Just looked on Ebay for Arduino stuff, and these boards look like an Arduino, but are stupidly cheap...what does 'Arduino-compatible' actually mean?
It means the board has a chip with a bootloader that can be programmed by the Arduino IDE. It's probably not from a vendor that feeds back into the Arduino ecosystem, just piggybacking off the design, IDE and community.
Newtonian:
It means the board has a chip with a bootloader that can be programmed by the Arduino IDE. It's probably not from a vendor that feeds back into the Arduino ecosystem, just piggybacking off the design, IDE and community.
Well, arduino is open source, I wouldnt call it piggybacking.
'Arduino-compatible' actually mean?
Probably means it will do the same things an "official" arduino will do. I got one of the below clones when they were $4 (with USB cord) including shipping and it worked without any issues. They use the Chinese CH340G USB/serial chip which windows 10 recognized, so I didn't have to install a driver. The clones are what have made the arduinos so wide spread and popular.
Hi, Good question..
See some info HERE:
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What About "Arduino Compatibles, Arduino Derivatives, Arduino Clones and Arduino Counterfeits" ??
The Arduino project – both hardware and software – is open-source. The schematics, hardware design files, and source code are all freely available. Arduino is under a Creative Commons Share Alike license. Anyone can duplicate the design or make modifications or additions to it and market the resulting product as long as they, in turn, make all the designs available.
Arduino Derivatives: The YourDuino RoboRED and the YourDuinoRobo1 are derivative designs which add functionality and make changes to the original design, and are marked with their own artwork/identification. Another example is the Sparkfun Redboard.
Arduino Clones: Are available on Ebay and other sources. They use the exact Arduino open-source design but have their own markings and do not pretend to be original Arduinos.
Arduino Counterfeits: (Also regrettably available on Ebay etc) Violate the Arduino Copyrights by copying the Arduino markings and attempt to look 'just like' an Arduino from Arduino.cc
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DISCLAIMER: Mentioned stuff from my own shop...
By piggybacking, I only meant they typically don't support the Arduino open source effort, either in funding or development input. That's a broad generalization I realize.
bottom line is that both the clones, copies, counterfeits, all use the same microprocessor.
the Atmel 328 has variations. the DIP version only has 6 ADC pins, the SMT version has 8.
the original is no longer the 'original' but now the "genuine"
it is no longer strictly made in Italy, but now made under license but multiple shops in multiple countries.
what makes an 'Arduino' and 'Arduino' is that it is the Atmel chip and can be bootloaded to run the IDE.
it is the software that ties this all together.
most, or many of us highly recommend you get at least one genuine board. that way , you have a solid and working platform to test with. if help fund this community, the website, etc. and the small cost over the dirt cheep knock-off's is a small price to pay to have this resource for free.
Newtonian:
By piggybacking, I only meant they typically don't support the Arduino open source effort, either in funding or development input. That's a broad generalization I realize.
I would say that they are parasites rather than piggybacking.