achieving sub-millisecond update rates suitable for closed-loop temperature control. The 16-bit timer's input-capture feature suits frequency-output flow sensors, and the SCI enables Modbus RTU slave communication for building-automation networks at 9600-115200 baud without external UART ICs. STOP-mode power consumption with timebase wakeup is rated for USB-powered or battery-backup sensors that must deliver multi-year service life from a couple of AA cells.
Recommended
Automotive Body & Convenience Modules
Body and convenience ECUs - central locking, mirror control, wiper controllers, seat adjustment, sunroof and ambient lighting - historically used the HC08 family because of its deterministic interrupt latency, robust I/O drive and automotive PHericala PSAT/q100 legacy heritage. The MC68HC908GT16CFB provides ample FLASH for CAN-oriented body networks, yet the 8-bit core has bandwidth headroom for the typical 50-200 Hz cyclic body-controller tasks. PTC0-PTC4's 20 mA drive directly controls small DC motors and LED strings for lighting. BDM programming lets assembly plants update software per trim-level configuration without removing the ECU. Note: this part is industrial-temperature; designs requiring AEC-Q100 Grade-1 should migrate to the S08AW or S12 family which are automotive-qualified.
Battery Charger & Power Management Edge Node
Battery chargers for power tools, eBikes, and small UPS systems benefit from the MC68HC908GT16CFB's ADC for shunt-based current sensing, its 16-bit PWM for synchronous-rectifier duty-cycle control, and its SCI for SMBus/UART communication to higher-level energy-management hosts. The HC08's STOP-mode with timebase wakeup runs the MCU at microamp-level quiescent current, critical during long float-charge maintenance where total standby draw is regulated. Closed-loop charge-current regulation with thermal-foldback fits in well under 4KB of code, leaving FLASH free for non-volatile parameter storage and adaptive charge algorithms. The 5V-tolerant I/O drives discrete MOSFET gate drivers directly at low-side switching frequencies up to 100 kHz.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Control & User Interface Panel
Consumer remote controls and user-interface panels benefit from the MC68HC908GT16CFB's low-power STOP and WAIT modes, generous GPIO for keypad scanning, LCD drive (when paired with the on-chip LCD-driver pins on this die variant) and code space for IR, RF and BLE-protocol preambles. The 16KB FLASH holds full communication stacks (e.g., RC5/RC6, NEC, or Zigbee-compatible pseudo-protocols) plus UI state machines. Battery life from 2x AAA cells can extend past 12 months because the timebase module wakes the MCU only to service keystrokes or battery-check intervals. BDM enables in-line firmware updates during remote-control manufacturing without expensive socketed programmers.
Recommended
Motor-Control Edge Node (BLDC Commutation Logic)
Small brushless DC and stepper-motor edge nodes - such as fan controllers, valve actuators, compact pump drivers and small appliances - map cleanly onto the MC68HC908GT16CFB's 16-bit timer with capture/compare/PWM channels. The 8 MHz CPU clock drives the CPU08 core fast enough to implement sensor-based BLDC commutation logic with sub-50 µs torque-loop update rates. The 10-bit ADC reads back-link current (via shunt) for soft-start protection. The HC08's deterministic interrupt structure integrates with the timer's input-capture to time Hall-sensor edges, replacing external commutation ICs in cost-sensitive motor designs. The 44-QFP package exposes enough PWM channels for three-phase PWM plus a brake channel without external logic.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MC68HC908GT16CFB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MC68HC908GT16CFU | MC68HC908GT8CFB | MC908GT16CFBE | MC908GT8CBE | MC68HC08GT16CFB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-QFP (10x10 mm) - same |
| Program Memory | 16 KB FLASH | 16 KB FLASH | 8 KB FLASH | 16 KB FLASH | 8 KB FLASH | 16 KB (mask ROM) |
| Program Memory Type | FLASH (in-circuit programmable) | FLASH | FLASH | FLASH | FLASH | Mask ROM |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 8 MHz (internal bus) | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz |
| GPIO Count | Up to 36 | Up to 36 | Up to 36 | Up to 36 | Up to 36 | Up to 36 |
| Debug Interface | Background Debug Mode (BDM) | BDM | BDM | BDM | BDM | BDM |
| Lifecycle Status (2026-10-18) | NRND | NRND | NRND | Active ordering code | Active ordering code | NRND (mask ROM) |
Key Differentiators
- 16KB FLASH vs 8KB FLASH within the same 44-QFP die (vs MC68HC908GT8CFB)
- FLASH vs mask ROM for late-stage code changes (vs MC68HC08GT16CFB)
- Original Freescale/NXP ordering code with documented Rev. 5.0 datasheet (vs MC908GT16CFBE)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as physically possible to each VDD/VSS pin pair (typically one per package pin, up to two total for the 44-QFP). Add a bulk 10 µF tantalum or ceramic near the VDD leads to absorb inrush when the on-chip regulator/PLL stabilizes after wake from STOP mode. The Rev. 5.0 datasheet indicates HC08 STOP-mode quiescent current is dominated by leakage, so a clean VDD ramp on power-up is essential to avoid inadvertent low-voltage resets. Estimated: at 5V supply and 25 °C the MCU typically draws under 5 µA in STOP with timebase disabled, but always budget for 50 µA across the full industrial temp range when sizing battery budgets.
Route the BDM/debug pin pair (BKGD and adjacent) to a 2x5 0.1-inch header at the board edge to enable field firmware updates via standard Freescale/NXP BDM tools (USBDM, CodeWarrior HC08, P&E Micro). Keep the BKGD trace short (< 50 mm) and avoid running it adjacent to switching-converter SW nodes or relay-coil drive signals because the single-wire BDM is high-impedance and sensitive to capacitive crosstalk. The crystal traces (XTAL1/XTAL2) must be guarded by a ground pour on both sides to minimize EMI susceptibility; if using the on-chip oscillator instead of a crystal, follow the Rev. 5.0 reference design for the specific external resistor network.
Do not exceed VDD of 6.0V or allow negative voltages on any pin - the HC08 I/O is not 5V-tolerant when VDD is below 4.5V. When migrating from the MC68HC908GT8 (8KB) to the GT16 (16KB), the only change is FLASH size; peripherals, RAM, and registers are identical, so no firmware changes are required for code-size-headroom-only upgrades. The MC68HC08GT16 mask-ROM variant is NOT field-reprogrammable and should not be sourced for new designs needing in-circuit firmware updates. Watch the SPI/SCI shared-pin multiplexing on PORT D - the SCI and SPI cannot be used simultaneously on the same PTD pins per the Rev. 5.0 datasheet pin multiplexing table.
Compliance Information
Per the NXP material-composition data document (https://www.nxp.com/mcds/MC68HC908GT16CFB.pdf), the part contains trace Cadmium and Lead in declared RoHS reporting categories - whether the CFB suffix is fully lead-free (RoHS compliant) is not explicitly stated in the Rev. 5.0 datasheet text and is flagged as [DATA_NEEDED: per suffix]. The original HC908 family predates automotive AEC-Q100 Grade qualification on the GT16CFB industrial variant.