PIC17LC44T-08I/L - 8MHz 8-bit OTP MCU, 16KB, 44-PLCC | Microchip
MPN: PIC17LC44T-08I/L ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.75 | $167.50 |
| 100 | $14.95 | $1,495.00 |
| 500 | $13.2 | $6,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.5 | $11,500.00 |
PIC17LC44T-08I/L Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory, working RAM, and peripheral interfaces. The 8-bit PIC17C family uses a RISC Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, enabling single-cycle instruction execution. As an embedded-class device, the PIC17LC44 sits within a hierarchy: 8-bit MCU -> PIC® 17C sub-family -> PIC17LC44 silicon -> PLCC-packaged industrial variant. This taxonomy helps engineers evaluate compatibility across the broader PIC microcontroller lineup.
Key features of the PIC17LC44 include a 33 I/O pin count, hardware multiply, 8-level hardware stack, multiple timer/counter modules, and a peripheral feature set typical of mid-1990s PIC17C designs. The OTP program memory allows one-time field programming via a device programmer, distinguishing this part from UV-erasable EPROM variants. The 8 MHz top speed, combined with the 121 ns instruction cycle, delivers roughly 8 MIPS of throughput, which is well-suited to control loops, sensor processing, and communication front-ends in cost-sensitive industrial designs.
Typical applications include industrial control systems, motor control front-ends, instrumentation, embedded communication bridges, and legacy equipment maintenance. The wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply tolerance makes the part tolerant of unregulated rails, while the 33 I/O count supports keypad scans, LCD multiplexed drive, and parallel sensor aggregation. Industrial-grade temperature rating enables factory-floor deployment.
Designers should consult the PIC17C4x datasheet for pinout specifics: 44-PLCC pin assignments differ from 40-pin DIP variants, and care is required when migrating layouts between PLCC and PQ packages. Programming requires a Microchip-compatible device programmer supporting the PIC17C OTP algorithm.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC17LC44T-08I/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 PIC17LC44T-08I/L (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Data Bus Width, Mounting Type, Program Memory Size, Operating Temperature Range, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC17LC44-08I/L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC17LC44T-08/L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$4.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC17LC44-08/L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC17LC43T-08/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC17LC43-08I/L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$18.24 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC17LC44T-08I/L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC® 17C |
| Core | 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 16 KB (8K x 16) |
| RAM | 454 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 8 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 121 ns (single cycle), 242 ns (branch) |
| Data Bus Width | 16 bit |
| I/O Pins | 33 |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Package | 44-PLCC (16.59 x 16.59 mm, J-lead) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| Terminal Form | J-BEND |
| Number of Terminals | 44 |
PIC17LC44T-08I/L Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0 — I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — I/O port A bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | RA5 — I/O port A bit 5 |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — I/O port A bit 6 |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — I/O port A bit 7 |
| Pin 9 | RB0/INT — I/O port B bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 10 | RB1 — I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 11 | RB2 — I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 12 | RB3 — I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 13 | RB4 — I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 14 | RB5 — I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 15 | RB6 — I/O port B bit 6 |
| Pin 16 | RB7 — I/O port B bit 7 |
| Pin 17 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 18 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.5 V to 6.0 V) |
| Pin 19 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 20 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — I/O port C bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 29 | RD0 — I/O port D bit 0 |
| Pin 30 | RD1 — I/O port D bit 1 |
| Pin 31 | RD2 — I/O port D bit 2 |
| Pin 32 | RD3 — I/O port D bit 3 |
| Pin 33 | RD4 — I/O port D bit 4 |
| Pin 34 | RD5 — I/O port D bit 5 |
| Pin 35 | RD6 — I/O port D bit 6 |
| Pin 36 | RD7 — I/O port D bit 7 |
| Pin 37 | RE0 — I/O port E bit 0 |
| Pin 38 | RE1 — I/O port E bit 1 |
| Pin 39 | RE2 — I/O port E bit 2 |
| Pin 40 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear reset / programming voltage |
| Pin 41 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet package pinout) |
| Pin 42 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet package pinout) |
| Pin 43 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet package pinout) |
| Pin 44 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet package pinout) |
Typical Applications
PIC17LC44T-08I/L is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Systems, Motor Control Front-End, Legacy Instrumentation, Embedded Communication Bridges, Sensor Aggregation Nodes, Embedded Display Controllers.
Industrial Control Systems
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L fits industrial control applications through its 33 I/O pins and 8 MHz operation, sufficient to scan keypads, drive multiplexed LED or character-LCD displays, and service digital sensor inputs in factory equipment. The 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply tolerance simplifies integration with 5 V regulated rails common in industrial backplanes. Its 16 KB OTP program memory accommodates state machines, lookup tables, and communication stacks for protocol conversion between legacy RS-232 or RS-485 ports and modern fieldbus interfaces. The industrial -40 °C to +85 °C temperature rating ensures operation in unheated enclosures.
Recommended
Motor Control Front-End
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L is well-suited as a motor-control front-end for low-power stepper or DC brushless drives, leveraging its 33 I/O to interface Hall-effect sensors, optical encoders, and FET gate drivers. At 8 MHz the MCU executes feedback loops in approximately 121 ns per instruction, achieving closed-loop update rates above 10 kHz when servoing velocity or position. The wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply range supports battery-backed motor systems and 5 V industrial rails. Designers should pair the PIC17LC44 with external gate drivers and current-sense amplifiers.
Recommended
Legacy Instrumentation
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L serves as a drop-in MCU replacement in legacy test and measurement instruments where original designs used the PIC17C4x family. Its 16 KB OTP, 454 bytes RAM, and 8 MHz throughput match the original performance envelope, allowing firmware written for the PIC17C4x instruction set to run unchanged. The 44-PLCC package fits existing board footprints. According to the manufacturer datasheet, the 8 MHz operation provides adequate computation for A/D sampling, key debounce, and front-panel handling in 1990s-era instruments.
Recommended
Embedded Communication Bridges
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L is appropriate for protocol-conversion bridges that translate between legacy serial interfaces (RS-232, RS-485, I2C slave) and modern peripherals. With 33 I/O, the MCU can simultaneously drive UART, SPI, and I2C buses plus status LEDs. The 8 MHz clock and 121 ns instruction cycle sustain 9600 to 115200 baud UART rates with comfortable processing headroom. The industrial temperature grade and 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply tolerance suit the harsh electrical environments typical of industrial communication gateways.
Recommended
Sensor Aggregation Nodes
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L works well in sensor aggregation nodes where multiple digital or analog inputs are sampled and forwarded over a serial link. With 33 I/O pins, the MCU can scan matrix keypads, multiple discrete sensors, or a parallel A/D converter. The 8 MHz throughput supports 1 kHz scan rates across dozens of channels. According to manufacturer datasheet specifications, the 454-byte RAM is sufficient to buffer measurement frames before transmission. Industrial temperature rating enables deployment in factory automation environments.
Recommended
Embedded Display Controllers
The PIC17LC44T-08I/L can drive multiplexed character LCDs or simple graphic displays through its 33 I/O pins. With 16 KB OTP it accommodates custom character tables, menu state machines, and communication parsing for command-driven display panels. The 8 MHz operation sustains 60 Hz refresh rates for modest multiplexed LED matrices. According to manufacturer datasheet characteristics, the 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply range supports both 3.3 V and 5 V LCD modules without level shifters, simplifying BOM cost.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC17LC44T-08I/L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC17LC44-08I/L | PIC17LC44T-08/L | PIC17LC44-08/L | PIC17LC43T-08/L | PIC17LC43-08I/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-PLCC (16.59 x 16.59 mm) | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same | 44-PLCC - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 16 KB OTP (8K x 16) | 16 KB OTP | 16 KB OTP | 16 KB OTP | 8 KB OTP (-50%) | 8 KB OTP (-50%) |
| Maximum Clock | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz | 8 MHz |
| RAM | 454 bytes | 454 bytes | 454 bytes | 454 bytes | 454 bytes | 454 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 °C to +85 °C) | Industrial | Commercial (0 °C to +70 °C) | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial |
Key Differentiators
- Largest OTP memory in the PIC17C4x 44-PLCC family (vs PIC17LC43T-08/L)
- Industrial temperature grade for harsh environments (vs PIC17LC44T-08/L)
- Tape-and-reel packaging for high-volume SMT assembly (vs PIC17LC44-08I/L)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 18) to suppress high-frequency noise from the digital switching currents. Add a bulk 10 µF tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the same VDD rail within 25 mm of the device. The PIC17LC44T-08I/L draws peak transient currents during instruction fetches, so the decoupling network must maintain low impedance from 1 MHz to 100 MHz to prevent logic errors.
When migrating firmware between PIC17LC44 PLCC and PIC17LC44 PQFP packages, verify pinout assignments before PCB respin. The 44-PLCC and 44-PQFP pinouts are NOT identical; some I/O ports are remapped between package variants. Also confirm MCLR/VPP behavior - the MCLR pin (pin 40) must be pulled high via a 10 kΩ resistor for normal operation and driven low to reset.
OTP programming requires VPP (typically 13 V to 14 V) applied to the MCLR pin during programming cycles. Ensure your device programmer supports the PIC17C OTP algorithm; PIC17C parts use a different programming protocol than PIC16F/PIC18F devices. In-circuit programming is not supported on this OTP part - programming must occur before PCB mounting or via socketed adapters.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance verified per manufacturer product page. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a legacy industrial MCU, not automotive-qualified.
