arduino mega + 10 PIR/IR sensors

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
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Hy to all,
I would like to connect 10 sensors to an arduino mega board; I think they will be PIR (motion) sensor or IR distance sensors (for example by Sharp).
First of all, according to your experience, is it possible to manage these 10 sensors with arduino mega?There are at least 10 analog input that I can use, right?
If it is possible, I can simply share the power +5V with all of these sensors and connect them to the same ground (for example via several connected breaboards)?.
The sensors will be placed in a room, and I would like to connect them, for the moment, by direct wires (perhaps using some breadboard for support). Because I had not refreshed my electronic knowledge recently, there could be some problem for the electronic signal?for example, I have a maximum distance for a single wire?
Finally, could you suggest me some weblinks to buy online the wires which I could need?there is some useful thing which I could need?for example wires with "pliers" could make easy the deployment?

PS after set up arduino mega and sensors I would like to manage them via Pure Data, using the firmata firmware and pduino.

Thank you very much

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The Mega has 16 analog inputs so you should be fine.

For cheap kit, let eBay be your friend.

The alarm-type PIR sensors often switch a relay, so you will only need a digital input for these. If they are a long way away from the board, use a low value pull-up (or pull-down) resistor at the board end - say 1K. Regular twin-core flex should be fine for these.

For the analog distance sensors, I would use screened audio cable to reduce the effects of noise, and terminiate the lead at the Arduino end with a resistor to ground with a low value, but such that the IR distance detector can easily sink that amount of current. The more current in the sensor lead, the less effect noise will have.

What are you making? It sounds fun.

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