This is my first arduino build. I have some electronics experience and have been inspired by months of reading about all kinds of arduino projects.
My idea is sort of an analog clock with two faces. But, instead of telling time it tells the date. Here is an image of the two faces: http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8788/calendarf.jpg.
I've been reading a lot about servos and stepper motors and I think I would need a stepper motor for this project. A 200 step motor is 100 for 180 degrees. That means each day would need to be about 3.22 degrees apart from each other to get an accurate step. I don't need dead on accuracy but the closer the better obviously. I think a stepper motor can handle the small load of the need hand and I'm not sure a servo would be able to do that? Also, I think a servo requires more battery power than the stepper but I could be wrong.
I want to confirm that a stepper is the right way to go.
I've also read that it is not a good idea to power a stepper motor straight from the arduino. I've read that the L293D is a good driver for the stepper. Again, I just want to confirm that I have the right idea about that driver. I've read a lot more about steppers than servos so do I need a driver like that for a servo. I get that it would require something other than the L293D. I've seen the EasyDriver Stepper Motor Driver EasyDriver - Stepper Motor Driver - ROB-12779 - SparkFun Electronics but, I'd really like to stay away from spending 30$ if I really don't need to. I think (maybe, possibly, :-/) all I'd get from that driver is more precision?
I don't think I need a real time clock for this because from what I've seen the arduino only loses a few seconds a day. Not a big issue for my calendar.
As my first build, perfection is secondary to me not frying my board. Basically right now I just want to make sure I'm on the right track before I buy a bunch of parts.