PIC16C54-10E/P - 8-bit OTP MCU 10MHz 768B | Microchip Technology
MPN: PIC16C54-10E/P ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.59 | $25.90 |
| 100 | $2.21 | $221.00 |
| 500 | $1.94 | $970.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.72 | $1,720.00 |
PIC16C54-10E/P Overview
What is an 8-bit OTP microcontroller? An 8-bit OTP microcontroller is a small, self-contained computer-on-a-chip that uses an 8-bit data path and stores its program in One-Time Programmable EPROM memory. OTP variants sit in the product hierarchy between masked-ROM devices (cheapest at high volume, but require NRE charges) and Flash devices (re-programmable in-circuit); they are widely used where low-to-medium volume production requires field programmability without the cost of a windowed UV-eraseable part.
Key features of the PIC16C54-10E/P include 33 single-word instructions (all single-cycle at 200 ns except program branches which take two cycles), a RISC architecture, a Power-On Reset (POR) circuit, a Watchdog Timer (WDT) for reliable operation, and an 8-bit timer/counter. The device operates from 3.0 V to 5.5 V and supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via dedicated pins.
The PIC16C5X family uses a Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand access to occur simultaneously. This RISC-style design gives deterministic 200 ns instruction execution at 10 MHz and produces highly compact code (2:1 compression versus typical 8-bit CISC controllers in the same class).
Typical applications include appliance controllers, automotive subsystems (body electronics, sensor interfaces), industrial controls, low-end remote keyless entry, security system panels, and any cost-sensitive embedded application that benefits from a proven, mature 8-bit core. The Extended temperature grade makes the PIC16C54-10E/P suitable for harsh-environment installations.
A key design consideration: OTP memory cannot be re-programmed, so code must be fully validated before committing. For prototyping or in-field firmware updates, consider the Flash-based PIC16F54 equivalent (same pinout, same peripherals) before committing the design to OTP. Brown-out detection is not present on this part; use external POR supervision if VDD rise time is slow.
This page synthesizes real-time distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives drawn from Microchip's own PIC16C5X family and Zilog's documented PIC16C54-to-Z86E02 upgrade path, plus practical design notes not collected in any single manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C54-10E/P — 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 PIC16C54-10E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Instruction Set, Package, Program Memory Type, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C54-10/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54-10I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F54-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54A-10E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.69 / Unit
View Datasheet →Z86E02
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54-10E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | PIC® 16C |
| Core Processor | PIC |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) EPROM |
| Program Memory Size | 768 B (512 × 12) |
| RAM Size | 25 B |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended, 'E' grade) |
| Package | 18-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Peripherals | POR (Power-On Reset), Watchdog Timer (WDT), 8-bit Timer/Counter |
| Instruction Set | 33 single-word instructions; all single-cycle except branches (2-cycle) |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant (contains lead; through-hole PDIP) |
PIC16C54-10E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RTCC — Real-Time Clock/Counter external input (also T0CKI) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master Clear reset input (active low) / VPP programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (3.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 15 | OSC2 — Oscillator output / external clock return |
| Pin 16 | OSC1 — Oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 17 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
Typical Applications
PIC16C54-10E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Appliance Control Boards, Automotive Body Electronics, Industrial Sensor Interfaces, Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Security Panels, Low-End Consumer Remote Controls, Educational and Hobbyist Embedded Projects.
Appliance Control Boards
The PIC16C54-10E/P's 10 MHz core, 12 I/O pins, and Watchdog Timer make it well-suited to washing-machine, dishwasher, microwave and HVAC controller boards. The Extended -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade handles under-cabinet or motor-compartment thermal stress. The 33 single-word RISC instructions fit small C or assembly state machines for relay, valve, and triac-drive sequencing. Estimated: at VDD=5 V and 4 MHz active, current draw is approximately 2 mA, suitable for always-on appliance electronics. Compared with masked-ROM equivalents, OTP allows late-stage firmware changes during model-year transitions without re-masking charges.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
Body-electronics modules such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, lighting dimmers and simple sensor interfaces benefit from the PIC16C54-10E/P's Extended temperature grade and 12-bit instruction compression. The 200 ns instruction cycle is fast enough for 10 ms-class CAN-style bit timing or LIN slave bit-banging at 19.2 kbps. Brown-out handling relies on the internal Power-On Reset circuit; pair with an external MCP130 supervisor for crank-voltage transients. OTP memory prevents accidental in-field reprogramming by unauthorized tools - an advantage for safety-relevant nodes. Estimated quiescent current below 1 µA in sleep mode keeps battery drain acceptable for parked vehicles.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interfaces
Low-speed industrial sensor conditioning nodes - thermocouple cold-junction compensators, 4-20 mA loop read-backs, photo-eye interfaces - use the PIC16C54-10E/P as a low-cost ADC-replacement signal processor. The 8-bit timer/counter generates PWM excitation for resistive-bridge sensors at kHz-class frequencies. 12 I/O pins accommodate 4-6 sensor channels plus indicator LEDs and a UART link. The RISC architecture keeps interrupt latency deterministic at 200 ns. Pair with an MCP602 op-amp for signal conditioning and a TLP181 optocoupler for loop isolation. Estimated ADC throughput of 8 ksamples/s using successive-approximation techniques is achievable in firmware.
Recommended
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Security Panels
Low-cost RKE fobs, garage-door keypads, and PIR-triggered alarm panels fit easily in 768 bytes of PIC16C54-10E/P OTP. The 10 MHz core performs rolling-code encryption or simple fixed-code transmit sequencing within microsecond budgets. The Watchdog Timer recovers from RF-induced firmware lockups. Sleep current well under 1 µA on coin-cell batteries gives multi-year standby. The Extended temperature rating tolerates glove-compartment or outdoor-cabinet extremes. Use a 433 MHz SAW-resonator transmitter (e.g., MICRF102) or an ASK/OOK module for the RF link. Estimated battery life exceeds 5 years at <0.1 % duty cycle.
Recommended
Low-End Consumer Remote Controls
TV, set-top-box, fan and lighting remote controls are a natural fit for the PIC16C54-10E/P. The 12 I/O pins scan a 4×4 or 5×3 keypad matrix with zero external components, while the 8-bit timer/counter generates IR carrier at 38 kHz or 56 kHz. The Extended temperature grade prevents summer-window sill failures. OTP eliminates accidental user erasure in the field. Typical 2 mA active current at 4 MHz yields >1 year battery life from a pair of AA cells. Pair with a TSOP38238 IR receiver for the receiver side. Estimated code density allows 50-80 button commands in 768 B.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Embedded Projects
The PIC16C54-10E/P remains a teaching staple because of its 33-instruction RISC core that fits on a single page of a textbook and its deterministic timing that beginners can reason about. Through-hole PDIP is breadboard-friendly for schools and makerspaces. Although the Extended temperature grade and OTP memory are over-spec for classroom use, the price differential is small. For learner projects that need reprogramming, drop in the PIC16F54-I/P - same 18-pin PDIP footprint. Pair with the PICkit 3 / PICkit 4 programmer and MPLAB X IDE for the development flow. Estimated learning curve: blink an LED in 6 instructions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C54-10E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C54-10/P | PIC16C54-10I/P | PIC16F54-I/P | PIC16C54A-10E/P | Z86E02 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Zilog |
| Package | 18-PDIP (P) - through-hole | 18-PDIP (P) - through-hole | 18-PDIP (P) - through-hole | 18-PDIP (P) - through-hole | 18-PDIP (P) - through-hole | 18-PDIP - through-hole |
| Program Memory Type | OTP EPROM (768 B / 512 × 12) | OTP EPROM (768 B) | OTP EPROM (768 B) | Flash (768 B) | OTP EPROM (768 B) | EPROM windowed (1 KB) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 12 MHz |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended, 'E') | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) |
| RAM Size | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 61 B |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) | Non-compliant (leaded PDIP) |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | Active (recommended for new designs) | NRND | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Extended temperature grade (-40 °C to +125 °C) in a through-hole 18-PDIP package (vs PIC16C54-10/P)
- Flash memory enables iterative firmware development (vs PIC16F54-I/P)
- Zilog second-source with documented pin-compatibility upgrade path (vs Z86E02)
Design Notes
The PIC16C54-10E/P operates from 3.0 V to 5.5 V. At 10 MHz active current is approximately 2.5 mA at 5 V (estimated from PIC16C5X family typicals), dropping to <1 µA in sleep. Decouple VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of pin 14, plus a bulk 10 µF tantalum at the regulator output. The internal Power-On Reset (POR) handles VDD rise times up to ~50 ms; for slower ramps, supervise VDD externally with an MCP130 or equivalent to avoid code execution from invalid memory states.
Keep the 18-PDIP footprint on a 0.100-inch (2.54 mm) row pitch with 0.300-inch row-to-row span to match standard IC sockets and breadboards. Place the decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD (pin 14) and the crystal/ceramic resonator within 5 mm of OSC1/OSC2 (pins 16/15). Route the MCLR/VPP line (pin 4) directly to the ICSP header with no series resistance above 10 kΩ to ensure reliable in-circuit programming. Keep high-current switching traces (relay coils, triacs) away from the oscillator pins to avoid EMI-induced clock jitter.
Critical pitfalls: (1) Brown-out detection is NOT present - use external voltage supervision if VDD can droop below 3 V under load. (2) OTP memory cannot be re-programmed - validate firmware with a Flash-based PIC16F54-I/P before committing to OTP production. (3) The '/P' suffix denotes through-hole PDIP which is NOT RoHS compliant; use '/SO' or '/SS' for lead-free products. (4) Branch instructions take 2 cycles (400 ns) - account for this when computing tight timing loops such as UART bit-banging or IR carrier generation.
Compliance Information
18-pin PDIP through-hole package contains lead and is not RoHS compliant. For RoHS-compliant designs, choose the surface-mount PIC16C54-10E/SO or PIC16C54-10E/SS variant. AEC-Q100 qualification is not stated on the Microchip product page - contact Microchip for automotive PPAP documentation if required.
