Microcontroller

Microcontroller as a "one chip solution" is basically a series of terintregrasi (Integrated Circuit-IC) which already contains the complete various components to build a computer. Unlike the use of the microprocessor which still require additional external components such as RAM, ROM, timer, and so on to the system microcontroller, additional components of the above is practically almost not needed anymore. This is due to all the important components have been planted together with the processor system into a single microcontroller IC concerned. For that reason the system microcontroller also known as the real popular On A Computer
Whole-chip computer in a single chip, while the microprocessor system known as the more limited the Computer On A Chip-computer in a single chip.

Based on the function, the microcontroller is generally used to run programs that are permanent on a specific application (eg application relating to the control and monitoring). While the application programs that run on microprocessor systems is usually temporary and oriented data processing. The second function above difference in a practical system resulted in a minimum requirement that must be met will also vary (eg pulse rate in terms of operation, amount of RAM, the length of the register, and so forth). Can hardly be denied, it will be difficult adult found someone who still uses a microprocessor-based computer with 8 or 16 bits (eg 8088 and 8086 microprocessor, Intel's enterprise products.)

Why is that?, One reason the computer software currently available generally require a very high CPU speed (in the order of Mega GigaHz even) and very large memory capacity (in the order of megabytes) that which is not likely to be met by the system microprocessor the old. As for the system microcontroller, a program run normally do not require as much resources and that big. For simple control applications and mid-level, based microcontroller that is used is 4 to 8 bits. Microcontroller with a larger size (eg 16 and 32 bit) is generally only used for special applications in image processing field or fields that require high precision control.