Author Topic: Announcement: the Roboduino is now on sale!!! (Read 15166 times)

airman00 · « **on:** December 11, 2008, 12:42:22 PM »

The Roboduino is finally on sale!!!

Its $40 for a kit and $55 for an assembled version

More info and sales information here: http://curiousinventor.com/kits/roboduino

Features / Specs:
* 100% Compatible with Arduino software.
* Power buses along side pwm and analog pins easily accept standard servo and sensor connectors.
* Powered can be supplied from USB, barrel plug or 3-pin male header. You'll need a suitable power supply when driving multiple servos.
* dedicated UART 3-pin male header
* 6 PWM outputs with neighboring unregulated power pins
* 6 analog pins
* 14 digital pins
* Reverse polarity protection for board circuitry (not for unregulated power pins)
* Optional I2C pull-up resistor locations

ArcMan · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2008, 08:48:43 PM »

Did you design that board, airman? Very nice! Very professional.

silo_xtreme · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2008, 07:09:35 AM »

Very Nice!

airman00 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2008, 12:12:15 PM »

Quote from: silo_xtreme on December 12, 2008, 07:09:35 AM

Very Nice!

Quote from: ArcMan on December 11, 2008, 08:48:43 PM

Did you design that board, airman? Very nice! Very professional.

Thanks .

airman00 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 14, 2008, 01:07:59 PM »

Buy 10 or more and save 10% !

I've been playing with this board a lot and its really durable. I accidentally shorted it for like 30 seconds straight and its still working fine.

RoBoTicS · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2008, 04:54:09 PM »

cant wait to pick this up!

RoBoTicS · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2008, 04:57:34 PM »

Is there other software you can use besides the Arduino or is it the only one?

airman00 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2008, 05:03:33 PM »

Quote from: RoBoTicS on December 14, 2008, 04:57:34 PM

Is there other software you can use besides the Arduino or is it the only one?

you can use straight GCC - which is plain C

RoBoTicS · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2008, 05:43:05 PM »

DO you know anywhere to learn C effectively

airman00 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2008, 05:54:30 PM »

Quote from: RoBoTicS on December 14, 2008, 05:43:05 PM

DO you know anywhere to learn C effectively

Not really , I learned C from reverse engineering existing code that people wrote and seeing whats happened. I've gotten pretty darn good at C from doing that.

want2learn · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2008, 01:00:54 PM »

[/quote]
I learned C from reverse engineering existing code that people wrote and seeing whats happened. I've gotten pretty darn good at C from doing that.
[/quote]
I'm working my way through some tutorials but trying to reverse engineer code too. Hope i can end up half as good as you guy's

pomprocker · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2008, 05:29:37 PM »

So what if people want to hook up a specialized shield to it?

airman00 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2008, 05:56:32 PM »

Quote from: pomprocker on December 15, 2008, 05:29:37 PM

So what if people want to hook up a specialized shield to it?

then you would just use the shield except when soldering up the shield use female headers instead of male headers. Not a big deal.

LertySwac · « **Reply #13 on:** December 16, 2008, 06:23:07 AM »

thats cool, nice and very professional!

ArcMan · « **Reply #14 on:** December 16, 2008, 09:04:53 AM »

Quote from: RoBoTicS on December 14, 2008, 05:43:05 PM

DO you know anywhere to learn C effectively

I recommend The C Programming Language by Kernighan & Ritchie

http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-Prentice-Hall-Software/dp/0131103628/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229439663&sr=1-1

It's considered the "bible" of C programming. It's short and sweet. A great reference after you've learned the language, too.

Of course, this is just general C programming. IMO, learning the microcontroller architecture and how to interface with it using C is at least as big a challenge as learning C itself.

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #15 on:** December 17, 2008, 04:44:54 AM »

Nice man!!!
Are u shipping @ Greece???
And how much... It may be some interest for 10 pieces around.... (depends on our on line community choice... )

airman00 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 17, 2008, 06:10:05 AM »

We ship International on a lot of orders
For details just email: sales [at] CuriousInventor.com

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #17 on:** December 18, 2008, 07:17:54 AM »

I took a look at the board... It's very nice... And some details are really nice! But I have a little little comment...
Shouldn't you be able to select also the voltage from the analog port pins (I mean that the analog connector is ground, regulated and signal)

Cause if a sensor outputs more that the Vref the analog register is done..... $:-\$
Only this....

The board is very good and I wish you good sales!!!

airman00 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 18, 2008, 08:25:34 AM »

if a sensor is powered by teh regulated power supply how would it output a signal greater than the regulated power supply?

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #19 on:** December 18, 2008, 08:41:36 AM »

It's not like that.... You see... It's Vref.... A sensor powered @ 5V by regulated can produce greater voltage than a Vref at 3V for example....
That can produce.... as datasheets say problem... And since your product targets beginners to mid users that may not notice many things....
This can generate problems....

Just to make it clean... I just try to help... I'm not here to judge you

It's like that The voltage at the analog converter should exist a certain lever voltage of the Vref....
Correct me if I'm wrong... But I'm lately very concerned about it... It happened that I shorted my STK600...
But in STK600 if the voltage goes down... Vref0 Vref1 reset to zero...And you have to manually raise em after reset... I didn't burn anything that far... But I only share my concern with you...

Edit: Or is it only Vref that shouldn't be more than Vcc..... x(

Best Regards and wishes,
Lefteris, Greece

airman00 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 18, 2008, 08:48:14 AM »

Theres a pin labeled Vref. You just jumper it to one of the power columns on the bottom left of the board ( columns of 3.3V, 5V, Vin , Gnd )

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #21 on:** December 18, 2008, 04:45:47 PM »

I don't want to say this... I know... I just want to say... that.... Is it bad if the input voltage on a ADC channel is more than Vref???
I guess so...
The analog power port pins are power only via 5V regulated... than means that the voltage of a ADC channel may be more than Vref???
My question is... Is that bad for the micro??? If yes then... It's just a small.... well... missed detail.... But This doesn't only happen with your board....
I've seen this on many other boards.... And I ask again... Is this bad.... or it's just not a concern....

Friendly, Lefteris
Greece

airman00 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 18, 2008, 08:23:42 PM »

I don't really understand what you are saying , but I think this will answer your concerns. There is a male header pin connected to Vref of the microcontroller. On the Roboduino you can set the Vref to be either 3.3V ,5V , or Vin by connecting a jumper wire from one of the power columns that are located on the left side of the Analog pins.

Ro-Bot-X · « **Reply #23 on:** December 18, 2008, 11:05:55 PM »

Quote from: TrickyNekro on December 18, 2008, 04:45:47 PM

I don't want to say this... I know... I just want to say... that.... Is it bad if the input voltage on a ADC channel is more than Vref???
I guess so...
The analog power port pins are power only via 5V regulated... than means that the voltage of a ADC channel may be more than Vref???
My question is... Is that bad for the micro??? If yes then... It's just a small.... well... missed detail.... But This doesn't only happen with your board....
I've seen this on many other boards.... And I ask again... Is this bad.... or it's just not a concern....

Friendly, Lefteris
Greece

Lefteris,

Here is a quote from the ATmega168 datasheet:

Quote

ADC Voltage Reference
The reference voltage for the ADC (VREF) indicates the conversion range for the ADC. Single
ended channels that exceed VREF will result in codes close to 0x3FF. VREF can be selected as
either AVCC, internal 1.1V reference, or external AREF pin.

AVCC is connected to the ADC through a passive switch. The internal 1.1V reference is generated
from the internal bandgap reference (VBG) through an internal amplifier. In either case, the
external AREF pin is directly connected to the ADC, and the reference voltage can be made
more immune to noise by connecting a capacitor between the AREF pin and ground. VREF can
also be measured at the AREF pin with a high impedance voltmeter. Note that VREF is a high
impedance source, and only a capacitive load should be connected in a system.

If the user has a fixed voltage source connected to the AREF pin, the user may not use the other
reference voltage options in the application, as they will be shorted to the external voltage. If no
external voltage is applied to the AREF pin, the user may switch between AVCC and 1.1V as reference
selection. The first ADC conversion result after switching reference voltage source may
be inaccurate, and the user is advised to discard this result.

So nothing gets burned if voltages do not get over 5V.

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #24 on:** December 19, 2008, 02:26:03 AM »

Thank you.... I was very worried about this in some late projects of mine...
That's why I've been asking....

I guess it's only RTFM for me

(for anyone who gets the acronym!!!)

Thanks again...
And I wish airman best of sales!!!!

Best Regards,
Lefteris, Greece

airman00 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 19, 2008, 06:09:29 AM »

Quote from: TrickyNekro on December 19, 2008, 02:26:03 AM

And I wish airman best of sales!!!!

Thanks

I'll be putting up a promo code here over the weekend , probably be for 5% off

paulstreats · « **Reply #26 on:** December 19, 2008, 11:32:03 AM »

Congratulations!

Ive just seen it at curiousinventor, and a nice price too! p.s. (whats the surface mount ic?)

airman00 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 19, 2008, 11:43:24 AM »

Quote from: paulstreats on December 19, 2008, 11:32:03 AM

whats the surface mount ic?

Its the FT232 , used for USB communication

Dscrimager · « **Reply #28 on:** December 19, 2008, 11:09:15 PM »

Ordered one up to compare to the Stamps and AXON that I working with now. I have a Duemilanove that I have done nothing with, it might end up in my halloween stuff instead of my robots since it looks like roboduino will be much easier to use in that respect,..

Excellent stuff all around. I can't wait to build robot #2 with the roboduino!

RoBoTicS · « **Reply #29 on:** December 21, 2008, 08:33:09 AM »

Just ordered the Roboduino. Can't wait to build my first robot with it.

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Author Topic: Announcement: the Roboduino is now on sale!!! (Read 15166 times)

paulstreats