Component Compatability check and suggestions please for my 1st project

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello,

I'm trying to make a game for my kids and I to play with and it's my 1st arduino project. I have a couple general questions. I mainly need to know if the parts I'm picking out are compatible with each other and will do what I need them to do. I also don't know if my arduino's have enough inputs to do what I need to do.

Here is what I want to do:

Have an arduino (I'm not sure which one I need or if I can get a smaller one), control some LED lights, a LED matrix, wirelessly update my other unit (the score), and if there is room left have a PIR to detect a ball being thrown past a hole.

So here are my parts I'm thinking about and I'm not sure if I have what I need:

2x - NEW UNO R3 ATmega328P CH340 Mini USB Board for Compatible-Arduino - Ebay $5.00 each
2x - NRF24L01 + Wireless Transceiver Module + SMA Antenna Microcontroll Arduino 2.4G - $4.00 each
2x - DIY Kit 16x32 Red Green Dual-Color Dot Matrix Control Display KIT 16*32 board - $12.00 each
4x - buttons 60MM Arcade Big Round Push Button Switch Multi Color LED Lighted 12v Light Lamp - $4.00 each
2x - New quality HC-SR501 Infrared PIR Motion Sensor Module for Arduino - $2.00 each

The reason I'm using Ebay is I have a solid paypal balance from selling some stuff there recently.

I'm not scared of the the programming or soldering. I run a crazy Christmas light show as it is now that takes all kinds of soldering. Adam Coleman if you care. My game is throwing a ball through a hole or large net and having a scoreboard update. They can add or subtract points with the buttons. All 4 buttons will be connected to 1 arduino. Team 1 has 2 buttons (add 1 point and subtract 1 point). Team 2 has 2 buttons same thing. This updates the matrix to show the score by pressing a button. Once the score updates it wirelessly updates the other matrix across the room (20 feet) so they can see it. They have no buttons. Both arduinos need to control a couple LED's. WS2811's would be convenient since I use those with my Christmas lights.

The bonus would be if we had a motion sensor sense a ball going through a hole and auto adding 5 points to the score. This would need to be attached to both units.

Having never worked with any arduino's before does my parts list check out? I have a breadboard and jumpers already. I have a nice Weller digitally controlled soldering station too. I have plenty of experience coding (I also do websites). I guess I need someone to be my "pcpartspicker.com" to make sure it all works together. I have NO idea what kind of battery supply I'll need yet.

2

I'm not sure if that stuff is "compatible" or if you have enough inputs/outputs... I'd suggest you make a block diagram and figure-out how everything is going to connect-up. You don't need a complete design, but I'd suggest making a plan before you jump-in and start building/prototyping.

The reason I'm using Ebay

I suppose that's OK if you can get the manufacturer's datasheet (and if the manufacturer is reliable enough to provide a complete datasheet).

Otherwise I'd stick with reliable suppliers that can provide manufacturer infromation and datasheets (Digi-Key, Mouser, Jameco, SparkFun, Adafruit, etc.).

3

Thanks Doug,

I'm so new to this I wasn't sure where to start. I've read about some of this stuff for hours, and I'm slowly wrapping my head around it. I can run the matrix and the buttons off an Uno with 1 analog channel to spare. If I want any of the other stuff, I'd have to move to a mega board. I think I may just buy a mega board and play for a while anyway to see if I can get it all working. Other than some of the inputs having PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) if I see a tutorial that uses pin 7 and I want to use a different pin, there is no reason I can't is there?