For the entire time that I've been interested in electronics, I've heard that the Arduino Uno is for prototyping. Well, I have made my project and coded it for the Arduino Uno. How the fuck do I make it smaller, though? I tried to use an Adafruit Trinket, but my code wasn't compatible.
I'm trying to build a music box for my friend. I'm using the "Playtunes" library and it works like a charm. It sounds great and it is simple as fuck to use.
How do I lower the form factor without having to change my code? Is there a way?
Build off the chip?,,,
Or get a smaller board that has the pins you need... Arduino nano is my usual choice. Arduino pro is a bit smaller since no USB on it.
>>988665
I like the look of the Nano a lot. But what do you mean by "Build off the chip?" I'm not familiar with that term.
Thanks for your help, by the way.
>>988670
Google how to build a "minimal Arduino".
>>988652
This is what you need:
moderndevice com
/product/rbbb-kit/
>>988652
I don't want to be rude, but you haven't really understood what arduino is, or, more likely, you have never ever cared about.
Arduino is a lot of thing, a prototyping board, an IDE, a powerful entry level didactic tool, etc.
But you have to understood that his core is a ATmega328.
Now, you have made your circuit. Buy a large breadboard, an ATmega328, maybe a LM7805, a crystal, some caps, resistors, a good piezo...
And build your project on the breadboard, then on a stripboard!
>>988652
arduino pro mini or pro mini knockoffs. you can get them for a little as 3 dollars from amazon
>>988652
>Well, I have made my project and coded it for the Arduino Uno. How the fuck do I make it smaller, though? I tried to use an Adafruit Trinket, but my code wasn't compatible.
The Adafruit Trinket uses a smaller processor than the Uno does, and the Trinket has less input/output pins as well.
A normal Arduino Uno has an atmega328 processor, 14 digital pins (6 PWM) and 6 analog-input pins. Some clone Uno boards have 8 analog-input pins. (the analog-input pins can also be used as digital-input or digital-output pins).
The Trinket uses the atTiny85 processor and only has 5 input/output pins. If you need more I/O pins then you need to add on an i2c or SPI breakout board, that supports more input/output pins.
Two other physically-smaller boards that have the same processor and I/O pins as the Uno are the Nano and Pro Mini.
The Nano has a mini-USB plug on it, but no DC power jack (just a pin you hook the power to).
The Pro Mini has no USB plug or DC power jack on it; to program it you will need a USB-to-serial converter (or if you have a regular DIP Uno, you can use that by removing the processor from it). USB-serial converters don't cost much tho. Also note when shopping that the Pro Mini comes in 3.3v and 5v varieties.
The cheapest "small" Uno-comparable board I know of is the Nano; on aliexpress these go for around $1.50.
The Pro Mini clones should be cheaper but most I've found were priced around $4 each. (? they have less hardware so should cost less,,,,, but must be less popular, I guess? )
The smallest ready-to-go "arduino-IDE" board I've found yet is the Digispark; there's chinese clones around for ~$1.50. It uses the same processor as the Trinket, but has an even smaller PCB.
>>988652
You get an FTDI programmer and you build that shit on a breadboard. Google "arduino on a breadboard" to get started, and the bare minimum parts to use. If you want to get really tiny, get ATMega328 in a flat package, and a harness to program it, and etch a surface mount board for your project.
I've stripped down an UNO before to make it flatter. Removing the USB and sockets, and stripping off the pin headers actually reduces the vertical form a lot.
If you need a LOT smaller, as I ultimately did, go for one of the Micro versions - I use Pro Minis since they are miniature Leonardos and I needed a USB device without the headaches of coding my own HID but there are a bunch of micro/mini variants, even up to the Mega pinouts.
>>992527
>there are a bunch of micro/mini variants, even up to the Mega pinouts.
Is there a 'mini' version of a Mega anywhere? :o
The only thing I've seen like that is the one in the Uno thread, with a Mega chip on an Uno-sized board...
Pro mini for the smallest, pro micro for a little bit bigger than the mini but much more power.
Personally, I just use pro micros for everything
>>992569
Yep, although they seem to be pretty hit or miss quality and availability wise. Almost got one a few weeks ago to try but got 2 pro micros for the same cost and none of the programing hassles for my useage.
>>992569
>Yep, although they seem to be pretty hit or miss quality and availability wise.
Details?
I am the anon that made the "Arduino Parade" thread; I only ever found two Megas that were different:
1. The Iteaduino Mega board, that has a Mega chip on an Uno-sized board, and
2. the INHAOS prototyping setup, that has the Mega chip & serial hookups on a little module that fits onto a larger mostly-empty PCB.
Is there a third one out there??? :o
I did notice that one company--DFRobot I think--has a couple Mega clones that don't have any special features, but they did do the parts layout a bit different.
For both boards the only difference is in the USB chips and the parts layout in the USB chip area of the PCB.
>>988652
>How the fuck do I make it smaller, though?
At it's heart, the Uno is an ATmega328P. Those can be had for a few bux a pop. One 28 pin DIP, one crystal and a some power filtering is all you need. Plus your own circuit.
Getting the bootloader on to the ATmega328P is simple if you already have a working Uno.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Burning-the-Bootloader-on-ATMega328-using-Arduino-/
>>993413
This guy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mega2560-CORE-mini-2560-ATMega2560-Arduino-Compatible-with-Massduino-UNO-LC-Lite-/221502571388?hash=item339295037c:g:JYcAAOSwh-1W5-Ja
It was tempting to get it, and it would have the IO I need but it's the added complexity of adjusting my code and getting the USB HID functionality without an actual USB controller onboard that puts me off for the cost. I can get a couple/three Pro Micros for the same cost and bodge my IO together with a USB hub. Plus it looks kinda sketchy, I prefer to have a play with arduino compatibles before buying so I know what to expect.
>>993414
This, honestly. I use tons of Pro Micros because I'm hella lazy, and the footprint isn't that much bigger than I would get for making my own circuit anyway (Arguably smaller since I can't work with really small surface mount), but if all you need is direct pin connections, go with a chip and solder your own.
If you have an UNO already it's really easy to burn the bootloader to a blank chip.
>>988652
the most simple and hardest to accomplish answer is to map out your chip set and use Boolean algebra to program your device in machine code.
>>993726
>This guy: { ebay link given }
>It was tempting to get it, and it would have the IO I need but it's the added complexity of adjusting my code and getting the USB HID functionality without an actual USB controller onboard that puts me off for the cost. I can get a couple/three Pro Micros for the same cost and bodge my IO together with a USB hub. Plus it looks kinda sketchy, I prefer to have a play with arduino compatibles before buying so I know what to expect.
That is the INHAOS Mega mini, one of the two I found.
If you go to aliexpress and search for "INHAOS Mega" you can see the other stuff they make for it. The main thing is a 10 x 20 cm prototyping board that has headers for that module and a 5v/3.3v power regulator but nothing else on it.
,,,,,,
Hmmm. Now the ali search is also finding an INHAOS regular-style Mega board, but that is selectable between 3.3 or 5v I/O levels.....
INHAOS seems to be a company mostly dedicated to making mutant Arduinos.
>>993728
Those are about 4 times more expensive then a DIP + xtal + caps. The only advantage is they have the USB port, but you often won't need that after you finish the project.
>>988652
Use the atmega as a standalone.
ATMEGA but out build
>>993927
>BUG out
>>993917
It's the USB port (and leonardo-bootloader) I largely need, I'm building myself custom flight controllers based on the xbox controller. Mostly for my own amusement, also partly because it annoys the 'arduino expert' at work that someone else is actually learning something about 'his' thing.
Next version will involve completely replacing the innards of a controller with my own PCB, just keeping the shell because comfy.
>>993964
As I see it it really depends on how many you need. If you 10 of them, then 20 bux is a bit steep. If you just need 2, but they have to be small, then the Pro Micro is fine.
>>993917
>Those are about 4 times more expensive then a DIP + xtal + caps. The only advantage is they have the USB port, but you often won't need that after you finish the project.
Yea, but.... your time is worth something, and many of us can order the China clone boards for literally pocket change. Wasting hours of your time to save pennies is silly, unless you simply want to do it that way.
Unless you use all SMD components and get a custom circuit board made (by somewhere that can do multi-layers and pretty small traces) it's a lot of hassle to go to and what you would end up with really isn't that much smaller than just using a Micro, Nano or Pro Mini clone.
Also--if you are doing a project that must be reliable over the long-term--it is wise to just use a standard controller board of some type so that you can keep a few around pre-loaded with the sketches they need. That way the board itself becomes a disposable component.
>>993964
Hold on. Usually when I find someone autistic enough to know about micro controllers they put you down if you use Arduino. Are you telling me there is an Arduino user getting upset about other Arduino users? Holy shit, it's like we're through the looking glass here.
>>994055
Yea holy shit, someone is proud they're an "arduino expert" at a job? That's like someone telling people they're a Lego expert at a construction company.
>>994105
Maybe Arduino is his hobby...
See, it's autists like you that ruin hobbies.
>You made something with Arduino? Why didn't you etch your own board?
>Awww, you etched your own board? That's so cute! Why didn't you make your own transistors with discrete parts?
>You made a full functional computer with discrete parts acting as transistors? Fucking noob you didn't even make your own components from silicon you harvested!
>LOOK AT THIS GUY EVERYONE! He made his own parts from silicon that he harvested from sand; how quaint! Me? I made the universe and all the elements. Get on my level.
Fucking hipster, autist faggot. Let people enjoy whatever level of the hobby they enjoy and stop trying to be better than everyone else.
>>994109
Did you read the guys post? He said a guy at work got mad at him for using arduino because that guy is the "arduino expert". I'm agreeing that it's stupid the guy at work thinks being an "expert" at arduino is some kind of accomplishment. Calm your tits.
just go digispark attiny 85 small enough to work in your prototype and arduino isp compatible
I want to couple and AED to a heart rate monitor and activate it if the sensor realises the heart has stopped.
What's the best way to go about it? I'd like it to be light, so I can duplicate as many components as possible without turning old people into gundams.
>>994055
>>994105
>>994109
Yup. I'm messing with them for fun and hey, I'm picking up the basics of something I have no prior experience with.
Dude is butthurt because I'm not begging him for his superior knowledge. Trying to explain to him that I want to do something myself, make mistakes, learn etc, nope, I should use THIS library because it's better and has the features I want built in (and why not just buy a controller with the extra buttons like he got for his kid, or why not get a HOTAS etc), and did I know he was finishing a device he made to take super-highspeed time lapses of water droplets (on work time with company materials) and then I point out that if he bought any modern camera for about the same cost as he's wasted on his box, they have that function built in...
He fails to see the irony.
>>994137
>attiny 85
Oh hey I have one of those I ripped out of a rekd cordless phone handset. No idea what I would do with it but I was amused that it was arduino compatible so I saved it.
>>988652
well go die then kill yourself by jumping down a well
Total n00b here with a question about arduino total voltage drop. Since all geounds are internally connected, are two or more output pins working at the same time independent or should I treat everything as a parallel circuit? Shoud I add the voltage drops together as you would with series or just focus for the curretnt draw to be below 200 mA combined?
>We don't need another arduino thread so I'll ask here.
Can we get a list of actually good arduino projects?
So far all I can think of:
Adalight/ambilight
CNC from disc drives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywaKV8su94U
>>994260
Nobody is interested in this shit? I know oldfags don't browse the internet, but someday we will be oldfags. Oldfags living alone have a similar risk of death as smoking married oldfags.
Just let that thought sink for a little.
Now, who thinks it's a good idea to carry an AED strapped to your body 24/7 for when the inevitable happens?
>>994669
>Total n00b here with a question about arduino total voltage drop. Since all geounds are internally connected, are two or more output pins working at the same time independent or should I treat everything as a parallel circuit? Shoud I add the voltage drops together as you would with series or just focus for the curretnt draw to be below 200 mA combined?
I'm going to assume that what you are asking here is about the maximum I/O pin current flow....
There is a page on the arduino.cc site about that.
http://playground.arduino.cc/Main/ArduinoPinCurrentLimitations
It depends on what processor, and what group of pins you are talking about. And there is a limit for each individual pin, as well as a limit for the group of pins that this pin is included in. Neither limit should be exceeded. Also note that the chip's data sheet will give the chip's limitations, but the onboard power circuit may have a lower limitation of its own.
The best rule of thumb is that you should try to draw as little current as possible straight off the processor chip.
Generally speaking, the only three things you should be connecting to output pins is-
1--low-current LEDs ( <20 ma per pin ),
2--other semiconductor devices (transistors, mosfets and other IC's) and
3--small speakers and buzzers,,, -but these should be set up to ensure that they don't draw much current.
You don't ever connect non-LED lights, motors or larger speakers directly to processor output pins.
>>994909
>Now, who thinks it's a good idea to carry an AED strapped to your body 24/7 for when the inevitable happens?
I think the risk of accidental electrocutions because of sensor failure or shitty programming/software in a homemade AED is higher than the risk of suffering a heart attack.
>I want to couple and AED to a heart rate monitor and activate it if the sensor realizes the heart has stopped.
There already exist implantable defibrillators? As their name suggest they're implanted inside the body, with batteries that will last for years, so you don't have to carry an AED hanging in a bag connected to a homemade sensor.
Get a good life insurance if you happen to live in murrica, an most importantly, have healthy habits, don't /diy/ with your health.
Btw, I'm having heart problems since I was 17 due to shitty genes, some months ago I almost pass out due to a tachycardia, I was riding a bike through the city when my heart started pumping very fast without control, I stopped, sat on the ground and took deep breaths as I got more and more dizzy, I coughed to keep the heart pumping, I concentrated myself on staying calm and take deep but slow breaths, after that it was gone. I didn't call an ambulance or for help because I have social anxiety, so I'll probably be out of the gene pool soon anyway.
Both granddads had heart conditions, one had a heart transplant from a guy who suffered a motorbike accident, my dad had to wear a pacemaker, so yeah...
>>995048
Thanks! It was very informative. I didn't know some pacemakers could also incorporate a defibrillator. What a time to be alive!
Regarding your condition... stay in the gene pool! Not calling an ambulance due to social anxiety is fucked up.
