How to have fun with Arduino (and become a Geek in the process)

Do you wish to earn your geek card - pronto? Lets get started! This guide will start you on the path to the dark side using the open source Arduino development and prototyping platform. It will introduce you to microcontrollers, get you started with a platform for physical computing and give you the confidence to create technological marvels. It is open source, inexpensive and a blast to learn.

Step 1: Get yourself an Arduino

The first step is to acquire an Arduino board. I highly recommend the USB version. You will need the USB A-B cable as well.
Here is a link to the board: ArduinoBoard.
Here is a link to the cable: USB Cable.

Shopping online is fun, and it gets better when your toys come in the mail.

Comments

[mahmoudmorsy]

pleaaaaaaaase ,, can i use the same microcontroller "ATMEGA328P-PU" to program it many times . write and erase and try many projects on the same microcontroller using arduino ????????

[Mr. Gadgets]

Yes.

[rancid_84]

LOL,, looks like a Cisco Cert Card ! nice

[Computothought]

Microcenter now carries the sparkfun and specifically the Arduino.

[Computothought]

Cool, a geek doing Latin. I came, I saw, and I went.

[johnpoole]

thanks for writing that up, i read every word and bookmarked it. your writing style would work as a professional writer. this trash is just to much fun.. i was in the field when transistors were making us all dream of projects.. still do not have a clue as to the next big step.. the arduino is almost limitless.. THANKS AGAIN

[paulhschulman]

The Arduino board you recommend is no longer available and the replacement they have is on backorder. Is there another one you'd recommend to make this project? I am planning on getting started. Know nothing

[paulhschulman]

OK, that's. Yes I am a complete beginner, or since i haven't done anything, even a pre-beginner. Thanks for the reply.
Paul

[avanner77]

This tutorial was written when the (now-outdated) NG when the latest and greatest version. Today, the Arduino Uno is the latest version.

Buy the board here:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9950
Or here:
http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=50

If you are a complete beginner, I would also recommend this tutorial:
http://www.ladyada.net/learn/arduino/

[computergeek321]

and the Arduino uno

[kroq-gar78]

how is it possible control so many LEDs individually? people are controlling ~64 leds (8x8 array) with only using 16 pins (or something like that). they're not even putting then in parallel. how do you do it??????

[Derin]

charlieplexing.I'll explain it sometime today.

[emihackr97]

err its multiplexing, charlieplexing is only used if u need to control over 100 led's, since thats hthe maximum ammount of LED's that you can control with the arduino and nothing else like transistors or so.

[hintss]

well, if its a matrix, don't they just light one row at a time and let POV take care of making it an image?

[bombmaker2]

how do you hook this up to a wii nunchuck or joystick to control a servo

[ReCreate]

you run this code do_everything_i_want_you_to_do(wii_nunchuck ,joystick,control_the_servo)

[bombmaker2]

ok

[duckythescientist]

You mean do_everything_i_want_you_to_do(wii_nunchuck ,joystick,control_the_servo); ReCreate forgot the semicolon... *You need a library that reads the nunchuk, and you need Arduino's built in servo library. Google the both of them.*

[bombmaker2]

k

[hintss]

theres an instructable on it. the how to control your robot with a wii nunchuck or something like that...

[kcedgerton]

For controlling a servo does it require a pwm source? Please help.

[hintss]

it has pwm outputs. check out the servo tutorial on their site.

[Phoenix17]

where you have the board listed, they say that they "retired" the product. Just fyi. Which other board would your recommend? I'm looking at a Duemilanove?

[hintss]

uno is the newest

[Dannne11]

good to know :D

[sotsirh194]

Is there any way for the Arduino to display a message on the screen like a basic stamp.

[Junkyard John]

Yessir, there sure is! It's called serial communication. Copy and paste this into a new file: void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); // opens serial port, sets data rate to 9600 bps } void loop() { Serial.print("Sup, World?"); }

[ReCreate]

So in Hyper terminal it should return"Sup, World?"?

[Junkyard John]

I'm not familiar with Hyper Terminal, but there's a built-in serial monitor in Arduino's software; read my other reply below...

[ReCreate]

Oh there is?

[Junkyard John]

Yup :)

[ReCreate]

Neat...I am Getting myself One(An Arduino)

[Xellers]

If I upload the program to my board, nothing happens, what should I be expecting? Is there anything else that I need to do?

[fallenspirit123]

yes you have to click on the button that says serial connection to see it

[Junkyard John]

yes there is. Go to your Serial Monitor by clicking the button that looks like the attached image. You'll see that the bottom section has changed. This is what arduino.cc has to say about it: "Displays serial data being sent from the Arduino board (USB or serial board). To send data to the board, enter text and click on the "send" button or press enter. Choose the baud rate from the drop-down that matches the rate passed to Serial.begin in your sketch. Note that on Mac or Linux, the Arduino board will reset (rerun your sketch from the beginning) when you connect with the serial monitor. "

[fallenspirit123]

I Seriously need help! I dont know how to paste get the code onto the program if its not an example for example, junkyar john posted a code, but whenever I try to paste it into the program it just gives me errors!!

[Junkyard John]

Hmm...that's odd, it may be in the way this website formats the text. I'd copy and paste into a text file first, and make sure it looks exactly like what I wrote. Then copy and paste into the arduino software

[amando96]

erase // opens serial port, sets data rate to 9600 bps then it might work...

[ReCreate]

Wow, I am Getting myself An Arduino, The Blinkenlight code is so Simple!

[Bongmaster]

Well i got a Freeduino (from NKC on ebay, the self assembly version) and i'll have to see where it goes :) am planning on trying a simple midi (over USB) keyboard (one octave) or drum kit.. whatever is simplest :) thanx for the heads up on this :)