Axon and Arduino Mega

[Ro-Bot-X]

Well, well, well, what do you guys think just happened? Arduino Mega poped out! It is based on ATmega1280, a bigger brother of ATmega640 = the Axon. The new Arduino 15 software allows users to program the new board and after a few mods users can use the Axon too! SparkFun sells Arduino Mega for $64.95 so if you also get a shield for $6.5 and a bunch of headers you spend about $75 and a few hours. Is it worth it instead of an Axon? Maybe. To me, it's easier to program. But Admin made many libraries for Axon that makes it comparable, and also to me, by having the 3 pin headers ready to go makes a lot of difference. Why do you think I bought a Roboduino, not an Arduino plus shield? Be sure I'll make the adjustments and I'll be programming the Axon using Arduino software soon!

Forgot to add the link: http://www.nkcelectronics.com/arduino-mega.html

[SmAsH]

i would still say to go with the axon because of the fact it is ready to run, tested, and you are supporting sor! not to mention all the support from admin and everyone else on here who owns one!

[superchiku]

lets be liberl and unbiased in these cases... .jst bcoz we are in sor that doesnt mean we'll alwayz say axon is the best...

the new arduino mega is faster ,efficient and more cheap than axon... so anybody would choose that...although i agree with smash abt the support we can get if we choose axon..but hey i neither have axon nor arduino...i jst mke my own circuits which i guess is way better than buying premade modules...

[SmAsH]

i agree with superchiku about the faster processor, but hey if you want a faster speed and dont want to spend much by all means go for the arduino mega. but like superchiku unless im working with smd i like to make my own board if its cheaper.

[superchiku]

i have got the biggest board in the world my laptop... .... and an atmega16 can serve my purpose...ofcurz.. when i need faster processing i may needa a better board..but i dont support spending like $100 for a board...i can make on with less than half that price and use the remaining to buy an IPOD ...

[Ro-Bot-X]

I like the Axon and especially the new version that Admin is working on. I don't like that much the Arduino mega, because it lacks the 3 pin headers. But I like the simple way of programming that Arduino software does. So, I WILL NOT BUY an Arduino Mega. I am happy it came out because I have all the tools needed to make the Axon to be compatible with Arduino software so I can program it easier. I guess I'm too lazy to learn the WinAVR way of programming. I will get there in time, when I'll feel like I'll need it.

Unfortunally, this will take some customers away from buying a new Axon, unless the price difference is not that big. The new Axon must have some features Arduino Mega does not, to be marketable. A bit more than the difference between Roboduino and Arduino.

And by the way, Arduino Mega is not faster than the Axon, they both run at 16MHz. It just has double the Flash. The chips are pin to pin compatible so I guess Admin can use the 1280 instead of 640 if he really wants to.

[airman00]

btw, expect a Roboduino Mega by this summer
I was working on a newer Roboduino on the side anyways , and boom I saw the Arduino people got the upper hand... for now....

[Admin]

the new arduino mega is faster ,efficient and more cheap than axon

As Ro-Bot-X already pointed out, both are 16MHz. Both have the same features. The only difference is that the 1280 has more memory. But not a single person here has used more than ~35% of the Axon memory to date. I just passed 51% today, with optimization turned off, and tons of unused code included.

To be honest I don't know why they are using the 1280, its a dumb decision. The 2560 is the same chip but with more memory, yet costs exactly the same!

Oh and the Axon II will have 16 PWM, the Arduino Mega only 14

Ro-Bot-X, do you know if the Arduino compiler will work on the 640 now?

btw, expect a Roboduino Mega by this summer

Isn't the market already saturated?


That being said, due to competition, maybe I'll drop the Axon price a bit this summer

[Ro-Bot-X]

Ro-Bot-X, do you know if the Arduino compiler will work on the 640 now?

I don't know yet. I have to look at the files and see the pin mapping and make a file that is consistent with Axon pin mapping. Also the memory size is different, so the bootloader has to be modified to reflect that. Another thing, Axon has FTDI chip connected to UART1 instead of UART0, that has to be modified too in the files. Other than that, it should work no problem.  I hope sunday I'll have some time to look at the files, I'll let you know what I can do to make it work.

btw, expect a Roboduino Mega by this summer

Isn't the market already saturated?

Depends. Sanguino (kit) is $25 (but lacks FTDI chip), Arduino is $30, Roboduino (kit) is $40, Arduino Mega is $65, Wiring board is $85 (uses ATmega128), Axon is $130. Until Arduino Mega hit the market, Sanguino was a good candidate for new board with 3 pin headers. Sold at around $50 it would have been great. So will see what Airman has to offer...

[Admin]

I don't know yet. I have to look at the files and see the pin mapping and make a file that is consistent with Axon pin mapping. Also the memory size is different, so the bootloader has to be modified to reflect that. Another thing, Axon has FTDI chip connected to UART1 instead of UART0, that has to be modified too in the files. Other than that, it should work no problem.  I hope sunday I'll have some time to look at the files, I'll let you know what I can do to make it work.

The 640 and 1280 are exactly the same in code except you need to define 1280 in the makefile.

I would assume the Axon bootloader will play nice with the Arduino as it'll just load up any .hex.

Also, the Axon uses a CP2102, not FTDI