100
8023F–AVR–07/09
ATmega325P/3250P
Figure 7 shows the setting of OCF0A and the clearing of TCNT0 in CTC mode.
Figure 7. Timer/Counter Timing Diagram, Clear Timer on Compare Match mode, with Prescaler
(f
clk_I/O/8)
14.9
Timer/Counter0 and Timer/Counter1 Prescalers
Timer/Counter1 and Timer/Counter0 share the same prescaler module, but the Timer/Counters
can have different prescaler settings. The description below applies to both Timer/Counter1 and
Timer/Counter0.
14.9.1
Internal Clock Source
The Timer/Counter can be clocked directly by the system clock (by setting the CSn2:0 = 1). This
provides the fastest operation, with a maximum Timer/Counter clock frequency equal to system
clock frequency (f
CLK_I/O). Alternatively, one of four taps from the prescaler can be used as a
clock source. The prescaled clock has a frequency of either f
CLK_I/O/8, fCLK_I/O/64, fCLK_I/O/256, or
f
CLK_I/O/1024.
14.9.2
Prescaler Reset
The prescaler is free running, i.e., operates independently of the Clock Select logic of the
Timer/Counter, and it is shared by Timer/Counter1 and Timer/Counter0. Since the prescaler is
not affected by the Timer/Counter’s clock select, the state of the prescaler will have implications
for situations where a prescaled clock is used. One example of prescaling artifacts occurs when
the timer is enabled and clocked by the prescaler (6 > CSn2:0 > 1). The number of system clock
cycles from when the timer is enabled to the first count occurs can be from 1 to N+1 system
clock cycles, where N equals the prescaler divisor (8, 64, 256, or 1024).
It is possible to use the prescaler reset for synchronizing the Timer/Counter to program execu-
tion. However, care must be taken if the other Timer/Counter that shares the same prescaler
also uses prescaling. A prescaler reset will affect the prescaler period for all Timer/Counters it is
connected to.
14.9.3
External Clock Source
An external clock source applied to the T1/T0 pin can be used as Timer/Counter clock
(clk
T1/clkT0). The T1/T0 pin is sampled once every system clock cycle by the pin synchronization
logic. The synchronized (sampled) signal is then passed through the edge detector.
Figure 14-8shows a functional equivalent block diagram of the T1/T0 synchronization and edge detector
logic. The registers are clocked at the positive edge of the internal system clock (clk
I/O). The latch
is transparent in the high period of the internal system clock.
OCFnx
OCRnx
TCNTn
(CTC)
TOP
TOP - 1
TOP
BOTTOM
BOTTOM + 1
clk
I/O
clk
Tn
(clk
I/O/8)