PIC16C54-10E/SO - 8-bit 10MHz OTP MCU 768B | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C54-10E/SO β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.56 | $25.60 |
| 100 | $2.28 | $228.00 |
| 500 | $2.05 | $1,025.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.82 | $1,820.00 |
PIC16C54-10E/SO Overview
Background: an 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a self-contained CPU, memory, and peripheral set on a single die, designed for embedded control. The PIC16C5X architecture sits in the broader hierarchy of microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor IC. RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) MCUs execute most instructions in one clock cycle, giving higher throughput per MHz than CISC designs. OTP (One-Time Programmable) memory uses EPROM cells that can be written once during production and retain the program permanently - ideal for low-cost high-volume products where firmware does not require field updates.
Key features of the PIC16C54-10E/SO include 33 single-word instructions, 8-bit wide data path, 12-bit instruction word, two 8-bit I/O ports (Port A and Port B), a 4 MHz internal oscillator option, and an industrial-grade operating temperature range. Its RISC core, watch-dog timer, and reset logic make it a robust building block for simple embedded designs.
Technically, the PIC16C54 uses a Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand read to overlap. The 10 MHz oscillator (suffix "-10") yields a 100 ns internal clock and a 200 ns instruction cycle. The "E" suffix denotes the Extended (-40C to +125C) operating range, and "/SO" identifies the SOIC-18 wide-body package. This combination delivers predictable real-time performance for legacy designs.
Typical applications include automotive body controllers, appliance control boards, simple sensor interfaces, LED driver controllers, and legacy industrial timer modules. Its wide temperature range also suits outdoor and automotive-grade subsystems where field reprogrammability is unnecessary.
When designing with this MCU, reserve an external 4.5V-5.5V supply, a decoupling capacitor near VDD, and a pull-up on /MCLR. Verify programming voltage and timing against the PIC16C5X programming specification before committing the OTP image.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C54-10E/SO β 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 PIC16C54-10E/SO (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Core, Instruction Cycle Time, Operating Temperature, Package, Program Memory Type.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F54-I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54-10I/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.82 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C54A-10I/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C54C-10E/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54-10E/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16C5X 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory | 768 bytes (512 x 12) OTP |
| RAM | 25 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle | 200 ns |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 |
| Instruction Set | 33 single-word instructions |
| Architecture | Harvard, RISC |
| Supply Voltage | 4.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (E grade) |
| Package Type | 18-pin SOIC (SO) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes |
| Timer Modules | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) |
| ADC | None |
PIC16C54-10E/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 2 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 3 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 4 | /MCLR β Master Clear (reset) input, active-low |
| Pin 5 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RB1 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 |
| Pin 13 | RB7 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (4.5V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 15 | OSC1 β Oscillator input / crystal connection 1 |
| Pin 16 | OSC2 β Oscillator output / crystal connection 2 |
| Pin 17 | RA0 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16C54-10E/SO is suitable for 7 applications: Automotive Body Control Modules, White Goods and Appliance Controllers, Simple Sensor Interface Modules, LED Display and Lighting Controllers, Industrial Timer and Sequence Controllers, Consumer Remote Control Transmitters, Legacy Board Replacement / Repair.
Automotive Body Control Modules
The PIC16C54-10E/SO is well suited for simple automotive body controllers (interior lighting, wiper intervals, seat-position switches) because of its Extended -40 C to +125 C temperature rating and robust CMOS design. Its 768 bytes of OTP memory is enough to encode multi-channel debounce and timing logic, while the 10 MHz clock and 200 ns instruction cycle give real-time response to switch and sensor inputs. The 12 I/O pins map cleanly to relay drivers and switch matrices used in body ECUs.
Recommended
White Goods and Appliance Controllers
In washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and HVAC indoor units, the PIC16C54-10E/SO handles key-pad scanning, timer logic, and LED or 7-segment display driving. Its low cost, OTP one-time-programming model, and small 18-SOIC footprint let appliance OEMs ship millions of units with locked firmware. The Harvard RISC core guarantees deterministic interrupt latency that keeps wash-cycle sequencing on schedule.
Recommended
Simple Sensor Interface Modules
For low-bandwidth sensor interface boards (temperature, humidity, reed-switch, or passive infrared sensors) the PIC16C54-10E/SO provides just enough compute to read, debounce, threshold-check, and serialize sensor data. The 25 bytes of RAM hold scratch state for moving-average filters, and the 33-instruction PIC16C5X core executes the full filter loop in microseconds. Because the firmware is OTP, the calibrated parameters are tamper-resistant once the device leaves the factory.
Recommended
LED Display and Lighting Controllers
The PIC16C54-10E/SO drives LED bar graphs, marquee signs, and decorative lighting fixtures by bit-banging shift registers and PWM channels in software. With a 200 ns instruction cycle, the MCU can multiplex 8-12 LED columns or refresh a small LED matrix with zero visible flicker. OTP memory locks the lighting pattern at production, preventing end-user firmware tampering in retail and signage markets.
Recommended
Industrial Timer and Sequence Controllers
Production-line timer modules, conveyor sequencers, and batch-counter boards leverage the deterministic 200 ns instruction cycle and watchdog timer of the PIC16C54-10E/SO. The 25-byte RAM is sufficient for count registers and state machines; OTP firmware enforces safety interlocks without risk of field reprogramming. The Extended -40 C to +125 C rating supports factory-floor enclosures and outdoor cabinets.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Control Transmitters
Simple IR or RF remote control transmitters (TV, fan, garage door, toy) often use the PIC16C54-10E/SO to encode button-scan logic and transmit bit patterns. The 768-byte OTP stores encoding tables, while the 12 I/O pins serve the keypad matrix and TX enable line. The ultra-low quiescent current and 5V operation allow battery-powered remotes with weeks of standby time.
Recommended
Legacy Board Replacement / Repair
Because the PIC16C54-10E/SO was deployed in countless legacy products from the late 1990s and 2000s, a steady demand exists for replacement units to repair existing fielded systems. The NRND (Not Recommended for new designs) status means inventory is limited but still flowing through authorized distributors. Service shops ordering the part for repair should order with safety stock since lead times can stretch to 12 weeks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C54-10E/SO β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F54-I/SO | PIC16C54-10I/SO | PIC16C54A-10I/SO | PIC16C54C-10E/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 18-SOIC (SO) | 18-SOIC - same | 18-SOIC - same | 18-SOIC - same | 18-SOIC - same |
| Program Memory | 768 B OTP | 768 B Flash | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP |
| Max Clock Frequency | 10 MHz | 20 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (E grade) | -40 C to +85 C (I grade) | -40 C to +85 C (I grade) | -40 C to +85 C (I grade) | -40 C to +125 C (E grade) |
| Supply Voltage | 4.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.5 V to 5.5 V | 4.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| RAM | 25 bytes | 25 bytes | 25 bytes | 25 bytes | 25 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | Active | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Flash reprogrammability while retaining same instruction set and footprint (vs PIC16F54-I/SO)
- Extended temperature grade for harsh-environment and automotive designs (vs PIC16C54-10I/SO)
- Mature and widely characterized silicon for long-life programs (vs PIC16C54C-10E/SO)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 10 MHz clock and 5.0 V supply, the PIC16C54-10E/SO draws roughly 2.2 mA active and 5 uA standby (per typical PIC16C5X datasheet DC characteristics). Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 14) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the same supply rail to suppress switching transients. For battery-powered designs, use Sleep mode with the watchdog timer to drop standby current to the low-microamp range.
The PIC16C54-10E/SO uses 12-bit-wide instruction words; do not attempt to assemble code targeting 14-bit or 16-bit PIC cores (PIC16F1xxx, PIC18) without modification. Verify the /MCLR pin (pin 4) is pulled up to VDD through a 10 kohm resistor, otherwise the device may randomly reset or fail to start. When programming OTP, ensure programming voltage VPP (typically 13.0V) is removed before applying normal operating voltage to avoid latch-up.
Route the crystal or resonator traces between OSC1 (pin 15) and OSC2 (pin 16) as short as possible and guard them with a ground pour to prevent noise coupling into the system clock. Keep high-speed switching traces (relay drivers, motor PWM) away from the oscillator loop and from /MCLR. If using an external clock source, drive OSC1 only and leave OSC2 floating per the PIC16C5X datasheet guidelines.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH status for the PIC16C54-10E/SO was not confirmed in the provided Verified Web Data and is marked [DATA_NEEDED]. The part is not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive designs verify compliance against the specific vehicle OEM's component requirements.
