PROGRAMMABLE INTERVAL

TIMER/COUNTER-8254
• It is a 24-pin DIP IC and required a single
+5VCC power supply for its operation.
• It has three identical 16-bit counters.
• These counters can operate in any one of
the six mode.
• The counter can count either in binary or
BCD.
• It generate accurate time delays and can
be used for applications such as a real-time
clock, an event counter, a digital one-shot,
a square-wave generator, and a complex
waveform generator.
What is the difference between
8253 and 8254?
• Basic differences between them are:
Whereas 8253 has an operating frequency
of 0-2.6 MHz, 8254 is operated at a
frequency that ranges between 0-10 MHz.
• 8253uses N-MOS Technology and does
not support read-back command
whereas 8254works on H-MOS
technology and supports read-back
command.
Functional Block Diagram of 8254
• It consists of three counters (counter 0, counter 1
and counter 2 ), a tri-state bidirectional data bus
buffer, Read/Write control logic unit and control
word register.
• Each counter has two input signals ( CLK and
GATE) and one output signal ( OUT ).
• Data Bus Buffer: It is an 8-bit tri-state
bidirectional buffer. It is connected to the 8-bit
data bus of the microprocessor. Data is
transmitted or received by this data bus buffer.
• Control Logic Unit: This control logic unit has
three control signals ( RD, WR and CS ) and two
address lines A1 and A0.
• RD – Active low read A1 A0 Selection Address
input.
• WR – Active low 0 0 Counter 0 80H
write input.
• CS – Active low chip
0 1 Counter 1 81H
select input.
• A0, A1- Select
counter/Control 1 0 Counter 2 82H
Register.
• D0-D7 – Bidirectional Control
1 1 83H
data bus. Register
Control Word Register
• 8254 has a powerful command called READ
BACK command, which allows the user to
check the count value, the programmed mode,
the current mode, and the current status of the
counter.
• The 8254 can operate in M2 M1 M0 Mode
six different modes, and
selection
the gate of a count.
• Mode 0: Interrupt on 0 0 0 Mode 0
terminal count.
• Mode 1: Hardware- 0 0 1 Mode 1
Retriggerable one shot.
• Mode 2: Rate generator. X 1 0 Mode 2
• Mode 3: Square-wave
generator. X 1 1 Mode 3
• Mode 4: Software-
Triggered strobe. 1 0 0 Mode 4
• Mode 5: Hardware-
Triggered strobe. 1 0 1 Mode 5
Mode 0: Interrupt on terminal count
• It is used to generate an interrupt to the
microprocessor.
• Gate should be held at high.
• Initially the OUT is low. Once a count is
loaded in the register, the counter is
decremented every cycle, and when the
count reaches zero, the OUT goes high.
This can be used as an interrupt.
• The OUT remains high until a new count
or a command word is loaded.
 Mode 1: Programmable one-shot
• It can be used as a mono stable multi-
vibrator.
• In this mode, the OUT is initially high.
• When the Gate is triggered, the OUT goes
low, and at the end of the count, the OUT
goes high again, thus generating a one-
shot pulse.
 Mode 2: Rate Generator
• It can be used as a frequency divider or Divide
by N counter.
• In this mode the 8254 acts as a divided by n
counter. The gate is held at high level. The
output will be high level.
• The count is loaded into the counter register and
the count down begins. When the count reaches
1, the output goes low.
• The output will go high again at the falling edge
of the next clock pulse.
• The original count is loaded again in the count
register and the process repeats.
Mode 3: Square wave generator
• Similar to mode 2 except that the output will
remain high until one half the count has been
completed (for even nos) and go low for the
other half of the count.
• If the count is odd, the output will be high for
(N+1)/2 counts and low for (N-1)/2 counts.
• In this mode the output is a square wave form.
The frequency of the output wave to the input
clock frequency divided by the number loaded
into the count register.
Mode 4: Software Triggered Strobe
• In this mode the gate is held high.
• Initially the output is in high level.
• After the mode set operation the count is
loaded into the count register and the
counter will begin counting.
• When the count reaches zero, the output
goes low for one clock period and again
goes high.
 Mode 5: Hardware Triggered Strobe

• The gate is held at low level.

• The output is at high level.
• The count is loaded into the count register.
• Gate is made high.
• The counter start counting at the rising
edge of the gate pulse.
• When the count reaches zero, the output
goes low for one clock period and again
goes high.