PIC16F57-E/SP - 8-Bit 20MHz 3KB Flash MCU 28-SPDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F57-E/SP β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.95 | $2.95 |
| 10 | $2.62 | $26.20 |
| 100 | $2.18 | $218.00 |
| 500 | $1.84 | $920.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.61 | $1,610.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.42 | $4,260.00 |
PIC16F57-E/SP Overview
The PIC16F57 belongs to the PIC10/16/18 family of 8-bit microcontrollers, the workhorse category of Microcontrollers > 8-bit MCUs > baseline PIC16 within the broader microcontroller taxonomy (MCU β 8-bit MCU β embedded controller β semiconductor). The family offers 12-bit-wide instructions, 2:1 code compression relative to legacy 8-bit CISC competitors, an 8-level hardware stack, a 2 K x 12 Flash program counter, and a watchdog timer with its own on-chip oscillator for safety-critical applications. Compared with newer PIC16F1xxx parts, the PIC16F57 omits peripherals such as ADC, PWM, EUSART, and interrupt controller to keep silicon cost minimal - it is intentionally targeted at glue logic replacement, encoder/decoder pairings, and low-cost state-machine duties.
Key features include 3 KB (2048 words) of self-programmable Flash, 72 bytes of general-purpose RAM, 20 digital I/O lines with individual direction control, a programmable prescaler for the TMR0 8-bit timer, and a power-on reset / power-up timer / brown-out reset that holds the core in reset until VDD reaches a valid level. The 28-SPDIP package is the legacy through-hole format preferred for hobbyist, education, and breadboard-friendly designs, lending itself to manual rework and socketed prototyping. The /SP suffix matches Microchip's standard 28-pin 0.300 inch PDIP outline shared across PIC16 and PIC18 midrange families, easing PCB reuse between DIP-line projects.
Typical applications include automotive relay and lamp drivers, appliance user-interface encoders, sensor-to-relay glue logic, low-cost remote-control transmitters, security keypads, LED chasers, and educational microcontroller labs. Designers also deploy it as a low-cost companion controller in larger systems where the main processor is starved of GPIO or where a deterministic 200 ns instruction cycle out-performs an interpreted state machine.
For reliable operation, place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin and a 10-100 Β΅F bulk reservoir at the board supply input; maintainer the MCLR pin tied to VDD through a 10 kΞ© pull-up with a 100 nF cap for clean reset behaviour; oscillator traces should be kept short and guarded with a ground ring to keep external clock or crystal signals clean.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F57-E/SP 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 PIC16F57-E/SP (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Timers, Watchdog Timer, Package, RoHS Status, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F57-I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F57-E/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F57T-I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54-I/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C57-10/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F57-E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | 8-bit PIC16 RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3 KB (2 K x 12 words) |
| RAM | 72 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | Not present |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns @ 20 MHz |
| Instruction Set Size | 33 single-word instructions |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 20 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit TMR0 with programmable prescaler |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (with dedicated on-chip oscillator) |
| ADC | None (digital-only MCU) |
| Operating Temperature (E grade) | -40 C to +125 C |
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 in, 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F57-E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 (also T0CKI timer input) |
| Pin 2 | RA3 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RA4 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 4 (open-drain option) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR/VPP β Master Clear reset input / programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0/INT β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 (external interrupt input) |
| Pin 7 | RB1 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 (ICSP clock) |
| Pin 13 | RB7 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 (ICSP data) |
| Pin 14 | VSS β Ground reference (also VSS for core) |
| Pin 15 | OSC2 β Oscillator output (crystal/RC) |
| Pin 16 | OSC1 β Oscillator input (crystal/RC/external clock) |
| Pin 17 | RA0 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RA5 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 5 |
| Pin 20 | RC0 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 21 | RC1 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 22 | RC2 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 2 |
| Pin 23 | RC3 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 24 | RC4 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 25 | RC5 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 26 | RC6 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 27 | RC7 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 28 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (2.0V to 5.5V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F57-E/SP is suitable for 7 applications: Automotive Relay and Lamp Driver, Appliance User Interface Encoder, Sensor-to-Relay Glue Logic Replacement, LED Chaser and Lighting Controller, Security Keypad and Access Control, Educational Microcontroller Trainer, Industrial Sensor Multiplexer Controller.
Automotive Relay and Lamp Driver
The PIC16F57-E/SP extended temperature grade (-40 C to +125 C) and 20 strong digital I/O lines make it a robust choice for automotive relay coil drivers, lamp banks, and indicator modules. Its 200 ns deterministic instruction cycle ensures worst-case control-loop latency of ~20 microseconds per loop, well within automotive relay de-bounce timing windows. The 3 KB Flash holds typical relay-pattern firmware (blinkers, hazard lights, DRL logic), while its small 28-SPDIP footprint drops directly into legacy automotive PCB layouts where 5 V logic is used. The built-in watchdog timer with its own on-chip oscillator provides the fail-safe behaviour required by AEC-Q100 automotive electronics, though the PIC16F57-E/SP itself is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified (use the PIC16F57-H/SP hash variant if formal automotive qualification is mandatory).
Recommended
Appliance User Interface Encoder
White-goods appliance keyboards, washing-machine pushbutton matrices, and microwave oven keypads benefit from the PIC16F57-E/SP's 20 I/O pins which natively drive a 4x4 matrix keypad without external multiplexing logic. The 33 single-word instructions are easy to code in assembly for cost-sensitive high-volume appliance production, and the Flash self-programmability enables end-of-line firmware calibration. Combined with the TMR0 8-bit timer and watchdog, the device debounces key presses and times out unattended input reliably. The extended temperature grade supports the +85 C ambient found inside unventilated appliance enclosures, while the 5 V I/O tolerance is required to drive LED indicators directly without level shifters.
Recommended
Sensor-to-Relay Glue Logic Replacement
When a system-on-chip or main processor has too few GPIOs, the PIC16F57-E/SP serves as a dedicated I/O expander that takes sensor inputs (limit switches, thermistors via simple RC timing, optical interrupters) and produces relay/H-bridge outputs. The 20 MHz clock and 200 ns instruction execution let it poll up to eight sensor inputs at 1 kHz while running a 200-step decision state machine - replacing multiple discrete 74HC gates or a CMOS PLD with a single 28-pin SPDIP. The watchdog timer resets the controller if firmware hangs, critical for unattended industrial equipment where latch-up is unacceptable. Operating from 2.0 V to 5.5 V, it tolerates battery droop on solar-powered remote sensor nodes.
Recommended
LED Chaser and Lighting Controller
LED chasers, marquee displays, and decorative lighting strips use the PIC16F57-E/SP's 20 outputs to drive up to 20 LED channels through MOSFET drivers, sequencing animations stored in the 3 KB Flash. The 200 ns instruction execution yields fluid 50 fps animation update when driving 16-bit PWM via bit-banging (TMR0 ISR is not available on baseline PIC16F5X, so PWM is generated in software). The 72 bytes RAM is sufficient for animation frame buffers and per-channel intensity lookup tables. The 28-SPDIP package makes hand-soldered prototyping of large display rigs feasible for theatrical lighting and event installations where through-hole parts are preferred for repairability.
Recommended
Security Keypad and Access Control
Alarm keypads and access-control pin pads benefit from the PIC16F57-E/SP's deterministic instruction cycle, which resists timing-attack code-emulation attempts. The 33 single-word instructions are easy to audit for cryptographic weakness review, and the Flash self-programming allows secure key-zeroing on tamper events via the watchdog-triggered reset. A 4x4 matrix keypad is wired directly to 8 I/O pins leaving 12 spare for status LEDs, buzzer, and lock-driver relay. The 5 V I/O tolerance lets the controller directly drive small buzzer drivers without external transistors. Extended temperature grade suits outdoor or unheated storage environments, and the small SPDIP footprint fits behind a keypad faceplate.
Recommended
Educational Microcontroller Trainer
Universities and makerspaces teach introductory embedded systems with the PIC16F57-E/SP because its 33-instruction baseline RISC ISA, 28-SPDIP through-hole package, and breadboard-friendly footprint make it the minimum viable teaching MCU. Students can hand-solder the part, drop it into a socket, and debug with a Microchip PICkit starter board. The 3 KB Flash holds the entire assignment set for a semester course, and the 72 bytes RAM teaches the realities of constrained memory budgeting - not the artificial 32 KB SRAM seen on Cortex-M boards. The 20 MHz clock lets students observe real-time instruction cycles on a logic analyser, reinforcing the connection between C statements and assembly-level behaviour.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Multiplexer Controller
Modbus or RS-485 multidrop sensor networks use a PIC16F57-E/SP as the front-end multiplexer controller, time-slotting eight analog or digital sensor channels onto a single serial link. Although the device lacks an on-chip UART, the TMR0 plus bit-banged software UART implement 2400/4800/9600 baud cleanly enough for low-speed Modbus RTU. Its watchdog timer prevents silent hangs on industrial bus faults. The 20 MHz clock provides deterministic 200 ns instruction cycle for precise timing of bus arbitration. The 28-SPDIP through-hole package eases assembly on legacy industrial backplanes where surface-mount is undesirable, while the extended temperature grade suits factory-floor ambience.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F57-E/SP β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F57-I/SP | PIC16F57-E/SO | PIC16F57T-I/SP | PIC16F54-I/P | PIC16C57-10/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SPDIP | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same |
| Program Memory (Flash/ROM) | 3 KB Flash | 3 KB Flash | 3 KB Flash | 3 KB Flash | 768 bytes Flash (-74%) | 2 KB OTP/ROM (-33%) |
| RAM | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 25 bytes (-65%) | 72 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 10 MHz (-50%) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 6.0 V (wider) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +85 C (I) | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +85 C (I) | -40 C to +85 C (I) | -40 C to +85 C (I) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ICSP Programming Pins | RB6/RB7 | RB6/RB7 - same | RB6/RB7 - same | RB6/RB7 - same | RB6/RB7 - same | RB6/RB7 - same |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial-extended temperature grade (-40C to +125C) - covers automotive under-hood (vs PIC16F57-I/SP)
- Largest Flash memory in 28-SPDIP PIC16F5X baseline family (vs PIC16F54-I/P)
- Flash (self-programmable) vs OTP/ROM on legacy PIC16C57 (vs PIC16C57-10/SP)
- 28-SPDIP through-hole packaging for breadboard/socket compatibility (vs PIC16F57-E/SO)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor (X7R ceramic, 0.1 inch pitch) within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 28) and a 10 Β΅F bulk reservoir at the board power entry. The PIC16F57-E/SP draws less than 2 mA active and 1 Β΅A typical sleep at 5 V, so the bulk cap can be small; run separate analog and digital ground returns if the board hosts any analog sensor front-ends. Use a ferrite bead in series with VDD if the board shares the same supply as a switching regulator or relay coils to suppress conducted noise entering the oscillator circuit.
The 28-SPDIP footprint is identical to PIC16F54, PIC16F72, PIC16F73, PIC16F74, PIC16F76, PIC16F77, PIC16F83/84, PIC16F873/4/6/7, and PIC16F882/883/884/886/887. Designers can therefore reuse one PCB footprint across product variants for cost-engineered SKUs. Keep the MCLR pull-up to VDD through a 10 kΞ© resistor with a parallel 100 nF cap to ground for clean reset behaviour during power-up and brown-out events.
The PIC16F57-E/SP has NO hardware interrupt controller, NO on-chip ADC, NO PWM, NO UART/SPI/I2C peripherals - all serial and timing functions must be bit-banged in software. Many engineers mistakenly assume baseline PIC16F5X parts behave like mid-range PIC16F1xxx; verify peripheral availability against the actual datasheet before committing to the device. Additionally, the 33-instruction set is non-IEEE-compliant (no NEG, no SUBLW with carry, no extended arithmetic), and porting source code from PIC16F1xxx often requires rework of arithmetic idioms.
If the design uses an external crystal or ceramic resonator on OSC1/OSC2 (pins 15-16), keep the trace loop below 5 mm in length and surround both traces with a grounded guard ring to prevent digital switching noise from coupling into the oscillator. For RC-oscillator mode, place the capacitor at pin 16 (OSC1) as close as possible with the resistor to VDD to minimise parasitic capacitance. If using the internal 4 MHz RC oscillator, leave OSC1 floating or tie to GND per datasheet, and OSC2 may be used as a general-purpose I/O bit (RA6-equivalent) on similar parts; verify against this device's datasheet before repurposing the pin.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. 28-SPDIP variant is lead-free / Pb-free; verified by Microchip environmental certification document. AEC-Q100 not qualified (use PIC16F18456T-I/SP for AEC-Q100 qualified automotive MCU).
