A counter mainly works by adding one to its value every time it gets a pulse from the clock signal. When a counter counts up in response to the clock, we say it is in “count-up” mode. If it counts down instead, we call that “count-down” mode. There are also special counters that can do […]
Understanding Various BCD Counter Circuits
We know that toggle T-type flip-flops can work as standalone divide-by-two counters. By connecting several toggle flip-flops in a sequence, we can create a digital Binary-Coded Decimal (BCD) counter. This counter can store or display the frequency of a specific counting sequence. Clocked T-type flip-flops act as binary divide-by-two counters. In asynchronous counters, the output […]
How Bidirectional Counters Work
A bidirectional counter is a synchronous binary counter that can count both up and down. We can use it to count towards a specific value or back to zero. We can count upwards from zero to a preset value. Sometimes we also need to count down from a defined value to zero. This feature allows […]
Understanding Synchronous Counter Circuits
In asynchronous counters we find the output of one stage connects directly to the clock input of the next stage. This setup causes a problem called “Propagation Delay.” Here the timing signal is delayed slightly as it passes through each flip-flop. In contrast synchronous counters have all their stages clocked together at the same time. […]
Explained: How Asynchronous Counter Works
An asynchronous counter is really cool because it can handle a total of 2n-1 different counting states. For example a 4-bit counter set up as MOD-16 can count from 0 all the way to 15, making it great for things like frequency division. But you can also use the basic design of an asynchronous counter […]
Understanding Frequency Division: “Divide-by-2” Counter
In our previous lessons about Sequential Logic we learned how D-type Flip-Flops work and how we can connect them to make a Data Latch. One cool thing about D-type Flip-Flops is that they can act as a binary divider which is great for dividing frequencies or working as a “divide-by-2” counter. In this setup, the […]