Datasheet
Table Of Contents
- Features
- Pin Configurations
- Overview
- Resources
- Data Retention
- About Code Examples
- Atmel AVR CPU Core
- AVR ATmega8 Memories
- System Clock and Clock Options
- Power Management and Sleep Modes
- System Control and Reset
- Interrupts
- I/O Ports
- Introduction
- Ports as General Digital I/O
- Alternate Port Functions
- Register Description for I/O Ports
- The Port B Data Register – PORTB
- The Port B Data Direction Register – DDRB
- The Port B Input Pins Address – PINB
- The Port C Data Register – PORTC
- The Port C Data Direction Register – DDRC
- The Port C Input Pins Address – PINC
- The Port D Data Register – PORTD
- The Port D Data Direction Register – DDRD
- The Port D Input Pins Address – PIND
- External Interrupts
- 8-bit Timer/Counter0
- Timer/Counter0 and Timer/Counter1 Prescalers
- 16-bit Timer/Counter1
- Overview
- Accessing 16-bit Registers
- Timer/Counter Clock Sources
- Counter Unit
- Input Capture Unit
- Output Compare Units
- Compare Match Output Unit
- Modes of Operation
- Timer/Counter Timing Diagrams
- 16-bit Timer/Counter Register Description
- Timer/Counter 1 Control Register A – TCCR1A
- Timer/Counter 1 Control Register B – TCCR1B
- Timer/Counter 1 – TCNT1H and TCNT1L
- Output Compare Register 1 A – OCR1AH and OCR1AL
- Output Compare Register 1 B – OCR1BH and OCR1BL
- Input Capture Register 1 – ICR1H and ICR1L
- Timer/Counter Interrupt Mask Register – TIMSK(1)
- Timer/Counter Interrupt Flag Register – TIFR(1)
- 8-bit Timer/Counter2 with PWM and Asynchronous Operation
- Serial Peripheral Interface – SPI
- USART
- Two-wire Serial Interface
- Analog Comparator
- Analog-to- Digital Converter
- Boot Loader Support – Read- While-Write Self- Programming
- Boot Loader Features
- Application and Boot Loader Flash Sections
- Read-While-Write and No Read- While-Write Flash Sections
- Boot Loader Lock Bits
- Entering the Boot Loader Program
- Addressing the Flash During Self- Programming
- Self-Programming the Flash
- Performing Page Erase by SPM
- Filling the Temporary Buffer (Page Loading)
- Performing a Page Write
- Using the SPM Interrupt
- Consideration While Updating BLS
- Prevent Reading the RWW Section During Self-Programming
- Setting the Boot Loader Lock Bits by SPM
- EEPROM Write Prevents Writing to SPMCR
- Reading the Fuse and Lock Bits from Software
- Preventing Flash Corruption
- Programming Time for Flash when using SPM
- Simple Assembly Code Example for a Boot Loader
- ATmega8 Boot Loader Parameters
- Memory Programming
- Program And Data Memory Lock Bits
- Fuse Bits
- Signature Bytes
- Calibration Byte
- Page Size
- Parallel Programming Parameters, Pin Mapping, and Commands
- Parallel Programming
- Enter Programming Mode
- Considerations for Efficient Programming
- Chip Erase
- Programming the Flash
- Programming the EEPROM
- Reading the Flash
- Reading the EEPROM
- Programming the Fuse Low Bits
- Programming the Fuse High Bits
- Programming the Lock Bits
- Reading the Fuse and Lock Bits
- Reading the Signature Bytes
- Reading the Calibration Byte
- Parallel Programming Characteristics
- Serial Downloading
- Serial Programming Pin Mapping
- Electrical Characteristics – TA = -40°C to 85°C
- Electrical Characteristics – TA = -40°C to 105°C
- ATmega8 Typical Characteristics – TA = -40°C to 85°C
- Active Supply Current
- Idle Supply Current
- Power-down Supply Current
- Power-save Supply Current
- Standby Supply Current
- Pin Pull-up
- Pin Driver Strength
- Pin Thresholds and Hysteresis
- Bod Thresholds and Analog Comparator Offset
- Internal Oscillator Speed
- Current Consumption of Peripheral Units
- Current Consumption in Reset and Reset Pulsewidth
- ATmega8 Typical Characteristics – TA = -40°C to 105°C
- Register Summary
- Instruction Set Summary
- Ordering Information
- Packaging Information
- Errata
- Datasheet Revision History
- Changes from Rev. 2486Z- 02/11 to Rev. 2486AA- 02/2013
- Changes from Rev. 2486Y- 10/10 to Rev. 2486Z- 02/11
- Changes from Rev. 2486X- 06/10 to Rev. 2486Y- 10/10
- Changes from Rev. 2486W- 02/10 to Rev. 2486X- 06/10
- Changes from Rev. 2486V- 05/09 to Rev. 2486W- 02/10
- Changes from Rev. 2486U- 08/08 to Rev. 2486V- 05/09
- Changes from Rev. 2486T- 05/08 to Rev. 2486U- 08/08
- Changes from Rev. 2486S- 08/07 to Rev. 2486T- 05/08
- Changes from Rev. 2486R- 07/07 to Rev. 2486S- 08/07
- Changes from Rev. 2486Q- 10/06 to Rev. 2486R- 07/07
- Changes from Rev. 2486P- 02/06 to Rev. 2486Q- 10/06
- Changes from Rev. 2486O-10/04 to Rev. 2486P- 02/06
- Changes from Rev. 2486N-09/04 to Rev. 2486O-10/04
- Changes from Rev. 2486M-12/03 to Rev. 2486N-09/04
- Changes from Rev. 2486L-10/03 to Rev. 2486M-12/03
- Changes from Rev. 2486K-08/03 to Rev. 2486L-10/03
- Changes from Rev. 2486J-02/03 to Rev. 2486K-08/03
- Changes from Rev. 2486I-12/02 to Rev. 2486J-02/03
- Changes from Rev. 2486H-09/02 to Rev. 2486I-12/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486G-09/02 to Rev. 2486H-09/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486F-07/02 to Rev. 2486G-09/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486E-06/02 to Rev. 2486F-07/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486D-03/02 to Rev. 2486E-06/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486C-03/02 to Rev. 2486D-03/02
- Changes from Rev. 2486B-12/01 to Rev. 2486C-03/02
- Table of Contents

4
2486AA–AVR–02/2013
ATmega8(L)
The Atmel
®
AVR
®
core combines a rich instruction set with 32 general purpose working registers.
All the 32 registers are directly connected to the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), allowing two inde-
pendent registers to be accessed in one single instruction executed in one clock cycle. The
resulting architecture is more code efficient while achieving throughputs up to ten times faster
than conventional CISC microcontrollers.
The ATmega8 provides the following features: 8 Kbytes of In-System Programmable Flash with
Read-While-Write capabilities, 512 bytes of EEPROM, 1 Kbyte of SRAM, 23 general purpose
I/O lines, 32 general purpose working registers, three flexible Timer/Counters with compare
modes, internal and external interrupts, a serial programmable USART, a byte oriented Two-
wire Serial Interface, a 6-channel ADC (eight channels in TQFP and QFN/MLF packages) with
10-bit accuracy, a programmable Watchdog Timer with Internal Oscillator, an SPI serial port,
and five software selectable power saving modes. The Idle mode stops the CPU while allowing
the SRAM, Timer/Counters, SPI port, and interrupt system to continue functioning. The Power-
down mode saves the register contents but freezes the Oscillator, disabling all other chip func-
tions until the next Interrupt or Hardware Reset. In Power-save mode, the asynchronous timer
continues to run, allowing the user to maintain a timer base while the rest of the device is sleep-
ing. The ADC Noise Reduction mode stops the CPU and all I/O modules except asynchronous
timer and ADC, to minimize switching noise during ADC conversions. In Standby mode, the
crystal/resonator Oscillator is running while the rest of the device is sleeping. This allows very
fast start-up combined with low-power consumption.
The device is manufactured using Atmel’s high density non-volatile memory technology. The
Flash Program memory can be reprogrammed In-System through an SPI serial interface, by a
conventional non-volatile memory programmer, or by an On-chip boot program running on the
AVR core. The boot program can use any interface to download the application program in the
Application Flash memory. Software in the Boot Flash Section will continue to run while the
Application Flash Section is updated, providing true Read-While-Write operation. By combining
an 8-bit RISC CPU with In-System Self-Programmable Flash on a monolithic chip, the Atmel
ATmega8 is a powerful microcontroller that provides a highly-flexible and cost-effective solution
to many embedded control applications.
The ATmega8 is supported with a full suite of program and system development tools, including
C compilers, macro assemblers, program simulators, and evaluation kits.
Disclaimer Typical values contained in this datasheet are based on simulations and characterization of
other AVR microcontrollers manufactured on the same process technology. Minimum and Maxi-
mum values will be available after the device is characterized.