RBBB:
"Specifications
•2.1mm power jack
•Arduino Diecimila bootloader
•ATmega328 Chip"
I have a couple of FTDI Basic's, I use them all them to download sketches into standalone boards. No messing around with string a bunch of wires to an Arduino - just plug it onto 6 pins & go.
CrossRoads:
RBBB:
"Specifications
•2.1mm power jack
•Arduino Diecimila bootloader
•ATmega328 Chip"I have a couple of FTDI Basic's, I use them all them to download sketches into standalone boards. No messing around with string a bunch of wires to an Arduino - just plug it onto 6 pins & go.
I could just update the bootloader, correct?
Yes.
CrossRoads:
Yes.
And done before on my RBBB. Their webpage never updated. The chip included is 328p and bootloader is duemilanove. Use westfw's UNO bootloader. It's the most recent update.
CrossRoads, if you just buy a few, you offset the "high" price of 328p at dipmicro by shopping one stop there with only one shipping charge. Typical shipping charge is around $4 everywhere. If you buy more, then get the chips at digi-key and the rest at dipmicro.
This is my DIY "arduino", although is little more than a breaduino on a PCB
I designed the PCB to be very very easy to do at home.
Someone posted on the EDuino comments a link to a list of arduino "compatible" boards:
CrossRoads:
Could always fake your way into a Mega:
Schmartboard $10
ATmega2560 $12.86
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Atmel/ATmega2560-16AU/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtkfMPOFRTOl4TPj%252bk4h3O1
(shop around)
xtal, 22 pf caps, 100nF caps, 10K resistor - <$1, dip micro.com
header pins - depends on your needs.
Learning experience: priceless.Wire it up like a bare-minimum arrduino.
Oo! I like the looks of those Schmartboards.
Yeah, I'm waiting to have a little time to try the Schmartboard approachout.
If your project is small enough you can always use the Attiny85, only $2.50 each. http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/10/how-to-shrinkify-your-arduino-projects.html.
I just ordered 10 of them.
How's that for a big change! From 100 pin ATMega2560 down to 8 pin ATTiny ....
For 2¢ you can add several more I/O pins...
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Atmel/ATTINY84-20PU/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvu0Nwh4cA1wWOTyEEt7ZwX5FleBit6new%3D
For 2¢ you can add several more I/O pins...
Those are nice. I'm assuming they are programmed in the same way. That's on my list for next time.
ATtiny85s for $1.40 a copy in lots of 10:
I agree. The analog-to-digital converter has some features that I believe will work very nicely with thermistors; features not available on the ATmega328.
I'm assuming they are programmed in the same way.
Yes.
This part?
"programmable gain stage (1x, 20x) for 12 differential ADC channel pairs,"
Exactly. Plus, one pin (I think ADC3) can be used as a common for differential measurements.
Njay:
This is my DIY "arduino", although is little more than a breaduino on a PCB
That is cool! - It reminds me a bit of our local hackerspace's own arduino variant, the LCD IO Backpack:
// Per.
Hey, good work on that LCD IO Backpack board! So you guys are making workshops around it?
I actually have also an (unpublished) design/prototype for an LCD backpack Arduino-platform based, the main difference being that it was designed to be standalone and provide efficient power to "expansion boards"; it's a bit bigger than the LCD to support a 1A switched buck converter, 3 buttons on the side, a power jack and a simple RS-232 converter - in a single sided PCB you can do at home (4 or 5 jumpers on the component side). I have some ambitious fw and PC sw plans for it, so it's still in the lab, right now being used as an I2C console to debug another project I'm working on!
Njay:
Hey, good work on that LCD IO Backpack board! So you guys are making workshops around it?
We did a single workshop around it. Usually if we make something small, we build one of these boards and use them. The small proto-area for SMD components is cool too.
We had a bunch of the PCB's fabricated, and when they are all used up, we'll make some changes on it, and maybe selling them outside Labitat - who knows.
// Per.
Good, that's good, go for it guys.
So that's an SMD prototyping area... good idea!
I check your site, Nice work by the way. You say you can not use an auto-reset feature when your program the Arduino using the RS-232. Well you can ! It the DTR line... connect in serie a cap of 0.1 uF between DTR and the Reset of the Ardiuno. Program the ATMega328, and it will program just fine, and it will auto-reset. I did program an Arduino chip ( ATMega328 with Ardiuno Bootloader ) using a Schmartboard RS-232 Module at http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_populated&id=84 The RS-232 adapter is base on the chip MAX232.
For a cheaper Ardiuno... Buy a breadboard ( small is fine, a big one is better ) , a pre-loaded ATMega328 with Arduino bootloader, a 16 MHz crystal, one 10 K resistor, one push-on switch, a few 0.1 uF, 2 - 22nF, somes wires - The comunication module : A FTDI - USB to TTL module or RS-232 module - RS232 to TTL <-- if your computer has a 9 pin serial out. For power, 3 battery of 1 1/2 V in series = 4.5 V ( AA, AAA, C, D <-- your pick ) will power the Arduino chip ( I did that and it work just fine ) .
Please note, when you program the chip, using a USB -TTL, disconnect the power going into the Arduino chip / circuit, the computer USB will provide the power. When using the RS232 module, keep the power connected to your Arduino / chip.
My 2 cent
