Low-cost high-performance 8-bit CMOS MCUs can slash development times

The Microchip PIC16C5X family of low-cost high-performance 8-bit fully-static, EPROM/ROM-based CMOS microcontrollers is now available from RS Components. The device employs a RISC architecture with only 33 single word/ single cycle instructions. All instructions are single cycle except for program branches which take two cycles. The PIC16C5X delivers performance in an order of magnitude higher than its competitors in the same price category. The 12-bit wide instructions are highly symmetrical resulting in 2:1 code compression over other 8-bit microcontrollers in its class. The easy to use and easy to remember instruction set reduces development time significantly, says the company.