PIC16F1574-E/ST - 8-bit MCU, 7KB Flash, 4x 16-bit PWM | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F1574-E/ST ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.51 | $1.51 |
| 10 | $1.36 | $13.60 |
| 100 | $1.22 | $122.00 |
| 500 | $1.1 | $550.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.98 | $980.00 |
PIC16F1574-E/ST Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, RAM, non-volatile program memory, and peripherals such as timers, ADCs, and communication interfaces. The PIC16F1574 sits in the 8-bit mid-range tier of Microchip's product hierarchy: 8-bit MCU -> PIC microcontroller -> PIC16 family -> enhanced mid-range core -> microcontroller IC -> semiconductor. It targets cost-sensitive embedded applications requiring precision PWM control beyond what 10-bit timers provide.
Key features include 4x hardware 16-bit PWM outputs ideal for high-resolution LED dimming, motor control, and digital power conversion; a 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2) supporting averaging and threshold comparison to offload the CPU; Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) that implement combinational/sequential logic in hardware; and Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that handle tasks without CPU intervention. The 14-pin TSSOP footprint makes it one of the smallest PIC16 parts with 16-bit PWM capability.
The PIC16F1574 uses Microchip's enhanced mid-range 8-bit core with a 14-bit instruction word, supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via two pins, and operates from 1.8 V to 5.5 V across an industrial -40 °C to +125 °C temperature range (the -E suffix indicates extended temperature). Internal oscillator options up to 32 MHz eliminate the need for external crystals in cost-sensitive designs.
Typical applications include LED lighting drivers requiring high-resolution dimming, BLDC motor control loops, battery chargers using PWM-based regulation, and consumer appliances needing multiple PWM channels. The combination of 16-bit PWM, CWG, and CLC enables fan controllers and small-format power converters in compact form factors.
When designing with this device, ensure the ICSP programming pins (ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT) are isolated from application circuitry to avoid contention during programming. The CLC, CWG, and PWM peripherals can be linked in hardware before the CPU wakes, reducing firmware complexity and enabling deterministic latency for safety-critical or timing-sensitive loops.
This page synthesizes verified distributor pricing, parametric drop-in alternatives, and practical design considerations that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers shorten the BOM selection and qualification cycle for new designs.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F1574-E/ST — 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 PIC16F1574-E/ST (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, ADC, Program Memory (Flash), Data EEPROM, I/O Pins.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1574-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.76 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1503-E/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1455-E/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15324-E/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15225-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1574-E/ST
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1574-E/ST Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16 enhanced mid-range 8-bit |
| Instruction Word | 14-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 128 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz (125 ns instruction cycle) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended, -E grade) |
| 16-bit PWM Channels | 4 |
| 10-bit ADC | 8 channels |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 |
| Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) | 1 |
| Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) | Yes |
| Package | 14-TSSOP (4.40 mm body width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Programming Interface | ICSP (2-wire) |
PIC16F1574-E/ST Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/AN3/Vref+/MCLR — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 3; voltage reference positive; Master Clear reset (active low) |
| Pin 2 | RA4/AN4 — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 4 |
| Pin 3 | RA5/T1CKI/PWM4/CLCIN3 — Bidirectional I/O; Timer1 clock input; PWM4 output; CLC input 3 |
| Pin 4 | RA0/AN0/ICSPDAT — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 0; ICSP data |
| Pin 5 | RA1/AN1/ICSPCLK — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 1; ICSP clock |
| Pin 6 | RA2/AN2 — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 2 |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RA7/CLKOUT — Bidirectional I/O; Fosc/4 clock output |
| Pin 9 | RA6/OSC2/CLKR — Bidirectional I/O; crystal oscillator output; clock reference output |
| Pin 10 | RC0/PWM1 — Bidirectional I/O; PWM1 output |
| Pin 11 | RC1/PWM2 — Bidirectional I/O; PWM2 output |
| Pin 12 | RC2/AN6/PWM3 — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 6; PWM3 output |
| Pin 13 | RC3/AN7/PWM4 — Bidirectional I/O; analog input 7; PWM4 output |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F1574-E/ST is suitable for 6 applications: High-Resolution LED Lighting Dimming, BLDC / Small DC Motor Control, Battery Chargers and DC-DC Converters, Consumer Appliance Control Panels, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, IoT Edge Devices (Wired / Sensor Hubs).
High-Resolution LED Lighting Dimming
The PIC16F1574-E/ST is a strong fit for high-resolution LED lighting controllers because its four hardware 16-bit PWM channels deliver 0.0015% duty-cycle step at 32 MHz / 1:1 prescaler, far exceeding the 0.1% resolution of 10-bit PWM. Designers can use one PWM per channel (RGBW or RGBA) and tie the CWG to drive external half-bridges for high-current strings. The CLC peripheral implements safety blanking in hardware without CPU load, enabling smooth dim-to-off warm-dim curves that meet NEMA SSL-6/NEMA 4 quality criteria.
Recommended
BLDC / Small DC Motor Control
The PIC16F1574's 4x 16-bit PWMs and on-chip Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) let one 14-pin MCU drive a full three-phase BLDC bridge or a single H-bridge for brushed DC motors. The 32 MHz core executes the commutation loop in well under 1 µs, and the 10-bit ADC samples back-EMF or current sense for sensorless or closed-loop torque control. Unlike parts that require an external gate driver, the CWG outputs can be routed to MCP15xx gate drivers, shrinking the BOM to three ICs total.
Recommended
Battery Chargers and DC-DC Converters
PIC16F1574-E/ST is suited for small-format battery chargers and digital DC-DC converters because the high-resolution 16-bit PWM enables precise current/voltage regulation critical for lithium-ion CC/CV profiles. The 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply range lets the MCU monitor cells directly via internal 1.024 V reference and 10-bit ADC. CLCs build fault protection (OVP/OCP latch logic) in hardware before software runs, reducing MTTR for fault events. A typical 4-stage Li-ion charger fits in less than 4 KB of code.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Panels
Consumer appliance user-interface boards benefit from PIC16F1574-E/ST because the 14-pin TSSOP integrates PWM (buzzer tone), ADC (keypad matrix scan via resistive divider), EUSART (display link), and CLCs (capacitive touch comparator). With 7 KB Flash and 512 bytes RAM, application logic plus a tiny RTOS fits comfortably. The extended -40 °C to +125 °C grade handles oven, dishwasher, and washing-machine control panel environments where commercial-grade parts would degrade.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
Industrial 4-20 mA loop sensors and bridge-based transducers use PIC16F1574-E/ST to digitize analog signals with the 10-bit ADC, perform linearization in firmware, and output PWM or UART scaled values. The CLC blocks let designers build window comparators and debouncers in hardware, offloading the CPU for safety response. AEC-style temperature hardening and a robust 5.5 V max supply tolerate 24 V industrial rails after external resistive dividers. CWG drives isolated 4-20 mA loops using a single external MOSFET.
Recommended
IoT Edge Devices (Wired / Sensor Hubs)
For wired IoT edge devices and sensor hubs, PIC16F1574-E/ST provides 16-bit PWM (servo/actuator drive), 10-bit ADC (multi-sensor aggregation), and EUSART/MSSP (UART + I2C/SPI sensor expansion) without the BOM cost of higher-end MCUs. The nanoWatt XLP sleep modes drop current consumption to under 1 µA, enabling battery-powered edge nodes that wake periodically, sample, and report. CLCs pre-process sensor data in hardware before the CPU wakes, extending battery life by 2-4x versus pure-firmware approaches.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F1574-E/ST — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1574-I/ST | PIC16F1503-E/ST | PIC16F1455-E/ST | PIC16F15324-E/ST | PIC16LF1574-E/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 14-TSSOP | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 7 KB | 7 KB | 3.5 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB |
| RAM | 512 B | 512 B | 128 B | 1 KB | 512 B | 512 B |
| 16-bit PWM Channels | 4 | 4 | 0 (10-bit only) | 0 (10-bit only) | 2 | 4 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| USB | No | No | No | Yes (USB 2.0 FS) | No | No |
| CLC (Configurable Logic Cells) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C |
| Approx. Unit Price (USD, 1k qty) | 0.98 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 1.20 | 1.05 | 1.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Four hardware 16-bit PWM channels in a 14-pin package (vs PIC16F1503-E/ST)
- Integrated Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) and Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) (vs PIC16F1455-E/ST)
- Extended -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade as standard option (vs PIC16F1574-I/ST)
- Higher Flash density than closest 14-pin CWG-equipped competitors (vs PIC16F1455-E/ST)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to VDD pin 14 with a short ground return to VSS pin 7. Add a 10 µF bulk capacitor on the same rail if the PIC16F1574-E/ST drives switching loads. Keep the ICSP programming pins (RA0/ICSPDAT, RA1/ICSPCLK) accessible - either through test pads or a 6-pin header footprint - because in-circuit programming is the recommended firmware update path. Avoid routing high-frequency signals near the ICSP pins to prevent programming glitches.
Do not leave the MCLR pin (RA3/pin 1) floating. Microchip PIC MCUs require either a pull-up to VDD or a dedicated reset circuit; an unconnected MCLR can cause intermittent brown-out behavior. If unused, RA3 can be configured as MCLR with the internal weak pull-up enabled, but an external 10 kΩ pull-up to VDD is the most reliable practice. Similarly, all unused I/O pins should be configured as outputs low (never left as inputs floating) to minimize sleep current.
For battery-powered designs, take advantage of the nanoWatt XLP sleep modes. With Sleep current below 1 µA and multiple wake sources (WDT, IOC, RTCC), a typical sensor node achieves multi-year battery life on 2x AA cells. Always use the internal 32 kHz LFINTOSC for Sleep-period timing instead of running the 32 MHz HFINTOSC, since the HF oscillator contributes microamps even when not driving the system clock. Disable unused peripherals in firmware (PMDx registers) before Sleep.
When routing the PWM outputs (RC0/RC1/RC2/RC3) to gate drivers or MOSFET gates, keep traces short and add a 33 Ω series gate resistor to dampen ringing. For complementary drive via the CWG, ensure the dead-time control is non-zero (at least 50 ns) to prevent shoot-through. The CLC peripheral can implement hardware blanking that masks PWM glitches during switching transitions, but ensure the CLC source clock is the HFINTOSC (not the LFINTOSC) to avoid timing jitter.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product declaration. Lead-free matte-tin TSSOP finish. AEC-Q100 not applicable (consumer/industrial MCU, not automotive-qualified by default; PIC16F1574-E/ST extended temp grade handles industrial ranges).
