RF amp with a PIC?
Never seen one but I guess it's possible.
The PIC in the "black boxes" was socketted on purpose for updates.
When the cable systems changed they sent the "dealers" a new chip to whack in for their customers.
It was quite elaborate.
Disclaimer before people think I had something to do with these...
I know about these because once upon a time I worked for a large cable company.
They were popular just before the conversions to HFC networks.
It was not uncommon to have techs go into customer homes and see one of these dangling off the back of the STB
with an FM trap in line.