MCHC908GR8CFAE - HC08 8-bit MCU 8MHz 7.5KB Flash | NXP
MPN: MCHC908GR8CFAE ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.85 | $3.85 |
| 10 | $3.46 | $34.60 |
| 100 | $3.08 | $308.00 |
| 500 | $2.77 | $1,385.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.49 | $2,490.00 |
MCHC908GR8CFAE Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller is a single-chip computer integrating a CPU core, program memory, data memory, timers, and I/O peripherals on one die. The M68HC08 family sits in the broader 8-bit MCU hierarchy (HC05 -> HC08 -> HCS08), executing HC08 instruction code that is fully upward-compatible with M6805, M146805, and M68HC05 object code, which simplifies migration from legacy HC05 designs.
Key features include the high-performance M68HC08 architecture optimized for C compilers, an internal oscillator option that removes the need for an external crystal in cost-sensitive designs, and a comprehensive set of system protection features including low-voltage inhibition/reset, illegal opcode and illegal address detection, and a computer operating properly (COP) watchdog. On-chip Flash enables in-circuit reprogramming for firmware updates and late-stage customization.
The GR8 subfamily adds serial communication and timer/PWM peripherals suited to embedded control. Typical applications include small appliance control, automotive body and comfort electronics, industrial sensors and actuators, battery chargers, and low-cost human-interface products where 8-bit cost efficiency matters more than processing horsepower.
Design consideration: because the part is EOL, new designs should evaluate the HC(S)08 successors or plan last-time-buy quantities; existing designs can often migrate within the same 32-LQFP HC08 footprint with minimal PCB change. Verify Flash size and pin function mapping against the manufacturer datasheet before substituting family members.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, stock availability, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, providing engineering value beyond a standard product listing.
Drop-in alternatives for MCHC908GR8CFAE — 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 MCHC908GR8CFAE (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory Size, RAM Size, Core Processor, Number of I/O, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MCHC908GR8ACFAE
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MC908GR32AVFAE
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$6.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC908GR32ACFUE
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$5.25 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC908GR16AVFAER
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$3.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →MC908GR48ACFUE
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$6.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCHC908GR8CFAE Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | HC08 (M68HC08 8-bit core) |
| Core Size | 8-Bit |
| Speed (Internal Bus Frequency) | 8 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | FLASH |
| Program Memory Size | 7.5KB (7.5K x 8) |
| RAM Size | 384 x 8 |
| Number of I/O | 21 |
| Oscillator Type | Internal |
| Package / Case | 32-LQFP (7x7 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Code Compatibility | Upward-compatible object code with M6805, M146805, M68HC05 families |
| System Protection Features | COP watchdog, low-voltage detection, illegal opcode/address reset |
| Lifecycle Status | End of Life (per NXP product page) |
MCHC908GR8CFAE 32-lqfp (7x7 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MCHC908GR8CFAE (32-lqfp (7x7 mm) 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 MCHC908GR8CFAE.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MCHC908GR8CFAE is suitable for 6 applications: Small Appliance Control, Automotive Body and Comfort Electronics, Industrial Sensor and Actuator Nodes, Battery Chargers, Legacy HC05 Design Migration, Human Interface and Display Panels.
Small Appliance Control
The MCHC908GR8CFAE is well suited to small appliance control boards - rice cookers, blenders, coffee machines, and heaters - where its 7.5 KB Flash holds state-machine control firmware and its 21 I/O lines drive keys, LEDs, relays, and triacs. The internal oscillator option eliminates the external crystal, cutting BOM cost and board area in cost-driven consumer products, while the COP watchdog and low-voltage reset ensure safe recovery from mains brownouts and firmware faults. Timer/PWM peripherals generate triac phase-angle control or relay timing with millisecond accuracy. In these designs the MCU typically runs at 2-8 MHz from an internal clock, reads a matrix keypad, and drives a 7-segment or LED indicator bank directly, achieving complete product control on a single low-cost 8-bit device.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Comfort Electronics
HC08 GR8 devices were deployed extensively in automotive body electronics - window lifters, mirror controls, seat adjustment modules, and lighting control - because the 8 MHz HC08 core provides deterministic interrupt response for switch debouncing and motor drive sequencing, and the temperature-variant ordering codes (such as the ACFAE) support the extended ambient ranges typical of cabin and engine-bay-adjacent modules. The illegal opcode/address reset and low-voltage detection protect against the load-dump and cranking transients characteristic of 12 V automotive rails. Firmware for LIN-like single-wire protocols and relay diagnostic routines fits comfortably within the 7.5 KB Flash. Because the part is EOL, automotive tier suppliers typically pair remaining stock with a last-time-buy strategy or migrate to the same-footprint GR32 derivatives with minimal PCB change.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor and Actuator Nodes
In factory floor environments, the MCHC908GR8CFAE serves as the intelligence in limit-switch monitors, simple proximity sensors, valve controllers, and small motor starters. Its 21 I/O lines interface optocoupler-isolated inputs and relay or transistor outputs, while timer channels provide PWM to solenoids or measurement windows for duty-cycle-encoded sensors. The COP watchdog is essential here: per the datasheet system protection features, it resets the MCU if electromagnetic interference from contactors or variable-frequency drives corrupts program flow. The internal oscillator tolerates the wide temperature swings of electrical cabinets without a crystal, and 384 bytes of RAM are sufficient for Modus-style polled register handling in lightweight implementations. Typical designs run the core below 8 MHz, keeping radiated emissions well within industrial EMC limits.
Recommended
Battery Chargers
The MCHC908GR8CFAE implements complete NiMH, NiCd, and lead-acid charger control: timer channels generate charge-current PWM, the ADC-capable I/O measure battery voltage and temperature via NTC dividers, and the 7.5 KB Flash holds charge-termination algorithms including -delta-V detection and temperature cutoff. The low-voltage reset feature per the datasheet prevents corrupted charge states when mains input sags, a critical safety property for chargers. The internal oscillator provides adequate timing accuracy for PWM frequencies in the 20-100 kHz range and the timeout windows used for trickle-charge supervision. Its 32-LQFP 7x7 mm package fits the compact PCB real estate of wall-mounted and in-device chargers, while 21 I/O lines handle LED charge-state indication, fan control, and fault signaling without external logic.
Recommended
Legacy HC05 Design Migration
The MCHC908GR8CFAE is the standard vehicle for migrating products originally built on mask-ROM M68HC05 MCUs. Per the Freescale datasheet, the HC08 core is 'fully upward-compatible object code with M6805, M14805, and M68HC05 Families,' so existing HC05 assembly firmware reassembles and runs on the HC08 with minor register-name changes, while on-chip Flash replaces masked ROM - eliminating mask charges and minimum-order quantities and enabling field firmware updates. The 32-LQFP footprint matches the pin counts of common HC05 32-pin QFP derivatives, allowing straightforward PCB respins. Engineering teams typically map HC05 port registers to HC08 equivalents, retarget the COP configuration, and revalidate timing-critical loops at the 8 MHz bus clock, completing migration in weeks rather than months while preserving the validated application logic.
Recommended
Human Interface and Display Panels
Cost-sensitive user interfaces - keypad controllers, indicator panels, small LCD segment drivers, and IR remote receivers - fit naturally on the MCHC908GR8CFAE. Its 21 I/O lines drive a multiplexed LED display or scanned keypad directly with per-pin sink/source capability, while timer interrupts maintain display multiplexing at flicker-free rates around 100 Hz per digit. The 8 MHz internal bus clock executes debounce state machines and IR decode routines (NEC and RC-5 style) with ample margin, and the 7.5 KB Flash accommodates menu logic plus a modest lookup table set. The internal oscillator removes the crystal from the BOM, which matters in high-volume panels where every cent counts, and the COP watchdog guarantees display recovery after electrostatic discharge events on operator-accessible keys, a common field failure mode in ungrounded appliances.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MCHC908GR8CFAE — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MCHC908GR8ACFAE | MC908GR32AVFAE | MC908GR16AVFAER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 32-LQFP (7x7 mm) | 32-LQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 32-LQFP - same footprint | 32-LQFP - same footprint |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale/Motorola legacy) | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Core | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit (same die) | HC08 8-bit | HC08 8-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7.5 KB | 7.5 KB | 32 KB class | 16 KB class |
| RAM | 384 bytes | 384 bytes | 1 KB class | 512 bytes class |
| Bus Speed | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz |
| Lifecycle Status | EOL | EOL | EOL / broker supply | EOL / broker supply |
Key Differentiators
- Largest same-footprint Flash upgrade path (vs MC908GR32AVFAE)
- Identical die availability in extended-temperature variant (vs MCHC908GR8ACFAE)
- Code compatibility trade-off vs successors (vs MC9S08QG84CFFE)
Design Notes
The MCHC908GR8CFAE is End of Life per NXP's product page. Before committing it to any new build, secure written last-time-buy quantities or qualify MC908GR32AVFAE as a same-footprint successor. When substituting GR-series family members, do not assume identical register maps: peripheral addresses and option registers differ between GR8 and GR32 derivatives, so recompile firmware against the target device's header file and re-verify the COP and low-voltage reset configuration rather than reusing binary images.
The 32-LQFP (7x7 mm) package places VDD/VSS pairs to support distributed decoupling: place a 100 nF ceramic capacitor at each supply pin pair, as close to the pins as possible, plus one bulk 4.7-10 uF capacitor near the MCU. The QFP center of the 7x7 mm outline leaves routing channels under the package - use them for non-critical traces, never for the oscillator or analog sense lines. Expose adequate thermal relief on ground traces; the HC08 dissipates little power, but good ground return practice keeps the ADC and oscillator noise-free.
HC08 devices are tolerant of noisy supplies when the low-voltage reset is enabled, but brownouts between the reset threshold and minimum operating voltage can corrupt EEPROM/Flash writes. Design the firmware so Flash programming routines check the supply status flag before erasing or writing, and reserve a margin below the reset threshold. When using the internal oscillator, remember its tolerance limits UART accuracy - route any external clock option pads on the PCB as a fallback even if the BOM initially omits the crystal.
Compliance Information
Compliance details for this EOL part were not stated in the retrieved data. Note that the CFAE ordering-code E suffix on legacy Motorola/Freescale parts traditionally denotes lead-free packaging, but this must be confirmed against the NXP product page and the specific date code before assuming RoHS/lead-free status.