PIC16C74A-10I/PT - 8-bit OTP MCU, 7KB Flash, 10MHz, 44-TQFP
MPN: PIC16C74A-10I/PT β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.5 | $8.50 |
| 10 | $7.65 | $76.50 |
| 100 | $6.4 | $640.00 |
| 500 | $5.55 | $2,775.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.85 | $4,850.00 |
PIC16C74A-10I/PT Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path, an ALU, program memory, and a rich set of peripherals. Within the broader microcontroller taxonomy, PIC16C74A sits in the legacy OTP CMOS mid-range tier: 8-bit MCU -> mid-range PIC -> PIC16C7X family -> PIC16C7X sub-family with A/D. The 'C' suffix indicates one-time programmable EPROM-based program memory, while 'A' designates a silicon revision of the original PIC16C74 die that added brown-out detect, oscillator start-up timer, and other reliability enhancements.
Key specifications include 200 ns instruction cycle at 10 MHz, 14-bit wide instruction word, 192-byte data RAM, 33 I/O pins with individual direction control, and a wide 2.5V-6.0V operating voltage range. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C) is indicated by the 'I' suffix. The on-chip A/D converter has 8 input channels with 8-bit resolution. Three timer modules and a hardware USART provide versatile control and communication capability.
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT architecture uses a Harvard RISC core with separate program and data buses, allowing simultaneous instruction fetch and operand access. CMOS process technology delivers low power consumption, typically under 2 mA active at 5V/10 MHz and a few microamps in sleep mode, making it well suited to battery-powered and industrial control designs that require deterministic instruction timing.
Typical applications include industrial control systems, automotive body electronics, appliance controllers, security alarm panels, and instrumentation front-ends. The integrated A/D and PWM peripherals are particularly useful for closed-loop motor control, sensor signal conditioning, and switched-mode power supply supervisory functions. Migration to PIC16F74 (Flash) is recommended for new designs because the PIC16C74A is OTP and not field-reprogrammable.
When designing with this device, reserve a brown-out reset supervisor or use the internal BOR circuit, and place decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of VDD/SS pins. Programming the OTP memory requires a high-voltage (13V typical) programming mode, so plan the test/access fixture to support in-system programming only if you implement the parallel programming algorithm via the ICSP pins.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives (including the recommended PIC16F74 migration path), and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C74A-10I/PT 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 PIC16C74A-10I/PT (same form factor and footprint) β differing in ADC, Program Memory Type, Mounting Type, Program Memory Size, I/O Pins.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F74-I/PT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F747-I/PT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74A-10I/P
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C74A-10/PT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5.45 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F914-I/PT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74A-10I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | PIC16C7X (mid-range, OTP CMOS) |
| Core | 8-bit PIC RISC, Harvard architecture |
| Program Memory Type | OTP EPROM |
| Program Memory Size | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| RAM Size | 192 bytes |
| EEPROM Size | None (0 bytes) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle | 200 ns at 10 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| I/O Pins | 33 |
| ADC | 8 channels, 8-bit resolution |
| Timers | Timer0 (8-bit), Timer1 (16-bit), Timer2 (8-bit) |
| PWM Modules | 1 (CCP) |
| Communication Peripherals | USART/SCI, SSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (WDT, on-chip dedicated RC) |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes (BOR, revision A) |
| Package | 44-pin TQFP (PT) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial, 'I' suffix) |
PIC16C74A-10I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP β Master Clear (Reset) input / Programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 β PORTA bit 0 / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 β PORTA bit 1 / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 β PORTA bit 2 / Analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ β PORTA bit 3 / Analog input 3 / ADC reference positive |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI β PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS β PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 β PORTE bit 0 / Read control / Analog input 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 β PORTE bit 1 / Write control / Analog input 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 β PORTE bit 2 / Chip select / Analog input 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN β Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT β Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI β PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 β PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 β PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 (PWM output) |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL β PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 β PORTD bit 0 / Parallel slave port bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 β PORTD bit 1 / Parallel slave port bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 β PORTD bit 2 / Parallel slave port bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 β PORTD bit 3 / Parallel slave port bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA β PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO β PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK β PORTC bit 6 / USART transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT β PORTC bit 7 / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 β PORTD bit 4 / Parallel slave port bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 β PORTD bit 5 / Parallel slave port bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 β PORTD bit 6 / Parallel slave port bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 β PORTD bit 7 / Parallel slave port bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT β PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 34 | RB1 β PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2 β PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/PGM β PORTB bit 3 / Low-voltage programming |
| Pin 37 | RB4 β PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 38 | RB5 β PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC β PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD β PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 41 | AVDD β Analog positive supply voltage |
| Pin 42 | AVSS β Analog ground reference |
| Pin 43 | VREF- β ADC reference voltage negative input |
| Pin 44 | VREF+ β ADC reference voltage positive input |
Typical Applications
PIC16C74A-10I/PT is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control Systems, Automotive Body Electronics, Appliance Control Boards, Security Alarm Panels, Instrumentation and Data Acquisition, HVAC and Building Automation, Smart Sensor Nodes.
Industrial Control Systems
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT fits industrial control applications because of its 33 I/O pins, 8-channel 8-bit ADC, three timers, and PWM output, which together drive sensors, actuators, and H-bridges in motor and process control loops. With 7 KB OTP and 192 bytes RAM, the device runs PID control firmware and serial communication protocols for PLC expansion modules. The 2.5V-6.0V supply tolerates 24V-derived industrial rails after regulation, and the -40C to +85C industrial temperature grade suits factory floor environments.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT is well suited to body-electronics modules such as lighting controllers, seat-position memory, and HVAC blend-door actuators because the integrated ADC reads rheostat and thermistor inputs while the PWM CCP drives servo motors. Its 2.5V-6.0V supply and 10 MHz operation survive 12V automotive bus transients after clamp-and-filter regulation. Automotive designs should add reverse-battery, load-dump, and ESD protection external to the MCU, and verify whether the legacy OTP silicon meets AEC-Q100 requirements before deployment.
Recommended
Appliance Control Boards
In washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens, the PIC16C74A-10I/PT manages user interface buttons via ADC channels, drives LED or relay loads via I/O pins, and runs timing algorithms using the 16-bit Timer1. The 33 I/O count covers multiplexed 7-segment displays and buzzer/keypad matrices without external expanders. Brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and -40C to +85C industrial temperature range support unattended appliance operation across global mains environments.
Recommended
Security Alarm Panels
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT is appropriate for alarm control panels because it reads multiple zone sensors via the 8-channel ADC, latches outputs to sirens and dialers via I/O pins, and uses the USART to drive PSTN modems. Its hardware USART and 200 ns instruction cycle support Manchester-coded data telemetry. Brown-out and watchdog features prevent lockup if the supply sags during a brownout condition. Designers should plan migration to the Flash-based PIC16F74 for service fleet reprogrammability.
Recommended
Instrumentation and Data Acquisition
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT functions as a front-end controller in instrumentation such as digital multimeters, oscilloscope front-ends, and panel meters because its 8-bit ADC samples analog inputs and the SPI/I2C SSP drives external DACs or LCD controllers. With a 10 MHz clock, the firmware sustains 4 ksps sampling rates for low-bandwidth measurement. Compared to pure analog designs, the integrated MCU reduces BOM cost and enables on-screen menus and serial data output over the USART.
Recommended
HVAC and Building Automation
In HVAC controllers, the PIC16C74A-10I/PT reads temperature and pressure sensors via the ADC, drives triac outputs for fan/blower speed control via PWM, and communicates to BACnet or Modbus networks via the USART with an external transceiver. The 33 I/O pins handle multiplexed keypad inputs and status LEDs without external I/O expansion. Industrial temperature grade and brown-out reset suit unattended rooftop and plant-room installations. Migration to PIC16F747-I/PT adds more PWM channels needed for variable-speed compressor drives.
Recommended
Smart Sensor Nodes
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT can serve as the brain of smart sensor nodes that digitize analog signals, run simple linearization algorithms in firmware, and report over UART or SPI to a gateway. With 192 bytes RAM and 7 KB OTP, it runs efficient calibration and digital-filtering routines. The on-chip watchdog and brown-out reset keep unattended nodes reliable in the field. Although the OTP memory complicates firmware updates, designers can prototype with the Flash-based PIC16F74-I/PT and migrate binaries once firmware is locked.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C74A-10I/PT β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F74-I/PT | PIC16F747-I/PT | PIC16F914-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 44-TQFP (PT) | 44-TQFP (PT) - same | 44-TQFP (PT) - same | 44-TQFP (PT) - same |
| Program Memory Type | OTP EPROM (7 KB) | Flash (4 KB) | Flash (7 KB) | Flash (14 KB) |
| RAM Size | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 256 bytes | 336 bytes |
| Maximum Clock | 10 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| I/O Pins | 33 | 33 | 36 | 32 |
| ADC Channels | 8 x 8-bit | 8 x 8-bit | 14 x 10-bit | 8 x 10-bit |
| PWM Channels | 1 (CCP) | 1 (CCP) | 3 (CCP/ECCP) | 3 (CCP/ECCP) |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Field-reprogrammable Flash memory (vs PIC16C74A-10I/PT (OTP))
- Faster maximum clock for higher MIPS (vs PIC16C74A-10I/PT (10 MHz))
- More ADC channels with higher resolution (vs PIC16C74A-10I/PT (8 ch x 8-bit))
Design Notes
Estimated: At 5V supply and 10 MHz clock, the PIC16C74A-10I/PT draws approximately 2-5 mA active and < 5 uA in sleep mode. Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin (pins 11 and 32 on the TQFP package), and add a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum electrolytic at the regulator output. The analog AVDD/AVSS pins should be filtered with a ferrite bead and a 100 nF capacitor to suppress digital switching noise from corrupting ADC readings.
The PIC16C74A-10I/PT typically dissipates < 25 mW in active mode, so thermal management is rarely required. However, in enclosed industrial environments with ambient > +70C, calculate theta_JA of the 44-TQFP package (~50 C/W on a 2-layer PCB) and ensure the die temperature stays below +125C. Use thermal vias under the exposed pad (TQFP-44 has no thermal pad; rely on copper pours) and avoid locating the MCU near hot power components like linear regulators or TRIACs.
Route the oscillator traces (OSC1/OSC2) as short as possible and keep them away from high-current switching lines to minimize EMI coupling. Place the crystal or resonator within 5 mm of the OSC pins and guard the traces with a grounded copper pour. For CE/EMC-sensitive designs, add a 4.7 kohm pull-up to MCLR and a decoupling RC (100 ohm + 100 nF) on the reset line. The ICSP pins RB6/PGD and RB7/PGC should be brought to a programming header accessible without removing the MCU.
Common pitfalls with the PIC16C74A-10I/PT: (1) OTP memory cannot be reprogrammed - plan firmware carefully and order pre-programmed parts; (2) the ADC reference VREF+ is shared with RA3, so using RA3 as a digital I/O will disturb the reference voltage; (3) PORTE pins share with parallel slave port signals, so defaulting them to analog inputs requires clearing the ADCON1 register; (4) the ICSP clock/data pins RB6/RB7 must not be left floating during normal operation - install weak pull-ups to prevent spurious interrupts on PORTB change notification.
Compliance Information
PIC16C74A-10I/PT is OTP and last-time-buy per Microchip product page. RoHS compliance was not explicitly listed in the verified web data - check the Microchip RoHS letter for confirmation. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive, evaluate PIC16F74-I/PT extended-temperature variants or other AEC-Q100 qualified PICs.