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Texas Instruments SN74193N Obsolete TTL 4-Bit Up Down Binary Counter DIP-16 Vintage Arcade Logic IC

ICs / Integrated Circuits • SKU RFB00526

$7.95

Vintage Texas Instruments SN74193N standard-TTL synchronous 4-bit binary up/down counter integrated circuit in a 16-pin DIP package. Three matching devices are available with the same Texas Instruments SN74193N and 7043A package markings.

The SN74193N provides a four-bit binary counter capable of counting either upward or downward through separate count inputs. It includes parallel preset capability, an independent clear function, four binary outputs, and carry and borrow outputs that allow multiple counters to be cascaded for larger counting systems. The device operates from the traditional 5V TTL supply, with a specified operating supply range of approximately 4.75V to 5.25V.

The exact original Texas Instruments SN74193N standard-TTL device is OBSOLETE and DISCONTINUED. Texas Instruments discontinued production of this original SN74193N version. The later low-power Schottky SN74LS193N performs the related 4-bit synchronous up/down counter function and remains available, but substitutions in vintage equipment should always be checked against the original circuit requirements before installation.

The SN74193N was not an arcade-exclusive device. Its programmable bidirectional counting capability made it useful in computers, industrial controls, instrumentation, communications equipment, test equipment, digital counters, frequency and timing systems, control circuits, position and sequence counters, and many other TTL-era electronic systems.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

The 74193 became an important member of the classic 7400-series TTL logic family during the period when digital equipment was commonly constructed from individual logic integrated circuits. Unlike a simple one-direction counter, the 74193 could increment or decrement its binary count depending on which clock input was driven. Parallel loading allowed a designer to preset the counter to a chosen binary value, while carry and borrow outputs made it possible to cascade multiple devices into wider counters.

These capabilities made the 74193 useful in position control, digital displays, event counting, machine controls, timing systems, computer peripherals, instrumentation, communications equipment, and other digital hardware requiring reversible counting.

The 74193 also has substantial documented history in classic coin-operated arcade electronics. Atari used the 74193 extensively in early game circuitry. Atari Tempest specifies a 74193 at location C4 on the Analog Vector Generator PCB. Atari Crash 'N Score uses a 74193 at location P4 as the game's credit accumulator, counting credits upward when coins are deposited and downward when a game is started. Atari Jet Fighter uses 74193 counters in the aircraft rotation circuitry, and Atari Highway used multiple 74193 devices in its original logic system.

Midway also used a 74193 on the Pac-Man credit multiplier circuit board. These documented applications make the original SN74193N especially relevant to vintage arcade technicians and collectors working on period TTL logic hardware.

The arcade connection represents only part of the device's history. The SN74193N was a general-purpose industrial and digital logic component and can be encountered in many types of 1970s and early-1980s electronic equipment.