Regarding microcontrollers

Heya! Hopefully this is the right form for my question. I've been pretty interested in learning about less beginner-friendly microcontrollers lately on a lower level and have come across "serial registers" for the first time. My understanding is that these are components which essentially allow you to funnel multiple data streams into one digital port. If these components exist, then why are available data ports seen as a limitation or factor in choosing a microcontroller?
6 Replies
AnonEngineering
AnonEngineering3mo ago
do you mean "shift registers"?
the other guy
the other guyOP3mo ago
Oh yeah, sorry about that. Can you tell im new? :P
AnonEngineering
AnonEngineering3mo ago
there are serial in / parallel out (SIPO) and parallel in / serial out (PISO) types these are used to expand the number of precious pins on a microcontroller they exist but from a manufacturing / cost perspective adding such a part isn't ideal for a hobbyist this isn't a big concern
the other guy
the other guyOP3mo ago
I see, so it would be more cost-effective to seek out the correct microcontroller factoring in DIO than it would be to use SR's, most of the time?
AnonEngineering
AnonEngineering3mo ago
let's say you have an Uno, and need 21 pins, adding a shift register would make sense if you want to build 1000 units, finding an mcu with enough pins might make more sense
the other guy
the other guyOP3mo ago
Gotcha Ty!

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