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Everything about the ESP32 & ESP8266

In the modern world we are increasingly connected. If you want to take the next step in programming, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a good place to start. ESP chips have become extremely popular in recent years due to their cheap price and the possibility to connect them to the internet. The ESP32 of ESP8266 can be controlled with the Arduino IDE making them easy to use. It is a perfect option for all things Internet related.

Everything about the ESP32 & ESP8266

What is a SOC?

The ESP8266 and 32 are SOC (system on chip). A system on chip is a more powerful microcontroller. A SOC often has a powerful processor (CPU) and a GPU. A SOC is usually built around a microcontroller or a microprocessor. SOC can be found in cell phones, microwaves, robots, hospital equipment and cars.

The ESP8266

The ESP8266 is a SOC specially designed to connect to the internet.

Espressif released the ESP8266 in 2014 and it is still very popular for all IoT related projects. The ESP8266 can be used by means of the AT command firmware or by connecting it to a microcontroller. By using the UART (universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter). You can also write your own firmware with an SDK.
The ESP8266 k use analog, input, output, PWM, SPI, I2C pins. This makes it easy to use the ESP together with a microcontroller.

ESP8266

An ESP8266 as an Arduino

You can also use the ESP8266 as a microcontroller (for this it is smart to use a module with an ESP). This is a popular choice because the ESP8266 is cheaper than an Arduino and it can connect to the internet.

The ESP8266 has enough pins for components such as LEDs, servos, LCD screens, etc. It is important to know that some pins cannot handle 5 volts and therefore only output 3.3. The ESP8266 has 17 pins, which seems enough, but due to an error you cannot use pins GPIO6 to GPIO11. Also, you cannot use the GPIO1 for LEDs, otherwise the ESP will crash. (source)

    ESP-01

    ESP-01 module

    To use the ESP8266 we recommend using a module.
    A module makes it easier to use the outputs (pins) of the ESP. This is because the ESP itself is very small and it has no headers.
    The first popular ESP8266 module was the ESP-01.
    The ESP-01 makes it easy to use the ESP8266. With only 8 pins, it is easy to connect to your microcontrollers. After the ESP-01 there are many more boards and modules made with the ESP8266.

     

    NodeMCU DEVKIT 1.0

    The NODEMCU ESP8266 Development board is also widely used to control the ESP8266. This board program with LUA script. LUA is a programming language just like C+ and Python. LUA is often used for video games. Also, NodeMCU has an open-source software to do this board to use. This is an easy alternative for those who don't want to use Arduino.

    SDK

    To use an ESP8266 you must be able to control it. This can be done with an SDK (software development kit). I8n 2014, Espressif released their own SDK to program the chip without microcontroller. Still, there are many other ways to use the ESP8266. A popular way is the Arduino.

    To use the ESP8266 with an Arduino you just need to download the right library and connect the ESP.

    Furthermore, you can program the ESP8266 in languages ​​such as python, Lua or javascript.

    SDK for the ESP32

    Of course, for the ESP32 there are also several choices when it comes to programming.
    For example, you can use the Arduino library for the ESP32 in the same way as you would program the ESP8266.
    Just like for the ESP8266, you can also use NodeMCU for the ESP32.
    The ESP-IDF (ESP IoT Development Framework) is the official software from Espressif and specially made for use with the ESP32.

    ESP32

    ESP32

    After the success of the ESP8266 came the ESP32 it can do everything the ESP8266 can but is only much more powerful. The ESP32 is also used in the NINA-W10. This module is used in almost all Arduino boards that can connect to the Internet. Also, the ESP32 can use bluetooth a feature its predecessor didn't have.

    Because of all these extra features, the ESP32 is sometimes twice as expensive as the ESP8266.

    The ESP32 is better than the ESP8266 in many ways, but especially in the additional built-in functions.

    Functions of the ESP32

    To start with, the ESP32 has 34 pins, which is double the ESP8266 with only 17 pins.

    CAN (Controller Area Network)

    This is a feature that only the ESP32 has. This function ensures that electromagnetic disturbances do not have such a great influence on the signal transmission.

    touch sensor

    The ESP32 has 10 capacitive Touch GPIO pins. That means they can absorb small variations of electricity like human skin.

    Temperature sensor

    This allows the ESP32 to measure the temperature. Just because everything in the chip is very close together, this value can be inaccurate due to the heat of the rest of the chip.

    hall effect sensor

    With this sensor, the ESP32 can measure changes in the magnetic field. With this you can, for example, detect whether something is moving nearby, observe the rotations on a wheel and much more.

    ESP32 dev kit doit

    A commonly used board for the ESP32, the ESP32 Development board.

    This board has 30 to 36 pins and has Lua script support through the NodeMCU software. You can also use it in the Arduino IDE through the USB-to-UART connection.

    Specifications ESP32 and the ESP8266

    The best way to make a choice between the ESP32 and the ESP8266 is to list the specifications side by side.

    Specifications ESP32 ESP8266
    MCU (microcontroller unit) Xtensa Dual-Core 32-bit LX6 with 600 DMIPS Xtensa Single core 32 bit L106
    Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.2 and BLE X
    SRAM X
    FLASH X
    GPIO 34 17
    PWM software 16 8
    SPI / I2C / I2S / UART 4/2/2/2 2/1/2/2
    ADC 12-bit 10-bit
    CAN X
    Ethernet MAC Interface X
    Touch sensor X
    Temperature sensor X
    hall effect sensor X
    Min / max temperature -40ºC to 125ºC -40ºC to 125ºC

     

    What is the best choice?

    If you put the ESP32 and ESP8266 next to each other, the choice seems easy. Still, the ESP8266 can be useful for low-cost projects or tests. A big advantage of ESP8266 is that it has been around for some time, so more information can be found about it. This is very useful for an error message that you are not familiar with, for example. If someone else has already solved it, you don't have to do that anymore. There are also better libraries for the ESP8266. However, after some time the ESP32 will receive just as much documentation and information.

    Starting with ESP?

    We found the use of the ESP8266 and ESP32 very easy. After installing the right one boards it was as easy as programming an Arduino. I mainly used the ESP32 DEVKIT DOIT. This module was difficult to set up but once that was done programming was very easy. I had a lot of fun with the ESP32. If you want to start a project that uses the internet, the ESP32 is definitely recommended.

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