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[on:]

All,

Just wanted to let you all know about a seller of a clone I found on Ebay; the clone is marked and advertised as "compatible", so I think it "follows the rules" as far as things go (?); I ordered it on 4/15 and got it today (fast shipping from HK in my book) - here is the seller:

http://myworld.ebay.com/scy0820/

...and the listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EKitsZone-MEGA2560-R3-ATMEGA2560-ATMEGA16U2-Compatible-Arduino-MEGE2560-R3/251027542995?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=015&category=163866&cmd=ViewItem

Plugged it in, uploaded the blink sketch - seemed to work fine. I'm pretty happy with the purchase and the seller; take it for what it's worth (and as always, do your own research).

[Reply #1 on:]

good tip, I will have to see whats left in my toy budget after blowing 25 bucks at mouser on dip 328's smd 328's, a few 644 and some other junk, I have a project where 4Kb would be exactly enough if there was no code overhead, and really dont want to deal with parts of that pitch (soldering EZ, printing .. eh)  for a proof of concept .... tasty

edit

eh ... F it ... I got one, for 30ish bucks I need the ram on this project, then I can dial it in on other models as I go (I estimate I need like 5 or 6K at most, but 8 is great and I have not owned a mega yet, so that opens some doors)

If one was interested I have most of a prototype Apple // virtual floppy drive going for those machines without slots and cant access smartport devices without digging up rare roms and 200+ $ programmers (like my //c) its semi working wonky now direct from SD card, but if I could save a 4096 byte track at a time direct in ram all would be fixed as I have a whole 20ms between tracks and SD is running at 8Mhz

if I can I would like to publish it as a cost effective solution, worst case I will publish it as an extravagance 

[Reply #2 on:]

pretty good deal at that rate i will buy the same ASAP my CC arrives.

[Reply #3 on:]

that's great, free shipping to the uk. a mega for 20 qiud. i'll take 2

[Reply #4 on:]

they don't seem to be keeping up with the "share alike" part of the Arduino CC license.  Ie, no posted schematics/pcb/cad files that show their modifications.  They're not alone; that seems to be the "last hurdle" that otherwise compliant companies fall down on.

[Reply #5 on:]

If one was interested I have most of a prototype Apple // virtual floppy drive going for those machines without slots and cant access smartport devices without digging up rare roms and 200+ $ programmers (like my //c) its semi working wonky now direct from SD card, but if I could save a 4096 byte track at a time direct in ram all would be fixed as I have a whole 20ms between tracks and SD is running at 8Mhz

I'm interested - pm me (I've got a couple of IIgs machines that I some point I plan to ressurect)...

[Reply #6 on:]

the reset button with the 90° angle is a nice detail...

[Reply #7 on:]

so much for zippy shipping, oh well it will get here when it gets here

Paid on Apr-23-12
Shipped on Apr-29-12

Edit: I take that back I just got another email from the dude saying it was sent on the 26th so thats reasonable

[Reply #8 on:]

Just arrived today, so yea its not bad on shipping

and it seems to work fine, decent construction, and mounting holes in the corners so I can attach it to a chunk of wood like I do everything else

good deal

[Reply #9 on:]

 I ordered the Ethernet shield shortly after this post was made. Within a day I am not sure?

 I received the Ethernet shield yesterday Thursday, and it looks pretty good, cleanly built, red with their e-kit logo on it. I have yet to test it but, I have happy so far. It has a wiz5200 chip instead of the 5100 but, I have found some code posted on the forum that should make it work. It was stated in the details on E-bay so, I had looked up the 5200 chip before I made the order.

Thanks for the post cr0sh!



EDIT: fixed a couple words, because I didn't proof read my post...oops.

[Reply #10 on:]

 I order the Ethernet shield shortly after this post was made. Within a day I am not sure?

 I received the Ethernet shield yesterday Thursday, and it looks pretty good, cleanly built, red with their e-kit logo on it. I have yet to test it but, I have happy so far. It has a wiz5200 chip instead of the 5100 but, I have found some code post on the forum that should make it work. It was stated in the details on E-bay so, I had look up the 5200 chip before I made the order.

Thanks for the post cr0sh!

Nice to hear! I hope it works out for you. I've been eyeing that shield as well, along with their Uno clone (not sure why, I don't need either - ha). They seem to make some good products, and their shipping times are hard to beat, considering the location...

[Reply #11 on:]

I've been looking at that board.  Now that I've read this I'm definitely going to pick it up, as well as their w5200 Ethernet shield.

[Reply #12 on:]

OK so I said it appeared to be working fine, but I just got a chance to plug it in and nothing happens, plugged it into a windows machine and nothing happens

I think the 16u2 is not programmed as I find no physical defects on the board, so instead of dicking around for a month to return this and get another I am going to solder in a header and load it myself

If that doesnt work then I will have to do the long round trip.

I know stuff happens, but its still a bit disapointing

[Reply #13 on:]

That's pretty cheap. I remember paying a bit more for my MEGA1280 almost a year back. Very nice dev board, no mention of Arduino brand. What concerns me is not these dev boards getting cheap, that's great news. But shields are also getting very cheap. Take a look at these almost identical ones:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Keypad-Shield-Blue-Backlight-For-Arduino-Duemilanove-Robot-LCD-1602-Board-/180830096802?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a1a504da2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Keypad-Shield-Blue-Backlight-For-Arduino-Duemilanove-Robot-LCD-1602-Board-/260967834193?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc2e52251

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-LCD-Keypad-Shield-for-Arduino-Duemilanove-UNO-Mega-1280-2560-R3-/320891888250?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab6a5a27a

I'm a bit discouraged to make any further development on my own LCD shields. I bet some others will share my concern. If I start selling my shields at that price, I don't have to worry about buying a house anymore  ]

Is this what open source hardware has become? I thought the idea was a bit futuristic (like Karl Marx and his communism around 1840) and would only work without differentials of labor and parts across the market. I hope I'm wrong. With the current price of my shield (more features and software support libraries), you can one of each of the above LOL 

[Reply #14 on:]

I'm a bit discouraged to make any further development on my own LCD shields. I bet some others will share my concern. If I start selling my shields at that price, I don't have to worry about buying a house anymore 

Yes, once your open source design is well known and popular and the Asians decide to produce your design you can no longer compete on price alone. I guess that limits you to try and keep your production runs limited in size and to keep trying to come up with new designs, features, and innovations to try and stay ahead of the cloners.  I seldom see the cloners coming up with their own designs from stratch and their documentation is almost always very poor if not non-existent, so that is their venerability you must exploit if you want your 'cottage enterprise' to succeed I guess.

Lefty