The TBCS Arduino Thread.

[Oneslowz28]

I know a few of us are interested in experimenting with the Arduino Dev platform. I know a few members already have or have ordered an Arduino. Who else is into arduino?

OvRiDe has an arduino duemilanove on the way from Saprkfun
Crenn has an arduino I just do not know which one.
I will be receiving a Seeeduino and a Rainbowduino shortly.

[Airbozo]

Before I google it, I have absolutely no freaking idea what you are talking about.

These Marklars have that marklar to marklar.
That marklar is nothing like this marklar since this marklar is not a marklar...

lol

OK, post google, I want a marklar!

EDIT: After some investigation, that is a really cool idea. If I had more spare time I would order a set to play with... I will be watching the fun from the sidelines this time.

[Oneslowz28]

Your marklar is wise young Marklar. But you must marklar a Marklar as soon as marklar so you can marklar with the rest of us Marklar and our marklars.


Now that I have had a south park geekgasim you should get one. Do a search on youtube for Rainbowduino and you will be hooked.

[Collinstheclown]

I just ordered the marklar starter kit from SparkFun, it's backordered so when it gets here it'll get here. I want to try and get it to controller one of my power chairs, stock speed is so damn slow on those things!

(I don't need/use a power chair, I just happen to have a few)




-CollinstheClown

[Oneslowz28]

YOu should make a homebrew segway with one of them Collins

[mDust]

Who names these things? Rainbowduino? Honestly...I hope that guy didn't think he was clever.
Now, it's up to you guys to make something really cool for my (and others') entertainment. We'll be waiting.

[Oneslowz28]

Rainbowduino got its name from being an RGB led controller that can display any color in the rainbow with an RGB led.

The official Arduino was designed and made in Italy. The current design the Duemilanove gets its name from the year it was released. 2009.

[Mach]

Duemilanove and 2 pro minis on my end, one of which is going in the latest build

[Collinstheclown]

YOu should make a homebrew segway with one of them Collins

Thats not a bad idea! Maybe down the road I'll try it, for now I wanna try something a bit easier since I have just about no programming experience lol.




-CollinstheClown

[SXRguyinMA]

heres the "rainbowduino (http://pcboard.ca/kits/led_rainbow/index.html)" I used in Rockin Case - got it from pcboard.ca (http://www.pcboard.ca) :up:

[DaveW]

I'll be using these boards as part of my research, but they seem a little overpowered for modding projects...although I'm sure the guys here can think of something to do with all that power and bluetooth connectivity :D

-Dave

PS: I've only been exposed to our Comp. Sci Arduino boards, we have about 3 or so in the dept. and they're high-end all-singing all-dancing models, if there's cheaper ones out there I don't know about them...

[billygoat333]

I wanna play with one. I kind of wanna take some electronics courses from our local tech school. maybe when I grad from college I will have some spare time/money for that. oh and some auto tech classes would probably be fun too!

as for an arduino, sadly I don't have one but have seen some really cool stuff done with em. really really wanna learn! lol

[crenn]

I have a proposal, but I'm not allowed to say it on the forums.

I have an Arduino 2009. I'm eyeing off more arduinos, have one for prototyping, have one for our flying robot (as a back up) and have one specifically for a ground based robot. I just have a lack of money.

[Oneslowz28]

Crenn pm me your proposal and I will see if it can be said on the forums

[crenn]

After talking with Oneslowz28, I'll have something to announce in the next few weeks.

[Oneslowz28]

My Seeeduino and rainbowduinos should be here in a week or two. They are coming from china and the last time something was shipped to me from china it took about 10 days.

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

i wonder... could ya make an ardi into a eeprom/nand read/flasher?

[crenn]

You can get an arduino to emulate a lot of things if you can code it correctly. Technically, it could be possible to flash other micros with an arduino if you program it right.

[jdbnsn]

This (http://newbrightidea.com/?p=15) has got to be the coolest arduino project I have ever seen!!! If I had the time and the brains, I'd build one, leave very basic instructions and leave it somewhere. Not sure what I'd put in it though, maybe a sandwich?

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

You can get an arduino to emulate a lot of things if you can code it correctly. Technically, it could be possible to flash other micros with an arduino if you program it right.

then theoretically i could make a multi console mod chip out of it?

[crenn]

Maybe not an ardiuno.

EDIT: btw, stage one of my plan is complete, I now just need to fiddle with some settings and make some things, and the rest will be revealed.

[Collinstheclown]

http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/arduinodawg1.jpg?w=470&h=270


Love that image. :)




-CollinstheClown

[Oneslowz28]

You can get an arduino to emulate a lot of things if you can code it correctly. Technically, it could be possible to flash other micros with an arduino if you program it right. http://hackaday.com/2010/01/22/arduino-programmer-for-arduino/


This (http://newbrightidea.com/?p=15) has got to be the coolest arduino project I have ever seen!!! If I had the time and the brains, I'd build one, leave very basic instructions and leave it somewhere. Not sure what I'd put in it though, maybe a sandwich? That is pretty cool.


then theoretically i could make a multi console mod chip out of it? I don't know if the arduino is fast enough to become a mod chip.

[Oneslowz28]

http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/arduinodawg1.jpg?w=470&h=270


Love that image. :)




-CollinstheClown

That image gets tossed around the hackaday comments by the Arduino haters. (guys who are hung up on the past or are too idiotic "educated" to ever use an arduino.

[Oneslowz28]

Hey crenn check out this http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/seeeduino-stalker-p-600.html?cPath=27

[Collinstheclown]

That image gets tossed around the hackaday comments by the Arduino haters. (guys who are hung up on the past or are too idiotic "educated" to ever use an arduino.

Oh, I know, I frequent HaD. I just find the image to be hilarious, mostly because I can hear Xzibit saying it haha.




-CollinstheClown

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

http://www.hipsterwave.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/xzibit_yo_dawg.jpg



honestly... im sorry.. i know its strayin offa thread topic... but thats hilarious

[SXRguyinMA]

LOL thats hillarious!!

[Xpirate]

The guy who does this site (http://www.societyofrobots.com) has step by step instructions on how to build your own circuit board for the ATmega8. He also sells a similar product and calls it Axon. The Arduino is cheaper than his Axon, but his board has more features.

He recommends building your own microcontroller for the educational value. I'd like to build my own, but I just don't have the time to make it happen. A photovore robot would be a cool Arduino project.

[Oneslowz28]

ProtoStack.com also has Atmega8 dev board kits. I still like using an arduino because of the sheer volume of information on the net. There are more projects, sites and devs on the arduino platform than any other MC out there.

[OvRiDe]

Got my Sparkfun order finally...

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/ovride/images/arduino/sparkfun_order.jpg

A few odds and ends to get me started. Resistors, potentiometers, photocell, buzzer, buttons, some breadboards, etc.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/ovride/images/arduino/arduino.jpg

A USB Arduino, should give me something to tinker with.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/ovride/images/arduino/blinkm.jpg

BlinkM's are always fun, and can be controlled with the arduino.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/ovride/images/arduino/size_comparison.jpg

A quick size comparison. The arduino was quite abit smaller then I was expecting, I guess I just never really payed attention to the size. I know there are variables that are much smaller then this one as well.

Nothing planned yet, just want to figure it out abit.

Will keep you posted.

[crenn]

Damn you getting through on the Freeday!

[msmrx57]

Damn you getting through on the Freeday!

So I wasn't the only one who couldn't get in on the fun.

[Oneslowz28]

Awesome!!!! Now make a LED blink Damnit!

I should get my stuff in soon. Its coming from China.I hope it has made it out of the port already because Chinese New Year is coming up and the whole country shuts down for almost a month.

[Oneslowz28]

Got my stuff in from Seeed Studio today. It's amazing how small of a box $250 worth of Arduino related electronics will fit in.... Pics in a bit.

[Oneslowz28]

Seeed Studio (http://www.seeedstudio.com) is a sponsor of my site http://themakersworkbench.com and they are also sponsoring my CoD MW2 build. When we agreed on the sponsorship of my site they told me to pick out a thing or two from their site and they would build me a care package. I picked out a Seeeduino and a Rainbowduino. The list below is what they sent me. Thanks to Fan over at Seeed Studio!! Oh and this so made not getting in on Spark Fun's free day worth it.


1x Seeeduino
3x Rainbowduino
3x 8x8 RGB matrix
1x Arduino proto shield remixed
1x mini bread board 4.5x3.5cm any color
1x Catalyst Pack with USB, JST-DC converter
20x 5mm Triple Output LED RGB - Common cathode
1x 3W RGB LED strip common anode 12V


http://themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/SeeedOrder.jpg
Here is the complete order.
http://themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/seeedbox.jpg
And it all fit in this tiny little box.
http://themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/rainbowduino.jpg
I had to plug one of the matrices into a rainbow duino and see what it looked like.

[crenn]

Oooo... shiney ^-^

[Oneslowz28]

W00Tjust got in a care package from Protostack too. Pics later.

[TheGreatSatan]

Arduino = Skynet

[crenn]

No.... Skynet = Software


EDIT: And for those who enjoy real code!


#include <avr/io.h>
#include <util/delay.h>

int main (void)
{
//Setup IO pins and defaults
DDRD = 0b11111111; //1 = output, 0 = input
PORTD = 0b00000000; // set initial values
while (1) // While loop = while the statement in the brackets is true (1),
{ // excute what is in the curly brackets
_delay_ms(250); // Wait half a second
PORTD ^= 0x01; // Toggle the 1st bit (The Bit with the LED),
} // turning the LED on or off
}

[Oneslowz28]

No.... Skynet = Software


EDIT: And for those who enjoy real code!


#include <avr/io.h>
#include <util/delay.h>

int main (void)
{
//Setup IO pins and defaults
DDRD = 0b11111111; //1 = output, 0 = input
PORTD = 0b00000000; // set initial values
while (1) // While loop = while the statement in the brackets is true (1),
{ // excute what is in the curly brackets
_delay_ms(250); // Wait half a second
PORTD ^= 0x01; // Toggle the 1st bit (The Bit with the LED),
} // turning the LED on or off
}

Is that the code you wanted to show me last night? Thats pretty cool.

I had a stick of ram go bad last night in my laptop thats why I kept having to restart so much. Got it figured out and that stick of ram is now in the mockup box.

[crenn]

That's code I was trying to show you last night ;P

[Oneslowz28]

So a few weeks back Protostack (http://www.protostack.com) contacted me about reviewing a few of their products on my site (http://themakersworkbench.com) as well as some advertising space. He told me he would send me a care package of things to review and to send him a list of what else I would like. Here is what I got in from Australia yesterday. He also included a USBASP AVR programmer so if any of you Arduino guys fry your chip and need a new one programmed just send me a pm.


1x USBASP AVR Programmer
2x 5V power supply kit
3x Arduino Stacking header kit
1x ATMEGA168 Development Kit
1x LED 7 Segment Red 0.5" digit
1x HCF4511BEY - BCD-to-7 Segment Latch/Decoder/Driver
3x NE555 General-purpose single bipolar timer
2x ATMEL ATMEGA168-20PU 8 Bit 16K AVR Microcontroller
2x Prototyping Board, Full size, Style 1
2x Prototyping Board, Full size, Style 2
2x Prototyping Board, Half size, Style 1
1x 28 Pin AVR Development Board
2x Polarized Header 2 Pin Female
2x Polarized Header 2 Pin Male with right angle leads
6x 40 pin 2.54mm snappable single row header
3x IDC Male connector (shrouded header), 10 pin, right angle leads
3x IC Socket 24 pin 7.62mm (0.3")
1x IC Socket 16 pin 7.62mm (0.3")
3x IC Socket 8 pin 7.62mm (0.3")
4x Terminal block 2 pin
3x DC Jack 2.1 x 5.5mm



http://www.themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/protostackbox.jpg

http://www.themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/protostackpackaging.jpg

http://www.themakersworkbench.com/sites/default/files/images/protostackgear.jpg

[Mach]

:O, holy pcb's batman! All of that is for a review? Who are these guys? They've got my attention. I'll be waiting for the review. :)

[Oneslowz28]

Protostack is a fairly new company out of Australia. They make some pretty nifty AVR dev / proto boards. The also make Stackable dev boards that have a breadboard hole layout so its simple to add other ICs.

Crenn is actually reviewing the AVR dev kit for me. They sent him one since I am still in the micro controller learning process. The cool thing about the dev kits is that if you already own an arduino board or a USBASP / ISP / UART programmer then you can have a bare bones arduino compatible for less than $17.

[crenn]

I don't think there is a UART programmer for the AVRs. I need to finish up that review so it can be reviewed xD.

[Oneslowz28]

I thought I read that you can program through the uart pins by bitwhacking

[crenn]

You're thinking of the FT232RL which is used in the arduino boards. While it's true you can bit bang the pins, it's actually connecting to the ISP socket and emulating the ISP signals. And of course, when we're using ISP, it's actually via the SPI interface most of the time.

[Oneslowz28]

< is not smart :(

[crenn]

Bah! You lie ;P

[Oneslowz28]

Just a teaser of something I soldered up yesterday. Expect something simi big in the next week or so.

http://themakersworkbench.com/tutorials/Seeed_Studio_arduino_proto_shield_remixed/IMG_8238.jpg