PIC16C64A/JW - 8-Bit 20MHz 3.5KB EPROM MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C64A/JW โ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $14.5 | $14.50 |
| 10 | $13.2 | $132.00 |
| 100 | $11.85 | $1,185.00 |
| 500 | $10.4 | $5,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $9.1 | $9,100.00 |
PIC16C64A/JW Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory (ROM/EPROM/Flash), working RAM, and programmable I/O peripherals into one package. EPROM-based MCUs like the PIC16C64A/JW store their program in electrically-programmable read-only memory that can be erased by exposing the die to ultraviolet light through the package window โ a workflow favored for iterative development before transitioning to one-time-programmable or mask-ROM production versions. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, this part sits in the hierarchy MCU -> 8-bit microcontroller -> embedded controller -> integrated circuit -> semiconductor.
Key features of the PIC16C64A/JW include low-power consumption (15 ยตA typical at 5 V / 4 MHz; 1 ยตA typical at 3 V / 32 kHz), a wide 2.5โ6.0 V operating range, a synchronous serial port (SSP) supporting SPI and IยฒC master/slave modes, a USART with on-chip baud-rate generator, three hardware timers (Timer0 8-bit, Timer1 16-bit, Timer2 8-bit with PWM), an 8-bit ADC, and a programmable watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator for reliable operation. The Harvard RISC architecture executes most instructions in a single 200 ns cycle at 20 MHz, and the 14-bit wide instruction word delivers higher code density than 8-bit CISC architectures.
Typical applications for the PIC16C64A/JW include industrial control subsystems, automotive body and chassis electronics, appliance controls, security and alarm panels, sensor signal conditioning, and low-power remote monitoring nodes. The windowed CERDIP package allows engineers to erase and reprogram the device during firmware iteration, making it especially useful in engineering development environments, university teaching labs, and small-volume or legacy maintenance scenarios where a Flash-based migration path is not yet validated.
Designers should note that the PIC16C64A is now an older generation; Microchip recommends considering the pin-compatible PIC16C65B or a newer PIC16F family device for new designs. When using the JW (windowed) variant, provide a labeled socket and avoid prolonged exposure of the quartz window to direct sunlight, which can degrade EPROM retention.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C64A/JW โ same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool โ Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C65B
โ Drop-In๐ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F74-I/P
โ Drop-In๐ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F877A-I/P
โ Drop-In๐ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C64A/JW Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit Harvard RISC |
| Instruction Set | 14-bit, 35 instructions |
| Program Memory Type | EPROM (UV-erasable, windowed) |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) |
| RAM Size | 128 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 0 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns (at 20 MHz) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| I/O Pins | 33 |
| Package | 40-pin CERDIP Windowed (0.600 in / 15.24 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole (THT) |
| Operating Temperature Range (Commercial) | 0 ยฐC to +70 ยฐC |
| Peripherals | USART, SSP (SPI/IยฒC), 8-bit ADC, 3 Timers, PWM, WDT |
| Low-Power Consumption | 15 ยตA typical at 5 V / 4 MHz; 1 ยตA typical at 3 V / 32 kHz |
PIC16C64A/JW Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 โ Port A bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 โ Port A bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 โ Port A bit 2 / analog input 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF โ Port A bit 3 / analog input 3 / voltage reference |
| Pin 5 | RA4/T0CKI โ Port A bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4/SS โ Port A bit 5 / analog input 4 / SSP slave select |
| Pin 7 | OSC1/CLKIN โ Oscillator crystal input / external clock |
| Pin 8 | OSC2/CLKOUT โ Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 9 | RC0 โ Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 10 | RC1 โ Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 11 | RC2 โ Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 12 | RC3 โ Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 13 | RC4 โ Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 14 | RC5 โ Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 15 | RC6 โ Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 16 | RC7 โ Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 17 | RB0/INT โ Port B bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 18 | RB1 โ Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RB2 โ Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 20 | RB3 โ Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 21 | RB4 โ Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 22 | RB5 โ Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 23 | RB6/PGC โ Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 24 | RB7/PGD โ Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 25 | GND โ Ground |
| Pin 26 | VDD โ Positive supply |
| Pin 27 | NC โ Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 28 | NC โ Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 29 | RD0 โ Port D bit 0 |
| Pin 30 | RD1 โ Port D bit 1 |
| Pin 31 | RD2 โ Port D bit 2 |
| Pin 32 | RD3 โ Port D bit 3 |
| Pin 33 | RD4 โ Port D bit 4 |
| Pin 34 | RD5 โ Port D bit 5 |
| Pin 35 | RD6 โ Port D bit 6 |
| Pin 36 | RD7 โ Port D bit 7 |
| Pin 37 | RE0/RD โ Port E bit 0 / read control |
| Pin 38 | RE1/WR โ Port E bit 1 / write control |
| Pin 39 | RE2/CS โ Port E bit 2 / chip select |
| Pin 40 | MCLR/VPP โ Master clear reset / programming voltage |
Typical Applications
PIC16C64A/JW is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control Subsystems, Automotive Body and Chassis Electronics, Consumer Appliance Controls, Security and Alarm Panels, Sensor Signal Conditioning Nodes, Engineering Development and University Labs, Legacy Maintenance and Obsolete-Equipment Repair.
Industrial Control Subsystems
The PIC16C64A/JW fits industrial control subsystems because its 8-bit Harvard RISC core delivers deterministic single-cycle instruction execution at 20 MHz, allowing 200 ns loop periods for real-time PLC-style logic. The 33 programmable I/O pins map directly to relay drivers, optocouplers and sensor arrays, while the on-chip 8-bit ADC supports 4-8 mA loop transducer monitoring. Industrial designers valued the wide 2.5โ6.0 V supply tolerance for 5 V and 24 V-derived rails. Compared with modern Flash MCUs, the windowed CERDIP package allowed iterative firmware re-spin during long machine-builder development cycles before committing to OTP PIC16C64A-04/P production units.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Chassis Electronics
Automotive body-electronics modules such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, and lighting drivers used PIC16C64A/JW because of its -40 ยฐC to +125 ยฐC industrial/extended variants, low 15 ยตA active current, and 33 digital I/O lines for multiplexing switches and lamps. The USART simplified communication with body-control modules via LIN-bus bit-banging or proprietary single-wire protocols. The on-chip watchdog timer with dedicated RC oscillator enhanced reliability in noisy automotive environments. Engineers now select PIC16F or PIC18F QFN-package automotive AEC-Q100 parts, but many 1990s service tools still rely on PIC16C64A/JW for legacy vehicle diagnostics.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Controls
White-goods appliance controllers including washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens historically used PIC16C64A/JW for user-interface scanning, motor triac driving, and sensor conditioning. The 8-bit ADC simplifies temperature and water-level sensing, while the PWM module drives brushless DC or universal motors without external waveform generators. With 3.5 KB of EPROM, designers stored lookup tables and state-machine firmware in a single chip. The wide 2.5โ6.0 V supply tolerance accepts unregulated 5 V rails common in low-cost appliance SMPS designs. Modern replacements migrate to PIC16F1847 or PIC18F equivalents with Flash and CIP (core-independent peripherals).
Recommended
Security and Alarm Panels
Security alarm panels use PIC16C64A/JW for sensor-loop monitoring, keypad scanning, and dialer/communicator control, benefiting from its 33 I/O pins that handle up to 8 wired zones plus keypads and sirens without external muxing. The hardware SSP supporting SPI and IยฒC interfaces to EEPROM for event-log storage and to RTC chips for time-stamping, while the USART drives the dialer modem at standard baud rates. The EPROM-based JW package supports field firmware updates during security-system development and certification, and the watchdog timer ensures panel lockup recovery. Replacement designs migrate to PIC16F or dsPIC30 parts with Flash and CIP for faster time-to-market.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning Nodes
Distributed sensor nodes use PIC16C64A/JW because its 8-bit ADC combined with the PWM module implements closed-loop sensor excitation and signal conditioning in a single chip. The synchronous serial port talks to SPI temperature, pressure, and acceleration sensors, while the USART outputs a conditioned analog or digital measurement to a host controller. With 128 bytes of RAM and a 4 MHz low-power operating mode at 15 ยตA typical, battery-powered nodes can sleep most of the time and wake on interrupt. Modern designs replace PIC16C64A/JW with PIC16F or PIC18F QFN parts that consume <1 ยตA in sleep and offer higher ADC resolution.
Recommended
Engineering Development and University Labs
The PIC16C64A/JW with its UV-erasable JW windowed CERDIP package is a workhorse for embedded-systems education and engineering prototype development, allowing students and engineers to iteratively erase and reprogram the same device dozens of times. The 40-pin DIP form factor fits standard solderless breadboards and ZIF sockets, and the 20 MHz clock with 200 ns instruction cycle is fast enough for teaching real-time control concepts. The PIC16C instruction set is the ancestor of all modern PIC MCUs, so academic programs use PIC16C64A/JW to introduce register-level programming before transitioning students to PIC16F, PIC18F and dsPIC families. Microchip recommends PIC16C65B for new development, but PIC16C64A/JW remains in teaching inventory.
Recommended
Legacy Maintenance and Obsolete-Equipment Repair
PIC16C64A/JW continues to ship in 2026 for maintenance of legacy factory automation, military and aerospace equipment, and 1990s-era medical devices where a complete redesign would require expensive re-certification. Its 40-pin CERDIP windowed package with EPROM matches the original BOM so legacy boards can be repaired without PCB modification, and the part remains in distributor stock for spares provisioning. When existing inventory is exhausted, repair shops migrate to PIC16F74-I/P or PIC16F877A-I/P after PCB re-spin and firmware recompilation. The datasheet (DS30422D) and Microchip cross-reference tools help engineers plan transition paths from PIC16C64A/JW to current-generation Flash parts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C64A/JW โ comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C65B | PIC16F74-I/P | PIC16F877A-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 40-pin CERDIP Windowed (JW) | 40-pin CERDIP / PDIP | 40-pin PDIP | 40-pin PDIP |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Architecture / Bit-Width | 8-bit Harvard RISC | 8-bit Harvard RISC | 8-bit Harvard RISC | 8-bit Harvard RISC |
| Program Memory Type | EPROM (UV-erasable, 3.5 KB) | EPROM | Flash (4 KB) | Flash (14 KB) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 368 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete (last CERDIP generation) | Active | Active |
| Peripherals (USART / SSP / ADC) | Yes / Yes / 8-bit | Yes / Yes / 8-bit | Yes / Yes / 8-bit | Yes / Yes / 10-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Windowed EPROM in CERDIP package supports iterative firmware re-spin (vs PIC16F74-I/P)
- Recommended Microchip successor with enhanced peripherals (vs PIC16C65B)
- Flash-based modern alternative with active lifecycle (vs PIC16C64A/JW (this part))
Design Notes
The PIC16C64A/JW operates from 2.5 V to 6.0 V with typical current of 15 ยตA at 5 V / 4 MHz and 1 ยตA at 3 V / 32 kHz sleep mode. Decouple VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of pin 26 and add a 10 ยตF bulk capacitor near the supply entry. For battery-powered designs, leverage the watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator to wake the MCU periodically without an external 32 kHz crystal.
Do not expose the JW windowed CERDIP package to direct sunlight or UV sterilization lamps โ both can erase EPROM contents within hours. Use a labeled socket and an opaque protective cover during development. When migrating firmware to PIC16F74-I/P, note that the Flash-based configuration-word registers, ADC acquisition time and IยฒC SSP behavior differ from the EPROM PIC16C64A, so recompile and revalidate before substituting.
Place the 20 MHz crystal or ceramic resonator within 5 mm of pins 7 (OSC1) and 8 (OSC2), with short traces and a ground guard ring to minimize EMI. Keep high-current switching traces (relay drivers, triacs) routed away from the oscillator and analog input pins RA0โRA5 to prevent ADC noise coupling. Use a single ground plane with separate analog/digital return paths converging at the PIC16C64A/JW GND pin (25) to preserve ADC accuracy.
Estimated: with 33 I/O pins toggling at 20 MHz, edge rates of ~5 ns produce harmonic content up to ~200 MHz that can couple into analog inputs. Source-terminate traces longer than 25 mm and add 100 ฮฉ series resistors on high-speed outputs driving capacitive loads. Keep the USART baud-rate generator within 1% of target frequency by using a crystal rather than RC oscillator.
Compliance Information
CERDIP packages typically contain lead in the glass seal; RoHS exemption 7a (lead in high-melting-point solder) or 7c-1 (lead in glass) may apply for this part per Microchip product documentation. AEC-Q100 not qualified โ choose PIC16F-series automotive variants for AEC-Q100 designs.
