Trying to learn Arduino

[TomcoPDR]

How come you got 2 boards going on at same time?

Just taking a break from lesson 6, eight led with 74HC595. My head hurts

[Thaco]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR
How come you got 2 boards going on at same time?

Just taking a break from lesson 6, eight led with 74HC595. My head hurts

one is running the led string and one is running the matrx, i could probably run them both from one but i haven't gotten that far yet

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by Thaco
one is running the led string and one is running the matrx, i could probably run them both from one but i haven't gotten that far yet

That's what I was discussing with spikerS as his arrived today too. It feels to me, one uno/board is meant to do one or one really complex code only. Anything more you'll need multi boards

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR


That's what I was discussing with spikerS as his arrived today too. It feels to me, one uno/board is meant to do one or one really complex code only. Anything more you'll need multi boards

Not at all, its just a matter of setting up the I/O correctly and structuring your program slightly differently. A lot of beginner programs use delay by X ms to make things work at a certain speed, instead of doing that you can shift everything into a sub function and just call that function every X ms and do other stuff in the mean time to multi-task.

For example on my LED glasses projects I'm running two separate WS2812 LED strings that each have 36 LEDs in them (72 total) off two different data pins. Then I also have routines to monitor push button inputs and accelerator inputs and adjust things accordingly.

Instead of running one big LED function that loops I broke it into sections.

- Scan button inputs
- Scan accelerometer inputs
- Make changes to pattern arrays based on inputs
- Shift colour arrays
- Output to LED string 1
- Output to LED string 2

Originally I'd update LEDs, wait 50ms, then shift, then update again, but now I basically constantly scan the first 4 parts and then every 50ms I call the update routines to push whatever is current to the LEDs.

[jav_]

is the Elegoo kit better than the official arduino kit? ($30 more)

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by pheoxs


Not at all, its just a matter of setting up the I/O correctly and structuring your program slightly differently. A lot of beginner programs use delay by X ms to make things work at a certain speed, instead of doing that you can shift everything into a sub function and just call that function every X ms and do other stuff in the mean time to multi-task.

For example on my LED glasses projects I'm running two separate WS2812 LED strings that each have 36 LEDs in them (72 total) off two different data pins. Then I also have routines to monitor push button inputs and accelerator inputs and adjust things accordingly.

Instead of running one big LED function that loops I broke it into sections.

- Scan button inputs
- Scan accelerometer inputs
- Make changes to pattern arrays based on inputs
- Shift colour arrays
- Output to LED string 1
- Output to LED string 2

Originally I'd update LEDs, wait 50ms, then shift, then update again, but now I basically constantly scan the first 4 parts and then every 50ms I call the update routines to push whatever is current to the LEDs.

Oh man very nice. Finally understanding the shift register 74HC595. (Pins are numbered left side of the U groove, counting in a u shape back up to 16). The stupid data clock latch diagram messed up my thought process.

Originally posted by jav_
is the Elegoo kit better than the official arduino kit? ($30 more)

That what I was starting this thread for. I don't have an answer for u. As i only have Elegoo kit at this point. For my level, it's fun and isn't gonna be too painful if I fry the board.

I say try the spikerS $50 Elegoo first. Master the basic lessons... and just consider the $50-75 as tuition. Then start buying the actual stuff you want your final project for.

[spikerS]

Yeah, I would say just get the $50 kit I got from Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Has most of the major add on parts, and teaches you how to program each one.

and for the most part, all these boards all use the same standardized components that are available off the shelf, so, if you buy a real arduino, all you are doing is supporting them and thanking them for making the standard. Otherwise, they are all pretty much the same as far as I can tell.

[mazdavirgin]

A single arduino is more than enough power for 99% of projects people might envision. The thing is that it's executing ~16 MIPS. So roughly 16 million instructions per second. Only limiting factor is that it's 8bits and doesn't do native floating point math. I would say if you ever find yourself using two arduino's to do something you picked the wrong platform...

[pheoxs]

I switched from a arduino pro mini to a arduino trinket and spent 3 hours troubleshooting hardware ghosts trying to figure out why my new design wouldn't work only to learn my codes too big and overloading the sram and crashes the arduino. Sigh. Either gotta strip stuff out or readjust my model to fit a bigger board

[TomcoPDR]

That's enough learning for the night Night Beyond.

[AndyL]

You can do a fair bit with a 328 based Arduino, but sometimes it's hard to make the code fit.

But once you get there - you can always eyeball pjrc's teensie controllers - can still program from Arduino IDE, and the 3.5 brought back 5v tollerance.

Spend time learning I²C depending what 16x2 LCD that is - you can probably drive it with 2 wires...

[dj_rice]

I have no clue WTF ya'll are talking about in here, but I just came here cause blindsight deleted all his posts

[Thaco]

Originally posted by dj_rice
I have no clue WTF ya'll are talking about in here, but I just came here cause blindsight deleted all his posts

[pheoxs]

This is what I'm in the mindst of building / using my arduino for. 88 addressable LEDs. Trying to make it into a product to sell in a few months hopefully but learning 3d modelling to 3d print the frames is slow AF. And need to make new LED boards to make my life easier so I'm not soldering as much shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly5LAtI0bDc

(The Arduino is built into the glasses, using a micro sized trinket. Not the bulky Uno.)

[spikerS]

I think my first project is going to be an indoor grow setup. (not that kind of grow...sheesh).

I love tomatos, so with our short growing season, I thought I could try to make a self-sustaining indoor greenhouse. something with a LED lighting (not sure if regular old LED strip lights will provide the right type of light or not), a soil moisture monitor, a watering pump, timer, temperature monitoring and heating and cooling.

I know there are some basic kits out there that have some of that stuff already done, but I want to try building that from scratch.

my 2 biggest hurdles so far that I haven't figured out yet, is if LED strip lights will work, and how to generate heat if needed.

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by dj_rice
I have no clue WTF ya'll are talking about in here, but I just came here cause blindsight deleted all his posts

It's just a DIY learning kit for us wannabe robot makers. Don't worry, you're first in line once I can successfully create a fully functional sexbot.

[legendboy]

Could use an ssr or relay to switch a small electric space heater? A little 250w forced air heater would work (depending on space size of course) and should be cheap to use.

Or a little recirc unit that can draw ambient indoor air from somewhere warmer in the house? Set it up with a couple modulating actuators and forget. Belimos have position feedback and end switches, 2-10vdc, 0-20mA control

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by spikerS
I think my first project is going to be an indoor grow setup. (not that kind of grow...sheesh).

I love tomatos, so with our short growing season, I thought I could try to make a self-sustaining indoor greenhouse. something with a LED lighting (not sure if regular old LED strip lights will provide the right type of light or not), a soil moisture monitor, a watering pump, timer, temperature monitoring and heating and cooling.

I know there are some basic kits out there that have some of that stuff already done, but I want to try building that from scratch.

my 2 biggest hurdles so far that I haven't figured out yet, is if LED strip lights will work, and how to generate heat if needed.

Assuming it's the same as a grow up, if so they make specialized led lights that have wider light spectrums and more focused lenses made specifically for growing things

[mazdavirgin]

Originally posted by spikerS
I love tomatos, so with our short growing season, I thought I could try to make a self-sustaining indoor greenhouse. something with a LED lighting (not sure if regular old LED strip lights will provide the right type of light or not), a soil moisture monitor, a watering pump, timer, temperature monitoring and heating and cooling.

You're going to need a grow lamp and not an LED. The LED doesn't hve the required light spectrum for growing. Something like this would work: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.6...000139130.html

Heat lamps and fans for passive cooling would probably be your best bet. Active cooling is a whole different ball game both electrically and cost wise.

[AndyL]

tomato growing...

You don't want full spectrum, you want red. Red is what's photosynthesized, blue is also kinda used - but to provide directionality not actual photosynthesis. But if you're trying to thicken the plant up - some blues to the side - might encourage outward growth... gotta be well planned out though, because you'll just make that plant stretch, not necessarily in a supportable way.

But if you used a support trellis, tied back / up - you could supplement with red to push growth.

PCA9685, is often used - 16 channels of i2c PWM dimming goodness, you might want to ramp up/down brightness - some plants aren't fond of a immediate *boom* daylight *boom* night scenario you get from timers. It's in a PITA TSSOP package, but breakout boards can be found - hows your surface mount soldering skills? if they suck like mine - you can find a funky TSSOP to DIP converter on alibaba and others...