15/02/2025 5:17 am
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I’ve seen that microcontrollers have built-in oscillators or use external ones, but I’m not exactly sure why they’re needed. What role does an oscillator play in a microcontroller? Also, when would you need an external oscillator instead of using the internal one? What's the difference?
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16/02/2025 3:41 am
An oscillator provides the clock signal that controls the execution timing of a microcontroller. Internal oscillators are built-in, cost-effective, and power-efficient but less accurate due to temperature and voltage variations. External oscillators (like crystals) offer higher precision and stability, making them essential for high-speed communication (USB, CAN, Ethernet) and precise timing applications. Use an external oscillator when accuracy is critical; otherwise, an internal one is fine for general tasks.
