Product Overview
CMOS Dual 4-Bit BCD Counter IC for 7-Segment Displays and Timing Circuits
Condition
Unused, New Old Stock (NOS). Visual inspection completed with no issues noted. Date code 7814AEM indicating manufacture in the 14th week of 1978. Marked Malaysia. Sourced from a former electronics parts supply shop that closed its doors.
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Product Overview
Texas Instruments MC14518 is a dual Binary Coded Decimal up counter from the classic CD4000 CMOS logic family. This device contains two independent 4-bit counters, each designed to count from 0 through 9 in true BCD sequence. With a wide operating voltage range and low power CMOS architecture, it became a standard building block for digital clocks, frequency dividers, and event counters throughout the late 1970s and 1980s.
The MC14518 operates from 3V to 18V, making it more flexible than many TTL-era alternatives. Each counter advances on clock transitions and provides BCD outputs suitable for driving decoder drivers and 7-segment display circuits. Housed in a PDIP package for through-hole mounting, it remains practical for restoration work and breadboard prototyping.
Key Features
- Dual independent 4-bit BCD up counters
- Counts 0000 to 1001 (0 to 9) per counter
- CMOS CD4000 series logic family
- Wide operating voltage range: 3V to 18V
- Low power consumption typical of CMOS design
- Clock and enable control inputs
- BCD outputs compatible with 7-segment decoder drivers
- PDIP through-hole package
- Date code 7814AEM, Malaysia manufacture
Applications
- Digital clock and timer circuits
- Frequency division and event counting
- Driving 7-segment display systems
- Restoration of vintage 1970s test equipment
- Industrial timing and sequencing modules
- Educational logic training boards and labs
- Breadboard prototyping for CMOS-based designs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this compatible with standard CD4518 designs?
Yes. The MC14518 is the functional equivalent within the 4000-series CMOS family. Verify your specific suffix and package requirements for your board layout.
What voltage does it require?
It operates across a wide 3V to 18V supply range, typical for CD4000-series CMOS logic.
Can this directly drive a 7-segment display?
The outputs are BCD. A separate BCD-to-7-segment decoder/driver is typically used between the counter and the display.
Has this unit been electrically tested?
Visual inspection was completed with no issues noted. As unused stock, it has not been installed or electrically tested.
What era is this chip from?
The 7814AEM date code indicates manufacture in the 14th week of 1978, during the early growth period of CMOS logic devices.
Some counters just keep tally. Others carry a date stamp from the first wave of CMOS logic. If you are restoring period-correct hardware or building with wide-voltage flexibility, this TI part is ready for the next clock cycle.
