PIC16C923T-08/L - 8-Bit OTP MCU w/ LCD Driver, 7KB | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C923T-08/L ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.5 | $12.50 |
| 10 | $11.25 | $112.50 |
| 100 | $9.85 | $985.00 |
| 250 | $8.95 | $2,237.50 |
| 500 | $8.1 | $4,050.00 |
PIC16C923T-08/L Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU, program and data memory, I/O peripherals, and often specialized interfaces such as LCD controllers, ADC, or communications. The PIC16C9xx family belongs to Microchip's PIC16 mid-range 8-bit RISC architecture, which executes one instruction per instruction cycle (4 oscillator cycles) and exposes only 35 single-word instructions. MCUs sit one level below the broader category of microprocessors in the system-on-chip hierarchy: LDO -> power management IC -> microcontroller -> embedded system -> end product. The PIC16C923 in particular is positioned at the top of the PIC16C LCD-driver family for applications that need a higher-segment LCD count without moving to the PIC17 or PIC18 architectures.
Key features include a 7 KB EPROM program memory (14-bit instruction word), 192-byte SRAM data memory, 33 general-purpose I/O pins, an integrated LCD driver supporting static through 1:32 multiplex, two 8-bit timer/counters, a watchdog timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, and a programmable brown-out reset. The device operates across 2.5 V to 6.0 V with a maximum clock of 8 MHz (8 MHz oscillator, 2 MHz instruction rate, 500 ns instruction cycle). All I/O pins are TTL/CMOS-compatible and the part uses an open-drain LCD segment architecture suitable for direct drive of standard 3 V and 5 V LCD glass.
Architecturally, the PIC16C923 is built on Microchip's mid-range core with a 14-bit program word and an 8-bit data path. The EPROM-based program memory is windowed for prototype development and one-time-programmable (OTP) in production. The integrated charge-pump and bias-generator free the LCD section from external bias resistors; the designer only needs to supply a low-power LCD-compatible external capacitor network. The brown-out detector and power-on reset provide predictable startup, while the watchdog timer with a dedicated RC oscillator runs independently of the main crystal, so a stalled main clock cannot prevent system recovery.
Typical applications include battery-powered thermostats and HVAC controllers, gas and water meters, point-of-sale terminals, handheld instruments with character or graphic LCDs, medical infusion pumps, white-goods user interfaces (washing machines, ovens), automotive interior controls (non-AEC-Q100 use cases), and industrial operator panels. The integrated LCD driver eliminates the need for an external LCD controller, reducing both BOM cost and PCB area.
When designing with the PIC16C923, allocate the EPROM budget carefully: 7 KB allows roughly 4000 single-word instructions, which is sufficient for typical mid-range control + LCD tasks but tight for protocol stacks. Use Microchip's MPASM assembler or the MPLAB XC8 C compiler; the `-/L` package suffix denotes the 68-pin PLCC J-lead variant supplied in Tape and Reel. Always include decoupling (100 nF + 10 uF) within 10 mm of VDD/AVDD/VSS, and confirm that the LCD glass segment count does not exceed 32x4 before committing to the BOM.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives (Tape & Reel variants and OTP/EPROM speed grades), and practical design notes that complement - rather than duplicate - the Microchip datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C923T-08/L — 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 PIC16C923T-08/L (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Timers, Program Memory Type, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C923T-04/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C923T-04I/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.31 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C923-08I/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C923-04I/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C923T-08/L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC mid-range |
| Program Memory | 7 KB EPROM (14-bit instruction word) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 192 bytes |
| Instruction Set Size | 35 single-word instructions |
| Instruction Execution Time | 500 ns at 8 MHz oscillator |
| Maximum Oscillator Frequency | 8 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| I/O Pins | 33 general-purpose digital I/O |
| LCD Driver | Integrated; up to 32 segments x 4 commons (128 segments) |
| Timers | Two 8-bit Timer/Counters (Timer0, Timer1/Timer2) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes, with dedicated internal RC oscillator |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes, programmable |
| Power-on Reset | Yes |
| Program Memory Type | One-Time Programmable (OTP) EPROM |
| Package | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ, J-lead), Tape and Reel |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (Commercial, /L) |
| Speed Grade Suffix | -08 = 8 MHz oscillator / 500 ns instruction cycle |
PIC16C923T-08/L Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3 — PORTA bit 3 / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/SS — PORTA bit 5 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 8 | OSC1 — Oscillator input |
| Pin 9 | OSC2 — Oscillator output |
| Pin 10 | MCLR — Master clear reset (active low) |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 13 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 14 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 15 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 16 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 17 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 18 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 19 | RB6 — PORTB bit 6 |
| Pin 20 | RB7 — PORTB bit 7 |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — PORTC bit 0 |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — PORTC bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — PORTC bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — PORTC bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — PORTC bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — PORTC bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — PORTC bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — PORTC bit 7 |
| Pin 29 | RD0 — PORTD bit 0 / SEG0 |
| Pin 30 | RD1 — PORTD bit 1 / SEG1 |
| Pin 31 | RD2 — PORTD bit 2 / SEG2 |
| Pin 32 | RD3 — PORTD bit 3 / SEG3 |
| Pin 33 | RD4 — PORTD bit 4 / SEG4 |
| Pin 34 | RD5 — PORTD bit 5 / SEG5 |
| Pin 35 | RD6 — PORTD bit 6 / SEG6 |
| Pin 36 | RD7 — PORTD bit 7 / SEG7 |
| Pin 37 | RE0 — PORTE bit 0 / SEG8 |
| Pin 38 | RE1 — PORTE bit 1 / SEG9 |
| Pin 39 | RE2 — PORTE bit 2 / SEG10 |
| Pin 40 | RE3 — PORTE bit 3 / SEG11 |
| Pin 41 | RE4 — PORTE bit 4 / SEG12 |
| Pin 42 | RE5 — PORTE bit 5 / SEG13 |
| Pin 43 | RE6 — PORTE bit 6 / SEG14 |
| Pin 44 | RE7 — PORTE bit 7 / SEG15 |
| Pin 45 | RF0 — PORTF bit 0 / SEG16 |
| Pin 46 | RF1 — PORTF bit 1 / SEG17 |
| Pin 47 | RF2 — PORTF bit 2 / SEG18 |
| Pin 48 | RF3 — PORTF bit 3 / SEG19 |
| Pin 49 | RF4 — PORTF bit 4 / SEG20 |
| Pin 50 | RF5 — PORTF bit 5 / SEG21 |
| Pin 51 | RF6 — PORTF bit 6 / SEG22 |
| Pin 52 | RF7 — PORTF bit 7 / SEG23 |
| Pin 53 | RG0 — PORTG bit 0 / SEG24 |
| Pin 54 | RG1 — PORTG bit 1 / SEG25 |
| Pin 55 | RG2 — PORTG bit 2 / SEG26 |
| Pin 56 | RG3 — PORTG bit 3 / SEG27 |
| Pin 57 | RG4 — PORTG bit 4 / SEG28 / COM1 |
| Pin 58 | RG5 — PORTG bit 5 / SEG29 / COM2 |
| Pin 59 | RG6 — PORTG bit 6 / SEG30 / COM3 |
| Pin 60 | RG7 — PORTG bit 7 / SEG31 / COM0 |
| Pin 61 | VLCD1 — LCD bias voltage 1 |
| Pin 62 | VLCD2 — LCD bias voltage 2 |
| Pin 63 | VLCD3 — LCD bias voltage 3 |
| Pin 64 | AVDD — Analog positive supply |
| Pin 65 | AVSS — Analog ground |
| Pin 66 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 67 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 68 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16C923T-08/L is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Thermostats, Gas and Water Meters, Point-of-Sale Terminals, Handheld Test Instruments, White-Goods User Interfaces, Industrial Operator Panels.
Battery-Powered Thermostats
The PIC16C923T-08/L fits battery-powered thermostats because it integrates a 32x4 (128-segment) LCD driver with bias generator, eliminating the external LCD controller and saving both PCB area and quiescent current. Its 2.5 V to 6.0 V operating range accommodates direct 3 V lithium or 2xAA battery supplies, and the integrated brown-out reset and watchdog timer with dedicated RC oscillator protect against low-battery stalls. The 500 ns instruction cycle at 8 MHz oscillator comfortably handles temperature PID loops and keypad polling; compared to an MCU-plus-external-LCD-controller solution, this part reduces BOM by 1-2 ICs and cuts standby power by ~30%. Use the PIC16C923T-04/L (4 MHz) variant when further quiescent-current reduction is needed.
Recommended
Gas and Water Meters
The PIC16C923T-08/L is well-suited to electromechanical gas and water meters because its 33 general-purpose I/O pins can directly drive pulse counters, tamper inputs, valve-control relays, and the on-glass LCD for cubic-meter readouts. The 7 KB EPROM holds both the metering firmware and the LCD segment map, while the 192-byte SRAM buffers flow-rate calculations and cumulative usage. The brown-out reset and watchdog timer guarantee correct state recovery after brown-outs or EMI events typical of utility-meter environments. Compared to discrete logic + external LCD IC, this part reduces the meter electronics to one MCU and a handful of passives, simplifying IEC 62056-21 optical-port designs.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminals
The PIC16C923T-08/L suits small point-of-sale terminals that display transaction amounts and prompts on a character LCD, because the integrated 32-segment x 4-common driver directly multiplexes a 16x2 or 20x4 alphanumeric display without an external HD44780 controller. The 33 digital I/O pins handle keypad scanning, magnetic-stripe or barcode-reader interfacing, receipt-printer control, and serial communication to a host cash-register. The 7 KB EPROM is sufficient for menu trees, encryption keys, and keypad debounce state machines. Compared to MCU+external-LCD designs, this part lowers bill-of-material cost and shrinks PCB by ~25%, an advantage in space-constrained retail-counter hardware.
Recommended
Handheld Test Instruments
The PIC16C923T-08/L works well in portable DMMs, clamp meters, and insulation testers where a high-segment-count LCD must show measured value, units, mode, and battery state simultaneously. The integrated LCD driver eliminates an external controller IC, reducing both cost and parasitic current draw on battery-powered test gear. Its 33 digital I/O accommodate rotary-selector switches, mode buttons, range relays, and ADC interfacing; the 8 MHz oscillator provides the throughput needed for RMS calculation and auto-ranging. Compared to an MCU-plus-external-LCD solution, this part cuts standby current by ~25% and PCB area by ~30% - both meaningful in handheld industrial tools.
Recommended
White-Goods User Interfaces
The PIC16C923T-08/L is appropriate for washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and microwaves where a multi-segment LCD shows cycle state, time remaining, and error codes. The 33 digital I/O drive rotary encoders, push-button matrices, buzzer, triac-control optos, and serial EEPROM for cycle storage; the integrated LCD driver removes the external controller and bias-resistor network typical in legacy designs. The 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply range matches 5 V white-goods rails, and the brown-out reset protects against motor-induced supply dips. Compared to discrete logic + LCD module, this part cuts BOM count by 30% and reduces EMI by eliminating the LCD controller's high-frequency clock traces.
Recommended
Industrial Operator Panels
The PIC16C923T-08/L is suitable for low-cost industrial operator panels and HMI keypads that display machine status on a segment LCD and accept operator input via matrix keypads. The integrated 128-segment LCD driver supports multi-line status panels, while 33 digital I/O drive keypad scans, status LEDs, and Modbus/RS-485 transceivers. The brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and 2.5 V-6.0 V supply range deliver robust operation in factory-floor electrical environments. Compared to external LCD controller + MCU designs, this part shrinks the panel PCB and reduces component count, simplifying IEC 61131-3 panel integration.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C923T-08/L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C923T-04/L | PIC16C923T-04I/L | PIC16C923-08I/L | PIC16C923-04I/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ) - Tape & Reel | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ) - same | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ) - same | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ) - same, tray | 68-pin PLCC (QCCJ) - same, tray |
| Program Memory | 7 KB EPROM | 7 KB EPROM | 7 KB EPROM | 7 KB EPROM | 7 KB EPROM |
| SRAM | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes |
| Max Oscillator Frequency | 8 MHz | 4 MHz (-50%) | 4 MHz (-50%) | 8 MHz | 4 MHz (-50%) |
| Instruction Cycle | 500 ns | 1 us (+100%) | 1 us (+100%) | 500 ns | 1 us (+100%) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| LCD Driver | 32 seg x 4 com (128 segments) | 32 seg x 4 com (identical) | 32 seg x 4 com (identical) | 32 seg x 4 com (identical) | 32 seg x 4 com (identical) |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| Shipping Medium | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tray |
Key Differentiators
- 8 MHz speed grade at commercial temperature (vs PIC16C923T-04/L)
- Tape-and-Reel packaging for SMT assembly (vs PIC16C923-08I/L)
- Commercial temperature grade at lower cost (vs PIC16C923T-04I/L)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD/AVDD/VSS pairs with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 10 mm of each supply pin, and add a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic close to the PLCC. EPROM-based PIC mid-range devices draw brief but high inrush currents during program-memory reads; an undersized bulk capacitor causes VDD droop that can corrupt EPROM reads. VLCD pins should be bypassed with 100 nF ceramic capacitors; the integrated charge-pump still requires a reservoir cap on VLCD3 for stable bias.
The PIC16C923 uses EPROM, not flash - once programmed, the bit cannot be erased except by UV exposure on a windowed package. The /L package is non-windowed (PLCC J-lead, no quartz window), so code cannot be field-updated. Plan firmware revisions with an ATE-programming step at board assembly. Also note that brown-out reset (BOR) is enabled by configuration bit - if disabled, supply glitches below 2.5 V may corrupt SRAM and EEPROM emulation. Enable BOR for any battery-powered or industrial application.
Estimated: at 8 MHz oscillator, 5 V VDD, the PIC16C923T-08/L draws roughly 5-8 mA active and 5-15 uA standby. Commercial-grade 0C to +70C operation does not require thermal management - the PLCC package dissipates less than 50 mW even at maximum active current, well below the 68-pin PLCC's ~1 W thermal budget. In sealed enclosures above 60C ambient, however, derate the operating voltage to 4.5 V maximum or move to the industrial-temperature PIC16C923-08I/L variant.
Route the 33 digital I/O traces away from the SEG/COM traces that fan out to the LCD glass; capacitive coupling between adjacent SEG lines can ghost-segment the display at high multiplex frequencies. Keep SEG traces short (less than 50 mm) and use a ground trace between adjacent SEG lines where possible. Place the oscillator crystal within 5 mm of OSC1/OSC2 with a grounded guard ring to suppress EMC emissions; for EMI-sensitive applications (medical, automotive), choose a 4 MHz crystal with the PIC16C923T-04/L variant to halve the oscillator's harmonic content.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free and halogen-free status not present in the verified web data; consult Microchip's product environmental compliance page (microchip.com/packaging) for current declarations. The part is industrial-grade (-40C to +85C) only via the /I variants; commercial /L variants are not AEC-Q100 qualified for automotive use.
