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RTC Counter - Isn't it Just a Less Featured Timer

Thomas Foxcroft
Expert 2996 points

Before reading about the Real Time Clock (RTC) Counter, I was under the impression that it provided registers which counted time in terms of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years. But it doesn't. It simply provides a sixteen bit counter register that is driven by a clock signal. So when properly configured, it'll provide me with a simple timer counter. But if I want to get the time in terms of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years, then I'll have to write the algorithms which make those calculations.

Can somebody tell me the rationale behind this module, since the timer module can do the same work?

  • 0
    TI__Guru 71526 points

    Hello Thomas,

      I am not clear on what you are referencing as a "module".  TI makes RTC ICs: https://www.ti.com/clocks-timing/real-time-clocks-timers/products.html#p404=Real-time%20clockhttps://www.ti.com/clocks-timing/real-time-clocks-timers/products.html%23p404=Real-time%20clock  , but none of these are modules. 

    Or are you referring to a software/code routine as a module?  If so, what uC or Processor?

    Please provide more detail as to what you are attempting to implement. 

    Thank you,

    ~Leonard  

  • 0
    Guru 42085 points

    If you are talking about the RTC in an MCU - as said, your question is extremely general - but another difference between the RTC and other counters is that there are usually provisions to run the RTC in an extremely low power mode.

  • 0
    Expert 2996 points

    I did not properly post this thread, and now I see that it has caused confusion. I really do apologize for not being more clear. Please understand that I posted this thread in the MSP Low-Power Microcontroller Forum under the assumption that the members of the forum would be able recognize that I'm referring to the RTC Counter module and the Timer module (AKA Timer A, Timer B, or Timer C) which are commonly found in many MSP430s. To give this some real context, I'm referring to the MSP430FR4xx and MSP430FR2xx family of devices, but it could be any other family.

    My objective was to get a different point of view than my own of the counter. My intent was not meant to be a criticism of the MSP430. I think it is a fabulous product.

    So, to me, I see the RTC counter as clock driven counter, whose frequency can be divided to create a some particular counting frequency, which then could be used for calculating minutes, or seconds, or fractions of a second, which in turn are then used as a time stamp. This is basically the same work the timer does. Therefore, I was just curious if any other members had used this RTC Counter as doing some other type of work.

  • 0 in reply to Keith Barkley
    Expert 2996 points

    Thank you Keith.

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