Which microcontroller do I choose?

Other Hardware 3rd Party Boards
1

I am looking for the the minimal cost yet long lasting simple MC that would work with the below RF transceiver...I found this atmega168 below but I don't know if it is the best choice...I am REALLLY confused because there are so many options...

is this MC compatible with the RFT?

http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=50_52&products_id=407
http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=53

i am just looking for a simple cheap guide or tutorial to a wireless system my laptop arduino can communicate with...:S

i am not a hardware person so i am scared of ordering the wrong parts and ending up with things i cant use...

i am basically wanting one MC to read pot readings and send over wireless to another arduino 50-70 feet away that is hooked to my computer..

2

twirap:
is this MC compatible with the RFT?

What is RFT?

3

Yes, that collection of hardware can be made to work.

4

CrossRoads:
Yes, that collection of hardware can be made to work.

:slight_smile:

To the OP, if you're not a hardware person you're going to find this really difficult. Have you used an Arduino before?

5

twirap:
I am looking for the the minimal cost yet long lasting simple MC that would work with the below RF transceiver...I found this atmega168 below but I don't know if it is the best choice...I am REALLLY confused because there are so many options...

Confusion is natural at the beginning. The important thing to remember about prototyping and research and development is that it will cost money and/or time. Much of that money/time will be spent on unproductive activities--it is the nature of the beast. If you knew what you wanted and how to get it done, you wouldn't be prototyping or doing research and development.

twirap:
is this MC compatible with the RFT?

http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=50_52&products_id=407
http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=53

As mentioned, both devices can be made to work together to accomplish what you have provided as your goal...

twirap:
i am just looking for a simple cheap guide or tutorial to a wireless system my laptop arduino can communicate with...:S

I believe reading these may help
https://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS395&q=nrf24l01%2B+projects&oq=nrf24l01%2B+projects&aq=f&aqi=g-K1&aql=&gs_l=igoogle.3..0i30.19895.34972.0.35828.18.17.0.1.1.0.146.1394.14j3.17.0...0.0.MVoSgES6XtU

twirap:
i am not a hardware person so i am scared of ordering the wrong parts and ending up with things i cant use...

If you are doing something new you will end up with mistakes (costs). If you really want the cheapest solution you should consider finding a commercially available one, without experience in the area of development you will almost certainly end up spending more building something than you would buying something from someone else.

twirap:
i am basically wanting one MC to read pot readings and send over wireless to another arduino 50-70 feet away that is hooked to my computer..

If you want to learn, as opposed to just needing a device, than approach a hardware project the same way you would with a software project. Break it down into small pieces. Test each piece. Gradually merge the pieces, testing each step, until you have a working product...

Whatever, you choose good luck!

6

Thank you so much everyone for being so supportive! My key strength is creativity and problem-solving skills to come up with very unique designs...My biggest weakness is hardware; I always struggle the most with it.

I would like to learn the whole hardware and how to hook up microcontroller or sensors to various hardware so I bought this book called electronics for inventors. I hope this book is known and will provide me with the knowledge I need to know of hardware.

7

Unfortunately the best way to do this would be buy an Arduino and a wireless shield and figure out how to make it work, so you don't have to try to troubleshoot hardware and software at the same time. THEN buy the pieces parts and make unit from scratch. You will learn how the pieces work, and have something to go back to when your new hardware has a problem. Trying to create from scratch AND learn how things work makes for a lot of frustration...

8

In this case, you're only connecting a few things:
A potentiometer and an RF card.
Make the RF connections per here
http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/Nrf24L01-2.4GHz-HowTo
and the analog pot inputs are simple: 5V to one end of the pot, Gnd to the other, wiper goes to an analog input pin.