PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO - 256KB Flash 32-bit MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.92 | $4.92 |
| 10 | $4.38 | $43.80 |
| 100 | $3.71 | $371.00 |
| 500 | $3.18 | $1,590.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.78 | $2,780.00 |
PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and a rich set of programmable peripherals around a common bus. The PIC32MX1XX/2XX family sits at the mid-range of Microchip's 32-bit portfolio, above the 8-bit PIC16/PIC18 lines and below the higher-pin-count PIC32MX3XX/4XX/5XX/6XX/7XX devices, targeting cost-sensitive embedded applications that require USB, audio, or graphics connectivity without migrating to a Cortex-M class core. Within the hierarchy, PIC32MX170F256B falls under 32-bit MCU -> MIPS M4K architecture -> Microchip PIC32 family -> mainstream performance segment.
Key differentiating features include the 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS core with typical 0.5 mA/MHz active current, USB 2.0 full-speed with on-chip transceiver, hardware PMP for direct LCD/glcd connections, two I2S interfaces for stereo audio codecs, and CTMU-based mTouch capacitive touch sensing. Compared with smaller Flash variants in the same pinout (PIC32MX130F064B, PIC32MX150F128B, PIC32MX170F256B), this 256 KB Flash / 64 KB SRAM device enables richer application firmware while remaining software- and pin-compatible across the family.
Typical applications include USB HID/CDC peripherals, audio playback with I2S codecs, graphic LCD panels via PMP, capacitive touch user interfaces, and low-cost 32-bit control boards. The wide -40C to +105C temperature range supports industrial and outdoor deployments. When designing, select the appropriate package (SO/SS/SP/ML) early so PCB layout matches the 28- or 44-pin footprint; PPS remapping should be configured before committing pin assignments, since not all peripherals can map to every pin.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO — 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 PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, ADC, Parallel Master Port (PMP), Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC32MX170F256B-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX170F256BT-V/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX170F256BT-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX170F256BT-50I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.81 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC32MX170F256B-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | MIPS32 M4K 32-bit RISC |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 50 MHz |
| DMIPS Performance | 83 DMIPS |
| Active Current Consumption | 0.5 mA/MHz (typical) |
| Program Flash Memory | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 64 KB |
| Operating Voltage | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C (V-temp, industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin SOIC (SO), 300-mil |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 1 Msps, up to 13 channels |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device/Host/OTG with on-chip transceiver |
| I2S / SPI Modules | 2 |
| Parallel Master Port (PMP) | Yes, for graphics interfaces |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| mTouch Capacitive Touch | Supported (CTMU-based) |
| High-Resolution Timer | 1 ns capture resolution |
| On-chip Temperature Sensor | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Lead-free; halogen-free status unknown from provided data |
PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | SDA1/RA0 — I2C1 SDA / GPIO RA0 / AN0 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 2 | SCL1/RA1 — I2C1 SCL / GPIO RA1 / AN1 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — GPIO RA2 / AN2 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — GPIO RA3 / AN3 / REFCLKI (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — GPIO RA4 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 6 | VDD — Positive supply 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RB0 — GPIO RB0 / AN4 / PGED1 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 9 | RB1 — GPIO RB1 / AN5 / PGEC1 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 10 | RB2 — GPIO RB2 / AN6 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 11 | RB3 — GPIO RB3 / AN7 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 12 | RB4 — GPIO RB4 / AN8 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 13 | RB5 — GPIO RB5 / AN9 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 14 | RB6 — GPIO RB6 / AN10 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 15 | RB7 — GPIO RB7 / AN11 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 16 | RC0 — GPIO RC0 / AN12 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 17 | RC1 — GPIO RC1 / AN13 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 18 | RC2 — GPIO RC2 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Pin 21 | RB8 — GPIO RB8 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 22 | RB9 — GPIO RB9 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 23 | RC6 — GPIO RC6 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 24 | RC7 — GPIO RC7 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 25 | RC8 — GPIO RC8 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 26 | RC9 — GPIO RC9 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 27 | D+ — USB D+ data line |
| Pin 28 | D- — USB D- data line |
Typical Applications
PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO is suitable for 6 applications: USB HID / CDC Peripherals, Audio Playback with I2S Codecs, Graphic LCD via PMP, Capacitive Touch User Interface, Industrial Control & Sensor Hub, Low-Cost 32-bit Educational Boards.
USB HID / CDC Peripherals
The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO integrates a USB 2.0 Full-Speed controller with on-chip transceiver, so designers can build USB HID keyboards/mouses, CDC virtual COM ports, or vendor-class devices without any external PHY. The 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS MIPS core sustains USB polling rates while leaving headroom for application logic. With 64 KB SRAM, the part comfortably holds USB descriptors plus application buffers. Place 100 nF decoupling on VDD/VUSB, route D+/D- as a 90-ohm differential pair, and tie VBUS to the dedicated USB sense pin for proper attach detection.
Recommended
Audio Playback with I2S Codecs
The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO's two I2S modules pair directly with stereo audio DACs and ADCs such as the SGTL5000 or PCM1774 for music playback, tone generation, or audio effects. The 256 KB Flash holds WAV lookup tables and small audio samples, while the 50 MHz core can run DMA-driven I2S streams without CPU overhead. Place the I2S LRCK/BCLK/DATA traces as short matched-length paths, keep them away from switching power, and add a ferrite bead on the codec AVDD supply for best THD+N performance.
Recommended
Graphic LCD via PMP
The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO's Parallel Master Port (PMP) drives 8/16-bit parallel LCD panels and graphical OLEDs at sustained pixel rates, ideal for HMI dashboards. Combined with PPS, designers can route PMP data, address, and control lines to almost any available pin, easing PCB layout on the 28-pin SOIC footprint. Use external 1 M-ohm pull-ups on PMP chip-select lines where required by the display, and confirm timing with the panel datasheet to avoid tearing on full-frame updates.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface
The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO integrates the CTMU peripheral and mTouch library support, enabling 4-8 button capacitive touch sliders on the 28-pin SOIC footprint. Combined with 256 KB Flash, designers can implement gesture decoding and adaptive thresholds without an external touch controller. Route touch electrodes on the top copper layer with no solder mask over the pad, add a ground guard ring, and use the Microchip mTouch tuning guide for electrode size vs sensitivity.
Recommended
Industrial Control & Sensor Hub
With 10-bit 1 Msps ADC, USB, and the -40C to +105C industrial temperature grade, the PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO is well suited to industrial sensor hubs reading analog inputs and forwarding them via USB, RS-232, or I2C. The 256 KB Flash accommodates Modbus or custom industrial protocols. Place a TVS diode on USB VBUS and external ESD protection on analog inputs to survive the harshest industrial EMI environments.
Recommended
Low-Cost 32-bit Educational Boards
The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO powers several low-cost dev boards (e.g. chipKIT-style boards, XORYA game console) because of its generous Flash, USB, and SOIC availability. The MIPS M4K core plus MPLAB Harmony support lets students learn 32-bit embedded programming without migrating to Cortex-M. Use MPLAB X IDE and the XC32 compiler; both include free versions suitable for educational use.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC32MX170F256B-I/SO | PIC32MX170F256BT-V/SO | PIC32MX170F256BT-I/SO | PIC32MX170F256BT-50I/SO | PIC32MX170F256B-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-pin SOIC (SO) | 28-pin SOIC (SO) - same | 28-pin SOIC (SO) - same | 28-pin SOIC (SO) - same | 28-pin SOIC (SO) - same | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same 28-pin count, through-hole |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB |
| Max CPU Speed | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS | 50 MHz / 83 DMIPS |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C (V-temp) | -40C to +105C (I-temp) | -40C to +105C (V-temp) | -40C to +105C (I-temp) | -40C to +105C (I-temp) | -40C to +105C (I-temp) |
| Packaging Form | Tube | Tube | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tube |
| USB 2.0 Full-Speed | Yes (on-chip transceiver) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash + SRAM in the PIC32MX1XX 28/36-pin sub-family (vs PIC32MX150F128B-V/SO)
- On-chip USB 2.0 Full-Speed transceiver (vs PIC32MX130F064B-V/SO)
- Same pinout across SO/SS/SP/ML packages for hardware flexibility (vs PIC32MX170F256B-V/ML)
Design Notes
Place 100 nF decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every VDD pin and a single 10 uF bulk capacitor on the main supply rail. The PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO draws 0.5 mA/MHz typical active current, so a 50 MHz active load draws approximately 25 mA plus peripheral current. Add 10 uF + 100 nF on the analog AVDD rail if used, and consider a ferrite bead between digital and analog supplies to reduce ADC switching noise.
Route USB D+/D- as a 90-ohm differential pair with matched length and continuous reference ground plane on the layer immediately below. The 28-pin SOIC package places the USB pins on pins 27 and 28 at one end of the body, so keep the USB connector close to those pins to avoid stub effects. For PMP graphics, route data and address lines together with matched lengths where timing requires.
Use PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) to remap peripheral functions to convenient pins before committing the PCB layout. Not every peripheral can map to every pin - the device datasheet has the full mapping matrix in the PPS section. Once the mapping is locked, declare it explicitly at startup; remapping at runtime requires the PPS Unlock sequence described in the family reference manual.
Do not exceed the maximum 3.6 V supply; the PIC32MX170F256B-V/SO is not 5 V tolerant on I/O. For ICSP programming, hold MCLR low during power-up and route the PGEC1/PGED1 pair to a 6-pin header accessible without crossing noisy signals. The PPS Unlock sequence must be performed before changing peripheral pin mappings, otherwise registers appear to write but no change occurs.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this part targets industrial/consumer, not automotive. Halogen-free status not stated in provided data.
