Description
74HC237 – 3-to-8 line decoder
General description
The 74×237 is a 3-to-8 line decoder with an added bonus: it has three state outputs.
Here’s how it works:
- It takes in three binary inputs and decodes them to control up to one of eight outputs. So, depending on the input combination, one specific output will go LOW, while all others stay HIGH.
- It includes a “latch enable” (LE) input, ensuring the decoder is active only when this input is HIGH.
- The outputs are three-state, meaning they can be in one of three conditions: HIGH, LOW, or high-impedance (i.e., disconnected).
This decoder is useful when you need to control multiple outputs from a few input lines, such as in address decoding in memory circuits.
