PIC16C54T-10E/SO - 8-Bit 10MHz OTP MCU, 768B | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C54T-10E/SO ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.55 | $0.55 |
| 10 | $0.48 | $4.80 |
| 100 | $0.38 | $38.00 |
| 500 | $0.28 | $140.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.18 | $180.00 |
| 2,500 | $0.12 | $300.00 |
PIC16C54T-10E/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory, working RAM, and peripherals such as timers and I/O onto one silicon die. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16C54 is a Harvard-architecture 8-bit MCU from the mid-1990s PIC16C5x family, positioned below 16-bit and 32-bit MCUs but offering the low cost and simplicity needed for high-volume embedded control. OTP variants like this one are programmed once at production time and are used in cost-sensitive products where field firmware updates are not required.
Key features include a 12-bit instruction word (delivering ~2:1 code compression over typical 8-bit CISC MCUs), a RISC core with only 33 single-word instructions to learn, Power-On Reset (POR), a Watchdog Timer (WDT) for runaway code recovery, and an extended ('E') temperature grade for industrial environments. The 18-SOIC package provides a small footprint (~11.5 x 7.5 mm) suitable for hand-soldered prototypes and automated SMT lines alike. The 'T' suffix denotes Tape and Reel packaging for high-volume assembly.
Typical applications include automotive body electronics, appliance control boards, simple sensor interfaces, remote controls, LED drivers, low-cost toys, and replacement of discrete logic in legacy designs. The PIC16C54 is well suited to tasks that do not require A/D conversion, serial communications, or large memory - these peripherals belong to later PIC16Cxx derivatives. With only 12 I/O pins and 25 bytes of RAM, the MCU is best matched to glue-logic replacement and small-state-machine use cases.
When designing with this part, ensure your firmware fits within 768 bytes (512 instructions). Plan I/O assignments around the shared port-A and port-B structure, and budget for the WDT and POR behavior during power-up. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C54T-10E/SO — 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 PIC16C54T-10E/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory Size, Program Memory Type, Package, Core Architecture, RAM Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C54CT-20E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54AT-10E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54C-04E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.73 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54AT-20E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54A-20/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54C-04/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54T-10E/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC (Harvard) |
| Family | PIC® 16C (PIC16C5x sub-family) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) EPROM-based |
| Program Memory Size | 768 bytes (512 x 12 bits) |
| RAM | 25 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns (single cycle), 400 ns (branch) |
| Number of Instructions | 33 single-word |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Peripherals | POR, Watchdog Timer (WDT), external interrupt |
| Package | 18-SOIC (SO, 0.295" / 7.50 mm body width, gull-wing) |
| Pin Count | 18 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (T suffix) |
PIC16C54T-10E/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RA4/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O pin; TMR0 clock input |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master Clear (Reset); active low input |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port A bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port A bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB0/INT — Bidirectional I/O pin; external interrupt source |
| Pin 9 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 10 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 11 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 12 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 13 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 14 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 6 |
| Pin 15 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O pin; Port B bit 7 |
| Pin 16 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 17 | OSC2 — Oscillator output; crystal/RC connection |
| Pin 18 | OSC1 — Oscillator input; crystal/RC/external clock |
Typical Applications
PIC16C54T-10E/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body Electronics, Appliance Control Boards, Remote Control Transmitters, LED Lighting Controllers, Sensor Interface Modules, Replacement of Discrete Logic.
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC16C54T-10E/SO's extended industrial temperature grade (-40C to +125C per the 'E' suffix), 12 mappable I/O pins, and Watchdog Timer make it well suited to automotive body modules such as lighting controllers, seat-position memories, and door-lock actuators. With 768 bytes of OTP memory it can hold small state-machine firmware (10-20 ms loop tick), and the 10 MHz core gives sub-200 ns instruction timing for tight debounce loops. Engineers typically pair it with the PIC10F202 for redundant watchdogs and the MCP2551 for CAN-bus interfacing. Unlike higher-pin-count PIC16F derivatives, this MCU avoids the BOM cost of ADCs and UART blocks that body modules do not need.
Recommended
Appliance Control Boards
White-goods appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens) often use PIC16C5x MCUs for their motor-control loops and user-interface key-scanning tasks. The PIC16C54T-10E/SO's 12 I/O pins map cleanly onto a 4x3 keypad plus 4 status LEDs, and the 25-byte RAM is sufficient for the small state machines that drive a wash cycle. The 200 ns instruction cycle comfortably handles 50/60 Hz zero-cross detection. A typical reference design places the MCU adjacent to an H-bridge driver such as the MCP14E1 and a triac output stage. Designers choosing this OTP part over Flash parts lock firmware at production, simplifying EMI compliance.
Recommended
Remote Control Transmitters
Low-cost IR/RF remote controls benefit from the PIC16C54T-10E/SO's tiny 768-byte OTP and 25-byte RAM - enough to encode a few dozen keys with Manchester or RC5 protocols. The 10 MHz instruction cycle is overkill for sub-millisecond button-debounce routines, leaving MIPS in reserve for encryption or rolling-code schemes. The extended temperature grade suits outdoor garage-door and gate remote applications. Battery life benefits from the CMOS sleep mode drawing only a few microamps between button presses. Pair it with a 38 kHz IR LED driver transistor and an ASK transmitter module.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers
Decorative and architectural LED lighting controllers rely on the PIC16C54T-10E/SO's GPIO drive capability (up to 20 mA per pin) to multiplex LED arrays without external drivers for small matrices. The 12 I/O pins can drive an 8x4 charlieplexed LED grid or four 7-segment displays plus a few mode-indicator LEDs. With 768 bytes of OTP, the MCU can hold fading curves, color tables, and chase-pattern state machines for hobby and professional lighting products. The 200 ns cycle supports fast PWM-like software blinking up to several kHz, eliminating visible flicker.
Recommended
Sensor Interface Modules
The PIC16C54T-10E/SO's interrupt capability on RB0/INT and 8-bit TMR0 timer make it useful as a low-cost front-end for simple sensor signal-conditioning modules: tachometers, optical counters, and thermistor-based temperature-to-frequency converters. Its 768 bytes of OTP fit calibration tables and a linearization routine, while the 25-byte RAM buffers the most recent 8-12 samples for averaging. Extended-temperature operation allows under-hood industrial and HVAC use. The 18-SOIC footprint also keeps the module small enough to fit alongside the sensor housing.
Recommended
Replacement of Discrete Logic
In legacy designs where glue logic has grown into 5+ 74HCxx chips, the PIC16C54T-10E/SO offers a single-chip state-machine replacement that consumes less PCB area and power. With only 12 I/O pins, it cannot replace very wide bus logic, but it cleanly subsumes flip-flop/latch/decoder combinations in vending machines, simple access controllers, and instrumentation front panels. The 200 ns instruction cycle matches the propagation delay of typical 74HC logic families, so timing-sensitive I/O relationships (latch-before-decode, etc.) translate directly. OTP storage prevents firmware drift across production runs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C54T-10E/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C54CT-20E/SO | PIC16C54AT-10E/SO | PIC16C54C-04E/SO | PIC16C54AT-20E/SO | PIC16C54A-20/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 18-SOIC (7.50 mm body width) | 18-SOIC (same footprint) | 18-SOIC (same footprint) | 18-SOIC (same footprint) | 18-SOIC (same footprint) | 18-SOIC (same footprint) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz | 20 MHz (-20 grade, +100%) | 10 MHz (same) | 4 MHz (-04 grade, -60%) | 20 MHz (-20 grade, +100%) | 20 MHz (-20 grade, +100%) |
| Program Memory | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) | 768 B OTP (512 x 12) |
| RAM | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B |
| I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Silicon Revision | PIC16C54 (original) | PIC16C54C (CMOS revision) | PIC16C54A (silicon 'A' revision) | PIC16C54C (CMOS revision) | PIC16C54A (silicon 'A' revision) | PIC16C54A (silicon 'A' revision) |
| Temperature Grade | Extended (-40C to +125C) | Extended (-40C to +125C) | Extended (-40C to +125C) | Extended (-40C to +125C) | Extended (-40C to +125C) | Commercial (0C to +70C) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Same 18-SOIC footprint and pinout as the entire PIC16C54 family (vs PIC16C54-10E/P (PDIP variant))
- Higher available clock ceiling on identical silicon with -20 speed grade (vs PIC16C54CT-20E/SO)
- Silicon 'A' revision offers wider VDD and improved WDT behavior (vs PIC16C54AT-10E/SO)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the PIC16C54T-10E/SO VDD pin (pin 16), plus a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum electrolytic at the regulator output. The MCU draws brief current spikes of up to ~20 mA during internal EPROM programming (if used), so a low-impedance supply is critical. Add a 100 kohm pull-up on MCLR (pin 4) to VDD to ensure a clean reset state. Do not leave VDD floating even in bench testing - undefined behavior results.
Route the crystal or resonator traces (OSC1 pin 18, OSC2 pin 17) as short as possible and keep them away from high-current switching traces - even at 10 MHz the oscillator can pick up noise that causes timing jitter in TMR0. Place the crystal within 10 mm of the MCU and guard the traces with a ground pour. For noise-sensitive analog applications, avoid running RB0/INT traces under the crystal. If using the internal RC oscillator configuration (some PIC16C5x derivatives), the OSC pins may be left floating - consult the datasheet configuration bits first.
The PIC16C54T-10E/SO has 768 bytes of OTP (One-Time Programmable) memory - firmware cannot be updated in the field. Production programming must be done using a Microchip-approved device programmer such as the PICkit 2/3 or MPLAB PM3, and programming is a one-shot operation that consumes the part regardless of success. Always run a blank-device verification pass on prototypes before committing to a programming run. Also note that the Watchdog Timer (WDT) has its own independent oscillator and must be explicitly cleared in firmware via the CLRWDT instruction; failing to do so results in unexpected resets every ~18 ms (typical).
Port B pins on the PIC16C54T-10E/SO have weak internal pull-ups that can be enabled or disabled per pin via software (OPTION register). When interfacing to open-drain buses or button matrices, enable the pull-up on input pins and disable it on output pins. The RA4 pin has open-drain output behavior - it cannot actively drive high, so external pull-ups are mandatory if RA4 is used as an output. Sink capability on all I/O pins is rated up to 25 mA per pin but the total port-current budget is 100 mA sink per port - budget carefully when driving multiple LEDs.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not present in the verified web snippet set; the part predates widespread RoHS enforcement and is typically marked as 'not compliant' or 'legacy' on the Microchip product page. Contact Microchip for a current RoHS/REACH/CFSI certificate. AEC-Q100 is not applicable for this non-automotive-specific part number (automotive variants use the -I or -E temp grade designations but are not explicitly AEC-Q100 qualified).
