Getting project to work without board.

Ok, I think this is the correct section for this, if not I apologize.

I'm just starting with my Arduino and I was able to get my LED's to flash on different pins which is only one simple tasks form a bigger project that I am working on. But my question is how do I get my project to work without the Arduino board? I mean, since my project will have probably 10-20+ different things running at the same time on different switches I wouldn't want to install 10-20 Arduino boards on my project, just the chip to keep costs low.

So any suggestions how I can do this?

Hi Nielubie, what different kinds of things will you need to have running? Different timers? different leds? It might make more sense for you get a different processor... or you might be able to do this with different chips; but it is hard to tell without understanding your project.

Well my project will basically be nothing more then working with LED's, separate controls for each. The project will consists of a Beer Pong table (what better project to tackle as a young man) ;D

I'll have LED's (10 probably) spinning around a wash cup on each side, then I'll have the triangles on each end with cups and I haven't figured out what design I would use with LED's yet in that area but I know it will be there. Then I'll have another set of lights running like runway lights along the sides, everything will be controled in the middle(side) of the table by a judge with push buttons or switches.

So basically the LED's that will have different light schemes around the wash cup will be on one processor, the ones on the triangle LED's will be on another and the runway will be on a third possibly. Maybe I will have enough space on ONE chip for my program, but highly unlikely.

The thing is that this is my first attempt to play around with PIC's and electronics in general, so its going to be a slow process/project. I bought the Arduino and I'm experimenting before I start working on the table itself. Need to get my programs ready first. The problem will be once I take my processor off the Arduino, how do I get it to work without that board? Do I just hook it up to a bread board, are there other boards out there that are similar to bread boards that I can just solder everything onto? I'm looking for something cost effective I guess, buying 3-5 Arduino's for a small project would be a little expensive. :-[

yeah... most people are practicing their pong skills... while you are tricking out your table! (i did something similar when i realized that i suck at beer pong :-/)

you don't need anything to crazy... you can probably pull of this project with some kind of multiplexer and a proto board...
the logic is that you can have multiple inputs and control multiple outputs...
i.e.
2 inputs to 3 outputs

Combinations:

Case 1:
input pin 1: low
input pin 2: low

output pin 1: low
output pin 2: low
output pin 3: low

Case 2:
input pin 1: high
input pin 2: low

output pin 1: high
output pin 2: low
output pin 3: low

Case 3:
input pin 1: low
input pin 2: high

output pin 1: low
output pin 2: high
output pin 3: low

Case 4:
input pin 1: high
input pin 2: high

output pin 1: low
output pin 2: low
output pin 3: high

there are tricks you can use for leds like alternate blinking input1, then blink input 2... this will blink output pin 1 then output pin 2...
if you do it fast enough, it isn't even noticeable to the human eye.

or you could have them flicker obnoxiously to annoy the enemy :wink:

Oh definately I have the code down, or at least I have the blinking working currently with if else statements but will most likely move to a case statement.

I just need to figure out how to operate the chip without the Arduino. Once I program the chip, the program is on it and if I understand correctly I can just take the chip out and solder even wires to the pins on the chip and directly to the LED's as PIN1, PIN2 etc and it should work as long as I connect the power properly. But I need to find a board similar to the bread board that I can hook all this up.

search the playground for stand alone arduino or something like that. It's there somewhere.

Here you go mate Arduino Playground - AtmegaStandalone

From what you mention, it probably wouldn't be too much for a single board. Why not start off with some of the easier parts first and build up as you complete a feature? Learn as you go..

You might want to take a look at the TLC5940 library. If you build stand alone Atmega on perfboard use a socket for Atmega, then just pull chip and reprogram on your Arduino.