PIC16F873T-20I/SO - 8-bit PIC MCU, 7KB Flash, 20MHz, 28-SOIC
MPN: PIC16F873T-20I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.94 | $7.94 |
| 10 | $7.15 | $71.50 |
| 100 | $6.36 | $636.00 |
| 500 | $5.72 | $2,860.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.1 | $5,100.00 |
PIC16F873T-20I/SO Overview
A PIC (Peripheral Interface Controller) microcontroller is a family of Harvard-architecture 8-bit RISC microcontrollers originally developed by General Instruments and later popularized by Microchip Technology. PIC MCUs integrate a CPU core, non-volatile Flash program memory, RAM, EEPROM, and a configurable set of peripherals (ADC, timers, communication interfaces) onto a single CMOS die. They sit at the low-power/low-cost edge of the embedded-MCU taxonomy: PIC -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor IC. PIC16F-series devices target mid-range 8-bit applications with instruction counts around 35, balancing code density against deterministic real-time performance.
Key features of the PIC16F873T-20I/SO include the 10-bit ADC with up to 5 input channels, two 16-bit CCP modules providing PWM (max 10-bit resolution), Capture (max resolution 12.5ns at 20MHz), and Compare functions, plus an in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) interface that allows firmware updates without removing the MCU from the board. The Harvard architecture separates program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand read in a single 200ns cycle. The Flash-based program memory supports >1000 erase/write cycles and typical data retention exceeding 40 years, according to Microchip's PIC16F873/4/6/7 datasheet family documentation.
Typical applications for the PIC16F873T-20I/SO span industrial control, sensor interfacing, low-power embedded control, home appliances, automotive body electronics, and consumer white goods. Engineers choose this part for legacy PIC16F87X designs, PICkit-2/PICkit-3 ICD debugging, and applications where code size, peripheral count, and industrial temperature range are more important than raw CPU throughput. Note that Microchip has marked the broader PIC16F87X family as a 'legacy' family - newer designs should evaluate PIC16F1xxx enhanced mid-range or PIC18 alternatives.
When designing with this device, ensure decoupling capacitors (100nF ceramic plus 10uF bulk) are placed within 5mm of VDD/VSS pins and that the MCLR reset pin has the proper pull-up configuration. Designers should also verify that ICSP programming header connections are routed to allow in-circuit firmware updates during development.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F873T-20I/SO — 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 PIC16F873T-20I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Package, Timers, ADC, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F873A-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F873-20I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F873-20/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F873T-20/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F873T-04I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F873T-20I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16F87X |
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC (Harvard) |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 192 bytes |
| EEPROM | 128 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial, 'I') |
| I/O Pins | 22 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 channels |
| Timers | 3 (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2) |
| CCP Modules | 2 x 16-bit Capture/Compare/PWM |
| Serial Interfaces | USART, SSP (SPI master / I2C) |
| Package | 28-pin SOIC Wide (SO, 300mil) |
| Programming Interface | ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F873T-20I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (Reset) input / Programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — Digital I/O / Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O / Analog input 3 / ADC positive reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Digital I/O (open-drain) / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — Digital I/O / Analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator input / External clock input |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator output / Clock output (Fosc/4) |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Digital I/O / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Digital I/O / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O / CCP1 (PWM output) |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Digital I/O / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Digital I/O / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O / SPI data out |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK — Digital I/O / USART TX / USART clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT — Digital I/O / USART RX / USART data |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive power supply |
| Pin 20 | RB0/INT — Digital I/O / External interrupt |
| Pin 21 | RB1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 22 | RB2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 23 | RB3/PGM — Digital I/O / Low-voltage programming |
| Pin 24 | RB4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 25 | RB5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 26 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 27 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O / ICSP data |
| Pin 28 | VSS — Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC16F873T-20I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface and Data Acquisition, Home Appliance Control (White Goods), Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Consumer Electronics and Educational Kits, Low-Power Remote Control and Sensor Nodes, Legacy PIC16F87X Design Maintenance.
Industrial Sensor Interface and Data Acquisition
The PIC16F873T-20I/SO fits industrial sensor interfacing because its 10-bit 5-channel ADC, 22 digital I/O, and -40C to +85C industrial temperature range cover most factory-floor and process-control environments. The 20MHz core delivers 5 MIPS, enough to read multiple analog sensors, run a moving-average filter, and drive a UART to a host PLC at 9600-115200 baud. Industrial use benefits from the PIC16F87X family's mature ICSP support, allowing firmware updates on installed equipment without removing the MCU from the PCB. Power consumption at 5V/20MHz is roughly 13mA, suitable for line-powered or 24V industrial bus rails with a simple LDO.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control (White Goods)
The PIC16F873T-20I/SO is widely used in washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and small kitchen appliances where deterministic real-time control and 5V tolerance matter more than raw throughput. The two 16-bit CCP modules can drive PWM-controlled motor or heater elements with 10-bit resolution, while the USART connects to LED/HMI display boards. The 7KB Flash holds user-interface state machines, and EEPROM stores user settings (program cycles, language, calibration) with >1M erase/write cycles. Industrial temperature grade ensures reliable operation in enclosed appliance chassis where ambient temperatures reach 70C during normal use.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
Body-electronics modules such as interior lighting controllers, seat-position memories, mirror-adjust ECUs, and HVAC blend-door actuators have historically used PIC16F87X family MCUs because of their wide 2.0-5.5V VDD range (compatible with 12V automotive rails after regulation), industrial temperature grade, and robust EEPROM for storing user preferences. While the PIC16F873T-20I/SO is not AEC-Q100 qualified (no automotive-grade variant in this family), the industrial -40C to +85C temperature range covers many non-safety body applications. The 22 I/O pins can drive LEDs, switches, and small relays directly through discrete transistors or driver ICs.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics and Educational Kits
Consumer products, educational microcontroller kits (the PIC16F873 has long been a teaching target), and hobbyist designs benefit from the PIC16F873T-20I/SO's low cost, widely-documented instruction set, and breadboard-friendly 28-SOIC adapter footprint. The 35-instruction RISC architecture is approachable for beginners learning embedded programming, while ICSP support allows repeated program/erase cycles during learning. Tutorials for PIC16F87X family programming are abundant, with many free example projects covering LED blinking, ADC reading, PWM servo control, and I2C peripheral interfacing. This makes it ideal for makers and educators.
Recommended
Low-Power Remote Control and Sensor Nodes
Battery-powered remote controls, wireless sensor endpoints, and small IoT nodes can use the PIC16F873T-20I/SO in sleep-heavy applications, although its power consumption is higher than newer PIC16F1xxx XLP parts. The CCP modules wake the MCU on timer or external interrupts, and the SSP supports SPI/I2C communication with sensor and RF front-end chips. The 7KB Flash holds small protocol stacks, and 128B EEPROM stores calibration and network parameters. Industrial temperature grade ensures outdoor or uncontrolled-environment deployment. For true low-power designs, however, prefer the PIC16F1xxx family with nanoWatt XLP technology.
Recommended
Legacy PIC16F87X Design Maintenance
The most common use of PIC16F873T-20I/SO today is maintaining and supporting legacy PIC16F87X designs already deployed in the field. Many industrial machines, medical instruments, and consumer products shipped in the 2000s-2010s use PIC16F873/4/6/7 silicon, and the original parts remain in production for service replacements. Engineers tasked with repairing or refurbishing such systems can drop in the PIC16F873T-20I/SO directly without PCB modification. Documented firmware binaries from the original manufacturer can be re-flashed via ICSP, restoring equipment to operational status without board rework.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F873T-20I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F873A-I/SO | PIC16F873-20I/SO | PIC16F873-20/SO | PIC16F873T-20/SO | PIC16F873T-04I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) - same | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) - same | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) - same | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) - same | 28-SOIC (SO, 300mil) - same |
| Program Memory | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 4 MHz (-80%) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | 0 C to +70 C (Commercial) | 0 C to +70 C (Commercial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| RAM | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels |
| Carrier Packaging | Tape & Reel ('T') | Tube | Tube | Tube | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature range with tape-and-reel packaging (vs PIC16F873-20I/SO (tube variant))
- Mature silicon with full PIC16F87X-family firmware compatibility (vs PIC16F873A-I/SO (newer A-revision silicon))
- Highest available speed grade in SOIC-28 package (vs PIC16F873T-04I/SO (4MHz speed grade))
Design Notes
Estimated: at 5V VDD and 20MHz the PIC16F873T-20I/SO draws approximately 13mA typical operating current (per Microchip PIC16F87X datasheet electrical characteristics). For robust operation, place a 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5mm of each VDD/VSS pair (the SOIC-28 has two VSS pins at 18 and 28 and one VDD at 19) plus a single 10uF bulk capacitor at the supply input. Use a low-dropout regulator such as MCP1700 for battery or 12V-rail power inputs.
Estimated: route the ICSP programming signals PGD (RB7) and PGC (RB6) to a 6-pin header (or 0.1" pads) that is also accessible during board bring-up so that firmware can be programmed without removing the MCU. Place MCLR pull-up (typically 10k to VDD) and use a Schottky diode (1N5817) between VDD and MCLR if the application requires controlled power-on reset. The 28-SOIC wide package has standard 300mil body width - allow adequate clearance for SOIC clip-style programmers.
The PIC16F873T-20I/SO has been classified by Microchip as a 'legacy' family - design engineers should evaluate PIC16F1xxx enhanced mid-range or PIC18F alternatives for new products. Configuration bits (fuses) must be set correctly: HS oscillator for >4MHz crystal, WDT disabled unless required, and Brown-out Reset enabled for reliable startup. Avoid using analog input pins (RA0-RA5) as digital outputs when ADC is enabled - configure TRISA and ADCON1 registers properly to disable analog on unused pins.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is an industrial-grade (not automotive-grade) MCU. For automotive body-electronics safety applications requiring AEC-Q100, choose PIC18F variants with AEC-Q100 qualification.
