ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT for just $12 - For Anyone to learn Electronics!

[Desmond]

I received my board last Saturday. Haven't gotten time to tinker around with it yet.
It was in an envelope thingy that was 1-layer bubble-wrapped on the inside.
Everything seems to be in order, but will make sure later.

Did you have to pay any duty on it?

 

[Santa Maria!]

Can you post a snap of it ?

Here are some quickly taken snaps. Sorry about the crappy glare and stuff. Didn't feel like opening everything and putting stuff back. I'll properly look at them this weekend.

View attachment 12148View attachment 12149View attachment 12150View attachment 12151

Did you have to pay any duty on it?

No duty. Based on the meta-discussion we had earlier in this thread, it was pointed out that stuff under Rs. 2k or something are exempt from duty.

EDIT:
God dammit! How do you get image thumbnails? Could someone edit this post or just tell me how?

 

[Vyom]

^^ Damn. The components looks Kewl!
And on the other hand, I still haven't able to confirm the address. .__.

 

[Mr.Kickass]

EDIT:
God dammit! How do you get image thumbnails? Could someone edit this post or just tell me how?

Only mods can edit posts

1.Go to imgur

2.Upload your pics

3.Click on the uploaded pic

*i.imgur.com/rwN3Bgn.png

4.Copy the Link to the BBcode

*i.imgur.com/hX5ullV.png

5.Paste the link in your post

Hope it worked

 

[icebags]

awesome, i hope they launch a similar campaign beaglebone.

 

[Santa Maria!]

Only mods can edit posts

Spoiler

1.Go to imgur

2.Upload your pics

3.Click on the uploaded pic

Spoiler

*i.imgur.com/rwN3Bgn.png

4.Copy the Link to the BBcode

Spoiler

*i.imgur.com/hX5ullV.png

5.Paste the link in your post

Hope it worked

Thanks, man. I just used the TDF image uploader instead of hosting it elsewhere.
If no one minds, I shan't bother rehosting the images due to laziness

 

[hotshot05]

Oh missed it.
Anyone knows if it's available in local shops? Or electronic markets such as Lajpat Rai?

You can get it from here - eNTuino (Arduino-Compatible) Atmega328 version
or Arduino Compatible - Freeduino DU- Rs.819 - Made By - Embedded Market

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

Can anyone explain what are the advantages on this freeduino thing over arduino?

I see there are number of prototypes like the one ^^he share and another I came upon is Induino R3 Low Cost Arduino R3 USB Clone Board with Atmega328 - Made in India | Simple Labs

So these are like same thing with Arduino bootloader but comes with no of accessories and shield options. So are these better or is it better to get arduino?

I think, sensors are available for that too right?

 

[icebags]

^freeduino is free, unlike arduino, which has some trademark rights.

i think, u can make an arduino compatible board with whatever design u seem fit and give it away as "freeduino".

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

Thanks. Now can you please say, that I don't know ABCD of electronics but I'm really willing to learn it as these type of projects and all really attracts me. So what would you suggest? Get a Arduino Uno board or some Freeduino kits mentioned above?

 

[icebags]

not going to higher mathematical details, have an overview of this 2 links. and tell how u feel ?

Resistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

not going to higher mathematical details, have an overview of this 2 links. and tell how u feel ?

Resistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that. Are they required practically?

Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current

But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.

 

[Nerevarine]

^ read any btech basic electronics lab manual.. It will take only 1 hour and itll refresh your memory of how a basic circuit is designed

 

[Mr.Kickass]

Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that. Are they required practically?

Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current

But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.

I think its useless to post all what I wrote again, so here's what I'll do. I'll point you to my post written some time ago, here have a look

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/chit-chat/163693-dev-board-required-what-chose.html#post1756345

Just skip to the part where you're interested, not necessary to follow everything as I had intended it to be a proper route to learning electronics. You should obviously take shortcuts

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

I think its useless to post all what I wrote again, so here's what I'll do. I'll point you to my post written some time ago, here have a look

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/chit-chat/163693-dev-board-required-what-chose.html#post1756345

Just skip to the part where you're interested, not necessary to follow everything as I had intended it to be a proper route to learning electronics. You should obviously take shortcuts

Thanks a lot. Now to the investment part Can you please suggest which one should I go for? Either those Freeduino boards or Arduino Uno or something else? What would you suggest?

I'm very much interested, because, I know programming (and that's my job too ), and I want to learn electronics, I love these things

And regarding basic experience, I have few basic experience with Embedded Programming like programming firmware for ARM v7 based boards. Actually I work at a biometric manufacturing company, where they manufacture Biometric Devices, so I do few programming parts of the boards they design on ARM v7 on something like Keil or that. Though as you can understand the core level parts of displaying things on LCD, Memory Management and all are written by them. Once wrote a small program for implementing some XBee thing, used for WiFi mesh thing and all. But I stick mostly to the business logic part, never got into core of the Keyboard, LCD and all. They have the basic things designed and all.

So I have few basic experience, but now I want to go into little bit details.

 

[icebags]

Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that. Are they required practically?

Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current

But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.

kickass kink is good, how is ur c / c++ or any programming skill ? anyways, u need to memorize a few basic terms and laws from that wikipedia too.

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

kickass kink is good, how is ur c / c++ or any programming skill ? anyways, u need to memorize a few basic terms and laws from that wikipedia too.

Its intermediary. I am fine with C and C++. Used to code for Qt. No issues with programming

 

[Mr.Kickass]

So I have few basic experience, but now I want to go into little bit details.

So, you're the ARM guy. That's just great.

If you know Linux then you should surely check out the Beaglebone. They include an ARM. The ARMv7 is the most followed instruction set so I'm assuming its required to program those chips. I've had more experience with AVR Studio(developed by Atmel) than any other IDE. Arduino product line is based on ATmega controllers.

I haven't purchased an Arduino but I did buy an ATmega16 for around 500 INR. Remember that it was just the controller. I had to buy other peripherals but that was specific to my project. The most pricey component was an ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 at around 600 INR or so. Well, just saying...

Its intermediary. I am fine with C and C++. Used to code for Qt. No issues with programming

But you are great because you have good programming experience. Firmware coders already possess enough information about an OS. So all they have to do is learn the hardware, which is nothing but.... the datasheet.

I'm not the best person to answer your query because I have never worked on Linux before, but if you know Linux AND Firmware then you are already light years ahead of us

Just focus on ARM based boards as they will utilize your previous knowledge about Firmware(the hardware level) and thereby exploit your maximum potential.

If however, you are tempted by the Arduino then you should learn about the ATmega controller by reading its datasheet AND practice a little bit with the libraries provided with the Arduino IDE here at their website. Just take a look, I'm sure you'll feel at ease as its all C++ but different functions.
Tutorials

So, decide accordingly. As for the price, I think there are better people than me to help you with that because I really didn't buy it as I just assembled the circuit using an isolated ATmega16 and the supporting peripherals. IMO the Arduino must be cheap, but the Beaglebone is a serious contender coz at $45 it comes around to 2800 INR and you don't have to spend on extra peripherals as all of it is provided out of the box.

Still, it'd help if somebody confirms they are legit distributors, as recommended by ElectronicsForYou
Mouser Electronics

I conclude with an interesting comment comparing Raspberry Pie and Beaglebone from a developer's point of view, both having an ARM chip

But remember, this device is targeted at a different market. For ten dollars more, you get a device designed to operate at 1 GHz (on the RPi, to get to 1 GHz you have to overvolt the cpu, which decreases lifespan, etc.), it has internal storage so you don't have to buy an SD card, but in all honestly, this video didn't mention it, but the beaglebone black provides access to many of the ARM cpu's internal peripherals. So if you are doing some sort of project with electronics, the beaglebone cuts out the need for external microcontroller boards. So no need to buy an Arduino. The chip inside is also more open to the community than the RPi. There are so many pieces of the raspberry pi that aren't documented because Broadcom won't release documentation without signing a big fat NDA. So in my personal opinion, with this device on the market, i won't be buying any more raspberry pis.

(Source)

Ignore other comments as they are mostly coming from n00Bs with no experience other than COD

Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that. Are they required practically?

Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current

But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.

I don't think you need to work with all that unless you want to learn everything. In most cases you just need to follow the instructions carefully and then you're done building the circuit.

From what I see, you need a programmer's model of the hardware. Like registers, memory banks, timers, counters, LCD architecture... that should be comfortable for you as you already have experience. Just go through the datasheet and code examples.

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

So, you're the ARM guy. That's just great.

If you know Linux then you should surely check out the Beaglebone. They include an ARM. The ARMv7 is the most followed instruction set so I'm assuming its required to program those chips. I've had more experience with AVR Studio(developed by Atmel) than any other IDE. Arduino product line is based on ATmega controllers.

I haven't purchased an Arduino but I did buy an ATmega16 for around 500 INR. Remember that it was just the controller. I had to buy other peripherals but that was specific to my project. The most pricey component was an ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 at around 600 INR or so. Well, just saying...



But you are great because you have good programming experience. Firmware coders already possess enough information about an OS. So all they have to do is learn the hardware, which is nothing but.... the datasheet.

I'm not the best person to answer your query because I have never worked on Linux before, but if you know Linux AND Firmware then you are already light years ahead of us

Just focus on ARM based boards as they will utilize your previous knowledge about Firmware(the hardware level) and thereby exploit your maximum potential.

If however, you are tempted by the Arduino then you should learn about the ATmega controller by reading its datasheet AND practice a little bit with the libraries provided with the Arduino IDE here at their website. Just take a look, I'm sure you'll feel at ease as its all C++ but different functions.
Tutorials

So, decide accordingly. As for the price, I think there are better people than me to help you with that because I really didn't buy it as I just assembled the circuit using an isolated ATmega16 and the supporting peripherals. IMO the Arduino must be cheap, but the Beaglebone is a serious contender coz at $45 it comes around to 2800 INR and you don't have to spend on extra peripherals as all of it is provided out of the box.

Still, it'd help if somebody confirms they are legit distributors, as recommended by ElectronicsForYou
Mouser Electronics

I conclude with an interesting comment comparing Raspberry Pie and Beaglebone from a developer's point of view, both having an ARM chip



Ignore other comments as they are mostly coming from n00Bs with no experience other than COD



I don't think you need to work with all that unless you want to learn everything. In most cases you just need to follow the instructions carefully and then you're done building the circuit.

From what I see, you need a programmer's model of the hardware. Like registers, memory banks, timers, counters, LCD architecture... that should be comfortable for you as you already have experience. Just go through the datasheet and code examples.

Thanks a lot for all the help and details

Yes I know Linux, as I used to code on Qt and I know Linux Porting a little bit because I was one of the member of those hardware teams, when it came to Porting Linux on that ARM v7 based boards. But I have no idea about instruction set and all, so you can already understand that, the core things of modifying the kernel was done by them.

Wish I have taken ECE

Anyway, I like Beagleboard thing, but just for my knowledge I'd like it know, what you all guys would suggest regarding Freeduino Boards posted above or Arduino itself?

 

[icebags]

freeduino boards may be custom designed, may differ from original board layout by whatever margin. so, to start with, just get a standard arduino uno/leonardo board.

u may need to connect electronic components to it for projects, and the components may be polarized. so, be careful to connect them according to the polarity, otherwise stuff happen. this video's a warning.



as a beginner, better don't work with voltage higher than 5-6 volts. still, components burn up when they get overloaded even at this voltage.