MC908QT2ACPE - 8-Bit HC08 MCU 1.5KB Flash 8-PDIP | NXP
MPN: MC908QT2ACPE ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.21 | $1.21 |
| 10 | $1.1 | $11.00 |
| 100 | $0.98 | $98.00 |
| 500 | $0.86 | $430.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.75 | $750.00 |
MC908QT2ACPE Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a complete computing system integrated on a single chip, combining a CPU core, program memory, data memory, and peripheral functions such as timers, I/O ports, and oscillators. The 8-bit MCU family sits at the entry level of the semiconductor device hierarchy and remains the dominant architecture for simple, cost-sensitive embedded control tasks where a 32-bit processor would be unnecessary overhead. The HC08 core is the successor to the industry-standard 68HC05 and is widely deployed in appliance, automotive, and industrial control.
Key features of the MC908QT2ACPE include the low-cost M68HC08 CPU core with object code compatibility to the 68HC05, on-chip FLASH program memory for in-circuit reprogramming, up to 8MHz operation for fast 8-bit control loops, and an ultra-compact 8-pin footprint that minimizes board area. On-chip oscillator options reduce external component count, and I/O pins provide direct drive for LEDs and small loads.
Technically, the QT2 variant belongs to NXP's Nitron family of entry-level 8-pin microcontrollers, which pairs the HC08 CPU with analog peripherals and a FLASH monitor ROM that enables flash programming over a single-wire interface, simplifying field upgrades without a dedicated programmer socket.
Typical applications include small appliance control, battery chargers, LED lighting control, sensor-based toys, and low-pin-count industrial sub-systems where a single 8-pin MCU replaces multiple discrete logic devices.
Design consideration: verify availability and lifecycle status before new designs; this HC08-family part is mature, so plan a second-source or migration path within the Nitron/Kinetis roadmap.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MC908QT2ACPE — 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 MC908QT2ACPE (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Mounting Type, Core Processor, Program Memory Size, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MC68HC908QT1CPE
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC68HC908QT1VPE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC908QT4ACPE
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC908QY2ACPE
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC908QT2ACPE Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | HC08 (M68HC08) |
| Core Size | 8-Bit |
| Speed | 8 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | FLASH |
| Program Memory Size | 1.5KB (1.5K x 8) |
| Package | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through Hole |
| Supplier Device Package | 8-DIP |
| Family | HC08 (Nitron QT series) |
| Packaging | Tube |
MC908QT2ACPE Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Power supply positive pin |
| Pin 2 | PTA0 — Port A bit 0, general-purpose I/O |
| Pin 3 | PTA1 — Port A bit 1, general-purpose I/O |
| Pin 4 | PTA2 — Port A bit 2, general-purpose I/O |
| Pin 5 | PTA3/IRQ — Port A bit 3 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 6 | PTA4/OSC2 — Port A bit 4 / oscillator output |
| Pin 7 | PTA5/OSC1 — Port A bit 5 / oscillator input |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground |
Typical Applications
MC908QT2ACPE is suitable for 6 applications: Small Appliance Control, Battery Chargers, LED Lighting Control, Sensor-Based Toys and Gadgets, Industrial Sub-Systems and Replacement Boards, Legacy Design Maintenance and Repair.
Small Appliance Control
The MC908QT2ACPE fits small-appliance control boards such as coffee makers, hair dryers, and electric kettles, where only a handful of digital I/O points and one timer are needed. Its 1.5KB FLASH holds button-debounce, thermostat-interlock, and indicator-LED logic comfortably, and the 8MHz HC08 core executes these tasks with large timing margin. The 8-pin PDIP through-hole package is valuable in cost-driven consumer boards because it can be hand-soldered and reworked without reflow equipment, lowering manufacturing barriers in regional facilities. Single-wire flash programming through the monitor ROM lets the same board be re-flashed on the production line with a two-wire fixture, avoiding test sockets. For replacement and repair of legacy appliance controllers, this part remains one of the most practical 8-pin HC08 options still obtainable from legacy stock.
Recommended
Battery Chargers
In simple linear and trickle battery-charger controllers, the MC908QT2ACPE supervises charge termination by monitoring voltage thresholds on its analog-capable I/O pins and drives charge-indication LEDs directly. The 8MHz HC08 core provides deterministic timing for charge-window control and safety timeout routines, while the 1.5KB FLASH accommodates the state-machine firmware with room for table-based charge profiles. The through-hole 8-PDIP suits the repair-oriented nature of charger products, which commonly carry long service lives and field-repair expectations. Low-cost family pricing keeps the bill of materials competitive in consumer chargers. Because the QT2 is legacy silicon, existing charger designs should hold a strategic buffer stock or qualify the MC68HC908QT1CPE, which is footprint-compatible for firmware that fits within 1KB.
Recommended
LED Lighting Control
The MC908QT2ACPE drives LED lighting products including dimmable fixtures and indicator clusters, using its I/O pins for direct LED drive and software-timed PWM generated by the HC08 core at 8MHz. Its 1.5KB FLASH holds dimming curves, push-button dim-step logic, and thermal-foldback routines. The 8-pin PDIP footprint allows the controller to sit directly on a lamp-driver board without a separate carrier, and through-hole mounting withstands the thermal cycling typical of enclosed lighting fixtures better than fine-pitch SMD parts in repair scenarios. Single-wire flash programmability supports end-of-line configuration of brightness presets. For new LED lighting designs NXP's current low-cost MCUs are preferable, but for maintaining legacy lighting product lines the QT2 remains a well-characterized, easily sourced option.
Recommended
Sensor-Based Toys and Gadgets
Low-cost interactive toys benefit from the MC908QT2ACPE as a compact controller for switch inputs, LED effects, and simple sound-trigger sequences. The 8MHz HC08 core handles debounce and timing with margin, the 1.5KB FLASH stores complete toy behavior firmware, and the 8-pin PDIP package keeps the controller cheap enough for price-sensitive consumer gadgets while remaining hand-solderable in small production runs. Nitron family single-wire programming allows quick firmware variants for product differentiation, such as regional language or seasonal behavior versions, flashed on the same hardware. Battery operation is supported by the HC08 family's low-power wait and stop modes, though exact standby currents should be confirmed in the Freescale datasheet. For toy refurbishment and legacy product support this MCU is straightforward to maintain.
Recommended
Industrial Sub-Systems and Replacement Boards
In industrial equipment, the MC908QT2ACPE serves as a localized controller for fan supervision, door interlocks, relay sequencing, and alarm indicators within larger machines. Its 8-pin through-hole package is ideal for replacement boards and service kits, where technicians solder the MCU by hand and need robust mechanical leads rather than fine-pitch SMD. The 1.5KB FLASH retains configuration logic across power cycles and supports field re-flashing via the monitor ROM, useful for retrofitting updated behavior into installed equipment. Deterministic 8-bit execution at 8MHz simplifies safety-adjacent timing audits. Since the part is legacy silicon supplied through Rochester Electronics and excess stock, industrial maintenance organizations should perform last-time-buy purchases sized to the equipment's remaining service life rather than relying on continuous availability.
Recommended
Legacy Design Maintenance and Repair
The primary ongoing role of the MC908QT2ACPE is sustaining legacy products designed during the Freescale HC08 era. Repair shops and contract manufacturers use it to replace failed MCUs on existing boards, where the 8-PDIP socketed or soldered footprint makes substitution trivial and the HC08 monitor ROM allows re-flashing recovered or new parts with the original firmware image. Availability through Rochester Electronics, the authorized legacy-channel manufacturer for discontinued Freescale parts, provides continuity of supply with traceable provenance, unlike gray-market pulls. Engineers maintaining such products should archive firmware binaries, keep the CodeWarrior HC08 toolchain usable on a maintained PC, and document the exact QT2 grading used, because temperature and voltage suffixes affect operating limits and must match the original bill of materials.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MC908QT2ACPE — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MC68HC908QT1CPE | MC68HC908QT1VPE | MC908QT4ACPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62mm) | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62mm) - same | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62mm) - same | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62mm) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) |
| Core | HC08, 8-bit, 8 MHz | HC08, 8-bit, 8 MHz | HC08, 8-bit, 8 MHz | HC08, 8-bit, 8 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1.5KB | 1KB | 1KB | 4KB class |
| Voltage Grade | A grade (standard) | C grade (standard) | V grade (extended low voltage) | A grade (standard) |
| Programming Interface | HC08 monitor ROM, single-wire | HC08 monitor ROM, single-wire | HC08 monitor ROM, single-wire | HC08 monitor ROM, single-wire |
| Lifecycle Status | Legacy / EOL (Rochester-sourced) | Legacy / EOL (Rochester-sourced) | Legacy / EOL (Rochester-sourced) | Legacy / EOL (Rochester-sourced) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest standard flash in the compact QT2 tier (vs MC68HC908QT1CPE)
- Complete 8-pin HC08 system (vs MC908QT4ACPE)
- Through-hole PDIP package (vs Surface-mount HC08 variants)
Design Notes
Confirm the exact suffix grading before substitution. The MC908QT2ACPE 'A' and 'C' designators encode temperature and voltage grading; swapping between an A-grade and a C-grade part without verifying operating limits can cause field failures at temperature or voltage extremes. Cross-check the pin functions against your board netlist even within the QT/QY family, because QY variants may assign peripheral functions to pins differently than QT parts. Always pull the final datasheet revision from NXP's legacy archive rather than third-party mirrors, which sometimes host early revision documents with outdated electrical tables.
The 8-PDIP (0.300 inch / 7.62mm) footprint requires a standard 7.62mm row-spacing DIP-8 land pattern; verify your PCB footprint uses 7.62mm and not the narrow 5.08mm body width, as some SMD-conversion DIP footprints differ. Keep the VDD pin decoupled with a 0.1uF ceramic capacitor placed within 10mm of the pin, and route the oscillator pins (PTA4/OSC2, PTA5/OSC1) with short traces and nearby crystal load capacitors when an external crystal is used. The through-hole leads also provide mechanical strain relief in vibrating environments - avoid clipping them flush if vibration is expected.
Observe the HC08 speed-versus-voltage relationship: the 8MHz maximum bus speed applies at the upper end of the supply range, and lower supply voltages require reduced clock frequency per the Freescale derating curves. If your design runs the MCU at reduced voltage for battery life, cap the oscillator frequency accordingly rather than assuming full 8MHz operation. Estimate: at typical HC08-class currents of a few mA active with proportionally lower wait/stop currents, a CR2032-class cell can power intermittent-duty applications, but verify exact active and standby currents from the official datasheet electrical characteristics table before finalizing the power budget.
Use the PTA3/IRQ external interrupt pin with a defined pull-up or pull-down resistor (typically 10k ohm) so the interrupt input never floats, which would cause spurious wakeups and erratic current consumption in stop or wait modes. For LED drive on port pins, check the per-pin source/sink current limit in the datasheet and add series resistors sized for the LED forward current; driving multiple LEDs in parallel from a single pin without balancing resistors causes uneven brightness. Keep the single-wire programming interface trace accessible on the board layout for in-circuit re-flash during production and service.
Compliance Information
RoHS status depends on the exact assembly variant; NXP part numbering uses an R suffix (e.g., -R2) to designate RoHS-compliant lead-free assemblies. Verify compliance declarations via NXP's product compliance portal for the exact suffix ordered.
