PIC16LC73B-04I/SP - 8-bit MCU, 7KB OTP, 4MHz, 28-SPDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC73B-04I/SP β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.97 | $4.97 |
| 10 | $4.27 | $42.70 |
| 100 | $3.74 | $374.00 |
| 500 | $3.1 | $1,550.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.83 | $2,830.00 |
PIC16LC73B-04I/SP Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, program memory (ROM/OTP/Flash), data RAM, timers, I/O peripherals, and often an ADC and serial interface on one die. The PIC mid-range architecture sits between PIC baseline (12/16C5x) and PIC enhanced (17Cxx/18Cxx) families, balancing code density, interrupt capability, and peripheral richness for cost-sensitive embedded applications. Within the system hierarchy, this part belongs to the 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor category, and is commonly used wherever deterministic single-cycle execution and low BOM cost outweigh the need for 16/32-bit performance.
Key features of the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP include a 5-channel 8-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), two 8-bit timers with 1 additional 16-bit timer/counter, two Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules, a USART with addressable SPI/I2C master mode, a Watchdog Timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, and an In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) interface. The -04 speed grade specifies a 4 MHz maximum oscillator, while the LC suffix denotes the wide 2.5 V to 5.5 V operating range and CMOS process.
Architecturally, the device is fully static, executes 35 single-word instructions, and supports both hardware and software stack with 8-level hardware deep nesting. The LC OTP memory is one-time programmable, which makes the part well suited to high-volume mature products rather than frequent firmware revisions. The 28-SPDIP package provides robust through-hole mounting for industrial, automotive aftermarket, and prototyping environments where mechanical stress and rework tolerance matter.
Typical applications include industrial control boards, sensor signal conditioning with on-chip ADC, low-speed UART/CCP-driven motor or valve control, and brown-field upgrades of legacy PIC16C7x designs that require migration from 5 V-only to mixed 3.3 V / 5 V rails. Designers should note that OTP memory precludes firmware updates; designs requiring field upgradability should consider the Flash-based PIC16F73 equivalent.
This page synthesizes distributor stock, drop-in replacement candidates, and design notes for the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP - information that complements but does not replace the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC73B-04I/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 PIC16LC73B-04I/SP (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Mounting Type, Package, RoHS Status, Architecture, CCP Modules.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LC73B-04I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC73B-04I/SS
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.65 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F73-I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C73B-04I/SP
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16LC73A-04I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC73AT-04I/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.61 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16LC73B-04I/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | 8-bit PIC mid-range (PIC16CXX) |
| Family | PIC16C63A/65B/73B/74B |
| Program Memory (ROM/OTP) | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM | 192 bytes |
| EEPROM Data Memory | 0 bytes (none on this part) |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns (at 20 MHz internal / 4 MHz external) |
| Operating Voltage (Vdd) | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 22 digital I/O |
| ADC | 5 channels, 8-bit resolution |
| Timers | 2 x 8-bit Timer0/Timer2 + 1 x 16-bit Timer1 |
| CCP Modules | 2 (Capture / Compare / PWM) |
| Serial Interface | USART (addressable SPI / I2C master mode) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes, with dedicated on-chip RC oscillator |
| ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) | Yes |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (0.300 inch / 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole (THT) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial, I-grade) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per distributor data) |
| Lead-Free | Yes (per distributor data) |
PIC16LC73B-04I/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/Vpp β Master Clear (reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 β PORTA bit 0 / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 β PORTA bit 1 / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 β PORTA bit 2 / Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ β PORTA bit 3 / Analog input channel 3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI β PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS β PORTA bit 5 / Analog input channel 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | Vss β Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKIN β Crystal oscillator input / external clock in |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKOUT β Crystal oscillator output / clock out (Fosc/4) |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI β PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / T1 clock input |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 β PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 β PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 I/O |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL β PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA β PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO β PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK β PORTC bit 6 / USART TX / USART clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT β PORTC bit 7 / USART RX / USART data |
| Pin 19 | Vss β Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | Vdd β Positive supply voltage (2.5 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT β PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 22 | RB1 β PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2 β PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3 β PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RB4 β PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RB5 β PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC β PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD β PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC73B-04I/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface Board, Brown-Field Replacement of Legacy PIC16C7x Designs, Simple PWM-Driven Motor / Valve Controller, Home Appliance User Interface (HMI) Controller, Low-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End, Educational / Training Boards for PIC Mid-Range Core.
Industrial Sensor Interface Board
The PIC16LC73B-04I/SP's 5-channel 8-bit ADC and 22 I/O pins make it a compact front-end for industrial multi-sensor boards. With its 4 MHz CPU and 200 ns instruction cycle, it can sequentially sample thermocouple conditioning amplifiers, 4-20 mA loop sensors, and digital limit switches at sufficient rates for SCADA polling under 10 Hz. The 2.5-5.5 V Vdd range supports both 3.3 V digital sensors and 5 V analog front-ends, eliminating the need for level shifters. USART with SPI/I2C master mode enables a single IC to bridge local sensors to a host PLC over RS-485. Industrial -40 C to +85 C operating range matches IEC 60068-2-1/2 environmental stress profiles common in factory cabinets.
Recommended
Brown-Field Replacement of Legacy PIC16C7x Designs
Engineers maintaining long-lifecycle products that originally shipped with the PIC16C73B can drop in the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP without firmware changes because the LC variant preserves the same 35-instruction mid-range core, register map, and peripheral set. The LC's wider 2.5-5.5 V Vdd range offers an immediate brown-out and 3.3 V sensor integration advantage over the older 5 V-only C part. The 28-SPDIP package matches the original C73B footprint, so existing test fixtures, sockets, and pick-and-place feeders do not require retooling. OTP memory compatibility lets legacy firmware images migrate 1:1, preserving any customer-specific calibration tables stored in the original code space.
Recommended
Simple PWM-Driven Motor / Valve Controller
The PIC16LC73B-04I/SP integrates two Capture/Compare/PWM modules and a 16-bit Timer1, enabling simultaneous control of two brushed DC motors, solenoids, or proportional valves from a single MCU. PWM resolution at 4 MHz CPU clock is approximately 8 bits at 10 kHz PWM, sufficient for brushed DC motor speed loops under 1 kHz bandwidth. The 22 digital I/O handle endstop, encoder, and direction logic without external latches. Brown-out reset and Watchdog Timer with dedicated RC oscillator keep the controller safe during industrial supply transients. Through-hole SPDIP aids hand-soldering and rework in low-volume industrial equipment.
Recommended
Home Appliance User Interface (HMI) Controller
Low BOM cost and the 28-SPDIP through-hole package make the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP a fit for appliance control panels that drive 7-segment LED displays, keypads, and small buzzer outputs. The 5-channel ADC reads potentiometer knobs (volume, temperature setpoint) directly, while Timer0/Timer2 generate multiplexed display refresh without CPU intervention. USART SPI master mode drives a companion LCD or LED driver IC. The LC variant's 2.5 V minimum Vdd extends battery-backed operation in clock and timer products. Industrial temperature grade handles refrigerator and washing-machine thermal stress.
Recommended
Low-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End
For low-rate (<=1 kHz) multi-channel data acquisition, the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP combines a 5-channel 8-bit ADC, 192 bytes of RAM for sample buffering, and a USART for host-side streaming. At 4 MHz CPU clock, ADC conversion completes in approximately 20 us, well matched to 8-bit instrumentation tasks such as battery-cell voltage monitoring and panel-meter readout. The Watchdog Timer prevents lockup during long unattended logging runs. Brown-out reset preserves acquisition state through supply dips in automotive and solar installations.
Recommended
Educational / Training Boards for PIC Mid-Range Core
The PIC16LC73B-04I/SP is widely used in university embedded-systems courses and hobbyist trainer boards that teach the mid-range 8-bit PIC core. The 28-SPDIP package fits standard 0.3 inch prototype breadboards and ZIF sockets for student programming exercises. With ICSP support, students can program and debug the part in-circuit using tools such as Microchip PICkit 3 or MPLAB Snap. Documented instruction set, peripheral examples, and assembly-language references make this part a canonical teaching platform for first-time MCU learners.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC73B-04I/SP β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LC73B-04I/SO | PIC16LC73B-04I/SS | PIC16F73-I/SP | PIC16C73B-04I/SP | PIC16LC73A-04I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch) | 28-SOIC | 28-SSOP | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch) | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch) | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 4 KB Flash | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP |
| Max Clock Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 10 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Program Memory Type | OTP | OTP | OTP | Flash (reprogrammable) | OTP | OTP |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| ADC | 5 ch x 8-bit | 5 ch x 8-bit | 5 ch x 8-bit | 5 ch x 8-bit | 5 ch x 8-bit | 5 ch x 8-bit |
| Industrial Temp Grade (I) | Yes (-40 to +85 C) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lower-voltage operation than PIC16C73B (vs PIC16C73B-04I/SP)
- Reprogrammable Flash memory (vs PIC16LC73B-04I/SP)
- Through-hole SPDIP for hand-rework (vs PIC16LC73B-04I/SO)
Design Notes
OTP memory on the PIC16LC73B-04I/SP cannot be erased or rewritten. According to Microchip datasheet DS30390E, once a code location is programmed to '0' it cannot return to '1'. Validate firmware with a Flash-based PIC16F73 prototype before committing to OTP production programming. For prototypes requiring repeated code changes, use the PIC16F73-I/SP drop-in instead - same 28-SPDIP pinout, same peripherals, but with Flash memory that supports hundreds of erase/write cycles.
The PIC16LC73B-04I/SP has an LC voltage range of 2.5 V to 5.5 V on Vdd. According to datasheet DS30390E, brown-out reset thresholds are programmable and must be configured for the chosen supply voltage. Decoupling requires a 0.1 uF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the Vdd pin (pin 20) and a bulk capacitor of at least 10 uF on the same rail. The MCLR/Vpp pin (pin 1) needs a 10 kohm pull-up to Vdd and a 100 nF cap to ground for proper ICSP entry; do not tie MCLR directly to Vdd without the cap.
Place the external crystal (or ceramic resonator) within 5 mm of the OSC1/OSC2 pins (9 and 10). Keep clock traces short and guard with a ground ring to minimize radiated EMI, particularly when the ICSP clock (PGC, pin 27) and data (PGD, pin 28) traces are routed near analog inputs. Per Microchip layout guidelines, separate analog (AN0-AN4) traces from switching nodes such as PWM outputs (CCP1, CCP2 on pins 13 and 12) by at least 3 mm or shield with a grounded trace.
The PIC16LC73B-04I/SP ADC is 8-bit and shares analog channels with digital I/O. To keep digital switching noise out of the ADC measurement, configure ANx pins as inputs and disable their digital input buffers via the TRIS register and ADCON1 control bits. Add a 100 ohm series resistor and a 100 nF cap to ground on each analog input if the source impedance exceeds 2.5 kohm, as recommended in Microchip's mid-range ADC reference design (AN546).
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance confirmed by Mouser/DigiKey distributor data. AEC-Q100 not applicable (consumer/industrial grade MCU, not automotive-qualified). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified distributor data - marked unknown.
