PIC16LF1574-E/P - 8-bit MCU, 7KB Flash, 10-bit ADC, 14-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1574-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.95 | $1.95 |
| 10 | $1.76 | $17.60 |
| 100 | $1.55 | $155.00 |
| 500 | $1.39 | $695.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.24 | $1,240.00 |
PIC16LF1574-E/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU, program memory (Flash), data memory (RAM), and integrated peripherals such as ADC, timers, and communication interfaces. The PIC16F family uses a 14-bit instruction word and RISC-style pipelined execution, balancing deterministic interrupt response with low power consumption - particularly the LF variant, which supports 1.8V-3.6V operation for battery-powered designs.
Key features of the PIC16LF1574 include four 16-bit PWMs with independent timers for high-resolution control, a 10-bit ADC with computation, a 5-bit DAC, configurable logic cell (CLC), complementary waveform generator (CWG), and peripheral pin select (PPS) for flexible pin mapping. The "LF" voltage range allows operation from 1.8V to 3.6V, and the "-E" suffix denotes the -40C to +125C extended industrial temperature grade for harsh-environment deployments.
Architecturally, the PIC16LF1574 uses a Harvard memory layout with separate program and data buses, enabling simultaneous instruction fetch and data access. The integrated core-independent peripherals (CLC, CWG, NCO, PWM) offload timing-critical tasks from the CPU, allowing efficient real-time response. This MCU-based approach enables flexible real-time response without software intervention, ideal for lighting and power-conversion control loops.
Typical applications include LED lighting drivers, general-purpose sensor signal conditioning, low-power IoT endpoints, hobbyist and educational projects using the PICkit programmer ecosystem, and industrial control modules. The 14-pin PDIP package makes it breadboard-compatible, popular for prototyping, training, and through-hole assembly in legacy or ruggedized products.
When designing with this part, ensure the supply voltage stays within 1.8V-3.6V for the LF variant. Use the PPS feature to remap digital peripherals to any I/O pin, and take advantage of the CWG to generate complementary PWM outputs with built-in dead-band control for half-bridge and full-bridge power stages.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the PIC16F157X family, and practical design notes beyond the Microchip datasheet summary.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1574-E/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 PIC16LF1574-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory (Flash), Mounting Type, ADC, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1574-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.91 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1574-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1574-E/JQ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.58 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1575-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1455-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1455-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.22 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1574-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC |
| Family | PIC16F157X |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7KB (4K x 14 words) |
| Data Memory (RAM) | 512 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| PWM Channels | 4 x 16-bit with independent timers |
| Package | 14-pin PDIP (through-hole) |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (Extended, -E suffix) |
| Pin Count | 14 |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole (DIP) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Peripheral Features | CLC, CWG, NCO, PPS, EUSART |
PIC16LF1574-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V for LF variant) |
| Pin 2 | RA5 — Digital I/O / analog input / ICSP programming pin |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — Digital I/O / MCLR (reset) input |
| Pin 5 | RC5 — Digital I/O / PWM output / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RC4 — Digital I/O / PWM output / analog input |
| Pin 7 | RC3 — Digital I/O / PWM output / analog input / SCL (PPS) |
| Pin 8 | RC2 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — Digital I/O / analog input / SDA (PPS) |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 11 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input / DAC output |
| Pin 12 | RA1 — Digital I/O / ICSPCLK (programming clock) |
| Pin 13 | RA0 — Digital I/O / ICSPDAT (programming data) |
| Pin 14 | VSS — Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1574-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: LED Lighting Drivers, Motor Control and Half-Bridge Drivers, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Analog Signal Conditioning and Sensor Front-Ends, Hobbyist and Educational Prototyping, Industrial Control Modules.
LED Lighting Drivers
The PIC16LF1574-E/P fits LED lighting driver designs thanks to its four independent 16-bit PWM channels with 65536-step resolution, enabling flicker-free dimming from 0.01% to 100% duty cycle without MCU software jitter. Its 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2) supports direct photodiode or current-sense feedback, while the CWG peripheral generates complementary PWM outputs with programmable dead-band for half-bridge LED string driving. The LF 1.8V-3.6V supply range suits single-cell Li-ion or USB-powered luminaires where energy budget is tight.
Recommended
Motor Control and Half-Bridge Drivers
The PIC16LF1574-E/P suits small brushed-DC and stepper motor control applications because the CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator) produces non-overlapping PWM pairs with hardware dead-band control, eliminating shoot-through in half-bridge and full-bridge FET drivers. The four 16-bit PWMs can drive two H-bridges simultaneously for bi-directional stepper or BLDC commutation. The 32 MHz core delivers deterministic 31.25 ns resolution timing, well below typical motor PWM switching periods.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF1574-E/P is well-matched to coin-cell or Li-ion powered IoT sensor nodes because the LF voltage range supports 1.8V-3.6V operation, allowing direct connection to single-cell Li-ion or two Alkaline cells without a boost converter. The eXperience variant extends to 125C ambient for outdoor or industrial IoT. PPS lets the designer remap I2C, EUSART, and PWM to any pin, simplifying PCB routing for compact sensor modules. Sleep current in the nanoamp class enables multi-year battery life on duty-cycled endpoints.
Recommended
Analog Signal Conditioning and Sensor Front-Ends
The PIC16LF1574-E/P works as a programmable analog front-end controller thanks to its 10-bit ADC with oversampling and hardware accumulation, allowing software-free decimation for thermocouples, RTDs, and bridge sensors. The 5-bit DAC supports setpoint generation for closed-loop biasing, while the CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) implements combinational logic gates in hardware for instant sensor fault detection. The EUSART interfaces with RS-485 transceivers for industrial sensor networks.
Recommended
Hobbyist and Educational Prototyping
The PIC16LF1574-E/P is a go-to part for hobbyists and education because the 14-pin PDIP is breadboard-compatible, accepts the PICkit 4 or Snap programmer for in-circuit serial programming (ICSP), and is supported by MPLAB X IDE with free XC8 compiler. Students can experiment with PWM, ADC, UART, and CLC peripherals using the Curiosity development board or PICkit starter kits. Low cost (~$1.95 unit price) makes it affordable for classroom labs and personal projects.
Recommended
Industrial Control Modules
The PIC16LF1574-E/P suits industrial control modules including relay drivers, solenoid controllers, and small PLCs because the -E extended temperature range covers -40C to +125C, the CLC hardware logic eliminates software polling latency, and the CWG handles dead-band timing for switching power stages. The EUSART with RS-485 capability integrates with industrial field-bus networks. Hardware PWM resolution enables precise valve, damper, and heater control without software jitter.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1574-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1574-I/P | PIC16F1574-E/P | PIC16LF1574-E/JQ | PIC16LF1575-I/P | PIC16F1455-I/P | PIC16LF1455-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 14-pin PDIP (through-hole) | 14-pin PDIP - same | 14-pin PDIP - same | 14-pin PDIP - same | 14-pin PDIP - same | 14-pin PDIP - same | 14-pin PDIP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7KB (4K x 14) | 7KB - same | 7KB - same | 7KB - same | 14KB (+100%) | 14KB (+100%) | 14KB (+100%) |
| RAM | 512 bytes | 512 B - same | 512 B - same | 512 B - same | 1KB (+100%) | 1KB (+100%) | 1KB (+100%) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8V-3.6V (LF) | 2.3V-5.5V (F) | 2.3V-5.5V (F) | 1.8V-3.6V (LF) - same | 1.8V-3.6V (LF) - same | 2.3V-5.5V (F) | 1.8V-3.6V (LF) - same |
| 16-bit PWM Channels | 4 | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same | 0 (no 16-bit PWM) | 0 (no 16-bit PWM) |
| USB 2.0 Support | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (FS USB device) | Yes (FS USB device) |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +125C (E) - same | -40C to +125C (E) - same | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) |
| Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | 1.95 | 1.95 - same | 1.95 - same | 1.95 - same | 2.10 - slightly higher | 2.40 - higher (+23%) | 2.40 - higher (+23%) |
Key Differentiators
- LF variant supports 1.8V-3.6V operation for direct battery connection (vs PIC16F1574-I/P)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade in 14-pin PDIP (vs PIC16LF1575-I/P)
- Four independent 16-bit PWMs with CWG for half-bridge control (vs PIC16F1455-I/P)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 1) and a bulk 1-10 uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the same net. For battery-powered designs, add a 100 kohm + 100 nF RC filter on VDD to suppress switching noise from upstream regulators. The LF variant's 1.8V minimum must be respected at all times - dropping below 1.8V will trigger brown-out reset and possible Flash corruption.
Do not connect the MCLR pin (pin 4) directly to VDD without a resistor - leave MCLR floating only if not used, otherwise use a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD. Without the pull-up, the MCU can randomly reset on EMI events. For ICSP programming, ensure the ICSPDAT (pin 13) and ICSPCLK (pin 12) lines have no other devices that could load them during programming. PPS configuration must be set at startup before any peripheral is enabled.
Keep analog and digital grounds separated at the MCU, joining them at a single point near the VDD decoupling capacitor. Place the ADC reference voltage bypass capacitor (typically 100 nF) within 5 mm of the AVSS/AVDD pair. For PWM outputs driving external MOSFETs, keep gate-drive traces short (<25 mm) to minimize ringing. Use a ground plane on the bottom layer under the MCU footprint to reduce EMI and improve thermal dissipation.
At 32 MHz and 3.6V with all peripherals active, the PIC16LF1574-E/P typically consumes ~6 mA. Estimated: with theta_JA of ~70 C/W for the 14-pin PDIP, the junction temperature rise above ambient is approximately 0.4 C - well within safe limits. No heatsink is required. However, in sealed enclosures with limited airflow, derate clock speed to 16 MHz or duty-cycle peripherals to keep self-heating below 10 C above ambient.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 automotive qualification not stated. Conflict minerals statement published by Microchip on corporate responsibility page.
