Adafruit Metro Mini 328-5V 16MHz

At Adafruit, we have a strong affection for the ATmega328 processor, which we extensively utilize in our own projects. This versatile microcontroller offers an abundance of GPIO, Analog inputs, hardware UART SPI and I2C, timers, and PWM features, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of simple projects. When our needs call for a more compact solution, we turn to the Pro Trinket 3V or 5V. However, if the integration of a USB-to-Serial interface is required, the Adafruit METRO Mini becomes our go-to option.

The METRO Mini is the culmination of years of experimentation with AVRs. Our goal was to create a tiny, breadboard-friendly development board that is both easy to use and hacker-friendly. The board can be seamlessly programmed using the Arduino IDE, with the "UNO" option selected in the boards dropdown.

One of the standout features of the METRO Mini is its USB-to-Serial converter. It boasts a genuine FTDI hardware USB-to-Serial converter, which allows any computer to communicate with the METRO, as well as to launch and update code via the bootloader.

Ease of debugging is another key aspect of the METRO Mini. The board is equipped with four indicator LEDs on the top of the PCB, including a green power LED, two RX/TX LEDs for the UART, and a red LED connected to pin PB5 / digital #13.

The METRO Mini comes fully assembled and tested, with the Optiboot bootloader pre-loaded. It also includes a stick of 0.1" header, making it easy to plug the board into a breadboard. If you prefer, you can also solder wires or header directly to the breakout pads.

Powering the METRO Mini is a breeze, with the option to use a 6-16V power source on the Vin pin or connect it to any 5V USB source via the micro USB connector.

Under the hood, the METRO Mini is equipped with the renowned ATmega328 microcontroller, boasting 32KB of flash memory (with 1/2 K reserved for the bootloader) and 2KB of RAM, all operating at a clock speed of 16MHz.

The board offers an impressive 20 GPIO pins, 6 of which are also Analog inputs, and 2 of which are reserved for the USB-serial converter. Additionally, there are 6 PWM-enabled pins across 3 timers (1 x 16-bit, 2 x 8-bit). The METRO Mini also features a hardware SPI port, a hardware I2C port, and a hardware UART-to-USB interface.

The GPIO logic level can be easily adjusted between 5V and 3.3V by cutting and soldering a jumper on the bottom of the board.

In summary, the Adafruit METRO Mini is a compact, feature-rich, and hacker-friendly development board that seamlessly integrates the powerful ATmega328 microcontroller with a range of peripherals and connectivity options. Its ease of use, debugging capabilities, and flexible power options make it an excellent choice for a variety of simple projects.

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