8-bit shift register with open-drain outputs
The Texas Instruments TPIC6A595NE is an 8-bit serial-to-parallel shift register with open-drain outputs, designed for applications needing to drive loads like LEDs, relays, or logic inputs from a microcontroller's serial interface. The open-drain topology means each output can sink current to ground but cannot source it — you pull the load to a positive rail and let the register sink it on.
Through-hole PDIP for prototyping and low-volume builds
Housed in a 20-pin PDIP (0.300" body width, 7.62 mm), the TPIC6A595NE is a through-hole part — it plugs directly into a breadboard, a perfboard, or a socket on a PCB. For a one-off prototype or a production run under a few hundred units, the PDIP avoids the reflow oven entirely; hand-soldering or wave-soldering is straightforward. The 0.100-inch pin pitch matches standard prototyping grids, and the 20-pin count keeps the layout simple. No fine-pitch registration or X-ray inspection needed — a visual check of the solder joints is sufficient.