Arduino Uno - Review

Anish

Anish

Spectre
My Dear Techie friends.... here is my first review on thinkdigit:

Today (Feb 10, 2012) I got the parcel – It was delivered by India post.
For all techies posting gadgets and consumer electronics reviews →this may look weird to you.

Yes I am writing a review about Arduino – The open-source electronics prototyping platform.

What is arduino any way?
This is the definition given my the manufacturers of Arduino:
“ Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, Easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, inventors and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments”

To make it simple, it is a development board using Atmel microcontroller as its prime controller in which coding is done by a very simple (I mean very damn simple – you can learn it in hours) language based on C++. The coding is compiled, and uploaded by a software – Arduino IDE down loadable at the arduino website.
What the board I got is the arduino uno. Uno is one of the versions of the board (there are many versions). This board is manufactured in Italy. Uno means first in Italy.

How I got it:
Ordered the arduino uno from sparkfun electronics (USA) on 22nd January 2012 and got it today(10th february 2012)
Its dispatched through USPS first class mail international from USA and I got here from India Post.
Box contents: Arduino Uno board, Warranty Card, Open-source and Arduino stickers (cool)

Features of Arduino Uno:
  • Uses Atmega 328 controller
  • USB 2.0 compatible
  • ISCP header provided
  • 16Mhz operating frequency
  • 6 analog inputs
  • 13 digital I/O pins
  • 6 PWM output pins
  • Uses Atmega 8U programmed as serial to USB converter. (So, this time everything from Atmel – previous versions used another company IC for serial to USB conversion)

Design:
To completely describe the design – perfect and professional!
All the components (except the dc jack, USB jack , header pins and crystal) are high quality SMD components and so the board looks as if there are very little components. The SMD LEDs are cool!

Priced at 29.95 USD, its a good value for money.

My score:
  • Design – 9/10
  • Features – 8/10
  • Looks – 9.5/10
  • Performance – 7.7/10
  • VFM – 9/10
  • Overall – 8.6/10

Here are some pictures I enclose:

Arduino Unpacking: - Showing stickers, the board and warranty card (in order)
*img43.imageshack.us/img43/2025/arduinounboxed.jpg

Arduino Box - Front side:
*img33.imageshack.us/img33/3753/frontaj.jpg

Arduino Box - Back side:
*img707.imageshack.us/img707/2879/backrk.jpg

Arduino Uno board - Front side:
*img837.imageshack.us/img837/6913/arduinofront.jpg

Arduino Uno board - backside:
*img826.imageshack.us/img826/3106/arduinoback.jpg

This is my first review... (Be soft on criticisms)
Comment for improvements :)

References:
Arduino Website: www.arduino.cc

PS:
Camera used for taking photos: Canon Powershot SX130IS
Images editor used: GIMP
 
Last edited:
G

gopi_vbboy

Cyborg Agent
very good purchase and review

I have a microchip multimedia starter kit to learn.

Whats open source in this?libs?

Do arduino sell any such kits for rtos systems dev.
 
RCuber

RCuber

The Mighty Unkel!!!
Staff member
Nice review Anish, BTW weren't you able to source the board locally? I have seen couple of websites which sell these boards.

im also looking to pickup the board.
 
skeletor

skeletor

Chosen of the Omnissiah
nice review Anish. :p

Check out this website: Tenet Technetronics

I'm planning to get Pandaboard ES from this website. In summer after I gather funds. :p
 
OP
Anish

Anish

Spectre
@Arjun: Plug it to your computer, program it using arduino IDE the way you wanted it to work, use the board in your project.

@Gopi: Hi Gopi, Thankyou..
Thats nice. Microchip is faster than Atmel and has many useful peripherals.
Here opensource means, you can modify the design (I mean both circuit and looks), add extra features and sell - same as opensource in software. Also, the arduino IDE is opensource software.
You can use a full featured RTOS on a ARM based board. And the users of arduino claim to have coded some RTOS for the arduino. Look for it in the arduino forum.
PS: your UA is funny!!! :mrgreen:

@Charan:Thankyou charan. Yeah, there are many clones of arduino available but you know... always original is original!!! the clones don't have the look and feel of the professional arduino. Its like you are telling that, there is a china phone looking exactly as the nokia lumia 800 :mrgreen:

@ico: Thankyou ico, the Pandaboard ES featuring ARM cortex 9, is a mini pc having advanced features.. Let me know when you buy one..(I cant afford to get the board right now!)
 
OP
Anish

Anish

Spectre
DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Nice, can anyone point to a beginners guide or something?
Click to expand...
go to arduino website dude - you have tons of stuff there (www.arduino.cc)
coolpcguy said:
Good stuff Anish. What do you plan to build using the Arduino?
Click to expand...
Thankyou Sathyaji, I am using it as a integral module to control touch screen & display for my final year project!

$$Lionking$$ said:
Anish - Awesome stuff dude. and its only $30!!! Im also ordering one! :D
Click to expand...

You can buy it in Indian stores - if you are in INDIA (coz you'll get a shipping of 6 to 7$)
 
fun2sh

fun2sh

Pawned!... Beyond GODLIKE
nice review. U reminded me of my final sem project. My roommate used it to built a robot arm. We faced a lot of issues but finally project was successful. :)
 
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