PIC16LF870-I/SP - 8-bit MCU, 3.5KB Flash, 20MHz, 28-SPDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF870-I/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.78 | $3.78 |
| 10 | $3.41 | $34.10 |
| 100 | $2.96 | $296.00 |
| 500 | $2.63 | $1,315.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.31 | $2,310.00 |
PIC16LF870-I/SP Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path, on-chip flash for program storage, RAM for volatile data, and a set of peripherals (timers, ADC, UART, I/O). Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16LF870 belongs to the PIC16 family -> PIC® 16F mid-range -> flash microcontrollers -> 8-bit MCUs -> microcontrollers (MCU) -> integrated circuits (IC). Its Harvard RISC architecture separates program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand access to occur in the same clock cycle, which is why PIC16 parts deliver deterministic throughput at modest clock rates.
Key features include 22 digital I/O pins multiplexed with peripheral functions, a 10-bit ADC with up to 5 channels, a USART module for asynchronous and synchronous serial communication, one 8-bit and two CCP timers, an internal oscillator option, and an ICD (In-Circuit Debug) interface for non-intrusive programming. Brown-out Reset (BOR), Power-on Reset (POR), and Watchdog Timer (WDT) with its own on-chip RC oscillator are standard, and the part supports low-power sleep with wake-up on interrupt.
Typical applications include low-power embedded control nodes, industrial sensor front-ends, white-goods and appliance user-interface boards, simple motor-control signal conditioning, and battery-operated instruments. The 28-pin SPDIP footprint is widely used on legacy designs and hobby/professional development boards such as the PICDEM and PIC-DEV families, which simplifies hand prototyping and field repair.
When laying out a board, keep the analog AVss/AVdd pair isolated from noisy digital rails and place the 0.1 µF decoupling cap within 5 mm of Vdd. Choose the LF variant for 2-cell battery or coin-cell designs; if your system runs from a regulated 4.5-5.5 V rail, the PIC16F870 (non-LF) provides identical pinout and peripherals with relaxed low-voltage tolerance.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF870-I/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 PIC16LF870-I/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Supply Voltage (VDD), Timers, I/O Pins, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F870-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F872-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F876A-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F873A-I/SP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F873-I/SP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F874A-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF870-I/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | PIC16F870 / PIC16LF870 (28/40-pin, 8-bit CMOS FLASH) |
| Core Architecture | PIC® 16F RISC, Harvard, 8-bit data path |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB (2K x 14 words) |
| Data EEPROM | 64 bytes |
| Data RAM | 128 bytes |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF suffix) |
| I/O Pins | 22 (multiplexed with peripherals) |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 channels |
| Serial Interface | USART / SCI |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit TMR0, 1 x 16-bit TMR1, 1 x 8-bit TMR2 |
| CCP Modules | 1 capture / compare / PWM |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (300 mil, through-hole) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (industrial 'I') |
| In-Circuit Programming | ICSP via RB6/RB7 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | Not applicable (through-hole package) |
PIC16LF870-I/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (Reset) input / programming voltage |
| 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 voltage plus |
| 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 (28-pin shared with PORTD bit 0) / analog input 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 (28-pin shared with PORTD WR) / analog input 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 (28-pin shared with PORTD CS) / analog input 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive digital supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator output / clock output |
| 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 output |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 (28-pin: digital I/O only) |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 (28-pin: digital I/O only) |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 (28-pin: digital I/O only) |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 (28-pin: digital I/O only) |
| 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 transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 27 | AVSS — Analog ground |
| Pin 28 | AVDD — Analog positive supply (tie to VDD) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF870-I/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Low-Voltage Battery Sensor Nodes, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, White Goods and Appliance Control Boards, Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Educational and Hobby Development Boards, Simple Motor Control and PWM Drive.
Low-Voltage Battery Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF870-I/SP's 1.8 V to 3.6 V VDD range and 128-byte RAM make it a strong fit for battery-powered sensor nodes running from a single Li-primary or 2x AA cell. Its 22 I/O pins can scan a 4x4 keypad, read a thermistor bridge through the 10-bit 5-channel ADC, and report over the USART at 9600 baud while sleeping at sub-microamp currents. Sleep mode with wake-up on interrupt keeps average current below 20 µA, extending coin-cell life to multi-year horizons in metering and remote-monitoring designs.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
With 22 I/O and a 10-bit ADC, PIC16LF870-I/SP can interface 4-20 mA loop sensors, RTDs, and digital logic in industrial 24 V backplanes stepped down to 3.3 V. The 20 MHz instruction rate gives 200 ns response time to ADC end-of-conversion, suitable for 1 kHz control loops. Brown-out reset and watchdog timer guard against brown-outs and firmware lockups on noisy factory floors. Pair with an external RS-485 transceiver for robust long-cable plant networking.
Recommended
White Goods and Appliance Control Boards
The 28-SPDIP footprint of PIC16LF870-I/SP is widely used on washing-machine, dishwasher and HVAC user-interface boards because of its through-hole hand-prototype friendliness and proven field reliability. The USART interfaces to LED-driver or character-LCD display modules while the CCP drives triac-fired relay loads through an optoisolator. Industrial -40 to +85 °C operation survives appliance under-hood thermal stress, and the 1.8 V minimum suits designs that share rails with modern 3.3 V logic.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
Although not AEC-Q100 qualified, PIC16LF870-I/SP remains widely deployed on aftermarket and hobby automotive body modules: interior lighting, seat-position memory, mirror-fold controls, and auxiliary gauge clusters. Its 22 I/O can drive LED arrays directly through MOSFETs, and the USART provides OBD-II or CAN-bus bridging via external transceivers. Industrial temperature range covers cabin environments, and the LF VDD range tolerates automotive cranking transients when paired with a TVS-protected buck regulator.
Recommended
Educational and Hobby Development Boards
The PIC16LF870-I/SP is a classic teaching MCU: 28-SPDIP is breadboard-friendly, ICSP works with the low-cost PICkit 3 / MPLAB SNAP programmers, and the 35-instruction mid-range set is documented in Microchip's reference manual. Students learn timer/counter chains, ADC polling, USART framing, and PWM motor-control without needing surface-mount assembly. The LF voltage range also introduces them to low-power design patterns early in the curriculum.
Recommended
Simple Motor Control and PWM Drive
PIC16LF870-I/SP's 16-bit TMR1 and 8-bit TMR2 with one CCP module deliver 10-bit PWM at up to ~20 kHz, well-suited to brushed DC motor speed control in fans, pumps, and small appliances. The 10-bit ADC closes the loop by sampling back-EMF or current-sense resistors, while the USART reports telemetry to a host controller. The 28-SPDIP through-hole package simplifies field-replacement in motor-driver boards where vibration and thermal cycling are concerns.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF870-I/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F870-I/SP | PIC16F872-I/SP | PIC16F876A-I/SP | PIC16F873A-I/SP | PIC16F874A-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SPDIP | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 8 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB |
| Data RAM | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 368 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 256 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 ch | 10-bit, 5 ch | 10-bit, 5 ch | 10-bit, 5 ch | 10-bit, 5 ch | 10-bit, 5 ch |
| Max CPU Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest VDD minimum in the 28-SPDIP PIC16F870 family (vs PIC16F870-I/SP)
- 128-byte RAM, 64-byte EEPROM same as PIC16F870 (vs PIC16F876A-I/SP)
- Three spare GPIO (RE0/RE1/RE2) usable as analog inputs (vs PIC16F872-I/SP)
- Drop-in modern migration path to PIC16F1xxx (vs PIC16F873A-I/SP)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 11) and a second 100 nF within 5 mm of AVDD (pin 28); tie AVDD directly to VDD and AVSS directly to VSS. For battery-powered designs, place a 10 µF bulk capacitor on VDD to ride out sleep-to-active inrush. The LF supply range (1.8-3.6 V) means you can run directly from a Li-MnO2 coin cell without a regulator, but disable the BOR for sub-1.8 V cut-off designs.
Keep analog traces (AN0-AN4, VREF+, AVSS) short and routed away from the OSC1/OSC2 oscillator pins and digital switching lines. Place the ADC reference capacitor (typically 0.1 µF) directly on VREF+/AVSS when using external references; the internal 2.5 V reference is adequate for 10-bit conversions but introduces ~±2 LSB temperature drift across -40 to +85 °C.
Do not assume PIC16LF870-I/SP and PIC16F870-I/SP are interchangeable: the LF part starts at 1.8 V while the F part requires 4.0 V minimum. Brown-out Reset must be configured in the configuration word (CONFIG1) at programming time - if you forget to set BOREN, the device will operate below 4 V on a 5 V rail and exhibit erratic resets. The 28-SPDIP only exposes 5 of the 8 analog channels; AN5-AN7 are multiplexed with RE0/RE1/RE2 (PORTD/PSPMODE pins) and not usable on the 28-pin package.
Reserve the RB6/RB7 pins for ICSP (in-circuit serial programming); never tie them directly to VDD/GND or strap external pull-ups stronger than 10 kΩ - the programmer drives these lines during debug. Leave a 2-pin header or test pad on the board for ICSP access even in production units, since field firmware updates often rely on this. The 28-SPDIP pin pitch is 2.54 mm (0.1 inch) and the package is 300 mil wide; allow at least 1 mm clearance around the body for conformal coating or rework.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - automotive designs requiring formal qualification should use PIC16F1xxx or dsPIC33 families. Through-hole SPDIP package has no MSL rating (not applicable for through-hole).
