PIC16C55-RCE/P - 8-Bit 4MHz OTP MCU 768B | 28-PDIP
MPN: PIC16C55-RCE/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.2 | $7.20 |
| 10 | $6.48 | $64.80 |
| 100 | $5.78 | $578.00 |
| 500 | $5.2 | $2,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.68 | $4,680.00 |
PIC16C55-RCE/P Overview
An 8-bit OTP microcontroller is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path and a one-time-programmable non-volatile memory array, intended for embedded control where code is finalized at production time and rarely, if ever, changed. In the broader taxonomy, the PIC16C55 sits within the PIC16C5X baseline series, which belongs to the PIC16 family, which belongs to the 8-bit PIC microcontroller family, which sits under the larger microcontroller (MCU) product hierarchy of Microchip's semiconductor portfolio. The baseline architecture uses 12-bit wide instructions delivering 2:1 code compression versus competing 8-bit MCUs in the same price class.
Key features of the PIC16C55-RCE/P include: a Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, 12-bit instruction word, 33 single-word instructions, two 8-bit I/O ports (PORTA and PORTB), one 8-bit timer/counter (TMR0), a watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator, power-on reset, power-saving SLEEP mode, and in-circuit serial programming support. The device also offers DC to 4 MHz clock input, 2.0 V to 6.25 V (V) supply range (extended industrial variants), and CMOS low-power technology with typical < 2 mA operating current at 5 V / 4 MHz.
From an architecture standpoint, the PIC16C55 uses a RISC-like instruction set with fixed instruction length, enabling predictable interrupt latency and deterministic execution. The 12-bit instruction width packs opcode, operand, and destination bits together; this is a hallmark of the PIC16C5X baseline series and explains the 2:1 code compression advantage. The processor employs a two-stage pipeline so most instructions complete in one cycle, providing approximately 1 MIPS throughput at 4 MHz. This simplicity is a deliberate engineering trade-off: fewer peripherals and less RAM, but very fast context switches and a small die, which is why baseline PICs remain a cost-effective choice in volume.
Typical applications include simple timing and sequencing controllers, low-end motor control signal generators, appliance controls, security panels, lighting controllers, sensor signal processors, remote transmitter encoders, and educational microcontroller training platforms. The PIC16C55-RCE/P is particularly well-suited to high-volume cost-sensitive products where program code is finalized before deployment and through-hole PCB assembly is acceptable.
When designing with the PIC16C55-RCE/P, ensure your programmer supports OTP devices (such as the Microchip MPLAB PM3) and that the firmware is verified before committing to production, since OTP memory cannot be erased. For new designs, consider the flash-based PIC16F54 or PIC16F57 as modern, electrically erasable drop-in upgrades within the same family footprint.
This page synthesizes verified distributor pricing, drop-in PIC16C5X family alternatives, design considerations for OTP programming, and comparison data against flash-based successors not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C55-RCE/P — 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 PIC16C55-RCE/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory Size, Timers, Watchdog Timer, Data Bus Width, Maximum Clock Frequency.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C55A-04I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C55A-04E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C55-RCI/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C55-HSI/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C55-LPI/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C55-10I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.58 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F54-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C55-RCE/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16C5X 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 768 B (512 × 12-bit words) |
| Data RAM | 24 B |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Word Width | 12-bit |
| Number of Instructions | 33 single-word |
| I/O Pins | 20 (PORTA 4-bit, PORTB 8-bit, PORTC 8-bit) |
| Timers | 1 × 8-bit (TMR0) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (on-chip RC oscillator) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.25 V (typical 5 V) |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) |
| Package | 28-pin PDIP (0.600 in / 15.24 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Programmer Support | MPLAB PM3 (OTP-compatible) |
PIC16C55-RCE/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — PORTA I/O bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — PORTA I/O bit 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA0/T0CKI — PORTA I/O bit 0 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 4 | /MCLR — Master Clear (reset, active low) |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 6 | RB0 — PORTB I/O bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — PORTB I/O bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — PORTB I/O bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — PORTB I/O bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — PORTB I/O bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — PORTB I/O bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — PORTB I/O bit 6 |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — PORTB I/O bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal / clock-out |
| Pin 16 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal / clock-in |
| Pin 17 | RC0 — PORTC I/O bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RC1 — PORTC I/O bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RC2 — PORTC I/O bit 2 |
| Pin 20 | RC3 — PORTC I/O bit 3 |
| Pin 21 | RC4 — PORTC I/O bit 4 |
| Pin 22 | RC5 — PORTC I/O bit 5 |
| Pin 23 | RC6 — PORTC I/O bit 6 |
| Pin 24 | RC7 — PORTC I/O bit 7 |
| Pin 25 | RA3 — PORTA I/O bit 3 |
| Pin 26 | RA4 — PORTA I/O bit 4 (also /RTCC) |
| Pin 27 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
Typical Applications
PIC16C55-RCE/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Timing and Sequencing Controller, Appliance Control Boards, Security and Alarm Panels, Lighting and Display Controllers, Sensor Signal Conditioning and Encoding, Educational Microcontroller Training Platforms.
Industrial Timing and Sequencing Controller
The PIC16C55-RCE/P suits basic industrial sequencing tasks where deterministic single-cycle instruction execution matters more than peripheral richness. Its 4 MHz clock and 12-bit instruction set deliver approximately 1 MIPS, and the 33-instruction RISC architecture produces predictable interrupt-free timing. The 28-PDIP through-hole package withstands vibration in factory cabinets, while the 24-byte RAM handles short state machines. Power-on reset and watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator provide robust unsupervised operation. Compared with more complex MCUs, the PIC16C55-RCE/P excels in applications where code is finalized at production time and OTP memory is the lowest-cost solution. Typical circuits drive relay logic, solenoid valves, and indicator stacks in conveyor control, packaging machinery, and HVAC zone dampers.
Recommended
Appliance Control Boards
The PIC16C55-RCE/P powers low-cost home appliance control boards including washing-machine timers, microwave oven interfaces, and small kitchen-appliance controllers. Its 20 I/O pins are sufficient to drive 7-segment displays, scan keypads, and switch triacs or relays. The OTP memory at 768 bytes (512 × 12-bit words) supports typical appliance state machines in 200-400 instructions with comfortable margin. The 4 MHz clock and Harvard architecture produce deterministic execution suitable for motor-control signal generation. The 28-PDIP package accommodates hand-soldered rework and field serviceability, both valued by appliance manufacturers. Industrial-grade temperature variants exist for dishwasher and oven applications. Cost-effectiveness at high volume and zero field-firmware updates make the PIC16C55-RCE/P an enduring choice.
Recommended
Security and Alarm Panels
Security and alarm panel designs favor the PIC16C55-RCE/P for its low quiescent current in SLEEP mode, watchdog timer for unsupervised operation, and small code footprint for sensor-scanning loops. With 20 I/O pins, the device interfaces to PIR sensors, reed switches, keypads, and piezo buzzers while driving LED status indicators. The OTP memory prevents firmware tampering in deployed panels, an advantage in security applications where code confidentiality matters. The two-level hardware stack and deterministic interrupt handling ensure response time is bounded for alarm-event detection. Power-on reset and brown-out detection on later 'A' silicon revisions add resilience to battery-backed and AC-line-powered installations.
Recommended
Lighting and Display Controllers
Lighting controllers and decorative display drivers benefit from the PIC16C55-RCE/P's ability to generate PWM-like patterns through bit-banged timing on its 20 I/O pins. Running at 4 MHz, the 12-bit instruction set executes software-implemented breathing-light, chase-pattern, and color-mix algorithms with low overhead. The 24-byte RAM accommodates small lookup tables for gradient tables and color ramps. OTP memory eliminates the risk of accidental firmware corruption during long-term LED installations. Through-hole 28-PDIP assembly is acceptable for decorative fixtures and signage, where DIP sockets simplify replacement and firmware-update-for-development using the flash-based PIC16F54 sibling before committing to OTP.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning and Encoding
Simple sensor signal conditioning and remote-control encoder applications use the PIC16C55-RCE/P to digitize analog thresholds, encode timing patterns, and transmit serial data via bit-banged UART or Manchester-coded RF. The 4 MHz clock supports common 1200/2400 baud remote-control encoders with margin. The 8-bit TMR0 provides precise interval timing for pulse-width measurement. The 20 I/O pins handle multiple sensor inputs and LED/bar-graph outputs. OTP memory prevents reverse-engineering of proprietary encoding algorithms. Typical applications include remote key fobs, IR/RF transmitters, temperature/humidity data loggers with serial output, and tire-pressure monitoring encoder circuits.
Recommended
Educational Microcontroller Training Platforms
The PIC16C55-RCE/P is widely used in university and technical-college microcontroller courses because its 12-bit baseline PIC instruction set is simple to teach and the 28-PDIP package is friendly to solder on breadboards and prototyping PCBs. Students learn fundamental concepts including I/O port manipulation, timer/counter programming, watchdog timer configuration, and interrupt-free polling architectures using only 33 instructions. The 768-byte program memory is sufficient for lab assignments while remaining small enough to hand-trace. The MPLAB PM3 programmer supports the OTP device for production-like programming exercises. For project work, instructors can swap to the PIC16F54 flash variant (same 28-PDIP footprint) so students can iterate firmware without consuming OTP parts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C55-RCE/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C55A-04I/P | PIC16C55A-04E/P | PIC16C55-RCI/P | PIC16C55-HSI/P | PIC16C55-LPI/P | PIC16C55-10I/P | PIC16F54-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-pin PDIP | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same | 28-pin PDIP - same |
| Program Memory | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B OTP | 768 B Flash |
| RAM | 24 B | 24 B | 24 B | 24 B | 24 B | 24 B | 24 B | 25 B |
| Max Clock Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 10 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Temperature Range | 0 °C to +70 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C |
| Memory Type | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | OTP | Flash (reprogrammable) |
| Brown-Out Reset | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost OTP baseline PIC with verified distributor stock and educational heritage (vs PIC16C558-04/P)
- Field-reprogrammability for development, then drop-in to PIC16C55-RCE/P for production OTP (vs PIC16F54-I/P)
- Drop-in same-family upgrade with brown-out reset and improved oscillator (vs PIC16C55A-04I/P)
Design Notes
OTP memory cannot be electrically erased - any firmware bug consumes the part. Always verify the final HEX file on a flash equivalent (PIC16F54 in same 28-PDIP pinout) before committing to OTP programming. Use the MPLAB PM3 or equivalent programmer and verify the device ID, oscillator calibration bits, and configuration word are set correctly per the datasheet. Estimated: a single OTP PIC16C55-RCE/P at USD 7.20 unit price means each programming mistake costs a full part, so budget for at least one engineering pre-production batch using the flash equivalent.
Decouple VDD (pins 14 and 28) with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of each pin, plus a 10 uF bulk capacitor on the supply rail. The PIC16C55-RCE/P draws approximately 2 mA at 5 V / 4 MHz, dropping to < 1 µA in SLEEP mode. For battery-backed designs, route the VDD pins to the battery rail through a diode to support RTC/SLEEP retention. The /MCLR pin (pin 4) should be pulled up to VDD through a 10 kΩ resistor and decoupled with 100 nF to ground to suppress ESD-induced resets.
The 28-PDIP through-hole package requires 0.600 inch (15.24 mm) row spacing and 0.100 inch (2.54 mm) pin pitch. Keep-out zones beneath the IC should be free of traces to allow socket insertion. Place the oscillator crystal or resonator within 5 mm of pins 15 (OSC2) and 16 (OSC1) with short, ground-guarded traces to minimize EMI pickup. For designs migrating to SMD later, consider the PIC16F54-I/P or PIC16C55 SOIC/SSOP variants (28-pin SOIC, 28-pin SSOP) which preserve the same electrical pinout in a smaller package.
The PIC16C55-RCE/P commercial variant is rated 0 °C to +70 °C; industrial PIC16C55A-04I/P extends this to -40 °C to +85 °C. Power dissipation is dominated by output drive current: estimated at 1.8 mA per loaded I/O pin plus 2 mA core, so a 20-pin fully loaded design at 5 V draws ~42 mW. No heatsink is required for any supported operating condition. For enclosed or high-ambient installations, derate output current to stay within the 70 °C maximum junction temperature (estimated: 25 °C ambient + 15 °C self-rise = 40 °C, well below limit).
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral status were not present in the verified web data; set to 'unknown' per data authenticity rules. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial/industrial baseline MCU, not an automotive-grade part.
