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attiny13v-10pu-microcontroller

5 min read

Important Note

This entire repo was AI created - including all of the data within. The intent was to A) help me with my personal electronics inventory; and B) see how I could use AI to make that process a bit easier. DO NOT TRUST!

ATtiny13V-10PU - 8-bit AVR RISC Microcontroller (Ultra-Small)

Details

Description

The ATtiny13V-10PU is the smallest member of the AVR microcontroller family, combining 1KB of in-system programmable Flash memory, 64 bytes of EEPROM, 64 bytes of SRAM, 6 general purpose I/O lines, 32 general purpose working registers, an 8-bit timer/counter with compare modes, internal and external interrupts, a 4-channel 10-bit A/D converter, a programmable watchdog timer with internal oscillator, and three software selectable power saving modes. The “V” suffix indicates this is the low-voltage version optimized for 1.8V-5.5V operation, making it ideal for ultra-low power battery applications.

Specifications

Core Specifications

  • Architecture: 8-bit AVR enhanced RISC
  • Operating Voltage: 1.8V ~ 5.5V (low voltage version)
  • Clock Speed: Up to 10 MHz (internal 9.6MHz calibrated oscillator)
  • Performance: 10 MIPS at 10 MHz
  • Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C

Memory

  • Program Memory (Flash): 1KB (1024 bytes)
  • SRAM: 64 bytes
  • EEPROM: 64 bytes
  • Endurance: 10,000 write/erase cycles (Flash), 100,000 write/erase cycles (EEPROM)

I/O and Peripherals

  • Digital I/O Pins: 6 (5 available when using reset pin as I/O)
  • PWM Channels: 2 (8-bit)
  • ADC Channels: 4 (10-bit, single-ended)
  • Analog Comparator: 1
  • Timers: 1 (8-bit timer/counter)

Communication Interfaces

  • No Hardware Serial: Software serial possible with libraries
  • No SPI/I2C: Bit-banged implementations possible

Pinout Diagram

    ATtiny13V-10PU 8-Pin DIP
    ┌─────────────┐
PB5 │1  (RESET) 8│ VCC
PB3 │2  (ADC3)  7│ PB2 (ADC1/SCK)
PB4 │3  (ADC2)  6│ PB1 (MISO/OC0B)
GND │4          5│ PB0 (MOSI/OC0A)
    └─────────────┘

Pin Descriptions

PinNameFunctions
1PB5RESET, ADC0, dW
2PB3ADC3, CLKI
3PB4ADC2, CLKO
4GNDGround
5PB0MOSI, OC0A (PWM), AIN0
6PB1MISO, OC0B (PWM), AIN1
7PB2SCK, ADC1
8VCCPower Supply

Arduino Pin Mapping

When using Arduino IDE with ATtiny13:

  • Pin 0 (PB0): Digital I/O, PWM, ADC (when configured)
  • Pin 1 (PB1): Digital I/O, PWM
  • Pin 2 (PB2): Digital I/O, ADC1
  • Pin 3 (PB3): Digital I/O, ADC3
  • Pin 4 (PB4): Digital I/O, ADC2
  • Pin 5 (PB5): Digital I/O, ADC0 (can be used as reset)

Applications

Common use cases for the ATtiny13V-10PU:

  • Ultra-simple sensor nodes
  • LED flashers and blinkers
  • Simple automation tasks
  • Battery-powered indicators
  • Learning embedded programming basics
  • Minimalist IoT sensors
  • Toy electronics and gadgets
  • Emergency backup controllers

Programming Examples

Arduino IDE Setup

Install ATtiny board support:

  1. Add ATtiny board manager URL
  2. Install “ATtiny” boards package
  3. Select “ATtiny13” and appropriate clock speed
  4. Use “Arduino as ISP” for programming
// Blink LED on Pin 0 (PB0)
void setup() {
  pinMode(0, OUTPUT);
}
 
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(0, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(0, LOW);
  delay(1000);
}

ADC Reading with LED Indicator

void setup() {
  pinMode(0, OUTPUT); // LED output
  pinMode(1, OUTPUT); // Second LED
}
 
void loop() {
  int sensorValue = analogRead(A3); // Read from Pin 3 (PB3)
  
  // Simple threshold indicator
  if (sensorValue > 512) {
    digitalWrite(0, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(1, LOW);
  } else {
    digitalWrite(0, LOW);
    digitalWrite(1, HIGH);
  }
  
  delay(100);
}

PWM Fade Effect

void setup() {
  pinMode(0, OUTPUT); // PWM pin (PB0/OC0A)
}
 
void loop() {
  // Fade in
  for (int brightness = 0; brightness <= 255; brightness++) {
    analogWrite(0, brightness);
    delay(10);
  }
  
  // Fade out
  for (int brightness = 255; brightness >= 0; brightness--) {
    analogWrite(0, brightness);
    delay(10);
  }
}

Circuit Examples

Minimal Circuit

ATtiny13V-10PU Minimal Circuit:
- Pin 8 (VCC) ---- +1.8V to +5V
- Pin 4 (GND) ---- Ground
- Pin 1 (RESET) ---- 10kΩ pullup to VCC (optional)
- 0.1µF decoupling capacitor between VCC and GND

Battery-Powered LED Controller

Ultra-Low Power LED Circuit:
- 2xAA or 3V coin cell battery
- LED + current limiting resistor on Pin 0
- Sensor input on Pin 3 (ADC3)
- Sleep mode for ultra-low power consumption

ISP Programming Circuit

6-Pin ISP Header to ATtiny13:
1. MISO ---- Pin 6 (PB1)
2. VCC ---- Pin 8 (VCC)
3. SCK ---- Pin 7 (PB2)
4. MOSI ---- Pin 5 (PB0)
5. RESET ---- Pin 1 (PB5)
6. GND ---- Pin 4 (GND)

Technical Notes

Important considerations for the ATtiny13V-10PU:

  • Minimal Resources: Only 1KB Flash and 64 bytes RAM - code must be very efficient
  • Ultra-Low Voltage: Can operate down to 1.8V, excellent for battery applications
  • No Hardware Serial: All communication must be bit-banged or use simple protocols
  • Limited Libraries: Many Arduino libraries won’t fit or work due to memory constraints
  • Power Efficiency: Excellent sleep modes for ultra-low power applications
  • Programming: Requires ISP programmer, no bootloader due to memory constraints

Tags

microcontroller, avr, attiny, arduino-compatible, 8-bit, ultra-low-power, dip-8 cabinet-3 bin-40 status-available

Notes

The ATtiny13V-10PU is the ultimate minimalist microcontroller - perfect for learning the fundamentals of embedded programming and for applications where every byte counts. Having 11 of these chips provides excellent opportunities for ultra-simple projects and educational exercises. Despite its tiny memory (1KB Flash, 64 bytes RAM), it’s surprisingly capable for basic control tasks. The ultra-low voltage operation (down to 1.8V) makes it ideal for battery-powered applications where power efficiency is paramount. These are perfect for projects where you need just a tiny bit of intelligence - LED controllers, simple sensors, or basic automation tasks where larger microcontrollers would be overkill.

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