PIC16LF1787-E/P - 8-bit MCU, 14KB Flash, 40-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1787-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.5 | $2.50 |
| 10 | $2.4 | $24.00 |
| 100 | $2.2 | $220.00 |
| 500 | $2 | $1,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.85 | $1,850.00 |
PIC16LF1787-E/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, non-volatile program memory, RAM, and configurable peripherals. Within the broader taxonomy, an 8-bit MCU sits inside the microcontroller category, which itself belongs to embedded processors and microcontrollers and ultimately to integrated circuits and semiconductors. Microchip's PIC16F/PIC16LF family is one of the most widely deployed low-power 8-bit architectures, popular for cost-sensitive, low-power, and mixed-signal designs.
Key specifications include 14 KB (8K x 14) Flash program memory, 1 KB RAM, 256 bytes EEPROM, 32 MHz internal oscillator, an operating voltage range of 1.8V to 3.6V typical for the 'LF' low-Flash variant, 12-bit ADC with up to 14 channels, two 5-bit and one 10-bit DAC channels, two operational amplifiers, and two comparators. The device supports I2C, SPI, and EUSART serial interfaces. The 'E' temperature grade indicates -40C to +125C operation suitable for industrial and extended-environment designs.
Architecturally, the PIC16LF1787 uses a Harvard RISC core with a 14-bit instruction word, allowing most instructions to execute in one instruction cycle (4 oscillator clocks). The PIC® XLP (eXtreme Low Power) technology enables nanoWatt sleep currents in the order of single-digit nA with RTC running, making the part well-suited to battery-powered applications. Integrated op-amps and DACs reduce BOM cost and PCB area in sensor-interface and signal-conditioning designs.
Typical applications include industrial sensor nodes, low-power IoT edge devices, battery-powered portable instrumentation, LED lighting controllers, smoke and gas detector signal chains, and mixed-signal data-acquisition front ends. The 40-pin PDIP package simplifies breadboarding and hand-soldered prototypes as well as legacy through-hole manufacturing.
When designing with this part, leave the analog and digital supply pins (AVDD/AVSS) properly decoupled with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed close to the IC, configure the PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) module carefully to avoid pin conflicts, and follow the Microchip MPLAB X IDE configuration bits guidance. The internal 32 MHz oscillator needs calibration via the OSCTUNE register for tight timing applications such as UART.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in PIC16LF/PIC16F same-package alternatives, application notes, and design considerations not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1787-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 PIC16LF1787-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, DAC, Package, Comparators, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1787-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1783-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1782-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1784-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1777-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1779-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.11 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1787-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC (Harvard, 14-bit instruction word) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14) |
| RAM | 1 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range (E grade) | -40 C to +125 C |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (DIP-40, 0.600 in / 15.24 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| ADC | 12-bit, multi-channel |
| DAC | 10-bit and 5-bit channels |
| Comparators | 2 |
| Operational Amplifiers | 2 (on-chip) |
| Serial Interfaces | I2C, SPI, EUSART (UART) |
| Low-Power Technology | PIC XLP (nanoWatt) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 1 (through-hole, not moisture sensitive) |
PIC16LF1787-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input / Programming voltage / PORTE bit 3 |
| 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 / Voltage reference positive |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN4 — PORTA bit 4 / Analog input 4 |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN5 — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 5 |
| Pin 8 | RE0/AN6 — PORTE bit 0 / Analog input 6 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/AN7 — PORTE bit 1 / Analog input 7 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/AN8 — PORTE bit 2 / Analog input 8 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive digital supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Digital ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — External clock input / crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0 — PORTC bit 0 |
| Pin 16 | RC1 — PORTC bit 1 |
| Pin 17 | RC2 — PORTC bit 2 |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / I2C clock (PPS-mapped) |
| Pin 19 | RD0 — PORTD bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1 — PORTD bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2 — PORTD bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3 — PORTD bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / I2C data (PPS-mapped) |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI MISO (PPS-mapped) |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / EUSART TX / I2C clock alt (PPS) |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / EUSART RX / I2C data alt (PPS) |
| Pin 27 | RD4 — PORTD bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5 — PORTD bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6 — PORTD bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7 — PORTD bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Digital ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive digital supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/AN12 — PORTB bit 0 / Analog input 12 |
| Pin 34 | RB1/AN10 — PORTB bit 1 / Analog input 10 |
| Pin 35 | RB2/AN8 — PORTB bit 2 / Analog input 8 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/AN9 — PORTB bit 3 / Analog input 9 |
| 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 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1787-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Battery-Powered IoT Edge Device, LED Lighting Color and Brightness Controller, Smoke and Gas Detector Signal Chain, Portable Medical Monitoring Accessory, Mixed-Signal Data Acquisition Front End.
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16LF1787-E/P is well suited to industrial sensor nodes because it integrates two on-chip operational amplifiers, two comparators, and a 12-bit ADC with multi-channel input multiplexer in a single 40-pin PDIP package. The op-amps can be configured as front-end instrumentation gain stages for bridge sensors such as load cells, strain gauges, or pressure transducers, while the 12-bit ADC digitizes the conditioned signal at up to 100 ksps. The 14 KB Flash accommodates calibration tables and linearization firmware for thermocouple cold-junction compensation or RTD lookups, and the 1.8V to 3.6V operating range allows direct 3.3V industrial bus powering. Its -40C to +125C E-grade temperature rating suits factory-floor enclosures.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Edge Device
The PIC16LF1787-E/P is a strong fit for battery-powered IoT edge devices thanks to its PIC XLP nanoWatt technology, which delivers single-digit-microamp sleep currents with RTC running and brown-out reset retention down to 1.8V. The 14 KB Flash stores both the application firmware and a small TLS-style secure-boot loader, while 1 KB RAM supports modest sensor-fusion buffers. The integrated 12-bit ADC and DAC eliminate external ADC chips, reducing BOM cost and quiescent current. The 32 MHz maximum CPU clock allows burst-mode sensor sampling followed by long sleep intervals. The 40-pin PDIP package simplifies hand-soldered prototypes for low-volume edge nodes, though for high-volume production the QFN-44 (PIC16LF1787-E/ML) variant is recommended.
Recommended
LED Lighting Color and Brightness Controller
The PIC16LF1787-E/P is an excellent LED lighting controller because its integrated 10-bit DAC and 5-bit DACs can generate multiple PWM-free analog dimming references for constant-current LED driver ICs, while the 12-bit ADC reads back photodiode or color-sensor feedback for closed-loop brightness and chromaticity control. Two on-chip comparators provide hardware over-temperature and over-current protection without burdening the CPU. The 14 KB Flash accommodates DMX512, DALI, or 0-10V lighting protocol stacks plus user-preset storage in 256-byte EEPROM. The 32 MHz instruction rate supports smooth 8-bit PWM dimming at frequencies above audible range (above 20 kHz) on multiple CCP channels. The 40-pin PDIP form factor suits in-fixture prototyping.
Recommended
Smoke and Gas Detector Signal Chain
The PIC16LF1787-E/P is a good fit for smoke and gas detector signal chains because the integrated 12-bit ADC can digitize photoelectric-scatter or electrochemical-cell analog signals while the on-chip op-amp acts as a transimpedance amplifier for the photodiode front end. Two comparators provide a hardware alarm threshold that triggers even if the CPU is sleeping, reducing false-negative risk in life-safety applications. The PIC XLP nanoWatt sleep current under 1 uA extends battery life on wireless interconnected smoke alarms to 10+ years on a single 3V lithium cell. The 14 KB Flash stores self-test routines, drift compensation tables, and chirp-pattern libraries. The E-grade -40C to +125C temperature range covers UL217 smoke alarm chamber environments.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring Accessory
The PIC16LF1787-E/P fits portable medical monitoring accessories such as pulse-oximeter cable dongles, handheld spirometer modules, and ambulatory ECG patches because its 12-bit ADC with sample-and-hold is sufficient for low-bandwidth physiological signals (typically under 1 kHz). Two on-chip op-amps form the front-end differential amplifier for biopotential electrodes, eliminating external instrumentation amplifiers. The PIC XLP nanoWatt technology supports continuous battery monitoring without draining the primary cell. The 14 KB Flash holds basic DSP routines for heart-rate or respiration-rate extraction. The 40-pin PDIP package simplifies medical-device prototyping where through-hole assembly is preferred for reliability under repeated sterilization cycles.
Recommended
Mixed-Signal Data Acquisition Front End
The PIC16LF1787-E/P functions as a mixed-signal data acquisition front end in cost-sensitive industrial and laboratory instrumentation, with its 12-bit ADC sampling at up to 100 ksps and on-chip DACs generating programmable excitation signals for resistive-bridge sensors or 4-20 mA loop simulators. The two integrated op-amps provide anti-alias filtering and signal conditioning before ADC sampling, reducing external component count. The EUSART (UART) peripheral supports Modbus RTU over RS-485 for industrial sensor network integration. The 14 KB Flash accommodates Modbus stack, calibration coefficients, and a small command interpreter, while 256-byte EEPROM stores per-unit calibration data. The 40-pin PDIP package suits through-hole instrumentation modules with screw terminals.
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Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1787-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1787-E/P | PIC16LF1783-E/P | PIC16LF1782-E/P | PIC16LF1784-E/P | PIC16LF1777-I/P | PIC16LF1779-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same | PDIP-40 (DIP-40) - same |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB (-50%) | 4 KB (-71%) | 7 KB (-50%) | 14 KB (0%) | 28 KB (+100%) |
| RAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 512 B (-50%) | 512 B (-50%) | 512 B (-50%) | 1 KB | 2 KB (+100%) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8V - 3.6V | 2.3V - 5.5V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V |
| Max CPU Clock | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 10-bit | 12-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| On-chip Op-Amps | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated op-amps in 40-pin PDIP package (vs PIC16LF1783-E/P)
- Higher ADC resolution vs PIC16LF1782 family (vs PIC16LF1782-E/P)
- Larger Flash than the LF1783/1782 alternatives (vs PIC16LF1783-E/P)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 32 MHz, VDD=3.3V, active mode current consumption is approximately 7 mA for the PIC16LF1787 core alone, rising to 11 mA with peripherals enabled. In sleep mode with RTC running, PIC XLP technology drops current to under 1 uA. For battery-powered designs, duty-cycle the wake/sleep ratio and use the on-chip ADC in burst mode rather than continuous conversion. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin (pins 11 and 32) plus a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the main supply rail to suppress digital switching transients from corrupting ADC readings.
The 12-bit ADC achieves datasheet accuracy only with proper analog supply decoupling. Tie AVDD to VDD and AVSS to VSS through ferrite beads if noise isolation is needed, with separate 100 nF + 10 uF decoupling on the AVDD pin. For sub-LSB noise performance, average multiple ADC samples in firmware and avoid transitioning digital I/O pins adjacent to the analog input channel during sampling windows. Use the on-chip op-amps in unity-gain buffer configuration to drive high-impedance analog sources, since direct ADC input impedance may otherwise cause gain error on resistive sensors.
Common pitfalls: (1) Failing to configure the PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) registers - default pin assignments differ from older PIC16F devices, and UART/SPI/I2C peripherals will not work without explicit PPS configuration. (2) Exceeding the absolute maximum VDD of 4.0V on the LF variant - the LF (1.8V-3.6V) part will be damaged above 4V. (3) Forgetting the MCLR pin must be pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor; leaving MCLR floating causes intermittent reset. (4) Not disabling the ICD/ICSP pins (RB6/RB7) in production firmware if those pins are repurposed for GPIO, which can cause programming-voltage contention in-circuit.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - PIC16LF1787 is a general-purpose industrial MCU. For automotive AEC-Q100 designs, consider PIC18F family or dsPIC33 variants.
