PIC16F876T-20I/SO - 8-Bit 20MHz 14KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F876T-20I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.45 | $6.45 |
| 10 | $5.78 | $57.80 |
| 100 | $5.12 | $512.00 |
| 500 | $4.5 | $2,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.95 | $3,950.00 |
PIC16F876T-20I/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU, non-volatile program memory, RAM, peripherals, and I/O. The PIC16F876 belongs to Microchip's mid-range PIC16 family, which sits hierarchically under 8-bit microcontroller -> RISC microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor. The mid-range core delivers deterministic, single-cycle instruction execution with a small, easy-to-learn 35-instruction set, making the family popular in industrial control, consumer, and automotive body-electronics designs.
Key features of the PIC16F876T-20I/SO include 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels, a USART for asynchronous/synchronous serial, an MSSP module supporting SPI and I2C (master/slave), two 8-bit timers plus one 16-bit timer, a Watchdog Timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, and dual analog comparators. The instruction set is fully upwards compatible with PIC12Cxxx, PIC16C5x, and PIC16C7x devices, allowing firmware reuse across the family.
Architecturally, the PIC16F876 uses a Harvard RISC core with separate program and data buses and a 14-bit instruction word. The wide-body SOIC package supports industrial -40C to +85C operating range, and Microchip's nanoWatt features provide power-managed idle and sleep modes for battery-friendly designs. Per Microchip's product page, Microchip recommends migrating new designs to the PIC16F886, which offers more memory and peripherals at a similar price point.
Typical applications include sensor interfaces with on-chip ADC, low-cost motor-control loops using the comparators and PWM timers, and serial-display or EEPROM front-ends via I2C/SPI. The wide SOIC-28 footprint is breadboard-friendly, simplifying prototyping.
When migrating firmware, note that the 20I suffix denotes 20 MHz, industrial temperature, and the SO package - all important to verify before substituting another PIC16F87x variant. The T suffix on PIC16F876T indicates tape-and-reel packaging, otherwise pin- and code-compatible with the tube-packaged PIC16F876-20I/SO.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F876T-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 PIC16F876T-20I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Timers, Operating Temperature, Serial Interfaces.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F876-20I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F876T-10E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F876T-04E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F886-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F873T-20I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F876A-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F876T-20I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory | 14 KB FLASH (8K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 368 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions, mid-range |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns at 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 22 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 8 channels |
| Timers | 2 x 8-bit + 1 x 16-bit |
| Communication | USART, MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes, with dedicated RC oscillator |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin SOIC (SO), wide body |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F876T-20I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear (reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / ADC input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / ADC input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — PORTA bit 2 / ADC input 2 / ADC VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / ADC input 3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C1OUT — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock / Comparator 1 output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS/C2OUT — PORTA bit 5 / ADC input 4 / SPI slave select / Comparator 2 output |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKI — Crystal oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKO — Crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / Capture/Compare/PWM 2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / Capture/Compare/PWM 1 |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / USART TX / USART clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART RX / USART data |
| Pin 18 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 19 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 20 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 21 | RB3/PGM — PORTB bit 3 / ICSP low-voltage programming |
| Pin 22 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 23 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 24 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 25 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 26 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 27 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 28 | RE2/CS — PORTE bit 2 / chip select (Note: F876 has limited PORTE; consult datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F876T-20I/SO is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface, Small Motor Control (Brushed DC / Stepper), Consumer Appliance Control Panel, Automotive Body Electronics (Legacy), Battery-Powered Data Logger, I2C/SPI Peripheral Front-End, Educational / Hobbyist Development Boards.
Industrial Sensor Interface
The PIC16F876T-20I/SO is well-suited to industrial sensor-interface boards where its 10-bit ADC (up to 8 channels), 22 digital I/O, and 2 analog comparators let one chip read multiple analog transducers and drive relays or optocouplers. The 14 KB FLASH and 256-byte EEPROM hold calibration coefficients that persist through power cycles. Industrial -40C to +85C rating plus 20 MHz core leave enough headroom for moving-average filters and linearization firmware.
Recommended
Small Motor Control (Brushed DC / Stepper)
For low-power brushed DC or unipolar stepper control, the PIC16F876T-20I/SO provides two 8-bit timers plus one 16-bit timer that can generate PWM into the 22 I/O pins, while the analog comparators close the loop on back-EMF sensing. The 200 ns instruction execution allows 20 kHz PWM with CPU headroom for acceleration ramps. Its 2.0-5.5 V supply range matches directly driven half-bridges or small L293D-style drivers.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Panel
The PIC16F876T-20I/SO fits consumer appliance control panels - washing machines, microwaves, HVAC thermostats - where its USART drives a serial display, MSSP talks I2C to a real-time clock and EEPROM, and the 10-bit ADC reads thermistors or potentiometers. The mid-range PIC16 35-instruction set keeps firmware small enough to fit 14 KB FLASH, while nanoWatt sleep modes drop quiescent current to microamp levels for standby.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Legacy)
Although Microchip recommends PIC16F886 for new automotive designs, the PIC16F876T-20I/SO continues to serve in legacy body-electronics modules such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, and lighting drivers. Its 22 I/O drive small MOSFETs directly, and the MSSP/SPI port links to external CAN or LIN transceivers. Industrial -40C to +85C and 5 V tolerance cover under-dash thermal environments; AEC-Q100 qualification is not claimed on this part.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Data Logger
For a battery-powered sensor logger the PIC16F876T-20I/SO combines a 2.0 V minimum supply, low nanoWatt sleep current, and on-chip 256-byte EEPROM to retain calibration through sleep. The 10-bit ADC samples once per second and stores averages in the 368-byte RAM buffer for later SPI dump. With a 3 V coin cell the part can run months in sleep between wake-ups driven by the WDT or an external interrupt.
Recommended
I2C/SPI Peripheral Front-End
In I2C/SPI bridge designs the PIC16F876T-20I/SO acts as a flexible front-end MCU that aggregates sensor inputs and exposes them over USART to a host processor. The MSSP module supports both I2C master/slave and SPI master/slave simultaneously with separate pins, and 14 KB FLASH accommodates command parsers and protocol stacks. Its 20 MHz throughput keeps SPI bit-banging viable at 5 MHz when MSSP bandwidth is saturated.
Recommended
Educational / Hobbyist Development Boards
The PIC16F876T-20I/SO's wide-body 28-SOIC is breadboard-friendly, and its popularity in legacy Microchip PICkit 2/3 development kits makes it ideal for university coursework and hobbyist projects. Students learn the 35-instruction mid-range set, ICSP in-circuit programming, and peripheral configuration without the cost of a modern 32-bit MCU. The 20 MHz clock supports real-time control demos, and Microchip's MPLAB X IDE provides free tooling.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F876T-20I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F876-20I/SO | PIC16F886-I/SO | PIC16F873T-20I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SOIC (wide) | 28-SOIC (wide) - same | 28-SOIC (wide) - same | 28-SOIC (wide) - same |
| Max Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Program FLASH | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB |
| RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 192 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 8 channels | 11-bit, 11 channels (enhanced) | None |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 22 | 28 | 22 |
| 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 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature rating plus Microchip PIC16 mid-range 35-instruction core (vs PIC16F873T-20I/SO)
- Microchip's officially recommended successor is pin-compatible (vs PIC16F886-I/SO)
- Tape-and-reel packaging for high-volume SMT (vs PIC16F876-20I/SO)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 20 MHz and 5 V, the PIC16F876T-20I/SO draws roughly 10-15 mA active. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD (pin 28) and a 10 uF bulk capacitor on the board supply rail. For battery operation, use nanoWatt SLEEP mode and wake via WDT or external interrupt; quiescent current drops to a few microamps, enabling months of life from a 3 V coin cell.
Configure unused I/O pins as outputs (not inputs) to avoid floating-pin shoot-through current and ESD susceptibility. The MCLR pin (pin 1) requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; do not leave it floating, as the device will reset randomly. If ICSP is used, add a series resistor or diode on the MCLR/VPP line to allow 13 V injection without back-driving the 5 V rail.
Place the crystal or resonator within 10 mm of pins 8-9 (OSC1/OSC2) and route the oscillator traces over a continuous ground pour. Keep switching signals (PWM outputs, relay drivers) at least 5 mm away from the oscillator to avoid coupling into the 20 MHz clock. The 28-SOIC wide-body package has a thermal pad on the underside of the die flag - solder it to a moderate copper pour to improve heat dissipation by roughly 20%.
When using the MSSP in I2C mode, install 4.7 kohm pull-ups on RC3/SCL and RC4/SDA even if the peripheral datasheet allows internal weak pull-ups - the internal pull-ups are too weak for reliable 400 kHz Fast Mode. For SPI at 5 MHz the clock trace should be no longer than 50 mm and have a series 33 ohm resistor near the master pin to dampen reflections on multi-slave buses.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 qualification is not claimed for this industrial-grade part - choose AEC-Q100-qualified PIC variants for automotive safety-critical applications.
