Hex inverter in 14-DIP — 6 independent channels
The Texas Instruments SN7404N is a 7400-series hex inverter containing six independent inverter gates in a single 14-pin DIP package. Each gate accepts one input and provides the inverted output, making it a standard building block for signal conditioning, oscillator circuits, and logic-level translation in through-hole designs. The input logic-low threshold is 0.8 V max, and the input logic-high threshold is 2 V min — levels that are compatible with standard 5 V CMOS and TTL outputs without external level shifting.
Propagation delay and output drive
Maximum propagation delay is 22 ns at 5 V supply into a 15 pF load. This sets the upper data-rate ceiling for a single gate — at 22 ns per transition, the practical toggle rate is roughly 22 MHz before the output fails to reach valid logic levels within the setup-time window of the downstream gate. Output drive capability is specified as 400 µA source and 16 mA sink at the output pins. The asymmetric drive reflects TTL totem-pole output stage design: the low-level output can sink enough current to drive a standard TTL load or a small LED, while the high-level output is limited to light fan-out. For loads exceeding 16 mA sink, a buffer or discrete transistor is needed.
This suits indoor equipment, benchtop instruments, and consumer electronics — not extended industrial or automotive environments where -40°C to +85°C or wider is required. The 14-PDIP supplier package footprint is standard for breadboard prototyping, stripboard, and PCB layouts that avoid surface-mount assembly. The tube packaging is typical for DIP devices shipped in quantities of 25 or 50.