d. 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 has 3 clock sources available for the Microcontroller:
1. External Crystal Oscillator (ECO) - This is the primary clock source for the Microcontroller. It provides a precise and stable clock signal.
2. Internal Fast RC Oscillator (FRC) - This is an internal oscillator that provides a clock signal with moderate accuracy.
3. Internal Low-Power RC Oscillator (LPRC) - This is also an internal oscillator, but it operates at a much lower frequency and consumes less power compared to the FRC oscillator. It is typically used in low-power applications.
The Explorer 16 board supports multiple clock sources for the microcontroller. The available clock sources are as follows:
1. External clock source: The microcontroller can be driven by an external clock signal provided through the EXTAL and XTAL pins. An external crystal or oscillator can be connected to these pins.
2. Internal FRC (Fast RC) clock: The microcontroller has an internal oscillator called the Fast RC oscillator, which operates at a fixed frequency of 7.37 MHz.
3. Internal LPRC (Low-Power RC) clock: The microcontroller also has a low-power internal oscillator called the Low-Power RC oscillator, which operates at a fixed frequency of 31.25 kHz.
4. External PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) clock: The microcontroller can also be driven by an external clock signal through the PLL input pins, which are used to multiply the input frequency and generate a higher-frequency output for the microcontroller.
These are the clock sources available for the microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board. The specific clock source used can be selected through the appropriate configuration bits in the microcontroller's configuration registers.
To find out the available clock sources for the Microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board, we need to refer to the board's documentation or datasheet. Here's how you can do it:
1. Go to the official website of the Explorer 16 board's manufacturer.
2. Look for the product page or support section related to the Explorer 16 board.
3. On the product page or support section, search for the documentation or datasheet specific to the Microcontroller used on the board.
4. Download the datasheet or documentation for the Microcontroller.
In the datasheet, you should be able to find detailed information about the clock sources available for the Microcontroller. Look for sections such as "Clocking Options" or "Clock Configurations." The specific names and types of clock sources may vary depending on the Microcontroller used on the Explorer 16 board.
Some common clock sources available for Microcontrollers include:
1. Internal Oscillator: The Microcontroller has an internal clock source, which typically operates at a fixed frequency.
2. External Crystal/Ceramic Resonator: The Microcontroller can be connected to an external crystal or ceramic resonator for more accurate clocking.
3. External Clock: The Microcontroller can accept an external clock signal from an external source.
4. Internal PLL (Phase-Locked Loop): The Microcontroller may have an internal PLL that can multiply the frequency of the clock source.
By referring to the datasheet specific to the Microcontroller on the Explorer 16 board, you will find the exact clock sources available along with their characteristics and how to configure them.