Arduino Pro or Pro Mini ATmega328P

Specification

• Microcontroller: ATmega328P from Atmel/Microchip.
• Operating Voltage: 5V.
• Clock Speed: 16MHz.
• Flash Memory: 32KB.
• SRAM: 2KB.
• EEPROM: 1KB.
• Digital I/O Pins: 14 (of which 6 provide PWM output).
• Analog Input Pins: 8.
• UART (Serial Communication): Yes.
• I2C: Yes.
• SPI: Yes.
• Voltage Regulator: Yes, typically onboard to handle higher input voltages.
• Input Voltage: 7-12V (recommended) via RAW pin or 5V via VCC pin.
• DC Current per I/O Pin: 40mA.
• DC Current for 3.3V Pin: 50mA.

Description

The Pro Mini is a small and compact development board based on the ATmega328P microcontroller. Here's a brief description of its key features:

1. Microcontroller: ATmega328P from Atmel (now part of Microchip). It's an 8-bit AVR microcontroller with 32KB of flash memory, 2KB of SRAM, and 1KB of EEPROM.
2. Operating Voltage: The Pro Mini operates at 5V, which means it requires a 5V power supply.
3. Clock Speed: The board is designed to run at a clock speed of 16MHz.
4. Digital I/O Pins: The Pro Mini has a total of 14 digital I/O pins. Among these, 6 pins can be used as PWM outputs (marked with ~), and 6 can be used as analog inputs.
5. Analog Inputs: The board features 8 analog input pins.
6. UART (Serial Communication): It has a dedicated hardware UART serial communication port, which can be used for serial communication with other devices or for programming the board.
7. I2C and SPI: The Pro Mini supports I2C (TWI) and SPI communication protocols.
8. Voltage Regulator: The board typically includes a voltage regulator that allows it to be powered with a higher voltage (up to 12V in some cases), and it regulates it down to the 5V required by the microcontroller.
9. Power Supply Options: The Pro Mini can be powered via the FTDI cable (for programming), an external power supply connected to the "RAW" pin, or directly through the VCC and GND pins.
10. Reset Button: There is a reset button on the board that allows you to restart the microcontroller.
11. LEDs: The board often includes onboard LEDs for power and status indication.
12. Form Factor: The Pro Mini is designed to be very small and lacks some features found on larger Arduino boards, making it suitable for projects with space constraints.
13. Programming: It can be programmed using the Arduino IDE with a USB-to-serial adapter (such as FTDI) connected to the TX, RX, and GND pins.

The Pro Mini is commonly used in projects where small size and low power consumption are essential considerations. It's important to note that while it lacks some features present on larger Arduino boards, it offers a cost-effective and space-efficient solution for many applications.