PIC16C554-04I/SO - 8-bit OTP MCU 896B 4MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C554-04I/SO β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| 10 | $1.98 | $19.80 |
| 100 | $1.85 | $185.00 |
| 500 | $1.78 | $890.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.68 | $1,680.00 |
PIC16C554-04I/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is an integrated circuit that combines a CPU core, program and data memory, and programmable I/O peripherals on a single die. Within the PIC16C series, mid-range PIC MCUs follow a RISC architecture with a small fixed instruction set (here 35 single-word instructions), making firmware easy to develop, debug, and verify. The PIC16C554 sits in the low-cost OTP tier of this hierarchy: PIC16C554 -> PIC16C mid-range MCU -> 8-bit PIC microcontroller -> microcontroller (MCU) -> embedded semiconductor IC.
Key features include a 200 ns instruction cycle (5 MIPS at 20 MHz max), on-chip 8-bit timer/counter (TMR0) with 8-bit prescaler, direct/indirect/relative addressing modes for both data and instructions, and a watchdog timer for unattended operation. Power-fail reset and power-on reset are integrated, alongside the configurable I/O ports. The brown-out detect and internal oscillator options present on later PIC16 families are NOT available on this OTP member - designers must rely on the external clock and supply supervision if needed.
Typical applications include low-cost appliance controllers, automotive subsystems (non-safety, body-electronics tier), industrial sensor front-ends, and remote-control / HVAC logic modules. The 13 usable I/O pins accommodate matrix keypads, LED drivers, and serial I/O bit-banged protocols. The PIC16C554 is also used as a glue-replacement for legacy 8051 designs where minimum external parts and deterministic interrupt-free logic are preferred.
When designing with this part, ensure VDD stays within the 3.0-5.5 V range and provide a stable clock source on OSC1/CLKIN. OTP memory requires a programming step after assembly; designers should plan for socketing or in-system programming to avoid scrapping parts. The PIC16C554 family is mature and is now serviced through Microchip's extended-life OTP roadmap, so lead times should be confirmed before high-volume commitments. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the same PIC16C family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C554-04I/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 PIC16C554-04I/SO (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Timers, Program Memory Size, Program Memory Type, Operating Temperature Range.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C554-04/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C554-04E/SO
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C554T-04I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54-I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C554-20I/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C554-04I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC16C series, mid-range 8-bit |
| Core Architecture | PIC RISC (Harvard) |
| Instruction Word | 12-bit |
| Data Path | 8-bit |
| Instruction Set Size | 35 single-word instructions |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns (5 MIPS at 20 MHz) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz (04 suffix = 4 MHz) |
| Program Memory | 896 bytes (512 x 14) OTP EPROM |
| RAM | 80 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 13 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) with 8-bit prescaler |
| Special Function Registers | 7 or 8 hardware registers |
| Stack | 2-level hardware |
| Addressing Modes | Direct, Indirect, Relative |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial, I suffix) |
| Package | 18-pin SOIC (SO), 7.50 mm body width |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (on-chip WDT) |
| Power-On Reset | Yes |
| Brown-Out Detect | No (not present on this OTP variant) |
| Internal Oscillator | No (external clock required) |
| ADC | None |
| UART / I2C / SPI | None (bit-banged via CCP / GPIO) |
PIC16C554-04I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O, bit 2 of PORTA |
| Pin 2 | RA3 β Bidirectional I/O, bit 3 of PORTA |
| Pin 3 | T0CKI/RA4 β TMR0 clock input / PORTA bit 4 (open-drain) |
| Pin 4 | /MCLR β Master Clear (reset) input, active low |
| Pin 5 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0/INT β PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 7 | RB1 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 13 | RB7 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 14 | VDD β Positive supply, 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Pin 15 | OSC2/CLKOUT β Oscillator output / clock out (crystal mode) |
| Pin 16 | OSC1/CLKIN β Oscillator input / external clock in |
| Pin 17 | RA0 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTA bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O, PORTA bit 1 |
Typical Applications
PIC16C554-04I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Low-Cost Appliance Control, Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Industrial Sensor Front-End, Remote Control and IR Receiver Logic, Legacy 8051 Replacement, Glue Logic and Custom Peripherals.
Low-Cost Appliance Control
The PIC16C554-04I/SO fits appliance controllers (washing-machine front panels, microwave keypads, dishwasher user interfaces) where 13 I/O pins are sufficient for matrix keypads, LED indicators, and a triac-zero-cross drive. Its 80-byte RAM is adequate for state-machine firmware controlling wash cycles or cooking profiles, and the 200 ns instruction cycle (5 MIPS at 20 MHz) comfortably handles debounce, timing, and display multiplexing. The SOIC-18 footprint reflows cleanly on automated lines, and the OTP memory is the lowest cost per unit for high-volume appliance production runs above 100 kpcs/yr.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
For non-safety body-electronics modules such as interior lighting dimmers, mirror adjusters, seat-position switches, or wiper-interval timers, the PIC16C554-04I/SO offers the 13 GPIO and 80-byte RAM needed for state logic, plus the industrial -40C to +85C temperature range required under-the-dash. Designers must add a discrete voltage regulator and reverse-battery protection on the supply rail because the part lacks internal brown-out detect on this OTP variant. Note that this part is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified, so it should be deployed only where OEM accepts industrial-grade silicon or where a downstream AEC-Q100 part is substituted.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Front-End
The PIC16C554-04I/SO works well as a sensor-signal conditioning front-end for industrial 4-20 mA loops, simple RTD cold-junction compensation, or low-frequency vibration counters where analog pre-amplification, thresholding, and digital output are required. Its TMR0 timer with 8-bit prescaler provides accurate event counting for pulse-train sensors, while the 35-instruction RISC core fits state-machine firmware into 896 bytes of OTP. The industrial temperature grade tolerates factory-floor ambients up to +85C without additional thermal management.
Recommended
Remote Control and IR Receiver Logic
For IR remote-control receivers, RF remote decoder modules, and simple HVAC handheld controllers, the PIC16C554-04I/SO provides enough program memory to store NEC, RC5, or proprietary pulse-train decoding tables and 80 bytes of RAM for the most recent command buffer. The 13 GPIO pins are sufficient for matrix keypads and status LEDs, and the 200 ns instruction cycle handles bit-banged UART for diagnostics. Battery-powered remotes benefit from the low standby current when the device is clocked from a 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator.
Recommended
Legacy 8051 Replacement
The PIC16C554-04I/SO is a popular pin-comparable drop-in for legacy 8051 designs in retrofit and OEM service applications, offering simpler firmware development (35 single-word instructions vs 8051's 256-opcode complexity) and lower quiescent current. The SOIC-18 footprint accommodates adapter PCBs that re-route 8051 port pins to the PIC's PORTA/PORTB mapping. For 8051 designs needing 2 or more timers, the PIC16C554's single TMR0 may be limiting, and the PIC16F57-I/SO flash variant with two timers is a better drop-in.
Recommended
Glue Logic and Custom Peripherals
When a design needs custom timing, sequencing, or pattern generation that fixed-function logic ICs cannot economically provide, the PIC16C554-04I/SO implements state machines in firmware with 35 single-word instructions and 200 ns cycle time. Typical uses include staircase generators for LED dimmers, programmable pulse-train sources for stepper-motor indexers, watchdog supervisors with custom timing windows, and PWM-like waveform synthesizers via tight GPIO toggle loops. The OTP memory keeps per-unit cost at the absolute minimum for high-volume deployment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C554-04I/SO β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C554-04/SO | PIC16C554T-04I/SO | PIC16F54-I/SO | PIC16C554-20I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SOIC-18 | SOIC-18 - same | SOIC-18 - same | SOIC-18 - same | SOIC-18 - same |
| Program Memory | 896 B OTP (512 x 14) | 896 B OTP (same) | 896 B OTP (same) | 1 KB Flash | 896 B OTP (same) |
| RAM | 80 B | 80 B | 80 B | 41 B | 80 B |
| Max Clock Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +85C | Commercial 0C to +70C | Industrial -40C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +85C |
| Memory Technology | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | Flash (reprogrammable) | OTP EPROM |
| I/O Pins | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) | 1 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial -40C to +85C temperature grade in OTP form (vs PIC16C554-04/SO)
- Lowest per-unit cost vs flash replacement (vs PIC16F54-I/SO)
- 5 MIPS deterministic instruction execution (vs PIC16C554-04/P (PDIP))
Design Notes
Estimated: at 5 V supply with a 4 MHz clock driving all 13 I/O pins at 50% toggle rate, the PIC16C554-04I/SO core current is roughly 2 mA plus 20 mA I/O sink current per pin (worst case). For designs sourcing high I/O current (LED drive, relay coils), drop VDD to 3.3 V to reduce dissipation, or use a high-efficiency switching pre-regulator. Always decouple VDD (pin 14) to VSS (pin 5) with a 100 nF ceramic placed within 5 mm of the package, plus a bulk 10 uF tantalum at the board's power entry.
Do NOT rely on the PIC16C554-04I/SO to recover from a programming error: OTP memory cannot be erased. Either socket the part in development, or choose the flash variant PIC16F54-I/SO for prototypes and migrate to OTP only after firmware is locked. Also note this part lacks brown-out detect; if the supply can dip near 3 V under load transients, add an external voltage supervisor (e.g., MCP100-300) tied to /MCLR (pin 4) to avoid code-execution errors during brown-out.
Keep the OSC1/OSC2 traces short (under 10 mm) and route them over a continuous ground pour to minimize EMI pickup on the crystal or ceramic resonator. Place the /MCLR pull-up resistor (typically 10 kOhm) within 5 mm of pin 4, and add a 100 nF decoupling cap directly at /MCLR if the application has noisy reset sources. For in-circuit serial programming (ICSP), break out RB6 (clock) and RB7 (data) to a 6-pin header alongside VDD, VSS, and /MCLR.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH status not explicitly stated in verified distributor listings retrieved 2026-09-16; Microchip's product page and CoC must be checked for the specific date code. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this part is industrial grade only. Conflict-mineral compliance assumed per Microchip standard policy.
