Clock is the heart bit of a microcontroller. how many and what are the clock sources available for the microcontroller in explorer 16 board?
The Explorer 16 board, which is a popular development board for Microchip's PIC microcontrollers, provides several clock sources. These clock sources include:
1. Internal Clock: The microcontroller has an internal oscillator, known as FRC (Fast RC), which is tunable and can be calibrated for accuracy. It is the default clock source that runs at a frequency of 7.37 MHz.
2. External Clock: The board has a provision to connect an external clock source such as a crystal oscillator or a clock generator module. This is useful when higher accuracy or different frequencies are required.
3. Secondary Oscillator: The board also provides a 32 kHz crystal oscillator as a secondary clock source. It is primarily used for real-time clock (RTC) applications.
4. Main Clock (MCLK): The microcontroller can also derive its clock from various peripheral modules, such as Timer1 and Timer3.
By configuring the appropriate registers and selecting the desired clock source, the microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board can operate with different clock frequencies and sources depending on the application requirements.
The Explorer 16 board is a development board that supports various microcontrollers. So, the available clock sources for the microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board can vary depending on the specific microcontroller being used. However, I can provide you with some common clock sources that are often available for microcontrollers:
1. External Crystal/Ceramic Resonator: Many microcontrollers support external crystal or ceramic resonators as a clock source. These are typically connected to the microcontroller using external pins on the board.
2. Internal Oscillator: Microcontrollers often provide an internal oscillator that generates a clock signal. This allows the microcontroller to operate without the need for an external clock source. The frequency of the internal oscillator can be configured in software.
3. External Clock Input: Some microcontrollers have the capability to accept an external clock signal from an external source such as a crystal oscillator or a clock generator.
4. PLL (Phase-Locked Loop): Microcontrollers may also include a PLL that can generate a higher frequency clock signal by multiplying the frequency of an input clock source.
Please note that these are just some common clock sources, and the specific clock sources available on the Explorer 16 board will depend on the microcontroller being used. It is recommended to refer to the datasheet or user manual of the microcontroller on the board for the specific clock sources available.
To find out the number and types of clock sources available for the microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board, you can consult the board's documentation, such as the user manual or datasheet. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to access this information:
1. Identify the specific microcontroller model used on the Explorer 16 board. This information is usually mentioned in the documentation or can be found by examining the markings on the microcontroller itself.
2. Look for the user manual or datasheet corresponding to the microcontroller. These documents can usually be found on the manufacturer's website or through a quick search on the internet.
3. Once you locate the documentation, open it and search for the section related to clock sources. This section may be labeled as "Clock System," "Clock Configuration," or something similar.
4. In that section, you should find details regarding the number and types of clock sources available for the microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board. The documentation will typically list the different clock sources and provide information about their characteristics, such as frequency ranges and usage options.
By following these steps and consulting the microcontroller's documentation, you will be able to find the required information about the clock sources available on the Explorer 16 board.