Author Topic: Is there any nice kits?? (Read 10435 times)

RoboChan · « **on:** June 09, 2009, 03:13:43 PM »

Hello im new to robots. My school team came in 4th in agbot at NRC. But i only used lego and i want to know how to build and mostly program real robots. Are there any nice kits out there that come with a microcontroller and some parts that could teach me this. I belive in "you get what you pay for" so im willing to get a nice kit.

Thanks

SmAsH · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2009, 03:41:45 PM »

well, if you want the satisfaction of doing it yourself check out the $50 robot http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot.shtml this little tutorial covers everything to get you started with avr's and programming.
otherwise there are thousands of robot kits out there but they are generally quite overpriced and you don't get the satisfaction of making it yourself...
im sure if you wanted a "nice robot" you could make your own and touch it up with snazzy wheels etc...

RoboChan · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2009, 03:56:36 PM »

not like a robot kit. i can build anything. I wnat a kit with a microcontroller like some leds or something and a book to teach me how to program.

My goal is that maybe later i can make a 2 by 2 by 2 125lbs sumo bot with big DC motors and stuff but i have no clue how to program C. I like having a book to look off of becouse i cant always be looking at the internet to find out how to do something.

SmAsH · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2009, 04:10:11 PM »

ahh, then i would recommend the arduino or roboduino...
the arduino is easier to hook led's up to but the roboduino is easier to hook sensors ans servos up to...
check them out! www.arduino.cc and http://www.curiousinventor.com/kits/roboduino

GearMotion · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2009, 05:11:53 PM »

Try this:

http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgbookgoodie/cgbookgoodie.shtml

Exclusive to CircuitGizmos: The Getting Started with Arduino book with a free kit of many of the parts used in the projects in the book. Kit includes a small motor, a TIP122, a pushbutton, a small lamp, LEDs, various resistors, and capacitors.

And this:

http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgbbb/cgbbb.shtml

Bare Bones Board (Arduino Clone) Kit

This "bare bones" arduino kit (made by the Modern Device Company) is a low-cost entry into the versatile Arduino (compatible) market. This is a small stand-alone microcontroller easily interfaced to a variety of electronic devices. The Bare Bones Board kit comes complete with a microcontroller with a bootloader. All parts needed to complete the kit are included in this product.

Order the kit with the Getting Started with Arduino book and easily enter the exciting world of Arduino programming.

RoboChan · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2009, 05:56:26 PM »

so for $27.98 on http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgbookgoodie/cgbookgoodie.shtml i can get everything i need to start? do i need like a usb cord or....? Do i need a fast computer becouse my laptop is 256MB ram and is old...

GearMotion · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2009, 06:00:58 PM »

Quote from: RoboChan on June 09, 2009, 05:56:26 PM

so for $27.98 on http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgbookgoodie/cgbookgoodie.shtml i can get everything i need to start? do i need like a usb cord or....? Do i need a fast computer becouse my laptop is 256MB ram and is old...

You need a serial port to TTL device to program the board (once completed). Do you have a serial port on your laptop? Is it running windows?

ETA: If http://arduino.googlecode.com/files/arduino-0015-win.zip will run on your laptop, then you have a development system that is free.

RoboChan · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2009, 05:49:58 AM »

Ya im on windows XP. is that the green IOIO port that looks like the screen port? that file did open up.

GearMotion · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2009, 07:11:10 AM »

If you have a 9-pin serial port on your laptop, then a simple RS232/TTL adapter will work with the Bare Bones Board. Otherwise you need a USB serial port for your laptop.

From your description "green IOIO port that looks like the screen port" it looks like you have a serial port on your laptop. This Wikipedia page also has descriptions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature

RoboChan · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:21:41 AM »

ya it has a 9 pin. so it dose come with the cable?

GearMotion · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:32:41 AM »

Quote from: RoboChan on June 10, 2009, 10:21:41 AM

ya it has a 9 pin. so it dose come with the cable?

Nope. But I'll send you one. For free. Because I'm a heckuva nice guy. And astoundingly good looking.

*snort*

Seriously, though, I have one of these:

fully assembled. I'm happy to give it a good home.

RoboChan · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:46:50 PM »

i would love that!!!! at least let me pay for shipping. send me a pm and we will get the info.

SmAsH · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:53:31 PM »

gearmotion, how much do those boards cost? i think i really need to buy one sometime.

GearMotion · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2009, 02:59:53 PM »

Quote from: SmAsH on June 10, 2009, 02:53:31 PM

gearmotion, how much do those boards cost? i think i really need to buy one sometime.

$5 plus shipping here: http://moderndevice.com/connect.shtml

If CircuitGizmos carried them, they would be about the same price.

Should CircuitGizmos carry a kit of all of the $50 robot parts? What is your opinion?

SmAsH · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2009, 03:18:12 PM »

yes. if you are a noob at something the last thing you would want to have to do is go out and look
for all these strange named components that you have never heard of. i think that if one store stocked a "kit" containing all the components for the $50 robot it would be great!
and thanks for the link, ill pick one up soon. btw, does anyone know where to get an FT232R chip on its own?

galannthegreat · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:03:49 PM »

That would make a lot of people happy.

SmAsH · « **Reply #16 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:06:20 PM »

and not to mention resolve the thousand posts saying "help finding $50 robot parts".

galannthegreat · « **Reply #17 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:07:54 PM »

Yes definately, and also don't forget the reviving of 1 year old+ posts.

GearMotion · « **Reply #18 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:25:36 PM »

OK. Working out some details... Thank you all for the support!

RoboChan · « **Reply #19 on:** June 10, 2009, 06:01:35 PM »

Quote from: SmAsH on June 10, 2009, 03:18:12 PM

yes. if you are a noob at something the last thing you would want to have to do is go out and look for all these strange named components that you have never heard of. i think that if one store stocked a "kit" containing all the components for the $50 robot it would be great!

This has to be the hardest part of starting. why can't they name stuff like "controller thingy" "plug thingy" and "that one thingy, you know the thing im talking about" then there would be not trouble finding parts

:-)

galannthegreat · « **Reply #20 on:** June 10, 2009, 06:14:39 PM »

But then it would come to the point where everything would eventually be called "thingy" and no one will know what heck you're talking about!

GearMotion · « **Reply #21 on:** June 10, 2009, 08:58:24 PM »

Preview of Society of Robots Kit:

http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgsorkit1/cgsorkit1.shtml

Does not include servos (perhaps I'll sell those separately). Has a few more parts than the minimum required for the electronics of the $50 robot.

Metal Slug 2 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 10, 2009, 09:38:01 PM »

Sooo...Now that the the $50 robot can be bought as a "kit" does that mean the authenticity of saying that something like "Its not from a kit" or "I made it without a kit" still apply?

Everyone, including myself, who has made the $50 robot up to this point had to buy the parts from digikey or mouser as separate components, not all packaged together in a kit. IMO, a $50 robot kit somewhat destroys that "building your first robot without a kit" kind of experience.

Razor Concepts · « **Reply #23 on:** June 10, 2009, 09:40:27 PM »

That's not much of a kit... just for convenience a package that contains all the components, you still have to put everything together.

My reccomendation is add another chip socket, that is the first thing most people solder and also the first thing most people mess up.

SmAsH · « **Reply #24 on:** June 11, 2009, 12:27:17 AM »

Quote from: Metal Slug 2 on June 10, 2009, 09:38:01 PM

Sooo...Now that the the $50 robot can be bought as a "kit" does that mean the authenticity of saying that something like "Its not from a kit" or "I made it without a kit" still apply?

Everyone, including myself, who has made the $50 robot up to this point had to buy the parts from digikey or mouser as separate components, not all packaged together in a kit. IMO, a $50 robot kit somewhat destroys that "building your first robot without a kit" kind of experience.

you still have to make the robot... i see this in no way as a kit.
its just organizing the components for you...
the hardest thing i had to solder in the $50 board was the single hole from the I/O pin to the header pin.
in all my other $50 boards i had the headers one hole closer to the mcu.
@gearmotion, nice work on the kit!

GearMotion · « **Reply #25 on:** June 11, 2009, 09:14:45 AM »

Quote from: Metal Slug 2 on June 10, 2009, 09:38:01 PM

Sooo...Now that the the $50 robot can be bought as a "kit" does that mean the authenticity of saying that something like "Its not from a kit" or "I made it without a kit" still apply?

Everyone, including myself, who has made the $50 robot up to this point had to buy the parts from digikey or mouser as separate components, not all packaged together in a kit. IMO, a $50 robot kit somewhat destroys that "building your first robot without a kit" kind of experience.

This isn't a kit of all of the parts, just of many of the smaller electronic components. The intent of the kit is to make it easier for the SoR project builder to obtain the correct components. The kit saves a little money and contains a few extra parts. The kit really doesn't help the SoR project builder build the robot easier, just obtain the parts without trouble. And the kit has matching phototransistors, which the Radio Shack assortment may not.

Don't consider it a kit as much as a pack of electrical parts. Nothing stopping anyone from ordering each single part from Digikey/Mouser.

Quote from: Razor Concepts on June 10, 2009, 09:40:27 PM

That's not much of a kit... just for convenience a package that contains all the components, you still have to put everything together.

My reccomendation is add another chip socket, that is the first thing most people solder and also the first thing most people mess up.

That is a very reasonable idea. 1 in the kit for now, but I might add another later.

Metal Slug 2 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 11, 2009, 01:07:24 PM »

Good points, touché.

. The kit would be quite practical if there were backordered parts you might otherwise have to wait on from digikey.

GearMotion · « **Reply #27 on:** June 11, 2009, 01:21:21 PM »

Thanks. The kit has a few more extra parts in it, and costs less than what you would pay for the parts at Digikey.

These are the parts:

Kit Item           Quantity
Printed Circuit Board          1
ATmega8 AVR, DIP package 1
Socket for ATmega8          1
CdS Photoresistors (matching) 2
5V Linear Regulator          1
Red LED           5
Green LED           5
Yellow LED           5
1.62 k ohm Resistor          8
340 ohm Resistor          8
30 position single in-line header 3
220 uF Capacitor          1
.1 uF Capacitor           3
Lead-free Solder           36 inches
Misc wire, 24 gauge, solid     20 feet

galannthegreat · « **Reply #28 on:** June 11, 2009, 01:52:04 PM »

This looks like a great list of parts for the package.

chelmi · « **Reply #29 on:** June 11, 2009, 02:19:40 PM »

Quote from: GearMotion on June 11, 2009, 01:21:21 PM

Thanks. The kit has a few more extra parts in it, and costs less than what you would pay for the parts at Digikey.

These are the parts:

Kit Item           Quantity
Printed Circuit Board          1
ATmega8 AVR, DIP package 1
Socket for ATmega8          1
CdS Photoresistors (matching) 2
5V Linear Regulator          1
Red LED           5
Green LED           5
Yellow LED           5
1.62 k ohm Resistor          8
340 ohm Resistor          8
30 position single in-line header 3
220 uF Capacitor          1
.1 uF Capacitor           3
Lead-free Solder           36 inches
Misc wire, 24 gauge, solid     20 feet

Nice ! I wouldn't include solder, especially lead free. I've been told that lead free solder is harder to use and that you need a more powerfull iron (melting point is higher?), not very good for beginners. What about female header and stranded wires ?

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Author Topic: Is there any nice kits?? (Read 10435 times)