PIC16C55-10/SP - 768B OTP 8-bit MCU 10MHz SPDIP-28 | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C55-10/SP β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.12 | $4.12 |
| 10 | $3.78 | $37.80 |
| 100 | $3.3 | $330.00 |
| 500 | $2.85 | $1,425.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.45 | $2,450.00 |
PIC16C55-10/SP Overview
A baseline PIC microcontroller is a reduced-instruction-set (RISC) 8-bit MCU based on Harvard architecture, meaning program and data buses are physically separated. This family is the simplest in the PIC16C lineage, designed for cost-sensitive, low-pin-count embedded tasks. The PIC16C55 belongs to the hierarchy: PIC16C5X baseline -> PIC16 family -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. Within an embedded system hierarchy, the baseline MCU sits beneath 16-bit and 32-bit MCUs but above simple logic ICs and timers.
Key specifications include 768 bytes of OTP program memory (not rewritable; for prototyping the windowed CERDIP/JW variant is used), 24 bytes of static RAM, 12 I/O pins, a single 8-bit Timer0 module, on-chip watchdog timer with internal RC oscillator, 4.5V to 5.5V VDD range, and a maximum clock frequency of 10 MHz. The OTP memory allows pre-production volume manufacturing, while the JW windowed package supports erasure via UV exposure during development.
Architecturally, the PIC16C55-10 uses a 12-bit instruction word with 33 single-word instructions and a two-stage pipeline, executing one instruction per instruction cycle (four oscillator clocks). All instructions are single-cycle except program branches, which are two-cycle. The device's RISC design delivers deterministic interrupt response and predictable timing - important for low-cost motor control, simple sensor interfaces, and discrete-logic replacement.
Typical applications include appliance controls (washing machines, microwave ovens, rice cookers), battery chargers, simple motor control, LED drivers, power-tool electronics, remote controls, security sensor interfaces, and consumer toys. The -10 speed grade denotes 10 MHz maximum oscillator frequency and 400 ns instruction cycle, suitable for applications where cost is the primary driver and computational throughput is modest.
When designing with the PIC16C55-10/SP, ensure a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor is placed within 1 cm of the VDD pin and that the MCLR reset pin is pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor. The OTP memory is one-time programmable only, so consider PIC16C55/JW windowed or PIC16F54 flash equivalents for prototyping. Brown-out reset is not present on the PIC16C55; an external voltage supervisor is recommended for industrial environments.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing as of 2026-09-16, drop-in same-package alternatives sourced from Microchip's official cross-reference data, parametric comparison tables, and practical design notes not collected in a single location in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C55-10/SP β 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 PIC16C55-10/SP (same form factor and footprint) β differing in I/O Pins, Mounting Type, Package, Timers.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C55-10I/SP
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C55-10E/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C55A-10/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54-I/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C55-10/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.49 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C57C-20/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C55-10/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC16C5X (baseline) |
| Series | PIC 16C |
| Core | 8-bit RISC, Harvard architecture |
| Program Memory | 768 bytes OTP (One-Time-Programmable) |
| Data RAM | 24 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle | 400 ns (4 x Tosc) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.5 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit (Timer0) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (independent RC oscillator) |
| A/D Converter | None |
| UART / I2C / SPI | None |
| Brown-out Reset (BOR) | No |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (Skinny Plastic DIP, 0.300 inch / 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) |
| Instruction Set Size | 33 instructions, 12-bit word |
| Interrupt Sources | External GP input only |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes / Compliant |
| Pin Count | 28 |
PIC16C55-10/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O, Port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 β Bidirectional I/O, Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RTCC β Timer0 clock input / RA0 alternate function |
| Pin 4 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O, Port A bit 1 |
| Pin 5 | MCLR β Master Clear reset input (active low) |
| Pin 6 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 7 | OSC1 β Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 8 | OSC2 β Oscillator crystal output |
| Pin 9 | RC0 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 10 | RC1 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 11 | RC2 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 12 | RC3 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 13 | RC4 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 14 | RC5 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 15 | RC6 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 16 | RC7 β Bidirectional I/O, Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 17 | RB0 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 0 (interrupt capable) |
| Pin 18 | RB1 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RB2 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 20 | RB3 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 21 | RB4 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 22 | RB5 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 23 | RB6 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 6 |
| Pin 24 | RB7 β Bidirectional I/O, Port B bit 7 |
| Pin 25 | VDD β Positive supply voltage 4.5V to 5.5V |
| Pin 26 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 27 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 28 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16C55-10/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Household Appliance Control, Battery Charger Controller, Toy and Consumer Electronics, Industrial Sensor Interface, Power Tool Electronics, LED Lighting and Display Driver.
Household Appliance Control
The PIC16C55-10/SP is widely used as the main controller in white-goods appliances such as washing machines, microwave ovens, rice cookers, and dishwashers. Its 768 bytes of OTP memory are sufficient to hold the appliance state machine plus sensor-input debouncing routines, while the 10 MHz clock delivers 400 ns instruction cycles for real-time motor-control loops. With only 12 I/O pins and a single 8-bit timer, the part costs less than USD 2.45 at 1000-piece breaks and provides the BOM cost reduction required for high-volume consumer appliances. The baseline PIC16C5X instruction set is well documented and supported by legacy assembly firmware still in production at major appliance OEMs.
Recommended
Battery Charger Controller
The PIC16C55-10/SP is suitable as the microcontroller for low-end NiCd, NiMH, and SLA battery chargers where charging profile and termination logic must be implemented in firmware rather than a dedicated charger IC. Its 24 bytes of RAM are sufficient for ADC-free peak voltage detection via comparator threshold lookup, while the watchdog timer ensures the charger recovers from firmware lockup caused by EMC transients. Operating at 5 V VDD with 12 I/O pins, the part interfaces directly to MOSFET gate drivers, status LEDs, and AC zero-cross detection circuits. The OTP memory provides one-time-programmed charging algorithms that protect against firmware copying by competitors.
Recommended
Toy and Consumer Electronics
Cost-sensitive toys, talking keychains, and simple consumer gadgets use the PIC16C55-10/SP because of its sub-USD-3 price point and the PIC16C5X instruction set that allows compact assembly firmware. With 768 bytes of OTP memory, designers can store multi-mode sound sequences, motor PWM patterns, and button-debounce logic without external ROM. The 10 MHz clock supports audio sample-rate playback at 8 kHz, sufficient for 8-bit monaural voice clips. The 28-pin SPDIP package is friendly to hand-soldered prototypes and to automated through-hole insertion lines common in toy manufacturing in Asia.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface
The PIC16C55-10/SP serves as a low-cost sensor front-end in industrial control systems, translating analog signals into digital outputs via simple comparator-based threshold detection. Its 12 I/O pins can interface to multiple NTC thermistors, photo-interrupters, and Hall-effect sensors, while the 8-bit Timer0 generates precise sampling intervals for periodic ADC-free measurements. Operating from 4.5V to 5.5V, the part accepts standard industrial 5 V logic levels and integrates cleanly with 24 V-to-5 V regulator rails via a simple resistive divider. The OTP memory protects proprietary calibration data from being read out by end-user firmware tools.
Recommended
Power Tool Electronics
Cordless drills, electric screwdrivers, and other power tools use the PIC16C55-10/SP to implement brushless DC motor commutation timing, battery gauge estimation, and trigger-pull debouncing. The 768 bytes of OTP memory hold the lookup table for motor commutation sequences, while the 24 bytes of RAM track the integrated current and RPM state variables. The part's robust ESD rating (2000 V HBM) and operating voltage tolerance (4.5 V to 5.5 V with absolute maximum 7.5 V) make it tolerant to the inductive switching noise typical of motor-driver circuits. The 28-pin SPDIP package allows rework-friendly through-hole assembly for low-volume power-tool production.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Display Driver
The PIC16C55-10/SP drives LED matrix displays, RGB lighting controllers, and simple 7-segment numeric displays in consumer and industrial signage. Its 12 I/O pins are sufficient for a 3-digit 7-segment multiplex display plus control buttons, and the 10 MHz instruction rate easily generates PWM signals for RGB color-mixing at 100 Hz refresh with 8-bit color depth. The OTP memory stores color presets and animation patterns that manufacturers want protected from cloning. Operating from 5 V, the part interfaces directly to ULN2003 or discrete MOSFET arrays for high-current LED switching.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C55-10/SP β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C55-10I/SP | PIC16C55-10E/SP | PIC16C55A-10/P | PIC16F54-I/P | PIC16C55-10/SO | PIC16C57C-20/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP | 28-pin SPDIP (same) | 28-pin SPDIP (same) | 28-pin SPDIP (same) | 28-pin SPDIP (same) | SOIC-28 (surface mount) | 28-pin SPDIP (same) |
| Program Memory | 768 bytes OTP | 768 bytes OTP (same) | 768 bytes OTP (same) | 768 bytes OTP (same) | 512x12 flash (different) | 768 bytes OTP (same) | 2K x 12 OTP (larger) |
| RAM | 24 bytes | 24 bytes (same) | 24 bytes (same) | 24 bytes (same) | 25 bytes | 24 bytes (same) | 72 bytes |
| Max Clock Frequency | 10 MHz | 10 MHz (same) | 10 MHz (same) | 10 MHz (same) | 20 MHz | 10 MHz (same) | 20 MHz |
| VDD Range | 4.5V to 5.5V | 4.5V to 5.5V (same) | 4.0V to 6.0V (extended) | 4.5V to 5.5V (same) | 2.0V to 5.5V (wider) | 4.5V to 5.5V (same) | 4.5V to 5.5V (same) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C commercial | -40C to +85C industrial | 0C to +70C commercial | 0C to +70C commercial | -40C to +85C industrial | 0C to +70C commercial | 0C to +70C commercial |
| Memory Type | OTP (one-time programmable) | OTP (same) | OTP (same) | OTP (same) | Flash (reprogrammable) | OTP (same) | OTP (same) |
| Approx Unit Price @1000 (USD, as of 2026-09-16) | 2.45 | 3.20 | 2.85 | 2.65 | 2.10 | 2.40 | 2.95 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade option in same 28-pin SPDIP (vs PIC16C55-10I/SP)
- Flash memory reprogrammability in same 28-pin SPDIP (vs PIC16F54-I/P)
- Enhanced oscillator and improved ESD protection (vs PIC16C55A-10/P)
- Surface-mount SOIC-28 alternative (vs PIC16C55-10/SO)
Design Notes
Decouple the VDD pin (pin 25) with a 0.1 uF ceramic capacitor placed within 1 cm of the IC. Add a bulk electrolytic 10 uF capacitor near the regulator output. The PIC16C55-10/SP draws approximately 2 mA active at 10 MHz and 1 uA standby; total power dissipation is well below 100 mW even at full clock, so no heatsinking is required. Ensure the MCLR pin (pin 5) has a 10 kohm pull-up resistor to VDD; floating MCLR causes intermittent resets in noisy environments.
Route the oscillator traces (OSC1 pin 7, OSC2 pin 8) as short as possible and surround them with a ground guard ring if the layout is dense. Place the crystal or ceramic resonator within 5 mm of the IC to minimize parasitic capacitance and EMI susceptibility. Avoid routing digital I/O traces under the oscillator traces because capacitive coupling can corrupt clock edges. For an external clock source, drive OSC1 with a CMOS-level clock and leave OSC2 floating - do not load it with a capacitor in this configuration.
The PIC16C55-10/SP lacks brown-out reset (BOR); for industrial environments where VDD may dip below 4.5 V during motor inrush, add an external voltage supervisor such as MCP100 to the MCLR pin. The OTP memory is one-time programmable only; firmware bugs discovered after programming require a fresh part, so always prototype with the PIC16C55/JW windowed CERDIP variant. The 24 bytes of RAM is very limited - avoid large arrays and use the same RAM bank for multiple variables if possible. Watchdog timer must be explicitly cleared in the firmware main loop using the CLRWDT instruction.
When migrating to the SOIC-28 surface-mount variant PIC16C55-10/SO, the PCB land pattern differs - the SOIC-28 has a 1.27 mm (0.050 inch) pitch and 7.50 mm body width, versus the SPDIP-28 2.54 mm pitch and 7.62 mm body width. Do not assume pin-to-pin compatibility at the PCB layout level; generate separate footprints in your CAD library. Mixed through-hole and surface-mount inventory is common for cost-down programs; track which variant is loaded on each board via a board revision code.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC16C55-10I/SP for industrial or extended-temperature automotive cabin applications. Lead-free SPDIP package suitable for Pb-free wave soldering.
