How-to: Simple breadboard Arduino

Arduino Technology
How-to: Simple breadboard Arduino
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This is a simple way to make an Arduino compatible circuit on a breadboard. The only additional components needed are a 0.1µF capacitor and a 1k resistor. This is amazingly simple. I have to try this out for myself.

Here is a recipe for using the atmega168 as a standalone arduino. It uses the internal oscillator of the arduino running at 8mhz, and is powered at 3.3 volts. I used this together with a xbee radio modem for my wind-up birds project.

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14 thoughts on “How-to: Simple breadboard Arduino

  1. The Oracle says:

    Where do you draw the line between an ATmega168 and an Arduino? To me, if you’re going to call the board an Arduino, you shouldn’t have to look up pin number to Arduino IO number mappings.

    I really can’t understand this magic distinction that seems to be made between the chip and an arduino, yet calling the chip practically alone an Arduino and finding that amazing.

    All the Arduino hardware really is is a breakout board for the chip, so of course there’s not much needed to run the Arduino environment with the chip.

    1. Marc de Vinck says:

      @ The Oracle

      You make a very valid point….I think when using the ATmega186 with the Arduino IDE, it is called an Arduino. However, in this case I refer to it as an “Arduino” because the Maker did during his/her build.

      I have been at events where people refer to the chip as an “Arduino Chip”. I usually explain that is in fact a ATmega186 (or 8) and the Arduino is a complete open source system that is based on that chip which includes the board, IDE, etc….

      Here is how the creators of the Arduino board and IDE define it:
      ________________________________________

      Arduino is a tool for making computers that can sense and control more of the physical world than your desktop computer. It’s an open-source physical computing platform based on a simple microcontroller board, and a development environment for writing software for the board.

      Arduino can be used to develop interactive objects, taking inputs from a variety of switches or sensors, and controlling a variety of lights, motors, and other physical outputs. Arduino projects can be stand-alone, or they can be communicate with software running on your computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP.) The boards can be assembled by hand or purchased preassembled; the open-source IDE can be downloaded for free.

      The Arduino programming language is an implementation of Wiring, a similar physical computing platform, which is based on the Processing multimedia programming environment.
      ________________________________________

      Thanks for the feedback!

  2. hcgilje says:

    Since this recipe came from me I guess I could explain why I call it a minimal arduino, and not a atmega168 chip: For me it is the possibility of combining the simple and flexible arduino programming environment with a inexpensive microcontroller. I think it is great to be able to protype a project using the arduino board, then easily move this over to the minimal version, especially when you need quite a few as in my case with the wind-up birds project.

    1. Marc de Vinck says:

      @hcgilje

      That makes sense, thanks for the input….and sharing your build!

  3. hcgilje says:

    Since this recipe came from me I guess I could explain why I call it a minimal arduino, and not a atmega168 chip: For me it is the possibility of combining the simple and flexible arduino programming environment with a inexpensive microcontroller. I think it is great to be able to prototype a project using the arduino board, then easily move this over to the minimal version, especially when you need quite a few as in my case with the wind-up birds project.

  4. The Oracle says:

    @Marc — I didn’t mean to imply your post was making the statement. Sorry if you thought I was putting words in your mouth.

    @hcgilje — It’s so minimal, why wouldn’t you plug the atmega into the breadboard directly and run the half-dozen wires. Seems a lot simpler than having a chunk of perfboard sitting that that still has the half-down wires running off board? You can run the Arduino environment without actually putting the chip on its own little board.

    1. Marc de Vinck says:

      @The Oracle,

      I think the idea is to eventually put this minimal setup into “something”? It would take up very little space, compared to an Arduino board, and has a very low cost. But I could be wrong? Not sure, let see if ‘hcgilje’ replies.

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