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Difference between a microcontroller and a microprocessor?

  1. Oct 8, 2008 #1
    what is the difference between a microcontroller and a microprocessor??????
    wat are the prescribed languages for programming a m.c
  2. jcsd
  3. Oct 8, 2008 #2


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    Science Advisor

    Re: microcontrollers

    The strict difference is that a microprocessor is just the "core" processing unit (logic operations, interpretation of machine code), with some basic inputs and outputs. A microcontroller contains a microprocessor, and additional on-board peripherals (A/D converters, DACs, servo controllers, fancy interface units, etc.)

    In practice however, the line blurs a fair bit between self-declared microprocessors and self-declared microcontrollers (does, say, a floating point unit count as a peripheral?) But that's a semantics issue.
  4. Oct 8, 2008 #3


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    Staff: Mentor

    Re: microcontrollers

    Usually C or assembly language.

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