Assembling "Wise Clock 2" (Arduino-based alarm clock with lots of extra features)

This tutorial shows how to assemble the kit for Wise Clock 2, an open source (hardware and software) project.

A complete Wise Clock 2 kit can be purchased here.



In summary, this is what Wise Clock 2 can do (with the current open source software release):
- display the current time and date;
- read a user-editable file from SD card and display its content (which is usually quotations, hence the "wise" in the name);
- provide alarm functionality;
- provide remote (infrared) controllability.

The Wise Clock 2 kit includes the following:
1. the Duino644 microcontroller board (as a ready-to-solder kit);
2. the 16x32 (red) LED matrix display;
3. the enclosure (two acrylic plates and the required hardware).

The following steps will show how to build Wise Clock 2, including:
- how to solder the Duino644 board;
- how to connect the display;
- how to encase the clock;
- how to get it functional (prepare SD card, set time etc).

Step 1 Content of Duino644 kit

Duino644 is the name of the microcontroller board used in Wise Clock 2.

Duino644 kit contains the following components:
- PCB with the SD card socket soldered on it;
- ATmega644 chip and 40-pin socket for it;
- DS1307 chip (real time controller) in 8-pin DIP package, and a 8-pin socket for it;
- 24LC256 EEPROM chip in 8-pin DIP package, and a 8-pin socket for it;
- CR1220 small coin cell battery, and its plastic holder;
- 16MHz crystal and two 22pF capacitors;
- 32768Hz crystal;
- micro speaker;
- right-angled micro switches (4 pieces);
- USB miniB-type connector;
- 2x8-pin female headers (2 pieces);
- high intensity blue LED in 1206 package;
- 40-pin female header;
- L78L33 voltage regulator;
- JST 2-pin power connector and JST 2-pin power jack with cables;
- infrared receiver IC and 3-pin socket for it;
- 6-pin right-angled male header (for FTDI connector);
- 10K resistors (10 pieces);
- 4K7 resistors (3 pieces);
- 75R resistor;
- 100nF decoupling capacitors (3 pieces);
- 2x3-pin male header (for ICSP connector).

Once we checked we have all the components ready, we can proceed to soldering.

Comments

[gapdev]

Step 9 is incorrect.

9. Place and solder the plastic battery holder in its marked position, then insert the coin battery in the holder (positive pole facing the board, negative facing up).

The Battery is placed in the holder with the Positive side UP, NOT DOWN "facing the board".

The pictures of the board show the battery correctly with its positive pole facing up.

Kenny

[florinc]

Thanks for taking the time correct this mistake. You are right. (Unlike the AA or AAA batteries where the positive pole is the smaller of the two, coin batteries have the the negative pole as the smaller.)

[wurx]

 Very nice...building mine right now!