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Understanding Hardware Timers
A hardware timer is a peripheral inside the microcontroller that counts clock cycles independently of the main CPU.
Timers can generate precise time intervals, trigger interrupts, or toggle outputs without occupying the CPU.
Hardware timers are not affected by code execution or compiler optimizations, providing accurate and consistent timing.
The CPU is free to perform other tasks or enter low-power modes while the timer runs.
Timers can be used for periodic interrupts, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) generation, event counting and more.
The following table highlights the key differences between software-based delays and hardware timer-based delays
Feature Software Delay (Loops) Hardware Delay (Timers) Precision Low (Affected by code/CPU) High (Hardware-Controlled) CPU Usage High (CPU busy waiting) Low (CPU free during delay) Power efficiency Poor Good (Can sleep during delays) Complexity Simple Moderate
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