Soldato
Just wondering anyone here interested in Arduino, and you made any projects?
Arduino
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Soldato
I've worked with Microchips PIC microcontrollers before for electronics projects. I'm currently working on a project which will allow me to turn my Xbox on and off using the remote which involves a PIC and an IR receiver wired to the standby power supply of the Xbox.
The Arduino is based on the Atmel AVR series of microcontrollers which are similar to PICs. The Arduino is a kit that contains the programming circuit and other components to make it easier to use, it is also easier to program if your just starting out. I have some basic electronics knowledge but you don't need a degree to use this stuff, just an interest. If you want to get into it then start with a small kit and then work from there by modifying it to do somethign else. The best way to learn is to just play with with it.
The Arduino is based on the Atmel AVR series of microcontrollers which are similar to PICs. The Arduino is a kit that contains the programming circuit and other components to make it easier to use, it is also easier to program if your just starting out. I have some basic electronics knowledge but you don't need a degree to use this stuff, just an interest. If you want to get into it then start with a small kit and then work from there by modifying it to do somethign else. The best way to learn is to just play with with it.
It seems the ardunio is a microcontroller within a 'test harness'. You could probably get similar by buying a pic/avr and building your own for much less money.
Otherwise, I have only heard good reports about them from people who have used them.
Otherwise, I have only heard good reports about them from people who have used them.
Soldato
There are always projects using the Arduino being featured on the Makezine Blog at: http://blog.makezine.com Also worth checking out http://www.adafruit.com
I am curios, just because I have one sitting here, and its great took a workshop this past weekend for beginners and its so, so easy to develop for compaired with another chip i've worked with. Its not lego mindstorms but its open source and cheap! I love it just wondered what others had done as I am looking for inspiration for a project.
Soldato
Holy thread necromancy! Was going to start a thread for Arduino users to show off projects and tips as I am building some cool things at the moment which I can't talk about yet and one that I can; an Arduino LED clock based on a design I found on instructables.com
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pong-Word-Clock/
Creators blog
http://123led.wordpress.com/about/
Got parts on order but I think some of the bits will be a couple of weeks from Hong Kong/China
Anyone doing anything interesting with Arduino?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pong-Word-Clock/
Creators blog
http://123led.wordpress.com/about/
Got parts on order but I think some of the bits will be a couple of weeks from Hong Kong/China
Anyone doing anything interesting with Arduino?
Soldato
Parts on order
2 x Sure Electronics 2416 LED matrix panels
2 x Perspex sheets cut to size, with polished edges for the frame/stand
4 x Chrome bolts
1 x USB B breakout board (for power)
Several sheets of prototype board (can't have enough!)
Parts I already have
Arduino Mini Pro (Nick used a Duemilanove)
USB FTDI breakout board
DS1307 RTC, crystal and BS-1 CR2032 battery housing
lots of other guff inc solder, board header pins, jumper wire, and coffee.
/waits patiently for gifts from China...
2 x Sure Electronics 2416 LED matrix panels
2 x Perspex sheets cut to size, with polished edges for the frame/stand
4 x Chrome bolts
1 x USB B breakout board (for power)
Several sheets of prototype board (can't have enough!)
Parts I already have
Arduino Mini Pro (Nick used a Duemilanove)
USB FTDI breakout board
DS1307 RTC, crystal and BS-1 CR2032 battery housing
lots of other guff inc solder, board header pins, jumper wire, and coffee.
/waits patiently for gifts from China...
Soldato
Am I correct in thinking that the Arduino is used for creating things that that are more mechanical? whereas something like the raspi is more software based?
So if I wanted to rip my BigTrak apart and operate it via wifi I would need either just the Arduino or both that and the raspi?
So if I wanted to rip my BigTrak apart and operate it via wifi I would need either just the Arduino or both that and the raspi?
Soldato
That's a tough one, mainly because the Raspberry Pi doesn't exist yet! 
I suspect it will replace Arduino in a lot of electronics projects. I'm certainly looking forward to RPi, as a compliment to Arduino not a complete replacement. Raspberry Pi has fewer IO pins (out of the box)
Raspberry Pi would probably be easier to achieve your Big Trak idea, simply because it runs Linux, so installing USB WiFi would be easy and cheap and the limited controls needed (Big Track has forward, back, left and right, right?). It would most likely be cheaper to buy all the required bits with Raspberry Pi too.
Put it this way, while you could achieve similar results control wise, RPi should be a lot easier and you could knock up a live first person video feed in no time
I suspect it will replace Arduino in a lot of electronics projects. I'm certainly looking forward to RPi, as a compliment to Arduino not a complete replacement. Raspberry Pi has fewer IO pins (out of the box) Raspberry Pi would probably be easier to achieve your Big Trak idea, simply because it runs Linux, so installing USB WiFi would be easy and cheap and the limited controls needed (Big Track has forward, back, left and right, right?). It would most likely be cheaper to buy all the required bits with Raspberry Pi too.
Put it this way, while you could achieve similar results control wise, RPi should be a lot easier and you could knock up a live first person video feed in no time
Soldato
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- 9 Jun 2006
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I'm trying to get into Arduino, but I'm still reading up on what components I need to get started.
Is there a guide as to which Arduino board you buy? There are a few and I haven't found any information about what each one is intended for.
Is there a guide as to which Arduino board you buy? There are a few and I haven't found any information about what each one is intended for.
Soldato
As a beginner you'd want an Uno (R3). They are quite big (relatively) and easier to work with; you can program directly to it via USB rather than messing about with serial ftdi communications etc and it can be powered from either USB or DC
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardUno
Here's a few projects that look cool and a load that don't
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Projects/
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardUno
Here's a few projects that look cool and a load that don't
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Projects/
Soldato
For anyone using Arduino Pro Minis or BoArduinos don't be tempted to buy USB FTDI cables/converters from the usual suspects - they can be up to £20 in some parts and even the ones from China are about £10 each and a fortnight wait. I've bought a couple of these for under a fiver each from a seller in the UK. Unless I've missed something they perform exactly as Sparkfun/Love Electronics counterparts, the only down side being the USB A male side being on the board rather than the other way round, nothing that an A to female A can't solve and I have a few of those
My little project at the moment....
Arduino Mega, 3 ultrasonic senors, 2 IR sensors, Wild Thumper 4WD base, Pololu VHN2039 Motor driver board and some custom strip boards to connect it all together. Still working on object avoidance at the moment, not had much time to work on it recently
Arduino Mega, 3 ultrasonic senors, 2 IR sensors, Wild Thumper 4WD base, Pololu VHN2039 Motor driver board and some custom strip boards to connect it all together. Still working on object avoidance at the moment, not had much time to work on it recently
Soldato
Still working on object avoidance at the moment, not had much time to work on it recently
too advanced for me but looking good
Have you seen the course over on Udacity for programming a self driving car? might be of interest to you
Soldato
Just searched Arduino before starting another thread...
I'm currently working on an Automated Brewing Controller for a new Micro-Brewery being setup and built.
I'll try and keep this updated!
I'm currently working on an Automated Brewing Controller for a new Micro-Brewery being setup and built.
I'll try and keep this updated!
Soldato
Soldato
In case anyone is wondering just how small the Arduino Pro Mini is, here's one next to a pound coin and the Haribo packed OcUK sent with a CPU I bought the other day
Building the circuit this evening for the clock but alas the LED matrix panels have not arrived yet. Going to breadboard and jumper it until it's all 100% then might even etch a PCB for it, but probably not
Soldato
Got some prep work done on the Pro Mini
I'm using 0.1" spaced header pins, I like doing this because you can throw everything onto breadboard and prototype in seconds
Not bad considering I'd had a few
Finished item
As they say "assumption is the mother of all **** ups" and it is true. I hadn't used one of these USB UART adaptors before and assumed the pinout to correspond to the expected layout on the receiving end of the Pro Mini... And wasted a lot of time getting wondering why I couldn't upload sketches and the auto reset feature wasn't working. As it happens the Tx and Rx pins on the USB adaptor are the wrong way round and the RST pin does not pass on the reset command from the Arduino IDE to the RST pin on the Pro Mini as you'd expect. After a few hours (yes hours) I figured I would have to take a flying cable from the DTR pad on the USB adaptor to the RST on the Arduino and bypass the RST part of the adaptor completely
A steady supply of these didn't help either
I'm using 0.1" spaced header pins, I like doing this because you can throw everything onto breadboard and prototype in seconds
Not bad considering I'd had a few
Finished item
As they say "assumption is the mother of all **** ups" and it is true. I hadn't used one of these USB UART adaptors before and assumed the pinout to correspond to the expected layout on the receiving end of the Pro Mini... And wasted a lot of time getting wondering why I couldn't upload sketches and the auto reset feature wasn't working. As it happens the Tx and Rx pins on the USB adaptor are the wrong way round and the RST pin does not pass on the reset command from the Arduino IDE to the RST pin on the Pro Mini as you'd expect. After a few hours (yes hours) I figured I would have to take a flying cable from the DTR pad on the USB adaptor to the RST on the Arduino and bypass the RST part of the adaptor completely
A steady supply of these didn't help either
Soldato
I bought one a couple of months ago but can't think of anything worthwhile to do with it. The only idea I'm toying with is a hydration system for my vegetables