PIC16C74A-04E/P - 8-bit 4MHz MCU 7KB OTP 33 I/O | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C74A-04E/P ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.5 | $8.50 |
| 10 | $7.65 | $76.50 |
| 100 | $6.8 | $680.00 |
| 500 | $6.1 | $3,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.45 | $5,450.00 |
PIC16C74A-04E/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a processor core, program memory, working RAM, and peripherals such as ADCs, timers, and serial interfaces. The PIC16C7X family is a mid-range subset of the PIC16 architecture, sitting between the baseline PIC10/12/16 devices and the high-performance PIC18 family. Microcontrollers occupy the semiconductor hierarchy as small-form-factor embedded processors used to execute deterministic firmware in nearly every electronic product.
Key features include an external oscillator interface, 25 mA high sink/source current per I/O, 200 ns instruction execution, only 35 single-word instructions for ease of programming, and ultra-low power consumption of 15 uA typical at 5 V/4 MHz and 1 uA typical standby at 3 V/32 kHz. The OTP (one-time programmable) program memory is suited for production volumes and field-deployed devices where re-programmability is not required. The 8-bit Harvard architecture separates program and data buses for predictable interrupt response.
Typical applications include industrial control, automotive body electronics, sensor signal conditioning, and consumer appliance control. The wide operating voltage (2.5 V to 6.0 V) and extended temperature range make the device well suited to factory automation and outdoor equipment where supply rails are unregulated and ambient temperatures are harsh. The integrated ADC simplifies designs that must read multiple analog sensors without an external converter.
Designers should note that the PIC16C74A is a legacy OTP device and Microchip recommends the flash-based PIC16F74 as a newer alternative for new designs. Existing production code targeting PIC16C74A can migrate to PIC16F74 with minimal firmware changes because the instruction set and peripheral register map are compatible. Always verify oscillator configuration bits when porting firmware between OTP and flash variants.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, a verified drop-in alternative list, and practical design notes drawn from manufacturer datasheets and reference designs - information not gathered in a single place elsewhere.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C74A-04E/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 PIC16C74A-04E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature Range, Program Memory Type, I/O Sink/Source Current.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C74A-04I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C74A-04/PQ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F74-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74B-04/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74A-20/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74A-04E/L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$4.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C74A-04E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit |
| Program Memory Size | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| RAM Size | 192 x 8 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Number of I/O Pins | 33 |
| ADC | 8-channel, 8-bit (integrated) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (Extended) |
| I/O Sink/Source Current | 25 mA / 25 mA |
| Active Current (5 V, 4 MHz) | 15 uA typical |
| Standby Current (3 V, 32 kHz) | 1 uA typical |
| Oscillator Type | External |
| Package / Case | 40-DIP (0.600 inch, 15.24 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Packaging | Tube |
PIC16C74A-04E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear (reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Port A bit 0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Port A bit 1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — Port A bit 2 / ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF — Port A bit 3 / ADC channel 3 / ADC reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Port A bit 4 / Timer 0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — Port A bit 5 / ADC channel 4 / SSP slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — Port E bit 0 / read control / ADC channel 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — Port E bit 1 / write control / ADC channel 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — Port E bit 2 / chip select / ADC channel 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock in |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock out |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Port C bit 0 / Timer 1 oscillator out / clock in |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Port C bit 1 / Timer 1 oscillator in / CCP2 |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — Port C bit 2 / Capture-Compare-PWM 1 |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Port C bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — Port D bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — Port D bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — Port D bit 2 / Parallel Slave Port bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — Port D bit 3 / Parallel Slave Port bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Port C bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — Port C bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — Port C bit 6 / USART TX / clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — Port C bit 7 / USART RX / data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 — Port D bit 4 / Parallel Slave Port bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — Port D bit 5 / Parallel Slave Port bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — Port D bit 6 / Parallel Slave Port bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — Port D bit 7 / Parallel Slave Port bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT — Port B bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 34 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16C74A-04E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Process Control, Automotive Body Electronics, Consumer Appliance Control, Sensor Signal Conditioning, HVAC Climate Control, Educational and Development Platforms.
Industrial Process Control
The PIC16C74A-04E/P is well suited to industrial process control because of its 8-channel 8-bit ADC, 33 GPIO with 25 mA drive, and extended temperature rating of -40C to +125C. The integrated ADC lets a single MCU read multiple 4-20 mA loop sensors, thermistors, or potentiometers without external converters, while the 25 mA sink/source current directly drives panel-mount relays, solenoid valves, and indicator LEDs. The wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V VDD range accommodates unregulated 24 V industrial supplies stepped down to 5 V. Firmware determinism and 200 ns instruction cycle support tight PID loops at 4 MHz; engineers porting to PIC16F74 gain 20 MHz headroom for more complex control algorithms.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
In automotive body electronics such as lighting controllers, seat controllers, and climate modules, the PIC16C74A-04E/P's extended -40C to +125C temperature grade and 25 mA I/O drive are key fits. The OTP memory provides tamper-resistant code storage suitable for vehicle production programming, while the integrated 8-bit ADC reads switch positions, rheostats, and temperature sensors directly. The 4 MHz core and 35-instruction RISC architecture deliver deterministic response times for body-control tasks. Designers should note that AEC-Q100 qualification is not claimed for the PIC16C74A; for safety-critical or under-hood modules the AEC-Q100-qualified PIC16F74 family is the appropriate migration target.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
For consumer appliances such as washing machines, microwave ovens, and small kitchen devices, the PIC16C74A-04E/P offers an attractive combination of integrated ADC, ample GPIO, and low power consumption of 15 uA typical at 5 V/4 MHz. The 33 I/O pins drive seven-segment displays, keypads, buzzer drivers, and triac interfaces directly, while the 8-bit ADC reads water level, temperature, and humidity sensors. The 7 KB OTP program memory holds substantial appliance firmware including state machines and look-up tables. The 40-pin PDIP package simplifies through-hole assembly for low-volume appliance production runs.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16C74A-04E/P functions as a smart sensor front-end by combining its 8-channel 8-bit ADC with programmable I/O and low standby current of 1 uA typical at 3 V/32 kHz. The MCU can multiplex eight analog inputs, apply linearization in firmware, and output calibrated digital values via I/O or bit-banged serial protocols. Battery-powered sensor installations benefit from the ultra-low standby current, allowing years of operation from a single coin cell. The 200 ns instruction cycle and Harvard architecture yield deterministic sample timing critical for ratiometric measurements and bridge sensor excitation.
Recommended
HVAC Climate Control
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) climate control modules benefit from the PIC16C74A-04E/P's extended temperature range, 8-channel ADC for multi-zone temperature sensing, and 25 mA I/O for fan and damper relay drivers. The wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply tolerance accommodates rectified 24 VAC transformer outputs after regulation. The 7 KB OTP memory holds multi-zone PID control loops, scheduling logic, and user-interface state machines. Designers should allocate timer resources for PWM fan-speed control and use the external oscillator mode for accurate timekeeping in scheduled HVAC systems.
Recommended
Educational and Development Platforms
The PIC16C74A-04E/P remains in demand on educational and hobbyist development platforms because of its through-hole 40-pin PDIP package, which is easy to breadboard and replace. The 35-instruction RISC architecture and only 4 MHz clock make it ideal for teaching embedded programming fundamentals, ADC interfacing, and interrupt handling without overwhelming students. The 7 KB OTP memory is large enough for meaningful projects while enforcing disciplined code development. Universities and training labs often keep PIC16C74A stock for legacy course material; new courses typically migrate to PIC16F74 or PIC18F equivalents.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C74A-04E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C74A-04I/P | PIC16C74A-04/P | PIC16F74-I/P | PIC16C74B-04/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 40-DIP (0.600 inch) | 40-DIP (0.600 inch) - same | 40-DIP (0.600 inch) - same | 40-DIP (0.600 inch) - same | 40-DIP (0.600 inch) - same |
| Program Memory | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP - same | 7 KB OTP - same | 7 KB Flash (re-programmable) | 7 KB OTP - same |
| Max Clock Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz - same | 4 MHz - same | 20 MHz (+400%) | 4 MHz - same |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) |
| RAM Size | 192 bytes | 192 bytes - same | 192 bytes - same | 192 bytes - same | 192 bytes - same |
| ADC | 8-ch, 8-bit | 8-ch, 8-bit - same | 8-ch, 8-bit - same | 8-ch, 8-bit - same | 8-ch, 8-bit - same |
| I/O Pins | 33 | 33 - same | 33 - same | 33 - same | 33 - same |
Key Differentiators
- Extended industrial temperature grade -40C to +125C (vs PIC16C74A-04/P)
- Drop-in pin compatibility with flash-based PIC16F74 (vs PIC16F74-I/P)
- Wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V VDD operating range (vs PIC16C711-04/P)
Design Notes
The PIC16C74A-04E/P draws 15 uA typical at 5 V/4 MHz and 1 uA typical standby at 3 V/32 kHz. Add a 100 nF decoupling capacitor close to each VDD/VSS pair (pins 11/12 and 31/32) and a bulk 10 uF electrolytic on the main 5 V rail. For battery-powered applications, use the 32 kHz low-power oscillator mode to drop active current below 20 uA average; verify the brown-out reset voltage threshold is set below the minimum battery voltage.
At 4 MHz the PIC16C74A-04E/P dissipates well under 100 mW even at 6 V VDD, so thermal management is not a primary concern. However, when migrating to PIC16F74 at 20 MHz in the same PDIP package, internal power dissipation roughly scales with clock frequency and may reach 250 mW in worst-case conditions. In enclosed industrial enclosures with ambient above 70C, verify junction temperature stays below 125C by measuring VDD current and computing P = VDD * IDD.
Place the external crystal or resonator within 10 mm of pins 13 (OSC1) and 14 (OSC2) and route the traces over a continuous ground plane. Keep switching signals (CCP PWM outputs, oscillator traces) away from analog inputs (RA0-RA5, RE0-RE2) to minimize ADC crosstalk. The MCLR pin (pin 1) requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; add a 100 nF capacitor to ground for noise immunity, but do not exceed the rise-time limit specified in the datasheet programming section.
Three common pitfalls when designing with PIC16C74A-04E/P: (1) OTP memory cannot be re-programmed - verify firmware with PIC16F74 or PIC16C74B flash prototypes before committing to OTP production orders; (2) The 4 MHz '04' speed grade cannot use 20 MHz crystals - confirm oscillator configuration bits match the actual resonator frequency; (3) ADC readings are not ratiometric to VDD unless the reference is configured properly - use the internal VDD reference and account for supply variation in firmware.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 not claimed for PIC16C74A family per Microchip product page; RoHS/REACH/lead-free status not confirmed in the provided distributor data and marked unknown. Microchip publishes a general conflict-minerals compliance statement covering the PIC16C family.
