Microchip Technology AC162078

Overview

AC162078 from Microchip Technology is an 18-pin PDIP evaluation board designed to support rapid development and debugging of the PIC18F1230/1330 family of 8-bit microcontrollers. It provides full access to all I/O pins, integrated in-circuit serial programming (ICSP™) via two pins, and on-board debug interface connectivity for MPLAB® ICD 3 or REAL ICE™ tools. The board enables validation of high-performance PWM motor control, 10-bit A/D acquisition, and nanoWatt low-power operation in embedded power management applications.

For engineers reviewing the AC162078 datasheet, AC162078 pinout, AC162078 application, or AC162078 equivalent, this board serves as a verified hardware platform for evaluating PIC18F1230/1330 features including 6-channel 14-bit PWM with fault protection, 4-channel 10-bit ADC with sleep-mode conversion, enhanced USART with LIN/J2602 support, and dual-oscillator fail-safe clock monitoring - all under real-world voltage (2.0V–5.5V), temperature, and timing constraints.

Technical Context

The AC162078 is a dedicated debug and prototyping carrier for PIC18F1230/1330 MCUs, featuring a socketed 18-pin DIP footprint, ICSP header (PGC/PGD), and MCLR/VPP pull-up circuitry compliant with Microchip's In-Circuit Debug specification. It includes no onboard oscillator or power regulation - requiring external 2.0–5.5V supply and user-selected clock source (crystal, RC, or internal oscillator).

Board-level design strictly follows Microchip's recommended layout for noise immunity and signal integrity: ground plane continuity, short trace routing for PGD/PGC, isolated MCLR filtering, and direct pin-to-socket mapping without signal buffering or level translation. No firmware or bootloader resides on the board itself; all execution occurs on the target MCU mounted in the socket.

Key Specifications

Availability

AC162078 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for embedded motor control, industrial sensor node development, and low-power battery-operated device prototyping requiring stable component supply and long-term toolchain compatibility.

Supply support for AC162078 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Microchip Technology Inc. is a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer specializing in microcontrollers, analog devices, and development tools, with ISO/TS-16949:2002 certification for MCU design and wafer fabrication.

The AC162078 belongs to Microchip's official PICkit™/ICD evaluation board product line, engineered specifically to accelerate time-to-debug for PIC18F nanoWatt microcontrollers used in power-constrained, real-time control systems.

FAQ

Does AC162078 support both PIC18F1230 and PIC18F1330 microcontrollers?

Yes, AC162078 supports both PIC18F1230 and PIC18F1330 microcontrollers. Its 18-pin DIP socket and unbuffered pin mapping match the identical pinout and electrical interface defined in DS39758D for both devices. No hardware modification is required when switching between these MCUs, as all peripherals - including the 6-channel PWM module, 4-channel 10-bit ADC, and enhanced USART - share identical register layouts and signal assignments on the 18-pin package variant.

What debug tools are compatible with AC162078?

AC162078 is fully compatible with Microchip's MPLAB® ICD 3 and REAL ICE™ in-circuit debuggers via its standard 6-pin ICSP header. It supports full-speed execution, breakpoint setting, register and memory inspection, and live peripheral register monitoring for the PIC18F1230/1330. The board does not support standalone programming without a connected debugger, as it lacks onboard programming circuitry or USB interface.

Is an external crystal required to use AC162078 with PIC18F1230/1330?

No, an external crystal is not required to use AC162078 with PIC18F1230/1330. The board provides direct access to all oscillator pins (RA6/RA7), enabling use of the internal 31 kHz–8 MHz INTOSC block, external RC networks, or crystal/resonator configurations per DS39758D Section 3.0. For RS-232 communication using the enhanced USART, the internal oscillator alone suffices - eliminating need for external timing components.

Can AC162078 be used for low-power current measurement of PIC18F1230/1330?

Yes, AC162078 supports low-power current measurement of PIC18F1230/1330. Its unregulated power input path allows insertion of a precision shunt resistor between the external supply and the VDD terminal, enabling direct measurement of run (15 µA typical), idle (3.7 µA typical), and sleep (100 nA typical) mode currents as specified in DS39758D Section 4.0. The board includes no bypass capacitors or regulators that would obscure true MCU current draw.

Does AC162078 include voltage regulation or level-shifting circuitry?

No, AC162078 includes no voltage regulation or level-shifting circuitry. It delivers raw input voltage directly to the PIC18F1230/1330 VDD pin and grounds the VSS pin without isolation or translation. This design preserves the MCU's native 2.0–5.5V operating range and ensures accurate characterization of brown-out reset (BOR), low-voltage detect (LVD), and nanoWatt power-managed modes as documented in DS39758D.