Learning embedded systems is a good way to learn more about computer architecture. In the PC / Tablet / Smartphone, there are so many "layers" which complicates our understanding of the hardware, but in embedded systems, we can directly interact with the hardware, even without using the operating system at all.
There are currently two popular paths for learning embedded systems: use a single board computer (eg: Raspberry Pi, BeagleBoard, BeagleBone Black, Cubie Board, RadXa, etc.), or using a single-board microcontroller (eg: different versions of Arduino, Parallax Propeller, LaunchPad MSP430, etc). Abbreviations SBC single board computer for commonly used, but single-board microcontroller usually not abbreviated, but that this quick article, I will briefly as SBM.
Single Board Computer
As the name implies, single board microcomputer is a computer within a board.This means that anything that can be done by a computer can be done by SBC.SBC currently has a large memory (128 MB-2 GB, even some have more), have an external storage (SD Card / USB disk), and has a processor speed in the hundreds of megahertz to gigahertz, some even quad core.
An SBC typically have an operating system (usually Linux, FreeBSD, or another open source OS), and we can run the program in any language in situ (eg: C, Python, Lisp or even the prologue). Although usually have the operating system, we could have been programmed without an operating system.
Single Board Microcontroller
A microcontroller is a computer as well, in an existing microcontroller chip processor cores, memory, and input / output system. Usually RAM in microcontroller is very small compared with the SBC (hundreds of kilobytes, up to several megabytes), storage is also limited (hundreds of kilobytes, except when related to the external storage, such as SD Card), speed is also limited (usually less than 100 Mhz).
A microcontroller typically programmed directly without operating system.Although there are several OS for microcontrollers, his ability is very different from the OS to the computer. The language used to program the microcontroller is actually varied, but usually people choose to use assembly or C / C ++. Single-board microcontroller which is most famous today (Arduino) using the Wiring language is actually a subset of C ++.
Source : Here
Difference specification between Microcontroller and SBC
Source : PPT
A Single Board Computer(SBC) is a printed circuit board (PCB) with a microcontroller and all components needed to make it function as a small computer. A microcontroller is just the processor of the SBC.
