[Review] The cheapest Arduino Uno R3 compatible: VISduino

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#1

Hi, I bought the cheapest Arduino Uno R3 compatible board for less than 5 dollars/euros, and this is a small review. The usb-serial chip is a CH340G, that requires an extra driver to be installed (ch341ser.exe from wch.cn).

Plus

  • Extra holes next to every pin so wires can be soldered to it.
  • Another 8 extra holes to solder wires for power, serial and I2C.
  • Pin A6 and A7 are available.
  • Normal size 3.3V regulator, more power for the 3.3V.
  • Enough vias in the ground plane.
  • It is not counterfeit, since they don't claim it is a real Arduino. It is a yellow colored VISduino.
  • The placement of components is accurate.

Minus

  • Some copper traces are very thin.
  • The holes to solder wires could have more copper around it at the bottom side. And they could have more distance to the ground plane.
  • The two larger electrolytic capacitors are the same as on other cheap clones. They could be the cheapest ones around.
  • The soldering is just good enough. A few solder drops/splats are on the bottom. It seems to be a problem with not enough flux or components that are not clean or a working environment that is not clean enough.
  • The USB connector is a micro-USB. I prefer a mini-USB connector.

Conclusion

  • It works !
  • It might be less durable with mechanical vibrations or low temperatures.
  • I would not use it for a project that is running 24 hours a day.
  • It is great for testing.
  • For cheap boards, the conclusion is often that you get what you paid for. Since the 5 dollars/euros for this board on Ebay is inclusive shipping, I think you get more than what you paid for.

visduino_1.jpg|1832x1304

visduino_2.jpg|1880x1402

#2

Pro: (From the photo) it appears to use a crystal rather than a resonator.

Con: It is a SMD processor, so if you blow it up, it will be hard to replace. But for that price, who cares? Con: It doesn't look like you can flash the USB chip, but again, that probably doesn't matter.

#3

Also I couldn't find it on eBay:

0 results found for visduino, so we searched for iduino.

#4

The name VISduino is on the pcb, it was not mentioned on Ebay when I bought it. Search on Ebay for : arduino uno r3 Select: buy it now Sort for lowest price for item plus shipping. Look for the yellow board. My board was not shipped to every country.

The CH340G is used for usb-serial. It just does its job without complaining.

#5

This is at the moment the cheapest Uno R3 compatible board on Ebay.com, and it is a yellow one : http://m.ebay.com/itm/390966031687

Change the 'm.ebay.com' into 'www.ebay.com.au'. The exclude list has "AUS"... :(

#6

I often wonder why some things won't ship here. Are we some sort of backwater?

#7

Well, it works both ways. I tried to buy Vegemite, and it is hard to get in Europe, and has high shipping costs. So I ended up eating two jars Marmite.

#8

Not the same thing, at all.

#9

[quote author=Nick Gammon link=msg=2063586 date=1422426866] I often wonder why some things won't ship here. Are we some sort of backwater? [/quote]

Might have pesky backwater laws.

Has anyone received one of these or is the analysis based on pictures?

#10

Peter_n: Well, it works both ways. I tried to buy Vegemite, and it is hard to get in Europe, and has high shipping costs. So I ended up eating two jars Marmite.

Seems a bit masochistic.

#11

[quote author=Nick Gammon date=1422426866 link=msg=2063586] I often wonder why some things won't ship here. Are we some sort of backwater? [/quote]

Well you do need to be told not to cut the wires with scissors? :D

#12

I often wonder why some things won't ship here.

Taxes and/or postal delivery problems are the only things I can think of.

However, your government (like most) does have some oddball restrictions...

The Australian Government controls the import of certain goods into Australia. The controls include: - an absolute prohibition, where you are not allowed to import the goods in any circumstances, or - a restriction, where you need to have written permission in order to import the goods.

...

Goods bearing an image of the Australian national flag and coat of arms (restricted import)

Items or merchandise (such as souvenirs) containing or which apply a representation of the coat of arms, a flag or a seal of the Commonwealth. This includes a representation closely resembling the coat of arms, a flag or a seal of the Commonwealth, which may be taken as a true 'national symbol'.

#13

I often wonder why some things won't ship here

Sorry . . . Where is here?

Regards

#14

vffgaston, Nick lives in Australia, his site ends at "au". He has great tutorials : http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/bbshowpost.php?bbtopic_id=123 Shipping to Australia is often more expensive than to us or eu.

I live in Europe and I bought that VISduino board, not because I needed it, but only to see what the cheapest Arduino Uno compatible is like.

#15

vffgaston: Sorry . . . Where is here?

Regards

I'm sorry, I forgot that the improved forum has two "(Add Karma)" links on the left of each person's post, but they removed the part that stated what country a poster lived in.

I'm from Australia, the land of Vegemite.

Goods bearing an image of the Australian national flag and coat of arms (restricted import)

Was there an Australian flag on the VISduino?

#16

The "seal of the Commonwealth" seems to have some yellow in it. Perhaps that's the culprit.

#17

Was there an Australian flag on the VISduino?

Naw. Just suggesting the crazy import laws may be dissuading the VISduino folks from sending to Australia.

#18

Strange Chinese rules! Ali Express told me they couldn't send a 12V 6A PSU to the UK, when I tried to order it. BangGood sent the same item, at a similar price (only a few pennies difference), without any problems??? The moral of the story...Try other sellers.

#19

I ordered one of these back in December, it just arrived. It shipped without an issue to Greece.

Got it from ebay, http://www.ebay.com/itm/291293761956

Seems to work without an issue so far. Not that I have done anything grand with it yet, just flashing leds and beeps so far. It is recognised as an arduino uno by the arduino software.

#20

At this very moment, this Uno R3 compatible is the cheapest on Ebay.com and it also ships to Australia : http://www.ebay.com/itm/361106955862

The Arduino boards come in many flavors:

visduino-vegemite.jpg|2000x1500