40 MHz PIC MCUs compete with 16-bit devices

Four new 8-bit microcontrollers from Microchip Technology Inc. are capable of competing with 16-bit devices in high-end, embedded applications, according to the company.

MCUs in the PIC18F8722 series feature 96 or 128kbytes of self-reprogrammable Flash memory, performance of up to 10 MIPS across a 2.0 to 5.5V operating voltage range, nanoWatt power management, and support from a variety of analog and digital peripherals.

“These new products enable design engineers to retain their 8-bit code and tools while developing complex embedded applications,” says Ganesh Moorthy, vice president of Microchip’s Advanced Microcontroller and Memory Division.

He adds that the devices provide linear access to a memory space as large as 2 Mbytes while offering complete code and tool compatibility with smaller Microchip microcontrollers. Two synchronous serial ports are available for SPI or I2C, as are two LIN-capable USART asynchronous serial ports. Other features include a 10-bit, 16-channel A/D converter, two analog comparators, Capture/Compare/PWM modules with support for H-bridge motor drives, a watchdog timer with prescalar options. The devices are available in 64- and 80-pin TQFP packages.