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synchronize boards with 3 Meter distance

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aminpix

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I have 8 boards with micro-controller (stm32) on them and they are connected. They should work synchronized with each other. The micro-controllers should execute a function or process at the same time. These boards are between 50cm to 4 m away from each other and connected with a cable. How can I synchronize these boards and make the micro-controller go through the procedure at the same time?

I was thinking to use signal and send a pulse to synchronize when these boards should start the procedure. I don't think a signal with a single cable will work because of the distance between the boards (even if I use buffers).

Anybody have any ideas?
 

Use an interrupt in the software.

What’s your timing requirement? Signals move very fast and high speed buffers are <10ns delay. I doubt they’ll pose a significant problem.
 

Get quantitative, or the question is worthless.

1nS/foot more or less means maybe 10-15nS of skew end
to end. Does this matter to a 1 MHz clocked uC? Probably
not. To a 100MHz clock rate serial link? Perhaps, depending
on CLK:D skew match.

A "star" clock, data feed could be made to match lengths
(though some will "just be wasting cable", according to
people who do not know your timing concerns).
 

The micro-controllers should sync 10 times per second. I will use interrupt to sync the micro's but how should I send the pulse signal from one micro to other micro? The pulse would damage if it travels 3 metes in a wire.
 

Hi,

OK, now we know how often you want to synchronize.

* But what signal do you want to synchronize
* and what deviation in time (synchronization error) do you allow?

The pulse would damage if it travels 3 metes in a wire.
What does this mean?

Klaus
 

* But what signal do you want to synchronize

I want to synchronize this 8 micro-controller. They should start executing a function or procedure at the same time.

* and what deviation in time (synchronization error) do you allow?

The micro-controllers are working with 70MHz clock, deviation or error up to 2 clocks is acceptable.

The boards are 3 meters (10 feet)away of each other and they can be connected with wires.
 

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