Hello,im pretty new im just wondering if my theory is a viable solution.
So to free up gpio pins multiplexing is the main method but,couldnt i just hook up one micro controller to another via UART (rx/tx pins) and have one give serial commands and the other take them?
A little more coding for simplicity and not having to learn to much more,is this viable?
Viable?
Sure.
Fast and flexible?
Uh-oh.
Viable? Yes. Advisable? Given that you have to ask, no.
What you describe can be considered a multiplexer, connected to the main processor by a UART serial link.
Lol fair enough
By not fast,you mean slow by human standards or computer standards?
Yeah i guess you are right just a more expensive solution
Mostly computer, but unless you're careful, it can be both.
Roger that,all i needed to know thanks!
Consider an SPI or I2C port expander. Possibly easier and lower cost than another micro.
E.G. https://www.microchip.com/en-us/product/MCP23S17
Or even a simple shift register. £0.50 on eBay (have to buy 5)
I2C is essentially a serial port optimized for such "Inter IC Communication" It uses the same wire count (2), but adds a protocol that allows multiple "client" chips to be addressed, so that you can add "many" I2C peripherals to a single main CPU. (and yeah, those peripherals COULD be another microcontroller running custom code.)
I2C also run a 100kHz or 400kHz or higher, making it faster than traditional UART links. (although more recently, UARTs have gone up in speed.)
Roger that i prefer modules that support i2c its SPI that gives me problems with wiring and getting to work i prefer spi and uart all day
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