PIC16LC558-04/P - 8-bit OTP MCU 3.5KB 4MHz 18-DIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC558-04/P ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.87 | $3.87 |
| 10 | $3.48 | $34.80 |
| 100 | $2.79 | $279.00 |
| 500 | $2.34 | $1,170.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.97 | $1,970.00 |
PIC16LC558-04/P Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip integrating a CPU, program memory, data RAM, I/O peripherals, and timers on a single die. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16LC558 sits in the hierarchy: PIC16C-series OTP MCU -> PIC16 family -> 8-bit PIC microcontroller -> Microchip MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. The "L" in the prefix denotes a low-power CMOS variant optimized for battery and energy-constrained designs, while the "C" indicates One-Time-Programmable (rather than UV-erasable) EPROM technology.
Key features include a Harvard RISC architecture with a 14-bit instruction word, single-cycle instruction execution except for branches, a 4MHz oscillator input, an 8-bit timer/counter (TMR0), a Watchdog Timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, Power-on Reset, Brown-out Detection, and In-Circuit Serial Programming™ (ICSP™). The 13 I/O pins support individual direction control, weak pull-ups via OPTION_REG, and direct LED drive capability on PORTA and PORTB. The OTP memory is programmed once via ICSP and cannot be erased, making this part economical for high-volume production where firmware is final.
Typical applications include appliance controls, sensor signal conditioning front-ends, automotive body controllers (non-safety), industrial timers, low-cost remote controls, and small user-interface panels. The 13 I/O pins and 128-byte RAM are sufficient for state-machine-based control loops, simple keypad scanning, and driving multiplexed 7-segment LED or character LCDs without external logic.
When designing with the PIC16LC558-04/P, observe the 4MHz maximum oscillator frequency at 5V (lower at reduced VDD), provide a 100nF decoupling capacitor within 10mm of VDD, and use a bulk 10-100uF capacitor on the supply rail. The 18-pin PDIP footprint is the through-hole industry standard, enabling hand-soldering, breadboard prototyping, and easy firmware rework.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC558-04/P — 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 PIC16LC558-04/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Instruction Cycle Time, Operating Temperature, Timers, Program Memory Size, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LC558-04I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.73 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC558-04E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C558-04/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C558-04I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16CR558-04/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC558-04/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) OTP |
| RAM Size | 128 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Number of I/O Pins | 13 |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Instruction Word Width | 14-bit |
| Number of Timers | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes, with dedicated on-chip RC oscillator |
| Oscillator Type | External crystal/ceramic resonator or RC |
| Brown-out Detect | Yes |
| Power-on Reset | Yes |
| In-Circuit Programming | Yes (ICSP™) |
| Package Type | 18-pin PDIP (0.300", 7.62mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +70°C (commercial) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial |
| Process Technology | CMOS, OTP EPROM |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LC558-04/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — PORTA bit 2 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — PORTA bit 3 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 3 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input (open-drain) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (reset, active low) / ICSP programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (digital I/O, interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (digital I/O, interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — PORTB bit 6 (digital I/O, ICSP clock) |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — PORTB bit 7 (digital I/O, ICSP data) |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (3.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 15 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock out (Fosc/4) |
| Pin 16 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 17 | RA0 — PORTA bit 0 (digital I/O) |
| Pin 18 | RA1 — PORTA bit 1 (digital I/O) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC558-04/P is suitable for 6 applications: Appliance Control Boards, Industrial Timer and Counter Modules, Remote Control Transmitters, Automotive Body Controllers (Non-Safety), Sensor Signal Conditioning Front-Ends, User Interface Panels with LED/LCD.
Appliance Control Boards
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits appliance control boards because its 13 digital I/O pins are sufficient for keypad scanning, relay/SSR drive, and triac interfacing, while the 4MHz RISC core handles simple state-machine firmware in 3.5KB OTP. Brown-out detection and Power-on Reset protect against supply glitches during motor inrush. Placed as the main controller on the user-interface PCB with 100nF decoupling and a 4MHz crystal on OSC1/OSC2, it provides stable low-cost control without external logic. Compared to flash-based PIC16F alternatives, the OTP version lowers per-unit cost at 50K+ volumes.
Recommended
Industrial Timer and Counter Modules
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits industrial timer modules because its 8-bit TMR0 with programmable prescaler handles event counting and elapsed-time measurements without external counters. The Watchdog Timer with dedicated RC oscillator resets the MCU on firmware lockup. Placed on a DIN-rail timer PCB with the 18-pin PDIP footprint, it drives LED indicators directly via PORTB and accepts 24V inputs through resistor dividers on PORTA. Brown-out detection ensures clean restart after power dips common in industrial environments.
Recommended
Remote Control Transmitters
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits IR remote control transmitters because its low-power CMOS 'L' design reduces battery drain and the 13 I/O pins support 4x4 key matrix scanning plus IR LED drive. The 4MHz instruction cycle is fast enough to modulate 38kHz carrier frequencies in software. Placed in a handheld remote with two AAA cells, the Watchdog Timer enables deep sleep via SLEEP instruction to extend battery life. Unlike flash-based alternatives, OTP prevents firmware reverse-engineering of proprietary IR codes.
Recommended
Automotive Body Controllers (Non-Safety)
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits automotive body control modules for lighting, wiper, and accessory timing because its 13 I/O pins handle relay drive and switch inputs directly. Brown-out Detection protects against load-dump voltage transients when paired with an external TVS. Placed in a sealed under-dash enclosure, the 18-pin PDIP withstands vibration better than surface-mount packages. The PIC16LC558-04I/P industrial-temperature variant extends operation to -40C for under-hood mounting zones.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning Front-Ends
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits sensor signal conditioning front-ends because its 8-bit ADC-less design (using comparator + TMR0) measures pulse-width or frequency output sensors like thermistors in RC oscillators. The 13 I/O pins route multiple sensor inputs to a single MCU. Placed between the analog sensor and a higher-level controller, it pre-processes and digitizes signals before UART-style bit-banging transmission. The low-power CMOS design suits battery-powered wireless sensor nodes.
Recommended
User Interface Panels with LED/LCD
The PIC16LC558-04/P fits small user-interface panels because its PORTB 8-bit bus drives multiplexed 7-segment LEDs or character LCDs directly without external drivers. TMR0 generates LCD refresh or LED multiplexing interrupts at precise intervals. Placed as the sole MCU on a control-panel PCB with the 18-pin PDIP footprint, it scans a 3x4 keypad matrix on PORTA and writes display data to PORTB. The 3.5KB OTP holds table-driven menu logic for typical appliance interfaces.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC558-04/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LC558-04I/P | PIC16LC558-04E/P | PIC16C558-04/P | PIC16C558-04I/P | PIC16CR558-04/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 18-PDIP (0.300") | 18-PDIP (0.300") - same | 18-PDIP (0.300") - same | 18-PDIP (0.300") - same | 18-PDIP (0.300") - same | 18-PDIP (0.300") - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB ROM (mask) |
| Memory Type | OTP EPROM (one-time) | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | Mask ROM |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes |
| Max CPU Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial 0C to +70C | Industrial -40C to +85C | Extended -40C to +125C | Commercial 0C to +70C | Industrial -40C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +70C |
Key Differentiators
- True drop-in industrial-temperature upgrade available (vs PIC16LC558-04I/P)
- Low-power CMOS architecture for battery designs (vs PIC16C558-04/P)
- Mask-ROM variant for ultra-high-volume cost reduction (vs PIC16CR558-04/P)
Design Notes
Place a 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor (X7R or X5R) within 10mm of the VDD pin and a bulk 10-100uF electrolytic on the supply rail. The PIC16LC558-04/P can source/sink up to 25mA per I/O pin (200mA total) but the 5V regulator must support the peak load; for relay-driven designs add a flyback diode across each inductive load. The low-power 'L' variant draws approximately 2mA active at 4MHz/5V versus 5mA for the standard 'C' variant, a key advantage in battery designs.
Keep the 4MHz crystal traces short (<10mm) and symmetric, with the load capacitors placed close to OSC1/OSC2. The MCLR pin requires a 10kohm pull-up to VDD and a 100nF capacitor to ground for proper reset; omitting this causes intermittent startup failures. For ICSP programming, route PGD (RB7), PGC (RB6), and MCLR to an in-circuit header or test points to enable field firmware updates before OTP locking.
OTP EPROM cannot be erased - verify firmware on a windowed PIC16C558 UV-erasable emulator before committing code. Brown-out Detect (BOD) and Power-on Reset (POR) must be enabled in the configuration word to prevent code execution at low VDD, which can corrupt EEPROM data and cause latch-up. Do not exceed 4MHz clock at 5V or 1MHz at 3V - the oscillator's internal phase-locked loop fails above these limits.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - the -04I/P and -04E/P variants extend temperature range but are not automotive-qualified; for AEC-Q100 designs use PIC16F88-I/P or PIC16F628A-I/P.
