PIC16F15256T-I/STX - 8-bit MCU, 28KB Flash, 28-VQFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F15256T-I/STX ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.62 | $1.62 |
| 10 | $1.52 | $15.20 |
| 100 | $1.31 | $131.00 |
| 500 | $1.15 | $575.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.02 | $1,020.00 |
PIC16F15256T-I/STX Overview
An 8-bit PIC microcontroller (MCU) is a compact, low-power RISC-based processor core (typically Microchip's enhanced mid-range or similar core) augmented with on-chip Flash program memory, data SRAM, EEPROM, and a tailored set of digital and analog peripherals. PIC MCUs sit within the broader hierarchy of microcontrollers -> embedded processors -> semiconductor devices, and the PIC16F152xx family is targeted at cost-sensitive sensor and real-time control applications where essential peripherals and eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) operation are required.
Key features include 28 KB self-programmable Flash, 2 KB SRAM, 256 B EEPROM, a 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), two 10-bit PWMs, two Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), EUSART, SPI, I2C, an 8-bit timer with Hardware Limit Timer (HLT), Windowed Watchdog Timer (WDT), and XLP technology for nanoWatt sleep currents. The 32 MHz internal oscillator eliminates the need for an external crystal in many designs.
The device uses an enhanced mid-range 8-bit RISC architecture with a single-cycle instruction set, providing ~8 MIPS throughput at 32 MHz. PPS remaps digital peripheral I/O to a wide choice of physical pins, simplifying PCB layout. Memory Access Partition (MAP) supports bootloader-style self-programming and field firmware updates without external programming hardware.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered home automation, low-cost motor control (small fans, BLDC drivers), LED lighting controllers, consumer appliances, and industrial sensor interfaces. The combination of XLP sleep currents, 10-bit ADC, and PWM peripherals suits always-on sensor hubs that wake, sample, transmit, and return to sleep.
When designing with the PIC16F15256T-I/STX, plan for in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via the PGC/PGD pins and verify the VQFN-4x4 thermal pad is soldered for proper thermal and electrical performance. PPS assignments must be configured at firmware start-up before peripheral use; an unconfigured PPS-mapped pin defaults to GPIO.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible drop-in alternatives within the PIC16F152xx family, and pragmatic design notes (decoupling, ICP routing, low-power mode entry) that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet's typical application section.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F15256T-I/STX — 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 PIC16F15256T-I/STX (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory (Flash), Core Architecture, Watchdog Timer, Data SRAM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F15255-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15256-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.91 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15254-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15244-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15245T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.84 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15243-I/REB
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.76 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15256T-I/STX Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC enhanced mid-range |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB |
| Data SRAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| PWM Channels | 2 x 10-bit |
| CCP Modules | 2 |
| Communication Peripherals | EUSART, SPI, I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Watchdog Timer | Windowed WDT |
| Hardware Limit Timer (HLT) | Yes |
| Low-Power Technology | eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F15256T-I/STX Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O with interrupt-on-change; analog-capable |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O with interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O / MCLR with weak pull-up; programming input |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 12 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable / ICSP DAT |
| Pin 13 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable / ICSP CLK |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 15 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O; ICSP PGD / programming data |
| Pin 16 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O; ICSP PGC / programming clock |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 18 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 19 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 20 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 21 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable |
| Pin 22 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O; interrupt-on-change; analog-capable |
| Pin 23 | VSS — Ground reference (secondary) |
| Pin 24 | VDDIO2 — I/O supply for second voltage domain |
| Pin 25 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 26 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O; PPS-mappable peripheral |
| Pin 27 | RA7 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable / OSC1 |
| Pin 28 | RA6 — Bidirectional I/O; analog-capable / OSC2 |
Typical Applications
PIC16F15256T-I/STX is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Home Automation Controllers, Small DC Motor and Fan Control, LED Lighting Controllers, Industrial Sensor Interfaces (4-20 mA / 0-10 V), Consumer Appliance User-Interface Panels.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16F15256T-I/STX is well matched to battery-powered IoT sensor nodes thanks to its eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) sleep modes, factory-calibrated 32 MHz internal oscillator, and integrated 10-bit ADC with PPS-mappable inputs. Typical nodes spend >99% of the time in Sleep and wake periodically to sample a sensor, transmit via EUSART/SPI/I2C, then return to deep sleep - the 15256's nanoWatt sleep current keeps the average system power below the coin-cell battery's self-discharge floor. The 28 KB Flash provides comfortable headroom for IEEE 802.15.4, BLE HCI forwarding, or LoRaWAN stack fragments. Place the device between a CR2032 and a sensor front-end, with a 100 nF decoupling cap adjacent to VDD.
Recommended
Home Automation Controllers
In wall switches, dimmers, and PIR occupancy controllers, the PIC16F15256T-I/STX's two 10-bit PWM channels, two CCP modules, and EUSART peripheral cover typical AC-zero-cross dimming, TRIAC drive, and wireless-MCU host-link tasks. The Windowed Watchdog Timer (WDT) prevents firmware lockup on long-life wall fixtures. PPS lets designers route PWM outputs to convenient pins without board rewiring when schematic changes occur late in the design cycle. With 28 KB Flash and 2 KB SRAM, the part can host small Zigbee/Thread/BLE HCI stacks alongside the application logic.
Recommended
Small DC Motor and Fan Control
The PIC16F15256T-I/STX drives small brushless DC fans and brushed gear-motors using its two 10-bit PWM outputs and Hardware Limit Timer (HLT) for commutation or back-EMF sensing. The 32 MHz core delivers the instruction bandwidth needed for trapezoidal or simple FOC commutation at typical fan speeds up to a few kHz. The integrated 10-bit ADC reads back-EMF, current sense, or tachometer feedback without an external op-amp. For a 12 V / 1 A fan, the device replaces a 32-bit MCU at lower cost and lower active current.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers
LED lighting drivers and RGBW strips use the PIC16F15256T-I/STX as the master controller generating multiple PWM dim channels, reading push-button or capacitive-touch inputs, and driving an I2C LED-driver IC. Two 10-bit PWMs are sufficient for two warm/cool-white channels; combined with PPS, additional PWM instances can be time-multiplexed via timers. The 10-bit ADC monitors LED current via a sense resistor, enabling closed-loop brightness control. XLP sleep reduces standby power to meet Energy Star and EU ecodesign limits on always-on fixtures.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interfaces (4-20 mA / 0-10 V)
The PIC16F15256T-I/STX is widely used as a low-cost analog front-end translator in industrial sensor assemblies, converting 4-20 mA loops or 0-10 V analog signals to digital via its 10-bit ADC. The Windowed Watchdog and HLT protect against field-induced firmware lockups. PPS routes UART and digital I/O for field-bus side channels (RS-485, IO-Link PHY). Industrial temperature range parts in the same family support -40C to +125C installations. Easily replaces larger 32-bit MCUs when deterministic 1 ms sampling is sufficient.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance User-Interface Panels
The PIC16F15256T-I/STX powers user-interface panels in coffee machines, microwaves, and washing machines, driving 7-segment LED or character-LCD displays, scanning matrix keypads, and providing UART links to the main appliance controller. The 28 KB Flash fits rich state-machine firmware, while 2 KB SRAM supports display buffer and key debounce. PWM channels handle buzzer tones and indicator LEDs. With XLP sleep and internal oscillator, the part operates reliably from a non-regulated 5 V rail with a 3.3 V LDO.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F15256T-I/STX — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F15255-I/SP | PIC16F15256-E/SP | PIC16F15254-I/SS | PIC16F15244-I/SS | PIC16F15245T-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) | 28-pin (same family) | 28-pin (same die, ext. temp) | 28-pin SSOP family | 28-pin SSOP family | 28-pin SOIC family |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash | 28 KB | 14 KB | 28 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB |
| SRAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 512 B | 2 KB |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| ADC | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| PWM | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP | XLP | XLP | XLP | XLP | XLP |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash in PIC16F152xx 28-pin family (vs PIC16F15255-I/SP)
- Industrial temperature range with full peripheral set (vs PIC16F15256-E/SP)
- Memory Access Partition (MAP) for bootloader support (vs PIC16F15254-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of VDD (pin 14) and a 1 uF bulk capacitor at the board power entry. The 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) central exposed pad (EP) MUST be soldered to a PCB ground pad of at least the same size with multiple thermal vias to the inner ground plane. This both improves heat dissipation and reduces ground bounce for the ADC reference. Without a properly soldered EP, ADC readings above 10-bit equivalent noise may show 1-2 LSB drift due to die-thermal gradients.
Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) must be configured in firmware before any PPS-mapped peripheral (EUSART, SPI, I2C, PWM, CCP) is enabled. After a device reset, all PPS outputs are tri-stated and all PPS inputs are disabled. Reference the PPS unlock/lock sequence in the PIC16F15256 datasheet; forgetting to unlock PPS is a common cause of 'silent peripheral' debug sessions. Also note that PPS input pins must be set as inputs (TRIS bit set) or signals will not reach the peripheral.
For ultra-low-power Sleep operation, the 10-bit ADC must be disabled (ADCON0.ADON = 0) and comparators turned off before entering Sleep, otherwise bias currents can dominate the Sleep current. The Windowed WDT, if enabled, periodically wakes the part - this is by design but should be accounted for in battery-life calculations. Per the Microchip datasheet, XLP Sleep currents are in the nanoAmpere range when correctly configured; verify with a source-measure unit during characterization.
For accurate 10-bit ADC readings, drive ADC inputs from low-impedance sources (10 kohm or less) and add an external 100 nF ceramic at each analog pin if the source impedance exceeds 10 kohm - the internal ADC sample-and-hold charge injection otherwise produces gain error. Reference voltage stability directly affects absolute accuracy; tie VREF+ to a clean analog supply rail or to VDD through a 10 ohm / 100 nF low-pass filter. Avoid routing digital PWM traces adjacent to analog ADC traces on the top layer.
Compliance Information
Per Microchip product page and datasheet, the part is RoHS compliant and lead-free. AEC-Q100 qualification is not specified for the standard 'I' industrial grade - see PIC16F15256-E/SP for higher-temp industrial. Halogen-free status not stated in retrieved data.
