Z84C4310AEG - Z80 SIO/3 10MHz CMOS Serial I/O | Zilog
MPN: Z84C4310AEG ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.42 | $8.42 |
| 10 | $7.65 | $76.50 |
| 100 | $6.9 | $690.00 |
| 500 | $6.2 | $3,100.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.55 | $5,550.00 |
Z84C4310AEG Overview
A Serial I/O Controller (SIO) is a category of peripheral device that offloads serial framing, handshaking, and clock-recovery from the host CPU. In the system hierarchy, the Z84C4310AEG sits as a peripheral IC alongside the CPU (e.g., Z84C00 Z80), the CTC counter-timer, and the PIO parallel I/O. The 'Z80 SIO/3' designation identifies it as the third-generation Zilog SIO, adding enhanced HDLC/SDLC support and dedicated modem control signals that the original Z80 SIO (Z8440) lacked.
Key features include two independent full-duplex serial channels with independent baud-rate generators, integrated Z80 bus interface with INT/IE vectors, programmable data formats (5 to 8 bits per character, 1 to 2 stop bits, parity even/odd/none), four on-chip DMA channels with selectable FIFO depths, and CMOS low-power operation from a single 5 V supply. The '10' suffix denotes 10 MHz maximum clock, allowing sustained serial throughput up to 1 Mbaud in synchronous mode.
Architecturally, the Z84C4310AEG pairs the legacy Z80 SIO/3 register set with a CMOS process, reducing the original NMOS part's typical 200 mA supply current to roughly 10 mA active. Each channel independently handles receive clock-recovery, transmit clock generation, and break/abort detection. The chip supports NRZ, NRZI, and FM encodings, and the four DMA channels permit direct memory transfers without CPU intervention, which is critical in tight real-time protocols such as BISYNC and HDLC.
Typical applications include industrial Z80-based embedded control boards, factory-floor serial-backplane nodes, point-of-sale terminals, telecom front-end cards, and legacy M2M/SCADA controllers that require multi-drop synchronous or asynchronous serial links. Engineers select this part specifically when existing firmware targets the Z80 SIO register set, when upgrading older NMOS boards to a CMOS low-power redesign, or when a single chip must terminate two channels of modem-grade serial traffic.
Designers should note that Z84C4310AEG requires an external 5 V supply and a quartz-crystal or system-clock source up to 10 MHz; the receive and transmit clocks can alternatively be supplied from an external modem. Unused inputs must be pulled to defined logic levels to avoid spurious interrupts. The 44-LQFP footprint (10 mm × 10 mm body) allows drop-in upgrade from the legacy 44-PLCC Z80 SIO designs that already use the same pinout.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, including cross-family same-brand variants and architectural context for engineers maintaining or upgrading legacy Z80 platforms.
Drop-in alternatives for Z84C4310AEG — 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 Z84C4310AEG (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package.
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No drop-in alternatives available for this product.
Request AlternativesZ84C4310AEG Specifications
| Device Type | Serial I/O Controller (SIO) |
| Family | Z80 SIO/3 |
| Technology | CMOS |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V |
| Number of Serial Channels | 2 (full-duplex, independent) |
| Bus Interface | Z80-compatible 8-bit |
| Data Format | 5 to 8 bits/character, 1 or 2 stop bits, parity selectable |
| Baud-Rate Generator | On-chip, programmable (2) |
| DMA Channels | 4 (on-chip) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +100 C |
| Package | 44-LQFP (10 mm x 10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Encoding Support | NRZ, NRZI, FM |
| Protocol Support | Asynchronous, Synchronous, HDLC/SDLC |
Z84C4310AEG Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | A_RxC — Channel A Receive Clock input |
| Pin 2 | A_RxD — Channel A Receive Data input |
| Pin 3 | A_TxC — Channel A Transmit Clock input/output |
| Pin 4 | A_TxD — Channel A Transmit Data output |
| Pin 5 | RD — Read strobe (active low) |
| Pin 6 | WR — Write strobe (active low) |
| Pin 7 | IORQ — I/O Request (active low) |
| Pin 8 | M1 — Machine Cycle 1 (active low) |
| Pin 9 | MREQ — Memory Request (active low) |
| Pin 10 | INT — Interrupt Request (active low, open-drain) |
| Pin 11 | IEI — Interrupt Enable In (daisy-chain) |
| Pin 12 | VCC — +5 V supply |
| Pin 13 | CLK — System clock input (max 10 MHz) |
| Pin 14 | IEO — Interrupt Enable Out (daisy-chain) |
| Pin 15 | RESET — Reset (active low) |
| Pin 16 | NMI — Non-Maskable Interrupt input |
| Pin 17 | CE — Chip Enable (active low) |
| Pin 18 | DCDB — Channel B Data Carrier Detect |
| Pin 19 | CTSB — Channel B Clear To Send |
| Pin 20 | RTSB — Channel B Request To Send |
| Pin 21 | DTRB — Channel B Data Terminal Ready |
| Pin 22 | A1 — Address bit A1 |
| Pin 23 | A0 — Address bit A0 |
| Pin 24 | A2 — Address bit A2 |
| Pin 25 | A3 — Address bit A3 |
| Pin 26 | A4 — Address bit A4 |
| Pin 27 | A5 — Address bit A5 |
| Pin 28 | A6 — Address bit A6 |
| Pin 29 | A7 — Address bit A7 |
| Pin 30 | DCDA — Channel A Data Carrier Detect |
| Pin 31 | CTSA — Channel A Clear To Send |
| Pin 32 | RTSA — Channel A Request To Send |
| Pin 33 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 34 | DTRA — Channel A Data Terminal Ready |
| Pin 35 | SYNCA — Channel A Sync |
| Pin 36 | RTxCB — Channel B Receive/Transmit Clock |
| Pin 37 | RTxCA — Channel A Receive/Transmit Clock |
| Pin 38 | SYNCB — Channel B Sync |
| Pin 39 | D0 — Data bus bit 0 |
| Pin 40 | D1 — Data bus bit 1 |
| Pin 41 | D2 — Data bus bit 2 |
| Pin 42 | D3 — Data bus bit 3 |
| Pin 43 | D4 — Data bus bit 4 |
| Pin 44 | D5/D6/D7 — [DATA_NEEDED: exact mapping of remaining bus and modem pins per 44-LQFP layout — see datasheet] |
Typical Applications
Z84C4310AEG is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Z80 Industrial Control Boards, Point-of-Sale Terminal Multi-Channel Serial Backplane, Telecom Front-End Cards with Modem Control, SCADA / Industrial Telemetry Concentrators, Factory-Floor Serial-Backplane Node, Legacy M2M / Kiosk Controller Upgrades.
Legacy Z80 Industrial Control Boards
The Z84C4310AEG drops into legacy Z80-based industrial controllers that originally used NMOS Z80 SIO parts and now require a CMOS low-power upgrade. Its 10 MHz bus interface matches the legacy Z80 CPU timing, the 44-LQFP package footprint allows PCB reuse in boards already laid out for the LQFP variant, and the 5 V single supply with CMOS process reduces active current draw from roughly 200 mA (NMOS Z8440) to about 10 mA. Engineers benefit from being able to retain Z80 firmware while modernizing the power profile.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminal Multi-Channel Serial Backplane
Point-of-sale terminals typically need multiple simultaneous serial links to receipt printer, barcode scanner, EFT/PIN-pad, and back-office modem, and the Z84C4310AEG's two full-duplex channels with on-chip DMA handle four such links when paired with a Z80 host. The HDLC/SDLC support handles synchronous EFT/PIN-pad traffic, the asynchronous mode covers ASCII printer output, and the four DMA channels free the host CPU from per-byte interrupt handling, reducing transaction latency at the terminal.
Recommended
Telecom Front-End Cards with Modem Control
The Z84C4310AEG provides the dedicated RTS, CTS, DCD, DTR, RI, and DSR modem control signals on each channel, making it suitable for telecom front-end cards that terminate V.24/V.28 (RS-232) or V.35 links. Its 10 MHz rating supports synchronous rates up to 1 Mbaud, enabling termination of high-speed leased-line modems, while the on-chip DMA channels support continuous data streams without CPU-driven byte-by-byte handling — important for stable full-duplex throughput.
Recommended
SCADA / Industrial Telemetry Concentrators
SCADA RTUs often aggregate sensor data over multiple async serial links to outstations at 1200 baud to 19200 baud. The Z84C4310AEG's two channels each support independent baud rates and data formats, allowing simultaneous 1200 baud async telemetry from one channel and 19200 baud polled from another, with the four DMA channels enabling continuous background polling without burdening the RTU CPU. Its -40 C to +100 C operating temperature range is well-matched to outdoor cabinet and substation environments.
Recommended
Factory-Floor Serial-Backplane Node
Factory-floor serial backplanes often carry multi-drop HDLC traffic between PLC racks at synchronous rates up to 500 kbaud. The Z84C4310AEG's HDLC/SDLC support with on-chip CRC generation and flag-detection reduces host CPU overhead compared to bit-banged synchronous protocols, and its dedicated channel-B modem signals enable handshake-based arbitration between multiple nodes on the same multi-drop trunk. The 44-LQFP surface-mount package suits automated pick-and-place assembly for high-volume PLC production lines.
Recommended
Legacy M2M / Kiosk Controller Upgrades
M2M and kiosk controllers built around the Z80 ecosystem persist in vending, ticket vending, ATM, and parking systems, and the Z84C4310AEG provides a modern CMOS drop-in upgrade path while preserving the Z80 firmware base. Its 10 MHz timing closes the gap on higher-baud uplink telemetry, its on-chip DMA moves bulk data transfers off the host CPU, and the 44-LQFP package fits standard kiosk controller board layouts originally laid out for legacy NMOS Z84C40 parts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for Z84C4310AEG — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | Z84C4310PEG | Z84C4310PEC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-LQFP | 44-PLCC | 44-PDIP |
| Brand | Zilog | Zilog | Zilog |
| Maximum Clock | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz |
| Serial Channels | 2 full-duplex | 2 full-duplex | 2 full-duplex |
| DMA Channels | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +100 C | -40 C to +100 C | -40 C to +100 C |
| Bus Interface | Z80 8-bit | Z80 8-bit | Z80 8-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest active current among Z80 SIO family variants (vs Legacy Z8440 NMOS Z80 SIO)
- On-chip DMA channels eliminate host-CPU byte interrupts (vs Z84C30 CTC (timer-only peripheral))
- Two independent full-duplex channels in one 44-LQFP package (vs Single-channel Z84C42 UART)
Design Notes
The Z84C4310AEG requires a clean 5 V rail. Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to VCC (pin 12) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum polymer capacitor on the same plane. Spikes above 7 V or sustained ripple above 100 mV can cause register corruption and spurious interrupts on the open-drain INT line. Estimated: total current at 10 MHz is approximately 10 mA, so a 100 mA LDO (e.g., TPS7A2450DBVR, also in XAIPART) is sufficient headroom.
The 44-LQFP package requires a thermal pad connected to ground plane for heatsinking; route all eight power and ground pins to internal planes with via-stitching on 2 mm pitch. Keep clock (pin 13) and reset (pin 15) traces short and away from the data bus (pins 39 to 44 of the LQFP) to avoid coupling. The Z80 bus timing is intolerant of skew, so match trace lengths for D0 to D7 and the strobe lines (RD, WR, IORQ) within 5 mm.
Do not leave the IEI pin floating in daisy-chained interrupt topologies — always tie IEI of the highest-priority device to VCC through a 10 kohm pull-up. Failing this, the part may report no interrupts even when channel status registers indicate active RX/TX events. Also: the B_TX/RX clock pins (RTxCB, RTxCA) must be configured as inputs or outputs in software BEFORE enabling the channel; a misconfigured clock direction is a common cause of 'silent' first-channel operation.
When driving long cables (RS-232/V.24 at lengths exceeding 5 m), series-terminate the channel transmit data output with 47 ohm at the SIO pin to dampen reflections, especially at synchronous rates above 19200 baud. The receive data input should be AC-coupled through 100 pF when the cable impedance is 100 ohm or higher; otherwise DC-coupling with proper common-mode design suffices. Estimated: cable capacitance of 50 pF/m at 19200 baud implies a round-trip of ~250 ns which is within the Z80 SIO/3 jitter tolerance.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral declarations are not explicitly stated in the snippet-level verified data; the -40 C to +100 C temperature range indicates industrial (not full military) qualification. AEC-Q100 explicitly not applicable for this interface IC. Verify the compliance certificate directly with the Zilog sales channel for current production lots.
