PIC16LC74B-04/L - 8-Bit OTP MCU, 4MHz, 7KB | Microchip | Embedded
MPN: PIC16LC74B-04/L ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9.46 | $9.46 |
| 10 | $8.51 | $85.10 |
| 100 | $7.42 | $742.00 |
| 500 | $6.5 | $3,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.95 | $5,950.00 |
PIC16LC74B-04/L Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory (program + data), peripherals, and I/O onto one die. The PIC16LC74B belongs to the mid-range PIC architecture, sitting in the hierarchy: PIC16LC74B -> PIC16CXX family -> 8-bit PIC microcontroller -> MCU -> embedded processor -> integrated circuit. Mid-range PICs use a 14-bit instruction word and a Harvard architecture with separate program/data paths, offering deterministic instruction timing useful for real-time control.
Key features include 33 I/O pins with high-current sink/source, multiple peripherals (USART, SSP/SPI/I2C, 8-channel 8-bit ADC, capture/compare/PWM, timers), and a 15-bit program counter that addresses 32KB of program space. The 'LC' prefix indicates a low-power CMOS variant supporting 2.0V to 6.0V VDD, while the standard PIC16C74B (no L) supports 4.2V to 6.0V. The OTP memory is programmed once and is non-erasable, making this part suited for production volumes where field firmware updates are not required.
This PIC16LC74B-04/L is intended for embedded control applications requiring deterministic 8-bit performance in a surface-mount PLCC footprint. Common uses include industrial controllers, motor control front-ends, sensor interface boards, consumer appliances, and legacy equipment retrofits. Because it uses a 44-pin PLCC package with through-hole-style J-leads, it is also socketable, simplifying prototyping and field replacement. Engineers migrating from the PIC16C74B benefit from pin and code compatibility per Microchip's PICmicro Pin and Code Compatibility Chart.
Design considerations: ensure VDD is within the LC-variant range (2.0V-6.0V); use the MCLR reset pin with a proper pull-up and, if needed, an external brown-out supervisor; configure the oscillator mode (RC/HS/XT/LP) per the application. OTP programming requires a Microchip programmer (PICSTART Plus, ICD, etc.) at production time - plan device provisioning accordingly.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle signals, drop-in PIC16-family alternatives, and practical design notes for the PIC16LC74B-04/L not found in a single datasheet view.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC74B-04/L — 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 PIC16LC74B-04/L (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Mounting Type, Package, Timers, Capture/Compare/PWM, Data EEPROM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C74B-04/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC74BT-04/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC74A-04/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C74A-04I/L
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC64A-04I/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.97 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC74B-04/L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC mid-range (PIC16CXX family, 14-bit instruction word) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM Size | 192 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | Not specified in distributor listing |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 6.0 V (LC low-voltage variant) |
| I/O Pins | 33 |
| ADC | 8-channel, 8-bit |
| Timers | 3 (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2) |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | Yes (2 CCP modules) |
| Serial Interfaces | USART, SSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Package | 44-pin PLCC (16.59 x 16.59 mm, J-lead) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (PLCC socket-compatible) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (commercial grade) |
PIC16LC74B-04/L Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR — Master Clear (reset) input, active low |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / Analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF — PORTA bit 3 / Analog input 3 / ADC reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / Parallel port read / Analog input 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / Parallel port write / Analog input 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN8 — PORTE bit 2 / Parallel port chip select / Analog input 8 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply (2.0V-6.0V) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock in |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock out |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / Parallel slave port bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / Parallel slave port bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / Parallel slave port bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / Parallel slave port bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / USART TX / USART clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART RX / USART data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / Parallel slave port bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / Parallel slave port bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / Parallel slave port bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / Parallel slave port bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply (2.0V-6.0V) |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 34 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 41 | RF0/AN5 — PORTF bit 0 / Analog input 5 |
| Pin 42 | RF1/AN6 — PORTF bit 1 / Analog input 6 |
| Pin 43 | RF2/AN7 — PORTF bit 2 / Analog input 7 |
| Pin 44 | RF3 — PORTF bit 3 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC74B-04/L is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control Front-End, Sensor Interface / Data Acquisition Board, Consumer Appliance Controller, Legacy Equipment Retrofit / Replacement Boards, USART-Based Communication Modules, Battery-Powered Embedded Sensor Node.
Industrial Motor Control Front-End
The PIC16LC74B-04/L fits industrial motor control front-ends thanks to its 8-channel 8-bit ADC (for current/voltage sensing) and two CCP modules (PWM outputs for H-bridge control). Operating at 4 MHz, it can close a 10 kHz control loop while sampling all 8 ADC channels via multiplexed conversion. Its 33 I/O drives encoder inputs, end-stop switches, and relay outputs without external glue logic. The 2.0-6.0V LC supply range supports 3.3V logic rails common in BLDC inverter boards.
Recommended
Sensor Interface / Data Acquisition Board
The PIC16LC74B-04/L serves well in sensor interface boards because its 8-channel 8-bit ADC supports parallel analog sensor arrays (e.g. thermocouples, RTDs, pressure transducers). The 192-byte RAM is sufficient for averaging/decimation buffers, while the USART and SSP peripherals enable SPI or I2C sensor busses. The 4 MHz clock samples at ~30 kS/s aggregate, ideal for slow environmental monitoring. The 44-PLCC socketable package simplifies field calibration and replacement.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Controller
Consumer appliances such as washing machines, microwave ovens, and dishwasher controllers benefit from the PIC16LC74B-04/L's deterministic 8-bit performance and rich peripheral set. The 33 I/O drives seven-segment displays, buzzer PWM, keypad matrix, and triac-triggered heater relays. The 7 KB OTP holds the full appliance state machine and user-interface logic. The 2.0-6.0V LC range simplifies direct connection to rectified mains-derived 5V or 3V rails.
Recommended
Legacy Equipment Retrofit / Replacement Boards
The PIC16LC74B-04/L is ideal for legacy equipment retrofits where exact compatibility with the 44-PLCC /L footprint is required. Its pin and code compatibility with the broader PIC16CXX mid-range family (per Microchip Pin and Code Compatibility Chart) allows firmware reuse from PIC16C74A/B or PIC16LC64A designs. The PLCC package is socketable, simplifying field service - technicians can swap chips without desoldering.
Recommended
USART-Based Communication Modules
For USART-based communication modules (RS-232/485 bridges, sensor concentrators), the PIC16LC74B-04/L provides a hardware USART with auto-baud detection and a 9-bit address mode for RS-485 multi-drop networks. The 33 I/O supports DE/RE flow-control signals and protocol-select jumpers. Combined with the SSP module, the device can act as an SPI-to-UART gateway, offloading bus conversion in industrial networking modules.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Embedded Sensor Node
Battery-powered sensor nodes leverage the PIC16LC74B-04/L's 2.0V VDD minimum, allowing operation from two alkaline cells down to 2.0V end-of-life. The CMOS LC process keeps quiescent current low, while the 4 MHz clock and 7 KB OTP support wake-up via interrupt, sample, transmit via USART, and return to sleep. The 192-byte RAM and 33 I/O are sufficient for a star-topology wireless sensor hub running simple MAC-layer firmware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC74B-04/L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C74B-04/L | PIC16LC74BT-04/L | PIC16LC74A-04/L | PIC16C74A-04I/L | PIC16LC64A-04I/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 44-PLCC | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same |
| Program Memory | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP (-50%) |
| RAM | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 128 bytes (-33%) |
| Maximum Clock | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 6.0 V | 4.2 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 6.0 V | 4.2 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 6.0 V |
| I/O Pins | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| ADC | 8-ch / 8-bit | 8-ch / 8-bit | 8-ch / 8-bit | 8-ch / 8-bit | 8-ch / 8-bit | 8-ch / 8-bit |
| Memory Type | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C | 0C to +70C | 0C to +70C | 0C to +70C | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
Key Differentiators
- Wide 2.0V-6.0V supply range for low-voltage and 5V systems (vs PIC16C74B-04/L)
- 33 I/O with 8-channel 8-bit ADC and dual CCP in 44-PLCC (vs PIC16LC64A-04I/L)
- Mid-range PIC code-compatibility per Microchip compatibility chart (vs PIC16LC74A-04/L)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 4 MHz and 5V VDD, the PIC16LC74B-04/L core draws approximately 2-4 mA active and <1 uA in sleep, based on mid-range LC process typicals. Add bulk decoupling (10uF + 100nF) close to VDD pins (pin 11 and pin 32), and place a 100nF between VDD pairs of common-mode noise. For 3.3V rails, the LC process tolerates down to 2.0V but performance degrades at lower VDD; verify ADC accuracy and oscillator start-up margin at the minimum supply voltage.
The 44-PLCC package has J-leads on four sides with 1.27 mm pitch. Place a PLCC-44 socket (machined-pin or surface-mount) for field serviceability. Route OSC1/OSC2 (pin 13/14) traces as short as possible with grounded guard traces for crystal oscillator configurations; for RC oscillator mode, keep R/C components close to OSC1. Keep the MCLR trace short with the pull-up resistor within 10 mm of pin 1 to minimize spurious resets.
The PIC16LC74B-04/L is OTP (one-time programmable) - the program memory cannot be erased or rewritten. Engineering builds should use a flash-based sibling (PIC16F74A-I/L, same PLCC-44 footprint) for development, then convert to PIC16LC74B-04/L only for production runs where firmware is locked. Do not confuse the /L (PLCC) package designator with /P (PDIP) or /PT (TQFP) - the pinouts are NOT interchangeable: PLCC-44, PDIP-40, and TQFP-44 all have different pin maps.
Estimated: separate analog and digital ground planes are recommended when using the ADC - PORTA/RE pins serve dual analog/digital roles. Place the AVdd (pin 11 if tied to VDD) decoupling within 5 mm of the pin. Use the AN3/VREF pin (pin 5) only when a precise external reference is needed; for VDD-based reference, leave it unconnected and configure ADC accordingly. PORTF analog inputs (RF0-RF2) on PLCC-44 are routed separately from PORTA - verify channel mapping against your schematic.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free and halogen-free status not stated in distributor listings; refer to Microchip product environmental compliance page for the latest certificate. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial/industrial MCU, not automotive qualified.
