Arduino Development Thread

[bonj]

Thanks Bonj, another reason why yours would be good.

Is this what you mean by a programming cord?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/USB-TTL-Serial-Cabl...=item4ab05a34bf

If so, wtfbbq, it's just a cable, that price is ridunculous!

That's what I mean, except you'll need the 5V version, not that 3.3V one. The reason it is expensive is the FTDI FT232 chip inside it that does the USB to serial uart conversion. Using the cable means you don't need that chip on every bonjuino, thus saving you money... even more so if you happen to use more than one bonjuino. There are also breakout board alternatives that I will detail when I get back from the kids' xmas concert

 

[Zizzle]

Dear Bonjinator,

Do I have to pay you royalties for every beer brewed using the Bonjuino?

Do I need to have dodgy lip caterpillar and hat (like in your profile pic) to operate the Bonjuino correctly?

 

[Tanga]

That's what I mean, except you'll need the 5V version, not that 3.3V one. The reason it is expensive is the FTDI FT232 chip inside it that does the USB to serial uart conversion. Using the cable means you don't need that chip on every bonjuino, thus saving you money... even more so if you happen to use more than one bonjuino. There are also breakout board alternatives that I will detail when I get back from the kids' xmas concert

Hope the Christmas concert was awesome. One more question... If my computer has a serial port can I use a cheaper option?

 

[QldKev]

Hope the Christmas concert was awesome. One more question... If my computer has a serial port can I use a cheaper option?

A computer with a serial port. I though they had not made them for over 10 years?

QldKev

 

[Tanga]

A computer with a serial port. I though they had not made them for over 10 years?

QldKev

They haven't. >.>

Edit: Bugger, not even on my ancient old beast. Nevermind. USB it is.

 

[Zizzle]

You can get USB to serial adapters on ebay for about $3.

 

[bonj]

Do I have to pay you royalties for every beer brewed using the Bonjuino?

If that's what you feel you need to do, I won't argue with you

Do I need to have dodgy lip caterpillar and hat (like in your profile pic) to operate the Bonjuino correctly?

It would help you look more like you know what you're doing, or like you've come to clean zee pool. YMMV

Hope the Christmas concert was awesome.

It was shithouse. I tell you, some of these schools couldn't organise a **** in a whorehouse.

One more question... If my computer has a serial port can I use a cheaper option?

Yes you can. There are a couple of options around the place using standard RS232 9 pin connectors, but it seems you need the USB anyway, so here are a few options:

Australia:
http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/...sic-breakout-5v
http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/ftdi-cable-5v
http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/...uino-compatible

USA:
http://shop.moderndevice.com/products/usb-bub

Or any number of others incorporating the FT232 chip from FTDI

 

[neo__04]

Hey,

Looking along the lines of some automation and think i'll give an Arduino setup a go.

Can you recommend me a starting kit with brewing in mind that I can buy to kickstart my learning process?

I've done a bit of reading and there are sooo many different starter kits with different sensors etc, Which starter kit & what parts did you buy to get yourself started?

Looking at setting up a 3v system with march pumps, calculate weight/volume of water, automate water filling etc, turning pumps/elemets on/off.

Any guidance with what to start out with will be great

Thanks heaps

 

[Tanga]

Sorry I can't help with that Neo04, but I've been reading:
http://www.arduino.cc/
Which has some great general arduino info and:
http://www.brewtroller.com/wiki/doku.php
for some more specialised knowledge (the brewtroller is arduino based from what I've read so far).
The user manual:
http://www.brewtroller.com/wiki/doku.php?i...er_manual&s[]=arduino
explains different functions you might want to program, and then gives the code, so probably the most helpful link of all, for what you want to do.

Breakout Box
Look what I've found. The layout looks similar, is the price difference just because they are Chinese rather than Taiwanese chips or something?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-RS232-Modul...=item2c5b0d4db9
It looks ready to stick on? Presumably I don't solder it on, as that defeats the purpose.

You might also want to check out the Brewtroller forums:
http://forum.brewtroller.com/
There are many discussions on the topic there.

 

[bonj]

Breakout Box
Look what I've found. The layout looks similar, is the price difference just because they are Chinese rather than Taiwanese chips or something?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-RS232-Modul...=item2c5b0d4db9
It looks ready to stick on? Presumably I don't solder it on, as that defeats the purpose.

It's not 100% ready to use as a programming interface, as the arduino needs the RESET line tied to DTR(I think it's DTR). You could probably get it working with a creative cable. It's worth a try for the price!

 

[Zizzle]

Breakout Box
Look what I've found. The layout looks similar, is the price difference just because they are Chinese rather than Taiwanese chips or something?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-RS232-Modul...=item2c5b0d4db9
It looks ready to stick on? Presumably I don't solder it on, as that defeats the purpose.

Nah it's cheaper because it uses the FT232BM whereas most the programmers use the FT232RL

I'm not sure the BM/BL will work with the common AVR programmer software. And if they do it will be in bit bang mode and much slower.

I'd recommend you just pay the extra $10 and get a cable known to program the AVRs. Surely worth it to save the hassle. If time is money then it would only have to save 10 minutes of stuffing around to pay for itself.

 

[Zizzle]

I forgot to mention that you don't NEED an FTDI based programmer. There are many ways to do it.

For example you can get programmers based on other mircos:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Atmel-AVR-Prog...s-/190606278849

Or if you have a real arduino not a bonjuino you can use it to program other AVRs/bonjuinos.

Or you can get a swiss-army knife type device:

http://dangerousprototypes.com/bus-pirate-manual/

Or if you have and old desktop PC you can use the Parallel Port (or buy a $5 Printer port card off ebay) and use a cheap printer port bit bang.

 

[bonj]

I forgot to mention that you don't NEED an FTDI based programmer. There are many ways to do it.

For example you can get programmers based on other mircos:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Atmel-AVR-Prog...s-/190606278849

Or you can get a swiss-army knife type device:

http://dangerousprototypes.com/bus-pirate-manual/

Or if you have and old desktop PC you can use the Parallel Port (or buy a $5 Printer port card off ebay) and use a cheap printer port bit bang.

+1

The first arduino version just used RS232, but few PCs have those now. I used the arduinoISP sample code to flash the bootloaders on the the bonjuino ATMEGA328s, using a couple of Really Bare Bones Boards (RBBB) from moderndevice.com.

Or if you have a real arduino not a bonjuino you can use it to program other AVRs/bonjuinos.

A bonjuino can indeed be used to program other bonjuinos if you so desire. No need for an official board to use that functionality. Any official or clone board can do that. Only the USB side is missing from the RBBB/bonjuino/freeduino etc, as an intentional cost saving feature. You only need to pay for the FT232 once, rather than for every board.

 

[Tanga]

Oh, well, naw, I don't really have the knowledge to mess around with it like that. I found this store:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/e4u2011/_i.html?...1581&_pgn=5

Which seems to have a good price on lots of components (and even example code). I found this:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Serial-USB-conv...=item2a1622af96
Which has the FT232RL chip, so may just go with that. Thanks! Very interesting stuff, lots to learn. I am lucky you guys are answering my questions, otherwise I could end up with all sorts of incompatable junk .

 

[neo__04]

What stage are you up to Tanga with your planning?

As in, Have you ordered a kit yet? Or are planning what to buy?

 

[Tanga]

Heh, no, I'm just looking at the moment. I need to finish building my brew machine first, and make sure it works. I will do the first few brews manually using an STC-1000, and if that's not too much of a hassle I might never automate it. It's on my wish, rather than my to do list. Though it's moving up the list a bit, considering how interesting arduino is looking.

Heck, considering these are the same price as the cable, or break out board usually are, (and come with a break out board too):
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Arduino-Nano-Mi...=item2a15682fb5
they might even be the way to go (sorry Bonj), but I doubt I will need many headers, so the arduino nano mini might do the trick.

 

[Zizzle]

Heh, no, I'm just looking at the moment. I need to finish building my brew machine first, and make sure it works. I will do the first few brews manually using an STC-1000, and if that's not too much of a hassle I might never automate it. It's on my wish, rather than my to do list. Though it's moving up the list a bit, considering how interesting arduino is looking.

Heck, considering these are the same price as the cable, or break out board usually are, (and come with a break out board too):
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Arduino-Nano-Mi...=item2a15682fb5
they might even be the way to go (sorry Bonj), but I doubt I will need many headers, so the arduino nano mini might do the trick.

The problem with the nanos is that you are giving up the arduino form factor. Which means no off the shelf plug in shields.

Which may be no problem for a brewery controller: you'll probably want an external high voltage relay board, a DS1820 (no need for a shield) and an LCD.

The LCD may be the only thing that a shield could make easier.

Anyway, if you are going to buy a nano, I've had good experience with these:

http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/

 

[Tanga]

Yeah, it's going to be a permanent solution so I have no problem soldering on the stuff I need, thanks Zizzle. Got any links to the stuff you've done? Like a blog or something?

EDIT:
http://zizzle-brewbot.blogspot.com

 

[bonj]

I have a shield design in the works that will fit on any standard arduino form factor board (official board, bonjuino, freeduino, eleven, etc). I features LCD connections, and end-user configurable output headers (3x banks of 5 pins, and a bank of 3 pins (like for a DS1820)), and will be supplied with PCB mount screw terminals so you can connect up your sensors and SSRs without soldering, for easy board removal (customisation, replacement, etc). It will probably be available sometime in the new year. It's basically revision 2 of my HERMS controller board, revision 1 of which is currently designed for the RBBB from moderndevice.com (which I believe will be back in stock with them in about 2 weeks).

 

[QldKev]

Hey,

Looking along the lines of some automation and think i'll give an Arduino setup a go.

Can you recommend me a starting kit with brewing in mind that I can buy to kickstart my learning process?

I've done a bit of reading and there are sooo many different starter kits with different sensors etc, Which starter kit & what parts did you buy to get yourself started?

Looking at setting up a 3v system with march pumps, calculate weight/volume of water, automate water filling etc, turning pumps/elemets on/off.

Any guidance with what to start out with will be great

Thanks heaps

This is the gear I got

Arduino + breadboard + hookup wires
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/250885367624?ss...984.m1497.l2649

Relay board
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/170667758574?ss...984.m1497.l2649

5v power
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/260874422564?ss...984.m1497.l2649

Thermometers
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130586168086?ss...984.m1497.l2649

Flow meters
http://www.futurlec.com.au/Flow_Sensor.jsp

Haven't finished programming / wiring it all up yet due to moving houses. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll get back to it.

QldKev