Regarding power consumption - it relates to how busy the wifi chip will be.
As a point of example, a rig I have with a WiFly with a 3mA battery 100% uptime and a few sensors ... lasts just under 2 days. 
With it in a sleep mode for all but 30 seconds out of 5 minutes, the lifetime extends to weeks.

You meant a 3A battery right? Anyway it seems ok, LCD or GPS will consume more.

Current plan is for 2 sensor-boxes and 2 displays. Sensor-box would only send data, displays only receive it.

sensor-box1 and sensor-box2 which broadcast their data, sensor-box1 is currently a gps+9DOF+arduino+sdlogger, sensor-box2 is coming but not sure yet what it'll have. Both boxes will be fixed on the boat and battery powered.

display1 and display2 are portable; display1 will be a LCD+arduino+buttons (or 1'' 7d LEDS,x8 with a max7219), display2 is a computer (android mobile or pc). 

Thanks again for the help and comments.

Are you familiar with network programming?

No, not at all... haven't seen much stuff on wifi-arduino, but loads of questions and queries around the forum...


Any idea on power comsumption of Wifi? My plan is to have the arduino on battery power, 1200mAh, need to last 3-4hrs.

Have you a complete list of sensors that will be on the Arduino?

Not complete yet. I have a gps (ls20031) and a 9DOF-razor (gets me boat angles). I'd start experimenting with those.

distance sensors-display 10m max. Sensors-PC 5m max. Probably not much metal/carbon in between, let's say that if metal/carbon becomes a problem between sensor/lcd, I would do sensor-cable-wireless-lcd (so to bring the .  Forgot to say this, but one of the reason of going wireless is to have a portable display. Same goes if I have, let's say and android phone on deck, I'd like to be able to access the data (without cable).

Nico.

Hello Rob,

  Thanks for the answer, I am currently leaving in Spain.
  Cables are not really an option, I understand it would easier and cheaper, but it has to be wireless.

Nico.

Hey guys,

  I need a bit of help figuring if my project is feasible in arduino, and if yes; the better ways to proceed.

  I am trying to build a wireless system, with sensors sending data to a range of displays (only 1 for now) or computer(s) (eg, pc + phone).

  The sensors I am thinking about are a 6-DOF and a GPS, display is a LCD (parallel); I currently have this working fine all linked to an Arduino (6-Dof using newsoftserial), Gps on serial, Lcd (an Hitachi but thinking about some 7-digit through a max7219), also logging data to an Sd card.
 
  My next step would be to have the LCD split from the Arduino, so the sensor box can be fixed somewhere down below (on the boat), and the LCD with me outside. (GPS will be fine down below).

  From what I understand (reading through the forums and the net), the LCD not being serial, I'll need an arduino for sure on the LCD side, am I right?

  On the sensor side it looks a bit more complicated; both gps and 6-DOF are currently linked to an arduino, but each send data serially. So I could get two wireless modem (right word?), hook them to each of the sensor.

  Questions:
  1) Hooking up a GPS to a wireless makes sense? fast enough for the data? (GPRMC nmea data at 5hz?)
  2) On the sensor side, it could be between 2 modems + 0 arduino and 1 modem + 1 arduino.

  Along with the LCD display, I would also like to access the wireless data over a computer (pc or android)

  Questions (cont.):
  3) The big one; what kind of wireless protocol is best for what I am trying to do? (Xbee, Wifi, Bluetooth, Radio), I am getting a bit confused on what's available.

Thanks,
Nico



 

yes, i go get some overflow.

I just did
  if(nss.available()) {
    Serial.print(nss.read(),BYTE);
    Serial.print((bool)nss.overflow());
  }

not sure if it was the right way??. But i do get some 1 and 0s.
at 38400 and 5hz, with RMC and GGA only on, I get 90% of the GGA and nothing of the RMC.

Will try to decrease the baud rate even more, but I'd like to increase the frequency to 10hz.

same problem here. nss does not seem to handle my current setup 38400 and 5Hz.
There a few comments around saying that nss does not work with a gps higher than 1hz...

Hello,

  I'd like to interface a 7-segment 4-digit module (see http://uk.farnell.com/varitronix/vi415-dprc/lcd-module-reflective-4digit/dp/1183166 )  with an arduino.

  It seems I need something like a ICL7106; not much comes up in relation to arduino.

  Any help would be very appreciated.

Regards,

Nicolas

Hello;

I would like to interface a VARITRONIX VI415-DPRC - LCD MODULE, REFLECTIVE, 4DIGIT (see http://uk.farnell.com/varitronix/vi415-dprc/lcd-module-reflective-4digit/dp/1183166) with an arduino.

My idea is use a max7219 driver (see at http://tronixstuff.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/review-maxim-max7219-led-display-driver-ic/).

My questions:

1) would this work?
2) I can't find if it's common anode or cathode. Apparently, a similar chip for common anode is the TI TLC5940...

Thanks,

Nico

Hello;

  Learning through the arduino world; a basic question.
Let's say I have 4 pressure sensors; 10 times a second (@10hz) I want to log the data of the 4 sensors to a file on a sd card
#date #p1 #p2 #p3 #p4 .

From what I understand; only the mega is able to do this; because it has 4 hardware serial.
Is there a way to do simultaneous serial connections on a duemilanove.

NB;(I have looked at the newsoftserial library, but from what I understand this is not exactly what I need)

Regards,
Nico

any ideas on where I could get such 7-segment digits? I mean reflective ones?

What i am trying to do is to 'replicate' this http://www.velocitek.com/products/SC-1 .

Hello,

  I am looking for a 320x240 reflective LCD to be able to display data in bright light. I am aware of the Kent Display but I am not really convinced by the 2sec screen update timings. I'd display large digits with updates every 0.5secs.

Regards,

Nico

guys,

very cool work; could you give some clues on how to use it? would be nice to see a sample sketch.
 I got lost once this 'table driven' code appeared.
I am trying to use it on a 4x20 display.

Regards,
Nico

Hey guys,

I seem to have a very similar problem;
 I am trying to combine a Razor9dof, a GPS (ls20031) to an arduino (duemi).
I have configured the Razor with the ftdi cable. Works fine. Also connected to the arduino, on pin0, works fine.
Here is the code:
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(57600);  
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available()) {
    Serial.print(Serial.read(), BYTE);
  }
}


However, using NewSoftSerial library doesnot work. I get lots of giberish as output.

My code is:
#include <NewSoftSerial.h>
NewSoftSerial nss (4,5);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  nss.begin(57600);
}

void loop() {
  if(nss.available()) {
    Serial.print(nss.read(),BYTE);
  }
}


I have the gps connected on pin2 and the razor on pin4. Using the above code (and changing pin 4,5 to 2,3); I get the nmea sentences alright.

Any ideas on why serial on pin0 works fine, but NewSoftSerial does not?

Would it useful to change the baud rate of the razor? something lower?

Regards,
Nicolas