ESP32
Description:
ESP32 is a series of low-cost, low-power system on a chip microcontrollers with integrated Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. The ESP32 series employs a Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor in both dual-core and single-core variations and includes built-in antenna switches, RF balun, power amplifier, low-noise receive amplifier, filters, and power-management modules. ESP32 is created and developed by Espressif Systems, a Shanghai-based Chinese company, and is manufactured by TSMC using their 40 nm process. It is a successor to the ESP8266 microcontroller.
Working Principle:
ESP32 implements TCP/IP, full 802.11 b/g/n/e/I WLAN MAC protocol, and Wi-Fi Direct specification. This means ESP 32 can speak to most of the Wi-Fi Routers out there when used in station (client) mode. Also it is able to create an Access point with full 802.11 b/g/n/e/I. ESP32 also supports the Wi-Fi Direct
What’s better than esp8266?
|
|
ESP8266 |
ESP32 |
|
MCU |
Xtensa Single-core 32-bit L106 |
Xtensa Dual-Core 32-bit LX6 with 600 DMIPS |
|
802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi |
HT20 |
HT40 |
|
Bluetooth |
X |
Bluetooth 4.2 and BLE |
|
Typical Frequency |
80 MHz |
160 MHz |
|
SRAM |
X |
✓ |
|
Flash |
X |
✓ |
|
GPIO |
17 |
36 |
|
Hardware /Software PWM |
None / 8 channels |
None / 16 channels |
|
SPI/I2C/I2S/UART |
2/1/2/2 |
4/2/2/2 |
|
ADC |
10-bit |
12-bit |
|
CAN |
X |
✓ |
|
Ethernet MAC Interface |
X |
✓ |
|
Touch Sensor |
X |
✓ |
|
Temperature Sensor |
X |
✓ |
|
Hall effect sensor |
X |
✓ |
|
Working Temperature |
-40ºC to 125ºC |
-40ºC to 125ºC |
More GPIOs on the ESP32
The ESP32 has more GPIOs than the ESP8266, and you can decide which pins are UART, I2C, SPI – you just need to set that on the code. This is possible due to the ESP32 chip’s multiplexing feature that allows you to assign multiple functions to the same pin.
Advantages:
The ESP32 is the ESP8266 successor. It adds an extra CPU core, faster Wi-Fi, more GPIOs, and supports Bluetooth 4.2 and Bluetooth low energy. Additionally, the ESP32 comes with touch sensitive pins that can be used to wake up the ESP32 from deep sleep, a built-in Hall Effect sensor and a built-in temperature sensor
Disadvantages:
However, it has some limitations when it comes to the GPIO mapping, and it might not have enough pins for what you intend to do. If that’s the case, you should get an ESP32. The ESP32 is much more powerful than the ESP8266, contains more GPIOs with multiple functions, faster Wi-Fi, and also supports Bluetooth.
ESP32 Breakout board pinouts, pin layout etc.
Pin Diagram of ESP32
- 18 Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) channels
- 3 SPI interfaces
- 3 UART interfaces
- 2 I2C interfaces
- 16 PWM output channels
- 2 Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC)
- 2 I2S interfaces
- 10 Capacitive sensing GPIOs
Reference:
https://www.rhydolabz.com/wiki/?p=1417
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESP32
https://www.espressif.com/en/support/download/documents
https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-pinout-reference-gpios/