Intelligent peripherals also play a large role in the power efficiency of the MSP430G2xx devices. Texas Instruments has several innovative peripheral designs and features for lower power consumption, which are not typically found in the low end 8-bit market. An example is the Direct Transfer Controller (DTC) in the Analog-Digital Converters (or ADCs). The DTC relieves the CPU from the basic task of data transfer. Unlike low end 8-bit MCUs, the MSP430G2xx’s ADC10 is integrated with a Data Transfer Controller (DTC). These intelligent peripherals allow the MSP430 to convert analog samples and transfer the data throughout the entire memory range (all without CPU intervention). In other words the CPU can be asleep while the ADCs work away. This means the MSP430G2xx can stay in lower power modes while these samples are converted and stored in memory. Competing 8-bit processors, however, require the CPU to be active during conversion and data transfer. This leads to higher average current consumption. The chart demonstrates this, as the red line is power of CPU, blue is analog motor module. Additionally, the MSP430G2xx’s ADC10 w/DTC has a maximum sample rate of 200,000 samples/sec which is approximately orders of magnitude faster than competing low end 8-bit MCUs that offer only tens of thousands of samples/second. This offers more headroom for increased precision. It is clear that the MSP430 can do more for less. The MSP430G2xx also offers improved code efficiency. For the same functionality, the MSP430 can do more with less lines of code. The example on the left shows a system sampling three channels, without DTC, the processor is burdened with 100+ cycles for each sample. If for example 20Ksps (samples per second) were required per channel (or 60Ksps total) a system without DTC would be burdened 6MIPS. The same processor with autoscan and DTC requires only 0.06MIPS bus load. The DTC provides a 100% improvement in system performance. This means that in a system with autoscan and DTC, the CPU is free for other tasks and the system can operate at a lower frequency power-saving mode with DTC. Much higher sampling speed can be attained without increasing the clock speed. Each competitive device conversation takes 11 x 2 µs (microseconds) = 22 µs where the CPU is completely tied up waiting. The lower end 8-bit micros sometimes have no interrupts at all. The loop to transfer the code takes 18x4=72 µs. The total loop per conversion= 94 µs – this is at top speed, even at 100% CPU load, it only has 10638sps. Comparing to the MSP430F2132 ADC10+DTC with a maximum sample rate of 200,000+sps, the MSP430 is approximately 2000% faster. Using the DTC at 200ksps, the MSP430 is bus loaded 1.3%. At an equivalent 10638sps, the MSP430 is loaded 0.06% at 200,000sps, basically nothing. Outside of initialization and, if wished, with interrupt service, no MSP430 software is required to manage the ADC10/DTC.