MC68HC908QY1MPE - HC08 8-Bit MCU 1.5KB Flash 8MHz 8-DIP
MPN: MC68HC908QY1MPE ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1 | $1.00 |
| 10 | $0.92 | $9.20 |
| 100 | $0.78 | $78.00 |
| 500 | $0.65 | $325.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.55 | $550.00 |
MC68HC908QY1MPE Overview
What is an HC08 microcontroller? The HC08 is NXP/Freescale's 8-bit CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) microcontroller family, part of the M68HC08 lineage originally developed by Motorola. Architecturally it is a Von Neumann, accumulator-based design optimized for low pin count and low cost; it sits in the product-type hierarchy as 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. The MC68HC908QY1MPE belongs to the QY sub-series, the smallest-member low-pin-count line of the HC08 family, typically used in appliances, toys, simple motor timers, and sensor interfaces where an SoC-grade ARM Cortex would be overkill.
Key features: 1.5 KB Flash with in-system programmability via the QY series monitor ROM, 128 bytes SRAM, 13 bidirectional I/O lines sharing package pins with the timer/PWM and IRQ functions, an internal oscillator that eliminates the external crystal in many applications, and 3.0V-5.5V single-supply operation. The on-chip LVD and POR reduce external reset circuitry to zero, making the device attractive for harsh industrial environments.
The HC08 core uses a 16-bit stack pointer and an 8-bit accumulator plus index register, executes most instructions in two bus cycles at 8 MHz internal bus (125 ns minimum cycle), and supports BCD, bit-manipulation, and low-power STOP/WAIT modes. The integrated PWM module supports edge-aligned output for LED dimming or simple DC motor control.
Typical applications include low-cost appliance controllers (rice cookers, washing-machine timers), LED lighting drivers, simple motor/timer controls, IR remote receivers, battery chargers, and industrial sensor interfaces where its 8-bit performance, internal oscillator, and tiny 8-DIP footprint minimize BOM.
Design consideration: Because the QY1 device comes only in 8-DIP and lacks an analog-to-digital converter (no ADC), designs requiring ADC must move up to the QY2 (which adds ADC) or to a different family. Verify that the application's code fits within the 1.5 KB Flash boundary before committing to this part.
This page synthesizes NXP datasheet specifications, current distributor pricing and inventory, and a curated list of drop-in compatible equivalents, providing information not found on a single OEM or distributor page.
Drop-in alternatives for MC68HC908QY1MPE — 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 MC68HC908QY1MPE (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RAM Size, Mounting Type, Program Memory Size, Package, Program Memory Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MC68HC908QY2MPE
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC68HC908QY4MPE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC68HC908QY1ACPE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC68HLC908QY1PE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F509-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.86 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC68HC908QY1MPE Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | HC08 |
| Core Size | 8-Bit |
| Maximum Bus Speed | 8 MHz |
| Program Memory Size | 1.5 KB (1.5K x 8) |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| RAM Size | 128 x 8 (128 B) |
| EEPROM Size | Not present |
| Number of I/O Pins | 13 |
| Connectivity | None (single-chip only) |
| Peripherals | LVD, POR, PWM |
| Package / Case | 8-DIP (0.300 inch, 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Oscillator Type | Internal |
| ADC Channels | 0 (none, ADC not present on QY1) |
| Packaging | Tube |
MC68HC908QY1MPE Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | IRQ — External interrupt request (also used for monitor-mode entry at reset) |
| Pin 2 | PTB5/TCLK — Bidirectional I/O PTB5 / Timer clock input |
| Pin 3 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 4 | OSC1 — Oscillator pin 1 (internal oscillator; can be left open for internal clock) |
| Pin 5 | PTB4 — Bidirectional I/O PTB4 |
| Pin 6 | PTB3/PWM — Bidirectional I/O PTB3 / PWM output |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (3.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 8 | PTA0 — Bidirectional I/O PTA0 |
Typical Applications
MC68HC908QY1MPE is suitable for 7 applications: Low-Cost Appliance Timer, LED Lighting Driver, Simple DC Motor Timer, IR Remote Receiver, Battery Charger Controller, Industrial Sensor Interface, Educational MCU Training Kit.
Low-Cost Appliance Timer
The MC68HC908QY1MPE's 8-DIP footprint, internal 8 MHz oscillator, and on-chip PWM channel make it ideal for cost-engineered appliance timers such as rice cookers, washing-machine soak cycles, and microwave key-press debouncers. Unlike an external-oscillator design, the internal oscillator eliminates two crystal pads and a load capacitor pair, dropping the BOM by roughly $0.30 per board. The HC08's BCD arithmetic instructions (DAA, ADD with decimal adjust) simplify minute/second countdown logic, and the 1.5 KB Flash is sufficient for typical 500-1000-line timer firmware. Below ambient the LVD/POR handles brown-outs cleanly, so designers can drop the external reset IC without compromising safety compliance. Compared to more capable QY2/QY4 siblings, the QY1 is the best fit when ADC is not needed and BOM must stay minimal.
Recommended
LED Lighting Driver
For low-end LED lamps and decorative lighting, the MC68HC908QY1MPE delivers PWM-based dimming with no extra analog circuitry: its PWM channel drives the gate of a high-side MOSFET directly via a 13 mA source/sink I/O pin. The 8 MHz bus clock gives PWM resolution of about 8 bits at 31 kHz - well above the 100 Hz flicker threshold - so the dim curve is smooth and audibly quiet. Operating from a 5 V linear regulator or USB input, the device draws typical IDD around 5 mA active and falls to a few microamps in STOP/WAIT, suiting standby-power regulations such as Energy Star. The 8-DIP package through-hole-pin format is intentional: it is hand-friendly and supports educational labs where student kits rebuild the controller every semester.
Recommended
Simple DC Motor Timer
The MC68HC908QY1MPE fits small brushed-DC motor controllers such as vibrator motors in massagers, brush motors in HVAC damper actuators, and brushed pumps where the sequence is fixed (run for X seconds, off for Y seconds, then stop). Its PWM output modulates a low-side N-channel MOSFET through a 100 ohm gate resistor; the HC08 STOP mode shuts down the motor between cycles, achieving typical standby current below 50 uA. Because the QY1 has no ADC, motor speed regulation must use back-EMF timing or open-loop duty-cycle tables rather than closed-loop current sensing; if that is unacceptable, designers should step up to the QY2 (one ADC channel) or to an H-bridge driver with a more capable MCU. The 8-DIP footprint simplifies transition to a more advanced MCU on the same land pattern.
Recommended
IR Remote Receiver
For unidirectional IR receivers such as appliance fronts and simple remote-control sockets, the MC68HC908QY1MPE offers enough Flash to hold RC-5/RC-6 or NEC protocol decoders and a 13 I/O pin count capable of driving several LEDs and reading button rows. Its HC08 core executes bit-banged decoding fast enough at 8 MHz to sample at carrier-frequency precision without DMA. Capture can be done with the input-capture pin or a plain IRQ-toggled GPIO; output to the appliance is via PWM or simple GPIO. The 8-DIP package is small enough to fit behind the IR receiver window in a wall-plate socket, and internal oscillator eliminates the crystal that would otherwise attract EMI from the IR photodiode's high-gain amplifier stage.
Recommended
Battery Charger Controller
In NiMH or Li-ion chargers up to a few watts, the MC68HC908QY1MPE can implement constant-current / constant-voltage loops using its PWM output driving the power-train MOSFET, and the LVD (low-voltage detector) peripheral to watch battery voltage on a separate rail. Because the QY1 has no on-chip ADC, battery voltage is sensed via an external comparator built around one or two op-amps (e.g., LM358-style), tying an I/O pin to a hysteretic control loop. The 8-DIP package and 3.0 V minimum supply suit single-cell Li-ion charger IC follower boards where the MCU functions more as a state machine than a measurement device. Designers needing closed-loop ADC control should migrate to the QY2 family member instead.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface
The MC68HC908QY1MPE functions as a low-cost sensor-interface slave digitizing simple switch/contact inputs in industrial panels, where its 13 I/O lines debounce and latch several dry contacts at once. The HC08 core's BCD and bit-manipulation instructions handle BCD-encoded switch IDs efficiently, and the LVD/POR peripherals give reliable reset behavior in cold-aisle and dirty-supply industrial environments. Because the QY1 has no ADC, multi-turn potentiometer or 4-20 mA analog-loop sensors require an external ADC front-end - which is exactly the role an off-the-shelf MCP3002 or similar 10/12-bit SAR ADC fills on the same SPI/IRQ lines. Through-hole 8-DIP package is favored by industrial maintenance crews who service the panel with hand tools in the field.
Recommended
Educational MCU Training Kit
Universities teaching 8-bit embedded systems often pick the MC68HC908QY1MPE because the 8-DIP form factor fits hand-solderable through-hole breadboards, while the HC08's accumulator-based architecture exposes students to CISC register layouts and explicit stack pointer handling. At 8 MHz internal bus, code runs fast enough for PWM demos, interrupt-driven button reading, and small FSM labs, but slow enough that students can step line-by-line in the monitor-mode debugger. The 1.5 KB Flash and 128 B SRAM impose healthy discipline regarding code and RAM budgets, useful training constraints that disappear on ARM Cortex boards with megabytes of Flash. Pair the part with an Freescale/NXP HC08 monitor-mode serial bootloader to teach ISP concepts without expensive debug hardware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MC68HC908QY1MPE — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MC68HC908QY2MPE | MC68HC908QY4MPE | MC68HC908QY1ACPE | MC68HLC908QY1PE | PIC12F509-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 8-DIP | 8-DIP | 8-DIP | 8-DIP | 8-DIP | 8-DIP |
| Core | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit | PIC 8-bit (RISC) |
| Flash Size | 1.5 KB | 1.5 KB | 1.5 KB | 1.5 KB | 1.5 KB | 1024 words (x12) |
| RAM Size | 128 B | 128 B | 128 B | 128 B | 128 B | 41 B |
| Number of I/O | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 6 |
| ADC Channels | 0 (none) | 1 (10-bit) | 2 (10-bit) | 0 (none) | 0 (none) | 0 (none) |
| Bus Speed | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 4 MHz internal |
| Lifecycle | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Internal 8 MHz oscillator - no external crystal needed (vs MC68HC908QY2MPE)
- Eight-pin PDIP footprint used across full QY family (vs PIC12F509-I/P)
- Low-power HLC variant option without PCB rework (vs MC68HLC908QY1PE)
Design Notes
The MC68HC908QY1MPE has no analog-to-digital converter. Designers who need ADC must move up to the MC68HC908QY2MPE (one channel) or to an external SAR ADC such as MCP3002 over SPI. Using the IRQ pin as ADC substitute by reading RC charge curves is occasionally attempted but produces poor linearity and is not recommended for production.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as physically possible to the VDD pin (pin 7) with a direct ground via to the VSS pin (pin 3). Add a bulk 10 uF electrolytic or tantalum capacitor near the package. Keep the VDD trace short - HC08 cores are sensitive to voltage spikes during PWM switching transitions. If the application drives a high-current load through PWM, use separate ground return paths for the digital section and power section, joining them only at the PCB's star ground.
The 8-DIP package has a typical theta_JA around 100 C/W in still air. With the part drawing typical IDD of about 5 mA at 5 V (25 mW dissipation), junction-temperature rise is negligible (about 2.5 C above ambient). However, if the device is mounted in a fully sealed appliance enclosure with no airflow, design margin should account for up to 60 C ambient; in that case the recommended derating strategy is to use the HLC low-current variant to halve IDD.
The internal oscillator of the HC908QY1 eliminates the external crystal and its associated radiating traces, but the unshielded 8-DIP leads can still act as small antennas above 100 MHz. For EN 55011 / EN 55022 Class B compliance in industrial panels, add a ferrite bead on VDD and keep PWM-switching traces short and routed over ground pours. Avoid routing PWM traces parallel to long signal cables - they will inject common-mode noise.
Compliance Information
Compliance fields were not stated explicitly in the verified distributor/datasheet pages retrieved; legacy HC908 QY parts from this era were generally produced in lead-containing finishes before the RoHS transition. Verify against the manufacturer datasheet or specific distributor lot documentation before RoHS-critical designs.
