
This lazy old geek used a lot of ardunos.
There are many or ardu, clones, and DIYs to choose from.
Which one is the best?
The truth is that none of them is the best.
This depends on many factors, including:Your financesB.
Your technical skills
Your welding skills
Your application
I will relate some of my experiences to very subjective opinions.
I encourage others to express their experiences.
Please send comments.
I started using Arduinos due to instructures.
A few of the instructures are very good.
Here are a few: DIY-Arduino-or-The-DIY-
DuinoIt looks like a great Arduino with good documentation.
It does need to make the PCB itself. Standalone-Arduino-ATMega-chip-on-
The other bread board is good.
It needs to use a breadboard. Build-Your-Own-
ArduinoAnother is good.
It needs to use a breadboard. Ardweeny-2-How-to-customize-an-
If you intend to use "ardweeny", I suggest you follow this instructions.
Suggestion: Multi-Instructables false needle month (Reset)unattached.
Obviously this will work, but I would suggest pulling it to 5 v with a 10 k resistor.
Unattached floating input pins may be unpredictable.
Can cause intermittent problems.
Note: The breadboard for prototyping is very convenient.
I use them a lot.
I do remind users that some connections may become unreliable after a period of use (intermittent).
One reason is that the connection is larger than the breadboard design.
Be careful with power connectors and voltage regulators.
Another problem is the contaminated parts.
Definition: Arduino shield compatibility means that all shields designed for real Arduino will work on this clone.
I think my first "arduino" is a free kit.
Compatible with Arduino shield, plug-in Atmega328 (bootloader)
, USB and voltage regulator where I like Freeduino: high quality tessol easily soldered parts of medium quality. One of the main suppliers is NKC Electronics with a lot of Arduino stuff
I purchased my Freeduino from my favorite Seeed Studio: The price is high (
Sometimes, look for bargains and sales)
Email support is okayLots for a lot of sensors I haven't seen anywhere else: China, so the shipping time is long.
They have a sensor platform called electronic bricks that doesn't seem to be well documented.
I will use it again.
When to use: mask compatibility if required.
If you need USB all the time.
My next "arduino" is an Anarduino kit.
Used one on my Arduino remoteRemote-
Source of ControlThe Anarduino Anatools. com.
The only source I can find is ebay. com.
They are often auctioned because of different prices.
Features: plug-in Atmega328 (bootloader)
Not compatible with shield, no USB, no voltage regulator I like: high price (
I think I bought two for $20 including shipping)
Very detailed assembly instructions don't like: cheaper quality PCB, easy to make welding bridge, because there is no welding element, no voltage regulator, the only place I can find is on ebay.
ComI will be used again. Required: USB-
BUB or FTDI cables for programming or other Arduino cables for programming the Atmega chip.
A regulated power supply is required.
Note: standard USB-
The BUB connector has an unused pin but can jump to 3. 3V.
Do not do this when using Anarduino to connect to the ground.
I almost took a USB. BUB.
I found another solution.
About my two anardu.
I cut the ground with Xacto (see picture).
It's hard to see, but the first two pins are attached to the ground plane.
The second pin is connected to the three copper bands.
I took my Xacto and cut the three wires so that the second pin is no longer connected to the ground.
When to use: Shield compatibility if not required.
Good for small projects that don't have much contact.
Good for standalone projects that don't require a USB connection.
I believe that the RBBB kit is made by: actually purchased three RBBB bare plates from Wulfden: It seems that the price is better when S & H includes shipping costs for $8.
By the way, I bought 5 Atmega328 (bootloader)
Ebay chipscom (Anatools. com)for $21.
95 free shipping.
Features: plug-in Atmega328 (bootloader)
Incompatible shield, no USB, voltage regulator I like: High price, detailed assembly instructions, good quality, including voltage regulator I don't like: nothing so far.
I will use it again. Required: USB-
BUB or FTDI cables for programming or other Arduino cables for programming the Atmega chip.
When to use: Shield compatibility if not required.
Good for small projects that don't have much contact.
Good for standalone projects that don't require a USB connection.
The PCB has a position of a voltage regulator, but it does not need to be used and can be cut off if it does not need to save space.
My usage: I didn't buy the kit, just bought the pcb.
If you may have noticed, I'm using a 16 mhz crystal and a capacitor for 22pF instead of a resonator.
The main reason is that I bought some from Digikey without any resonators.
Problem: The Crystal is slightly larger than the resonant cavity and is not suitable.
Solution: If you install the crystal before the Atmega socket, it will fit.
Otherwise, I will raise the Crystal a little bit so it will be clear.
Also, the capacitors don't have a position, so I weld the two together and connect them as shown.
I put a piece of tape where the capacitor is.
The two leads connected together are welded to the ground pin between the XTAL pins.
In addition, this board also has pins to put into the bread board.
In hindsight, I might choose a more appropriate resonators, not to stick too much and not to need a capacitor.
They are not accurate in theory, but shouldn't make any difference for most applications.
Suggestion: when assembling the kit with welded parts, I recommend cleaning the solder paste with alcohol and cotton swab or power brush (see picture).
While it may not be important for Arduino circuits, the flux can cause impedance problems.
The brown spot on my plate is not a flux, but it could be a burn spot on the soldering iron.
I 've never used a real Arduino, but ebay owns Duemilanove for around $18 (April 2011).
Of course, they are from overseas, so it takes a long time to transport.
There is an updated Arduino Uno.
The only difference seems to be the difference between USB and serial chips.
I have never had any problems with the old FTDI Chip.
Features: Arduino shield compatible, plug-in Atmega328 (bootloader)
USB and voltage regulator.
When to use: mask compatibility if required.
Good for users who don't want to weld the kit.
These are actually cheaper than most nurses.
I have seen compatible clone kits.
Actually bought one for $22. 50+S&H;
I don't know why I bought it.
But this is a very good board.
Features: Arduino shield is compatible, and the surface is installed as Atmega328 (bootloader)
USB and voltage regulator.
What I like is: high quality pcb includes voltage regulator that I don't like: non
Standard power connector. Cannot (easily)
Instead of Atmega.
Poor documentation.
There are two switches on the PCB that are not explained.
I think people will automatically switch the power from USB to the outside.
The board has two additional connector pins for simulating I/O that can be used in the surface-mounted version of the chip, but not in the DIP package.
Does anyone know if this is supported by Arduino Software?
I haven't tried it.
I will use it again.
Atmega328 plugged in from AdaFruit (bootloader)
Not shielded compatible one version has a voltage regulator, the other version does not have a usb voltage regulator, and the usb is designed to insert a breadboard similar to the RBBB.
Although I have never used it, I can recommend it because of the product quality and always excellent documentation I have seen from AdaFruit.
I highly recommend AdaFruit products.
Summary: This is some of my experience with "arduinos.
What about yours?