I'm new to the forum, have no electronics background and I've just started learing PIC programming (Mplab X c-compiler) so please forgive me if this question is irrevelant, stupid or both.
Short background to my question:
- There is a lot of info in datasheets and on forums about reading 16 bit timers on 8-bit PIC:s and I think that I have a basic understanding of the overflow problem that could occur when reading the high and low registers separatly.
- I've seen that some PIC18 (e.g. PIC18F45K22) have a hardware buffer of the high register to avoid this problem.
- I'm using the timer1 module of a PIC16F1783. In my understanding this timer can count EXTERNAL signals in both ASYNC and SYNC (at least for moderately fast signals) mode.
My question:
- In the datasheet for the PIC16F1783 on page 177 (http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/40001579E.pdf) there is a paragraph called: "READING AND WRITING TIMER1 IN ASYNCHRONOUS COUNTER MODE".
-
For the PIC1845K22 there is a similiar paragraph on page 165 (http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/41412F.pdf).
-
Why does is say ASYNCHRONOUS here? Wouldn't the same problem occur if timer1 was used as external SYNC counter OR internal/external timer?
- Does it mean that it's somehow possible to read both the high and low registers consecutively and get a valid read when external SYNC counter mode is used (even without hardware buffers or software tricks)?
Thanks for your time!
Kind regards / Henrik
Best Answer
It say asynchronous here because using this mode gives the possibility for extra problems. Because the counter increment is not synchronized to the clock there may be a case where an increment occurs during a read. The hardware therefore takes care that you get a valid read.
In all cases reading the high byte and low byte is an issue.