Microchip PIC18F242T-I/SO 8-Bit Microcontroller Data Sheet and Technical Specifications

The Microchip PIC18F242T-I/SO is a high-performance, enhanced flash 8-bit microcontroller unit (MCU) within Microchip’s extensive PIC18 family. Fabricated with advanced CMOS technology, it is engineered to deliver a powerful and flexible embedded control solution for a wide array of industrial, automotive, and consumer applications. This device successfully balances processing power, peripheral integration, and power efficiency.

At the core of the PIC18F242T-I/SO operates an enhanced PIC18 architecture with a 16-bit instruction set. The MCU can execute most instructions in a single clock cycle, achieving a performance of up to 16 MIPS at 40 MHz with its internal Phase Lock Loop (PLL) enabled. This robust performance makes it capable of handling complex control algorithms and real-time processing tasks efficiently.

A key feature of this microcontroller is its substantial on-chip 32 KB of Flash program memory, which is reprogrammable up to 100,000 erase/write cycles, offering significant flexibility for code development and field updates. It is complemented by 1536 bytes of RAM for data handling and 256 bytes of EEPROM data memory for critical data storage that must be retained even when power is removed.

The peripheral set integrated into this MCU is both rich and versatile, designed to minimize external component requirements. It includes:

Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC): A 10-bit resolution ADC with up to 11 channels, enabling precise measurement of analog signals from sensors.

Timers/CCP Modules: Multiple timers (including 8-bit and 16-bit), along with Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules. These are essential for waveform generation, event timing, and motor control functions.

Communication Interfaces: It supports a suite of serial communication protocols, including Enhanced Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (EUSART), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), and Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C), facilitating easy connection to other microcontrollers, sensors, memory, and PCs.

Enhanced CAN Module: This device is equipped with a Controller Area Network (CAN) 2.0B active interface, making it an ideal choice for robust automotive and industrial network applications.

The PIC18F242T-I/SO is offered in a 28-pin SOIC (Small Outline Integrated Circuit) package, which is suitable for automated PCB assembly and space-constrained designs. Its operational voltage range is from 2.0V to 5.5V, and it features multiple power-saving modes, including Idle, Sleep, and Peripheral Module Disable, which are crucial for battery-powered and low-power applications.

ICGOOODFIND: The PIC18F242T-I/SO stands out as a powerful and highly integrated 8-bit MCU solution. Its combination of strong computational performance, extensive memory, a rich set of peripherals including a critical CAN bus interface, and excellent low-power characteristics makes it a superior choice for developers designing advanced embedded systems in demanding environments.

Keywords: 8-Bit Microcontroller, PIC18 Architecture, CAN 2.0B Interface, Low-Power Operation, Enhanced Peripherals.