Greeting everyone, I'm kind of a newbie in Arduino stuff, even though a know a little bit of electronics, and I'm really interested in learning more and creating with it. I just passed by to ask which Arduino "board" (Don't remember now the name) should I take, should it be the Mega, the Mini, Leonardo and if it's better to to start with something else easier since this looks like something more advanced.
The programming is not a problem, since me and my mother are programmers
P.s.: Sorry for lame english, not my native language.
It really depends on what you want to do, and how easy you want it to be to connect other accessories to your board.
Mini don't accept shields (I/O daughterboards), so you may be better off with one of the standard form-factors.
(We also have a Portuguese section)
I want a really simple lock device, something only to close and open with a button press or a number code or whatever (since I can change de "password" afterwards). The most simple locking thing evahr
Well, you should start simple. Go through Blink example just to get a better understanding of what is going on and the program structure, then you might consider doing the button example, to see how is that part done. I assume you will want a keypad, so look at button multiplexing. There are several significantly different ways to do it. Look around, pick the method you are most comfortable with. You'll also need a servo for your lock, so you should take a look at that as well.
When you are done with that (it could take you a few days) you might even be ready for your final project, the actual door lock.
But in general, Arduino platform is very beginner friendly and the online communities and resources are vast and full of information.
I actually do suggest a "Pro Mini" because in the final design, it is the smallest and most compact. It does not have the USB interface built in - because the final design is not connected to a PC - so you need to have a USB to TTL module connected to it during development.
You need only minimal functionality here, seven or eight inputs and three outputs (door lock and two indicator LEDs) so you certainly do not need a "Mega".
I would suggest purchasing two Pro Minis, one USB to TTL module, a pushbutton matrix of some sort (plastic film or switch array). Consider your power supply and the lock. Mostly, you use a 24V AC "door strike" and will probably want a 5V relay module to control this. You do not need a "shield" assembly for these functions, just wire them together and figure out how to mount them.
I referred to two Pro Minis - you assemble all the pins on one so that you can use it with a breadboard (so you probably want a breadboard and some wires as well) and the USB interface, then use the other for the final assembly. You will then find other exercises for the first one.
