PIC16LC57C-04/SP - 8-Bit 4MHz OTP MCU, 3KB | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC57C-04/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.45 | $3.45 |
| 10 | $3.1 | $31.00 |
| 100 | $2.75 | $275.00 |
| 500 | $2.4 | $1,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.05 | $2,050.00 |
PIC16LC57C-04/SP Overview
What is an 8-bit OTP microcontroller? An 8-bit OTP (One-Time Programmable) microcontroller is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path with non-volatile program memory that can be written exactly once after manufacture. OTPs sit in the broader taxonomy: microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor -> integrated circuit. They are widely used in cost-sensitive, high-volume applications where the firmware is finalized before production and field reprogramming is not required. The PIC16LC57C-04/SP specifically belongs to the PIC16C5X baseline family, which uses 12-bit-wide instructions and is the entry tier in Microchip's PIC portfolio.
Key features include a 100 ns instruction cycle at 4 MHz oscillator input, direct/indirect/relative addressing for data and instructions, seven or eight special function hardware registers, and a watchdog timer. The low-voltage LC designation distinguishes it from the standard PIC16C57C (4.0V to 6.0V) by extending operation down to 3.0V, enabling battery-powered designs. The part supports 12-bit wide instruction words, providing 2:1 code compression versus competing 8-bit architectures in the same class.
The PIC16LC57C-04/SP uses a Harvard bus architecture with separate program and data memories, which allows instruction fetch and operand access to occur in the same cycle. This contributes to its deterministic 4 MHz / 100 ns per-instruction performance and predictable interrupt-free timing. The two-level hardware stack limits nested subroutines but simplifies the core, reducing silicon cost.
Typical applications include consumer appliances (remote controls, toys, small kitchen appliances), low-end industrial control (sensor interfaces, simple motor drivers), automotive body electronics (interior lighting, seat controllers), and battery-powered instruments. The wide 3.0V-6.25V operating range makes it suitable for both 3.3V and 5V rails, while the 20 I/O pins provide ample connectivity for typical peripheral sets.
When designing with the PIC16LC57C-04/SP, remember that OTP memory is one-time programmable - any firmware bug requires physical replacement of the chip. Engineers should fully validate firmware on a windowed CERDIP prototype (PIC16C57C-04/JW) before committing to OTP production units. The two-level hardware stack also requires careful assembly programming to avoid deep call nesting.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found on the manufacturer datasheet alone, giving procurement and engineering teams a single reference for sourcing and substituting this mature PIC16C5X baseline MCU.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC57C-04/SP — 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 PIC16LC57C-04/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory Type, Watchdog Timer, Program Memory Size, RAM Size, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C57C-04/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F57-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C57C-04/JW
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C56A-04/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC54C-04I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.31 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC57C-04/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Family | PIC16C5X baseline |
| Data Bus Width | 8 bit |
| Instruction Word Width | 12 bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 1000 ns @ 4 MHz (4 x Tosc) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 3 KB (2K x 12) |
| RAM Size | 72 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 20 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) |
| Hardware Stack Levels | 2 |
| Number of Instructions | 33 |
| Supply Voltage (LC variant) | 3.0 V to 6.25 V |
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Pin Count | 28 |
PIC16LC57C-04/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RA4/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master clear (reset) input, active low |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 15 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 16 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 17 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 2 |
| Pin 18 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 19 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 20 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 21 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 22 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 23 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 24 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 25 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock out |
| Pin 26 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock |
| Pin 27 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC57C-04/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Consumer Remote Controls, Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Small Appliance Control (Coffee Makers, Toasters), Automotive Body Electronics (Interior Lighting, Seat Controllers), Toys and Educational Electronics, Industrial Sensor Interface Modules.
Consumer Remote Controls
The PIC16LC57C-04/SP is well suited for handheld infrared remote controls due to its 3.0V-6.25V operating range that supports 3V coin-cell or 2xAA battery packs directly. Its 20 I/O pins easily drive a keypad matrix (4x4 = 8 lines) plus IR LED, status LED, and wake-up button. The 3 KB OTP holds complete RC5/RC6 or NEC protocol encoders with key-repeat logic. Compared to flash MCUs, OTP keeps unit cost below $3 at qty-1000, critical for mass-market consumer SKUs.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
For low-duty-cycle wireless sensor endpoints, the PIC16LC57C-04/SP's 3.0V minimum supply lets it run from a single lithium coin cell across its discharge curve. The 8-bit TMR0 provides wake-up timing for periodic measurements, and the 20 I/O lines accommodate SPI sensor interfaces plus a low-power RF transmitter enable pin. According to Microchip's PIC16C5X datasheet, the core's simple instruction set minimizes active current versus ARM-based MCUs in the same price class.
Recommended
Small Appliance Control (Coffee Makers, Toasters)
The PIC16LC57C-04/SP drives the user interface, timing, and heater/relay control in small kitchen appliances. Its 20 I/O pins handle 7-segment displays via direct drive, push-button scanning, buzzer PWM, triac firing for AC heaters, and temperature sensor input via the ADC-less comparator path. OTP memory secures the firmware against copying by competitors, which is important in the consumer appliance market. The 4 MHz clock provides enough headroom for software-driven triac phase-angle control.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Interior Lighting, Seat Controllers)
Automotive body controllers such as interior lighting modules and seat position controllers benefit from the PIC16LC57C-04/SP's 20 I/O count and deterministic 4 MHz instruction timing. The OTP memory locks firmware against unauthorized modification, and the LC voltage range tolerates 12V-battery transients down-regulated to 5V. According to Microchip's automotive-grade portfolio, the baseline PIC16C5X parts are commonly used in non-safety body domains where AEC-Q100 qualification is not required.
Recommended
Toys and Educational Electronics
The PIC16LC57C-04/SP is widely used in cost-sensitive educational toys and STEM kits where OTP memory prevents firmware theft while keeping the bill of materials under $5. Its 20 I/O pins drive servo motors, LEDs, sound buzzers, and simple keypads for robotic kits. The 33-instruction RISC core is easy for beginners to learn, and Microchip's MPLAB X IDE supports the PIC16C5X family with the free MPASM assembler.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface Modules
Industrial sensor signal-conditioning modules use the PIC16LC57C-04/SP for digital filtering, linearization, and HART-like communication front-ends. Its deterministic 4-cycle instruction timing guarantees fixed sampling rates for process-control loops, and the 72-byte RAM accommodates 4-8 byte sample buffers plus stack frames. The OTP memory secures calibration coefficients and protocol stacks against field tampering. According to Microchip's industrial segment, this baseline PIC16C5X family remains in active production for these mature applications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC57C-04/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C57C-04/SP | PIC16F57-I/SP | PIC16C57C-04/JW | PIC16C56A-04/P | PIC16LC54C-04I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SPDIP | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-Cerdip (windowed) | 28-PDIP - same | 28-PDIP - same |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (3 KB) | OTP (3 KB) | Flash (3 KB) - reprogrammable | Windowed EPROM (3 KB) | OTP (1 KB) | OTP (512 B) |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0V - 6.25V | 4.0V - 6.0V | 2.0V - 5.5V | 4.0V - 6.0V | 3.0V - 6.25V | 3.0V - 6.25V |
| Maximum Clock | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 20 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz |
| I/O Pins | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 12 | 12 |
| RAM Size | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 72 bytes | 25 bytes | 25 bytes |
| In-Circuit Programming | No (OTP) | No (OTP) | Yes (ICSP) | No (UV erase) | No (OTP) | No (OTP) |
| Price (qty-1, USD) | 3.45 | 3.45 | 2.10 | 32.00 (low-volume dev) | 3.20 | 2.85 |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-voltage variant in the PIC16C57C family (vs PIC16C57C-04/SP)
- Drop-in flash alternative available (vs PIC16F57-I/SP)
- 3 KB OTP at sub-$3 unit price (vs PIC16C56A-04/P)
Design Notes
PIC16LC57C-04/SP is OTP memory - firmware bugs require physical chip replacement. Always prototype using the windowed CERDIP variant PIC16C57C-04/JW before committing to OTP volume orders. According to Microchip's PIC16C5X family documentation, the two-level hardware stack also restricts nested subroutine depth to 2, so deeply modular C-style code is not directly portable without inlining.
The LC voltage range (3.0V-6.25V) enables direct connection to 2xAA alkaline batteries or a 3.3V regulated rail. Estimated: at 4 MHz clock and 5V supply, active current is approximately 1.8 mA per the PIC16C5X datasheet - for battery-powered designs, place the MCU in SLEEP mode (current < 1 uA per datasheet) between timed events using TMR0 wake-up.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 27) and a bulk 10 uF electrolytic at the board power entry. The MCLR pin (pin 4) requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; add a 100 nF cap to ground for noise immunity. Per Microchip's PIC16C5X hardware design guide, keep the OSC1/OSC2 traces short and shielded by a ground pour to avoid EMI susceptibility.
Estimated: at 5V supply, 4 MHz clock, all 20 I/O pins toggling, the PIC16LC57C-04/SP dissipates approximately 25 mW. Junction temperature rise above ambient is therefore negligible (~6 C/W theta_JA for SPDIP) and no heatsinking is required. However, in a sealed enclosure with no airflow, derate the ambient temperature by 10-15 C for reliability margin.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not provided in the Verified Web Data. The PIC16LC57C-04/SP is a mature baseline MCU predating modern RoHS documentation standards. For automotive applications requiring AEC-Q100, Microchip does not list this part in its Q1 portfolio - consider the PIC16F57-I/SP or PIC16F57-E/SP industrial variants instead.
