Customer:
I received an MCP47A1 breakout board and need clarification on what I actually have. The documentation says it’s the MCP47A1 (6-bit, SC70-6) but the chip appears to be an MCP4725 (12-bit, SOT-23-6). The I2C address shown on the board is 0x2E, which doesn’t match either datasheet. The chip is marked with “3A1R”. The product documentation and datasheet information seem inconsistent.
Originally submitted via email support on 16 September 2024. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
The product description has been flagged for correction - it should be listed as MCP47A1. The confusion about the I2C address comes down to representation format: 0x5C and 0x2E are actually the same address depending on whether you’re reading it as a 7-bit value or 8-bit value. The I2C address can be interpreted as a 7-bit value, which represents the actual device address. In some datasheets it’s shown as an 8-bit value where the last bit is used for the read/write flag. This interchangeable use of the two formats causes confusion. The IC on the breakout is MCP47A1 and the chip marking has been verified as correct by hardware design. Try using it with the appropriate software library.