PIC16C64A-20/P - 8-Bit 20MHz OTP MCU 3.5KB | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C64A-20/P β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15.67 | $15.67 |
| 10 | $14.1 | $141.00 |
| 100 | $12.54 | $1,254.00 |
| 500 | $11.28 | $5,640.00 |
| 1,000 | $10.1 | $10,100.00 |
PIC16C64A-20/P Overview
Background knowledge: A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and peripheral set on one die. The PIC16C family belongs to the 8-bit microcontroller product type, which itself sits inside the broader integrated circuit (semiconductor) hierarchy. OTP memory is programmed once with a device programmer and is non-erasable; the C (CMOS/EPROM) suffix here denotes EPROM-based program storage, distinguishing this part from flash-based PIC16F siblings.
Key features include 22 I/O pins, 8-channel 8-bit analog-to-digital conversion on later silicon revisions of the family, USART serial port, capture/compare/PWM module, and parallel slave port. Wide operating voltage range spans 2.5 V to 6.0 V (commercial, industrial, and extended temperature ranges), with low-power consumption: 5 V at 4 MHz draws only 15 uA typical, and 3 V at 32 kHz draws 1 uA typical - ideal for battery-backed and sleep-dominated designs.
Technical depth: the PIC16C64A uses a Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand read to occur in the same cycle. Its 14-bit instruction word yields richer addressing than 12-bit predecessors while staying code-density competitive. The architecture is fully static, so the clock can be stopped without losing register state, enabling low-power idle behavior under software control.
Typical applications include industrial control panels, appliance motor control, sensor interfacing, and low-speed serial communication hubs. The 40-pin PDIP footprint also makes it convenient for through-hole hobbyist, educational, and legacy replacement designs where hand-soldering or socketed prototyping is desired.
Design consideration: the /P suffix denotes a plastic 40-pin PDIP package rated for industrial temperature (-40C to +85C). Pin-compatible OTP and EPROM windowed variants share the same footprint, but verify ADC, USART, and CCP peripheral counts when migrating firmware across the family.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives from the same PIC16C family, and engineering notes compiled from the manufacturer datasheet and reference designs - information not found in a single distributor listing.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C64A-20/P 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 PIC16C64A-20/P (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Program Memory Type, Core Architecture, Timers, Instruction Cycle Time.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C65B-20/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F74-I/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C74B-20/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C64A-04I/P
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$6.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C64A-10/PT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.97 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16C64A-20/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16C6X 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions, 14-bit wide |
| Program Memory Type | OTP EPROM |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) |
| RAM | 128 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.0 V |
| Supply Voltage (commercial) | 4.0 V to 5.5 V typical |
| I/O Pins | 22 |
| Timers | 3 (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2) |
| USART | 1 (SCI) |
| CCP Modules | [DATA_NONEEDED: 2 CCP per datasheet, listed as 2 capture/compare/PWM] |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (WDT with on-chip RC oscillator) |
| Parallel Slave Port | Yes (8-bit PSP) |
| Power-on Reset | Yes |
| Current @ 5V, 4 MHz | 15 uA typical |
| Current @ 3V, 32 kHz | 1 uA typical |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| MSL Level | Not applicable (through-hole) |
PIC16C64A-20/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP β Master Clear (reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 β PORTA bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 β PORTA bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 β PORTA bit 2 / analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF β PORTA bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI β PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS β PORTA bit 5 / analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKIN β Oscillator input / external clock |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKOUT β Oscillator output |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI β PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 β PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 β PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL β PORTC bit 3 / SPI SCK / I2C SCL |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA β PORTC bit 4 / SPI SDI / I2C SDA |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO β PORTC bit 5 / SPI SDO |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK β PORTC bit 6 / USART TX / clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT β PORTC bit 7 / USART RX / data |
| Pin 18 | GND β Ground reference |
| Pin 19 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 20 | RB0/INT β PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 21 | RB1 β PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 22 | RB2 β PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 23 | RB3 β PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 24 | RB4 β PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 25 | RB5 β PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 26 | RB6/PGC β PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 27 | RB7/PGD β PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 28 | RD0/PSP0 β PORTD bit 0 / parallel slave port bit 0 |
| Pin 29 | RD1/PSP1 β PORTD bit 1 / parallel slave port bit 1 |
| Pin 30 | RD2/PSP2 β PORTD bit 2 / parallel slave port bit 2 |
| Pin 31 | RD3/PSP3 β PORTD bit 3 / parallel slave port bit 3 |
| Pin 32 | RD4/PSP4 β PORTD bit 4 / parallel slave port bit 4 |
| Pin 33 | RD5/PSP5 β PORTD bit 5 / parallel slave port bit 5 |
| Pin 34 | RD6/PSP6 β PORTD bit 6 / parallel slave port bit 6 |
| Pin 35 | RD7/PSP7 β PORTD bit 7 / parallel slave port bit 7 |
| Pin 36 | RE0/RD/AN5 β PORTE bit 0 / PSP read strobe / analog input 5 |
| Pin 37 | RE1/WR/AN6 β PORTE bit 1 / PSP write strobe / analog input 6 |
| Pin 38 | RE2/CS/AN7 β PORTE bit 2 / PSP chip select / analog input 7 |
| Pin 39 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (second pin) |
| Pin 40 | GND β Ground reference (second pin) |
Typical Applications
PIC16C64A-20/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Panels, Appliance Motor Control, Sensor Data Acquisition Hubs, Educational and Hobbyist Platforms, Legacy Embedded System Replacement, Low-Power Battery Devices.
Industrial Control Panels
The PIC16C64A-20/P's 22 digital I/O, 3 timers, USART, and 20 MHz CPU are well matched to industrial control panels driving relays, solenoids, keypads, and seven-segment displays. Its industrial temperature rating (-40C to +85C) and wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply tolerance tolerate harsh factory bus environments including 24 V-derived rails and brown-out conditions. The 3.5 KB OTP program memory holds full state-machine ladder logic plus Modbus ASCII or RTU framing over the USART without needing external ROM. Designers typically place the part on a backplane with optoisolated I/O and a watchdog timer reset supervisor for fault recovery.
Recommended
Appliance Motor Control
The PIC16C64A-20/P drives brushed DC and small universal motors in appliances through its Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules and 22 I/O pins. At 20 MHz the part generates PWM frequencies high enough to drive 1 ms switching intervals while leaving CPU headroom for closed-loop control, sensor sampling, and user-interface scanning. The PIC16C6X datasheet's CCP and Timer2 modules support period-and-duty control with hardware interrupt on cycle end, simplifying firmware state machines. Operating from a rectified 5 V or 12 V bus, the wide voltage range and industrial temperature tolerance suit white-goods deployments such as washing machines, dishwashers, and HVAC actuators.
Recommended
Sensor Data Acquisition Hubs
The PIC16C64A-20/P acts as a sensor hub reading thermistors, RTDs, and 4-20 mA loops, then streaming processed data over the on-chip USART. Its 8-bit ADC (per datasheet) and 22 I/O allow multiplexed analog front-end sampling at rates that satisfy slow-loop SCADA applications. Low-power modes - 1 uA typical at 3 V/32 kHz and 15 uA typical at 5 V/4 MHz - extend battery life in remote, sleep-dominated telemetry nodes. The Harvard bus and deterministic 200 ns instruction cycle keep ADC-to-output latency predictable, simplifying CE/FCC EMC compliance for industrial sensor networks.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Platforms
The PIC16C64A-20/P's 40-pin PDIP through-hole package is a textbook teaching vehicle for embedded programming courses - breadboard-friendly, easy to socket, and supported by MPLAB X IDE plus PICkit programmers. Its 35-instruction RISC core lets students learn assembly and C development on a deterministic architecture without the complexity of modern peripherals. With 3.5 KB OTP and 128 bytes RAM, the part fits classic exercises like LED chasers, keypad locks, and UART-based PC interfaces. The Microchip PIC16C6X family datasheet includes example code, instruction timing tables, and reference schematics tailored for first-time microcontroller users.
Recommended
Legacy Embedded System Replacement
Many 1990s-era products use the PIC16C64A-20/P in legacy controllers that must still be supported for service, regulatory, or warranty reasons. Because the part retains the same 40-pin PDIP footprint and pinout as the PIC16C65B, PIC16C74B, and PIC16F74, repair depots can substitute a more readily available alternative without PCB rework. The PIC16C6X family's documented instruction-set compatibility preserves firmware binaries, and peripheral register layouts are largely conserved across the OTP-to-flash generations. This makes the PIC16C64A-20/P's alternatives ideal as service-stock components for industrial, medical, and aerospace legacy equipment.
Recommended
Low-Power Battery Devices
Battery-powered remote controls, electronic locks, and wireless sensor end nodes benefit from the PIC16C64A-20/P's 1 uA typical sleep current and 15 uA active current at 5 V/4 MHz. The wide 2.5 V to 6.0 V supply range accepts two AA cells (3 V nominal) up through a 9 V battery with a linear regulator. With the on-chip watchdog timer and brown-out reset (per datasheet), the part safely recovers from battery sag without external supervisor ICs. The Harvard architecture and deterministic instruction timing give firmware full control over wake-up intervals, enabling multi-year coin-cell life in low-duty-cycle applications such as remote keyless entry or industrial metering.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C64A-20/P β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C65B-20/P | PIC16F74-I/P | PIC16C74B-20/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (P) | 40-pin PDIP - same | 40-pin PDIP - same | 40-pin PDIP - same |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB OTP EPROM | 7.2 KB OTP | 7.2 KB Flash | 4 KB OTP |
| Max Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes | 192 bytes |
| ADC Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 33 | 33 | 22 |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | Active | Active | NRND |
| Memory Type | OTP EPROM | OTP EPROM | Flash | OTP EPROM |
Key Differentiators
- Higher clock speed than predecessor (vs PIC16C64A-04I/P)
- Active production status with same package (vs PIC16C65B-20/P)
- OTP EPROM for code-modified designs (vs PIC16F74-I/P)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 5 V supply and 20 MHz oscillator the PIC16C64A-20/P draws 15 mA typical and 35 mA maximum per the PIC16C6X family datasheet; in sleep mode with WDT disabled current drops below 1 uA. Add a 100 nF decoupling capacitor on each VDD pin (pin 20 and pin 39) within 5 mm of the package, plus a 10 uF bulk capacitor on the supply rail. For battery applications select the LP oscillator mode (32 kHz) and disable unused peripherals to achieve 1 uA typical standby current.
Do not leave the MCLR/VPP pin floating; tie it through a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD for normal operation. In-circuit serial programming (ICSP) requires the RB6/PGC and RB7/PGD pins to be free of strong pull-down or large capacitive loads. When migrating from PIC16C64 to PIC16C64A verify ADC configuration bits, interrupt priorities, and peripheral register addresses, which changed in the silicon revision 'A'.
Place the 40-pin PDIP socket centrally on the PCB to keep trace lengths under 50 mm for all I/O lines. Route the crystal/oscillator traces (OSC1, OSC2) symmetrically and within 10 mm of the MCU, with a guard ground plane underneath to reduce EMI. Keep the parallel slave port (PORTD/RE) traces short and matched, or place a 33 ohm series resistor near the MCU to dampen ringing. If the design uses external interrupts on RB0/INT, add a 100 ohm series resistor and a 100 pF capacitor to ground to suppress ESD-induced false triggers.
Estimated: the 40-pin PDIP has pin pitch 2.54 mm and row pitch 15.24 mm. Reserve at least 5 mm of clearance around the socket for IC extraction tools and for through-hole hand-soldering or wave-soldering tooling. Add a clear silkscreen pin-1 marker dot and label VDD/GND on pins 11/31 (or 20/39) for assembly clarity. For EMC-sensitive designs add a ferrite bead on VDD and a small TVS diode on MCLR/VPP to survive 8 kV ESD contact discharge per IEC 61000-4-2.
Compliance Information
RoHS status depends on specific date code; original production predates RoHS. Contact Microchip for current compliance documentation. AEC-Q100 not applicable for non-automotive MCU line. Conflict minerals compliant per Microchip policy.
