help choosing an arduino

BioniC187 · Sep 19, 2012

Alright, i'm very new to Microcontrollers.
I need help selecting my first
So, what should i get? i am leaning toward arduino as i seem to think it is more reliable than pic's.
I would like to get one that i can use in my car, i would like to implement a cruise control system, amongst other automated things, so i need help selecting one to use.
I live in South Africa, and i only know one supplier www.mantech.co.za
On this site, if you type in "arduino", quite a few come up. I just don't know which to get.
Also, are there any readily available pdf's i can read about this device?
Thanks

3v0 · Sep 19, 2012

The arduino is a development board. Get a micro controller chip if you want to do your own PCB. I do not care what micro controller you settle on but there is no problem with pic reliability.

BioniC187 · Sep 19, 2012

So i can't use a board that has the inputs and outputs on it already?

misterT · Sep 19, 2012

Arduino is very good board for learning microcontrollers (embedded systems). It has an Atmel AVR Atmega microcontroller on board with all necessary electronics. You can program the microcontroller easily through USB interface.. no external programmers or other hardware needed. Almost any Arduino with Atmega controller is a good choice for you. They differ mainly in IO pin count and memory size. If you have difficulties choosing, go with Arduino Duemilanove, Uno or Mega because they are very popular and you can get help easily. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino#Arduino_board_models

Teensy is also a very good product to start learning microcontrollers.. you can stick the device on a prototyping board easily, but you still can upload code and power up the device through simple USB interface.

If you only get a microcontroller chip, like the Atmega328P which is in Arduino Uno, you need to build your own circuit to power it up. You would also need to buy a programmer to upload code into the microcontroller. I think you should first try out the Arduino and then later get more microcontroller chips and buy the programmer.

There is also a more general development board, the STK500. This is a very old product, but still a good tool. It has sockets for almost all (older) AVR microcontrollers with DIP packaging, RS232 interface, some buttons and LEDs. It also works as a programmer for external chips.

Wp100 · Sep 20, 2012

Hi,

I would suggest you look at the Arduino Uno, its a complete board ready to run and connect to your pcs usb port. ( I have one)

The Uno is one of the most popular standard Arduino boards with loads of forum help and program projects available.
https://arduino.cc/playground/

That site you shows the Uno costs R400 but the much better supplier RS international has it at R300, though carriage is an extra.

https://za.rs-online.com/web/p/processor-microcontroller-development-kits/7154081/

Also search around and use the Arduino Forums, sure you will find some other good Arduino suppliers; even importing from other counties is not that difficult these days - the far east ebay suppliers have it down to a fine art.

3v0 · Sep 20, 2012

BioniC187 said:
So i can't use a board that has the inputs and outputs on it already?

I did not say or imply that. Perhaps I should explain

A micro controller is a micro processor chip that includes peripherals like IO ports, UART, ADC and etc.
A development board is a micro controller on a PCB and may include any mix of switches, displays etc.

The arduino is a development board intended to work with it's shields. It comes preprogramed with a boot loader so you can do without a programmer device.

HTH

BioniC187 · Sep 20, 2012

misterT said:
Arduino is very good board for learning microcontrollers (embedded systems). It has an Atmel AVR Atmega microcontroller on board with all necessary electronics. You can program the microcontroller easily through USB interface.. no external programmers or other hardware needed. Almost any Arduino with Atmega controller is a good choice for you. They differ mainly in IO pin count and memory size. If you have difficulties choosing, go with Arduino Duemilanove, Uno or Mega because they are very popular and you can get help easily. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino#Arduino_board_models

Teensy is also a very good product to start learning microcontrollers.. you can stick the device on a prototyping board easily, but you still can upload code and power up the device through simple USB interface.

If you only get a microcontroller chip, like the Atmega328P which is in Arduino Uno, you need to build your own circuit to power it up. You would also need to buy a programmer to upload code into the microcontroller. I think you should first try out the Arduino and then later get more microcontroller chips and buy the programmer.

There is also a more general development board, the STK500. This is a very old product, but still a good tool. It has sockets for almost all (older) AVR microcontrollers with DIP packaging, RS232 interface, some buttons and LEDs. It also works as a programmer for external chips.

Thanks mate, i think i will go with the mega. more I/O's and the price difference isn't that much

BioniC187 · Sep 20, 2012

Wp100 said:
Hi,

I would suggest you look at the Arduino Uno, its a complete board ready to run and connect to your pcs usb port. ( I have one)

The Uno is one of the most popular standard Arduino boards with loads of forum help and program projects available.
https://arduino.cc/playground/

That site you shows the Uno costs R400 but the much better supplier RS international has it at R300, though carriage is an extra.

https://za.rs-online.com/web/p/processor-microcontroller-development-kits/7154081/

Also search around and use the Arduino Forums, sure you will find some other good Arduino suppliers; even importing from other counties is not that difficult these days - the far east ebay suppliers have it down to a fine art.

I will check around a bit

help choosing an arduino

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