Arduino Giveaway

Getting Started with Arduino Book Giveaway

In support of our Arduino issue of MAKE, Volume 25, and our new Make: Arduino landing page, we’re running a book giveaway. If you don’t have Getting Started with Arduino in your library, and you’re interested in understanding Arduino and how to get into the world of interactive devices (or if you’re already an Arduino enthusiast but want an evangelical tome), you need this book! Written by Massimo Banzi, a co-founder of Arduino, Getting Started is a real joy to read and to use. I was so tickled when it first came out, especially when I read the intro section which tells the fascinating story of how Arduino came about and also serves as something of a high-tech maker’s manifesto, with brief sections on prototyping, tinkering, the joys of junk, and toy hacking/circuit bending. The rest of the book walks you through understanding the hardware and software of Arduino and how to set up various types of sensors to create “interactive devices” that can sense the world and respond.

We have five copies of Getting Started to give away. To be eligible, all you have to do is post a comment below on the theme of: Everything I always wanted to know about Arduino, but was afraid to ask. What are some of the nagging questions you have about Arduino, from the conceptual to the specific — no question too basic or advanced. And, as with our recent Make: Electronics book giveaway, you can also help (and be eligible for a book) if you provide answers to questions posed here. Let’s crowdsource an FAQ on vexing Arduino questions.

We’ll run the contest through next Thursday, 11:59pm PST. And we’ll announce the five winners next Friday. Good luck!

Update: And the winners are: Gene Kaufman, Rob T Firefly, Liz Valentine, Michael Voss, Crow. Email me to claim your book.

Don’t forget to check out our Make: Arduino page for all sorts of microcontroller goodness.


  • Is Arduino for a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT user?

    • I went directly from mindstorm NXT to arduino and it took some getting used to and even now I haven’t gotten too advanced but it definitely is possible

  • I’ve been wanting to get into Arduino for a while now, but haven’t found a good enough idea to justify the time/money… I really just need to dive in and experiment. I recently started a gigantic desk, and I think i’d like to have parts of the desk react to events from my computers, but I have no idea where to start coupling mechanism to the computer. Are there several languages you can program the instructions in? Also, how often do people use the Arduino as a prototype, then replace it with a custom built solution, or do people generally continue to use it in an application, then just buy another for the next project?

    • I was the same way. Just do it. Get a starter kit and tinker with their examples. As you work through the things ideas will come to you by “if it does, can I do?” type things. I can deal with the wiring but now i am starting to get into code that I haven’t thought of in years.

      • cool, thanks for the response… I might just do that..
        I’m a programmer, so I’m really looking forward to that part of it :)
        Thanks!

  • Anonymous

    Is there anything an Arduido CAN’T do?

    • I’ve tried to get mine to ride a bike while juggling flaming chainsaws. It’s not good at that (yet).

  • How difficult is Arduino for someone who only knows basic programming?

    • Basic as in 10 REM…? If you know any C or VB the coding is fairly straight forward.

  • Anonymous

    I’m an 11 year old girl who has always been interested in arduino, but never known how to ask my dad or convince him that it’s worth the money. I’ve already done a lot of programming in scratch, so my dad knows I like computery stuff, but asking him to buy me something new and random-seeming and help me with it has always seemed very hard. Help?

    • Download the arduino software, and write some scripts with it. Download an emulator http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1279791354 And test them there. Show them to your dad.

      That will show your dad that you have initiative, and that you are already have specific projects or programs made. This should prove that you are not just getting a board that will gather dust in a corner.

  • I don’t know a thing, so i need a book for beginners. this sounds like it!

  • D H

    How many shields can I stack on it?

    • you can stack as many shields as you on an arduino but you should check to make sure they do not interfere with each other

  • There are so many different types of Arduino boards from big to small and I’m sure they all have different applications, but I’d like to know what I can use each one for. Maybe this book can help. I choose the Mega for my quadrocoptor, but maybe I could have gotten away with something much less significant.

  • Would the Arduino be a good fit to turn my K-Cup coffee maker into a replicator style food dispenser?

    “Tea, Earl Grey. Hot.”

  • I’ve seen hundreds , nay thousands of applications for arduino – it’s amazing, hell, it even has an awesome name! It’s comforting to know that the absolute beginner to the electronics enthusiast can find their spot with arduino. i guess my biggest question is how do i get started, though i was somewhat afraid to ask because i dont understand the full deal with electronics anyway.

    practice makes perfect!

  • Am I too old to use Arduino?

  • There is not really anything I’m afraid to ask, but there is a lot I don’t know and I would really like to get into. I have experience in programming PLC’s and VB, but this could combine my programming with my tinker skills

  • I want to use an arduino to modify an old treadmill so I can control speed and on/off via my laptop. I would use such an interface to build a virtual jogging platform where I could jog through the streets of Paris (via google street view) or run along side famous runners or even race against an avatar of myself from previous runs. I need a book to teach me the ways of the arduino.

  • What projects in “Getting Started with Arduino” would be good to build with a 10-12-year-old niece/nephew to help get them interested in electronics/physical computing?

  • What the heck does the ICSP do for me on the arduino?

    • The ICSP can be used to replace the Arduino boot loader. For example, if they have an upgrade to the code. Or perhaps to do a project with the board completely with your own code without the Arduino boot loader present.

    • The ICSP is how you can program a blank AVR microcontroller to install the “bootloader” (the program that comes on a ready-to-use Arduino that knows how to load your programs (sketches) over the USB/serial port. You can also update the bootloader on your working Arduino with a newer or different version, though that’s not often needed. Lastly, if your project is so large that you are filling program memory, you can dump the bootloader entirely and load your entire program over the ICSP port.

      You’ll need a programmer of some kind to use the ICSP port. The USBtinyISP is an inexpensive ($20) way to go these days, but there are older programmers you can make from scratch if y ou have a real parallel or real serial port on your machine. Once you have a programmer attached to your ISCP port, ‘avrdude’ can get your new/replacement bootloader or your application directly onto the chip.

      Most Arduino users never touch the ICSP port, but if you start to build dedicated AVR-based projects, it’s quite handy.

  • Whats exciting for me about the Arduino is it bring sback my introduction to electronics with Radio Shack kits. Jump ahead 40 years and my son and I are sharing ideas on things we can experiment with using the Arduino. My relationship with my son is only getting better and I credit the Arduino and MAKE: as the glue that makes it work. Its also such an economical way for people (youth especially) to get involved and jumpstart careers and life long interests. Way to go Arduino!

  • “Are Do We Know?” I am much more “Are Do We Not Know.”

    I constantly read about projects here and on other sites that would be fun to do, and I have a few ideas of my own but I know that I would need a book like this to walk me through it all. I’m computer savvy and pretty handy but the arduino just seems like it’s too far out of reach for me. Arduinot?

    Here’s one thing i would love to do. I want to control the curtains in my bedroom. I want them to open up in the morning with my alarm clock. I want them to close at night before bed. But I also want them to close depending on the weather. Open and let the sun in during a winter day that is sunny but shuttered against the cold otherwise. Perhaps on a summer day open until the room reaches a certain temperature and then closed to block the sun if it gets too warm.

    I think an arduino can do all this pretty easily right?

  • Just started building Arduino projects with my 6yo son. Looking for basic projects from salvaged components.

  • The IDE ist “teh suc” on Ubuntu 10.10. It’s sluggy to the point of nearly being unusable. What gives it the death-blow is that it constantly fails to connect to the usb-device, making uploading impossible.
    So i guess what I need is a proper Makefile.

    Where do i get a Makefile for 0022? Or, if i am to build one myself: is there some desciption to be found about what the IDE does when it compiles the sketches?

  • Is there a list of possible senors that can be attached. I would love to make a hobby aquaponics monitor/automation system out of one, but I am not sure that I can source a reasonably priced O2 sensor. I am sure that temp sensors should be no problem.

  • I know nothing about electronics except that I want to learn how to make things. I had an idea for a cool toy, but no way to prototype it. I would love to find out more.

  • If I start with Arduino, am I limiting myself or will it help me understand the microcontroller principles I failed to grasp in Uni?

  • I used to repair computers in the Navy in the 80s. Have not done a thing with electronics since. The Arduino looks like a great place to get started again!

    • Anonymous

      Arduino i a great open source platform for learning to work with microprocessors, general electronics, senors, and controlling motors + a milion other things. But the greatest of all the many Arduino values is the community that has formed around it. There are thousands of people who share their knowledge with each other.

  • Anonymous

    I see alot going on with the Arduino for a while now. I’ve been playing with the basic stamp controllers. So, what makes the Arduino better then the Basic Stamp series controllers??

    • It uses an object oriented language.
      It is reasonably priced.
      It has analog I/O pins available (does the stamp, I’m not sure?)

  • Arduino?? What the hell is it??

  • Will Arduino get me to finish my old college project of an automated cocktail drink mixer since I don’t have an EEPROM burner to program my old HC11 microcontroller? Or maybe I can build a prom burner with the Aruino to program my HC11 and come back full circle.

  • Anonymous

    Will the Arduino boards return to easily swappable chips or are the SMD chips here to stay?

    The ability to flash new chips made the boards totally worth the cost as I could then place my programmed atmegas into whatever project I needed them in for only a few dollars.

    • You can still get Arduinos with swappable chips. I am not certain, but I doubt they’d remove that feature forever.

  • How can I impress my girlfriend with the Arduino?

    • Anonymous

      That is the REAL question we all want to know!!!! :) (great question!)

    • Build her an LED heart.

    • Dammit! I was going to ask that question; how can I impress Charles Kantz’s girlfriend with the Arduino?

    • Make her an edge lit card for her birthday or a holiday. http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/edgelitcards. Use the Arduino to add some movement by alternating 2 or more of the layers on and off. Also, add a small thin speaker and use the Arduino to play a tune. If you wait till Christmas here’s something to get you started: http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1289778011

    • You really can’t go wrong with anything LED-related. Plus there’s plenty of puns you can throw into the card related to light. :)

  • If I start using Arduino to build a prototype, will it help me to build my own electronic products for my business?.

  • Anonymous

    How do I charlieplex? I tried a simple one and failed pretty miserably.

  • Anonymous

    What’s the easiest way to control/power more than 20 LEDs with an arduino?

  • I’m a seasoned software developer with some basic breadboard experience. How much electrical engineering do I have to know to do anything substantial with Arduino? I’m talking about troubleshooting and calculating values of circuits regarding resistance, capacitance, current, etc… It’s the one thing really holding me back right now.

    • Looks like you’re all ready to get started. A little programming knowledge is very helpful, but most of the Arduino tutorials walk you through the basics of electronics as you learn the projects. I know many people that had no electrical engineering skills and jumped right into the Arduino with no problem.

  • How complicated is it for someone with little to no electronics knowledge to get started with something like this?

  • How difficult is it for someone with next to no electronics knowledge/ability to get started with something like this?

  • How safe is using an Arduino for controlling critical circuits? What are the odds it would go out on a safety device that prevented high temperatures in a space heater?

  • How can I best use arduino to track my daily activities?

  • I’ve read a lot about Arduino and I want to know more. It would seem to be a great way to instrument the underwater weighing tank in my lab for easier data collection.

  • whats the difference between the digital and analog pins?

    • The digital pins give an on off binary code the analog gives a variable change.

  • How do I use Arduino to send and receive data communications at 2400 baud (or faster) over a 433mhz wireless connection? I have tried this before, but interference/noise seems to always fail me. I have tried writing algorithms to account for noise without luck. I end up paying extra for a chip in the middle to handle this and really should be able to do it all on this arduino.

  • how do you connect an uno with serial and what advantages are there to using serial as opposed to usb (or disadvantages)?

  • Is the Arduino a key for the future generation of electronics?

  • How might this be used in building design? ( Let me google that for you) – some thing like this:

  • Are there “plug-and-play” options, or do I need to learn to solder? (obviously I need a book like this really bad!)

    • You don’t need a soldering iron at all. There’s so much you can do with an Arduino, a solderless breadboard, a few jumper cables, some LEDs, sensors and resistors. These are the materials that make up most “getting started” Arduino kits. Eventually, you’ll want to learn to solder for some more advanced projects.

  • Anonymous

    But why? What good will this do anybody?

  • Anonymous

    But why? What good will this do anybody?

    • Anonymous

      Lots of good! Provides the platform for budding geniuses to create new products to solve problems, perhaps encourage them to become professional engineers, etc.

  • Is there a easy way to communicate an arduino with visual c++ through serial?

  • How fine a resolution can you get when comparing input voltages on the input pins?

  • How do I use this?

  • Anonymous

    How many hobby servos could I drive with an arduino?

  • How exactly does the Arduino work?

  • Anonymous

    Looks great for getting started in robotics.

  • Do you think it would fit in my mouth? What about with a shield?

  • My question is in regards to the form factor. What considerations went into deciding “this is the size PCB we are goiing to go with.” I have seen derivitives that go smaller with the same components, and there seems to be more real estate available. So what were the discussions about size, using both sides of the board, etc?

  • Anonymous

    I see lots of awesome Arduino stuff everywhere, and want to do it. But I have NO IDEA what is required to do these. Like, how to make a burning laser anti-thief system (not anti-“theft”, but, anti-“thief”). Lots of PC parts, boards, CD/DVD lasers, etc., want to put them together, or at least make it fearsome looking enough to discourage amateur from messing around with my stuff.

    • I think laser weapons are legal, so I can in no way condone your project…

      But Parallax makes some easy-to-interface motion detectors, so you could start there.

  • Which software do you use to program arduino?

    • You can download the software from the mother website. It is a variation of the C Language.

  • I promised my daughter a robot. She made a model of it. We have the capabilities of making it. I had no idea how to contro itl wirelesly until I saw #25 Make magazine. The Arduino sounds like the best choice for us since we only know how to build but have no idea how to program. My son and daughter would benefit from learning how to program all the projects I promise to make them if we could control them. That”s my plea for a free book that is desperatly needed. I learned about Arduino from issue #25 which I bought because it had a rocket on the cover. I could’nt believe I had never heard of this magazine before. I can’t believe there are other people out there who salvage, fabricate and create useful gadgets. I salvage a ton of gear but won’t build because i can’t control it with out wires.

  • How well they network?

  • How does it connect to other components?

  • Do I need a motor shield to be able to connect motors to the arduino, or is the basic board able to drive smaller motors?

    • You can drive a larger load with a transistor.

    • The base Duemilanove can drive small stepper motors directly. See makezine.com/25/gumball for a fun example.

  • Does it have an internal clock that’ll preserve the time between boots? Ie. could I built an alarm clock out of it?

  • Can it remember the time between power up/down provided it has some sort of battery? Looking for it to perform certain functions based on what time of the day/week is it.

  • How do I use other programming languages with it?

  • I am looking to get into programming microcontrollers for projects around the house. Why is the Arduino better then getting started with a PIC, or Stamp, or even Rabbit?

    • 1. It uses an object oriented language, so fast code is easy to write.
      2. It has a HUGE user base and very inviting community.
      3. Arduino dev boards are decently cheap, and can be boiled down to a few components after you’re done prototyping.

  • After a late start (33yrs old), I am finally learning the basics of electronics. But I want to actually make something useful. My instructor said to learn about micro-controllers. How do I get from the baby steps of lighting an LED on a breadboard to something a little more advanced like programming a robot to follow a laser?

  • Anonymous

    I’ve got two sons (12 and 14) that are really smart and ready to learn! I’ve want them to understand how an arduino works so that we can make projects together and explore the world of electronics together. I would love to have the book so that I can pass on knowledge to them in a way that they can understand (and me as well). We just did our first project together and it was a proud moment for them and me. Hot cross buns using the tone library – pwm is now understood!!! I think that what we can pass on to the younger generation benefits us all… Kids attention span is short now days and having this book at my disposal will give me the chance to show my sons the world of electronics and allow them to use their imagination to create things beyond their imagination — OK… maybe that’s a little out there… but, kids, arduino, imagination… who knows what’s next!!

  • I’d like to know if there are there any ways to utilize an arduino in my new beekeeping hobby to listen for various hive activities. (Predict swarming, honey flows, etc).

    Maybe using it to listen to the various sounds of the hive, as well as keep a measure of weight of the hive to keep track of honey in the hive?

  • What can I do with an Arduino with my 10 yr old who wants to make a robot that takes commands from the internet but I don’t know much about arduino, robotics…. nothing like Daddy failure

  • I want to know how to re-purpose a Samsung T104g to connect to Arduino. Is there any hope for this dream?

  • Does the Arduino hate being interrupted like humans do?

  • If I’m lucky enough to win, I will study the book in detail so that I can make an Arduino application that will help me figure out when this article was posted so that I know when “next Thursday” and “next Friday” will occur…

    All joking aside, I would love to be selected for a copy of the book.

  • Is there a FreeRTOS port for arduino?

  • I can already count a half dozen projects I would like to build ranging from a proximity key for my car to an automatic watering system for my green house. Only problem is I have no idea how to read some of the jargon much less accomplish the tasks. sounds like a fascinating and informative book.

  • Facebook User

    I’d love a copy of this (e)book! I am a big fan of the Arduino platform and made a Twittering plant using it a couple of years ago.

    I now want to automate our Garden Gate using an Arduino but do not know where to start. This book would help me to get started and point me in the right direction.

  • would like to automate all of my gardening activities.

  • Has an Arduino ever been used to control experiment on a high altitude balloon?

  • j

    How can I make a car alarm with Arduino?

  • I get that they’re incredibly versatile and fairly easy to use. But can you give them separate tasks and still control them with a central, master mechanism, and if so, how?

  • I am fascinated by the Arduino but I don’t have any idea where to start

    • The book Getting Started with Arduino is a perfect place to start. A perfect companion is any kind of Arduino getting started kit, which usually includes a basic Arduino board (usually the Uno nowadays), jumpers, a solderless breadboard, LEDs, and a few sensors.

  • I’m something of a klutz and I get the feel that with so much exposed surface on the Arduino, the potential for me to shock myself or burn out the unit seems kind of high. Does anyone know how likely this is?

    • It’s not likely that you’re going shock yourself or burn out the unit. They run on around 5 volts, which is pretty low and they’re very robust. My Arduinos have definitely taken a beating, but I haven’t had a single one fail.

  • Well, I wondered if it’s as easy as it looks! Easy enough for a lapsed maker from the days of TTL to get back into. I also wonder what’s the fastest sort of processing that the arduino can handle, for simple real time-ish interaction.
    -Mike

  • My biggest question is “What can I make with an Arduino?” I am amazed to find all the new things people think of to make. It’s kind of like asking what can you make with a hammer or screwdriver. I’m amazed daily about the things that people are creating and the things I’m learning. I’m learning electronics just by reading about other peoples projects and tutorials. I use parts I’ve salvaged from discarded electronics but haven’t been able to buy this book yet because of my low fixed income. I have an Arduino now but I think this book would help me learn a lot more.
    undeaded

  • Anonymous

    I’ve wondered about the Arduino origin story. The choice of the atmega8 seems inspired, not just because of the progression to 168 & 328 but when you go up or down from that sweet spot in the avr family you seem to lose more than you gain: i.e. the sanguino has more function but it’s awkwardly big; the tiny’s are great but you give up the uart, interrupts etc. Also, the board design is excellent with the headers for connections and the overall build quality.

    so tell us, how did the design process work, or did it spring full blown from someone’s imagination?

  • Anonymous

    As the arduino is a prototyping tool for creating interactive devices, my question is how makers are going about sharing and producing their creations?

    • Many run their own blogs, but places like Instructables.com and Make: Projects (linked above) are great resources if you don’t have one.

  • Anonymous

    As the arduino is a prototyping tool for creating interactive devices, my question is how makers are going about sharing and producing their creations?

  • Anonymous

    How can I build an electrocardiograph with the Arduino (I know about the infra-red heart monitor but want something that doesn’t need to use my finger for heart beat monitoring)?

  • Anonymous

    does any part of arduino (uno) require soldering?

  • Anonymous

    does any part of arduino (uno) require soldering?

    • There are a ton of great projects that require no soldering. All the projects in this book don’t require soldering. Just get a pack of jumper wires and a solderless breadboard with your Arduino. Once you get into the more advanced stuff, you’re going to want to be able to solder, but it’s very easy.

  • How can a 17 year old child who has never ran code and is terrible at math do anything interesting with the Arduino?

    • Just think of something cool to do, and try to do it.

    • Ethan, I was not good at math either… I started playing with hardware in arduino and now have graduated to more advanced dev boards that are ARM based. Hugo is right.. Blink and light.. Then go from there :)

  • I can’t even decide which board to get to start playing around on, or which would be the best first project.

    • I would recommend you start with the Arduino Uno, it’s the most standard and up-to-date board. It’s also compatible with pretty much all the shields out there. Helping you find a first project would be tough. I pretty much played around with the components in a getting started kit for a long time. When I was ready to get more advanced, my first project was hooking up the Arduino to a receipt printer to print my Twitter @ replies. I would say play around for a while and see what area interests you.

  • How do I attach the standard 16×2 LCD display without soldering?
    (LCD display: http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKAD15&CartID=1)

    • You’d want to at least solder those header pins onto the board so that you can put it into a solderless breadboard. Then you can use jumpers to connect the Arduino to the LCD. As a matter of fact, my first crack at soldering was putting header pins on an LCD, and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

  • So is Arduino in league with Watson?

  • I’m just starting out, but what I really want to do is make animatronic accessories for crazy Halloween costumes.

  • GCF

    How does the Arduino handle sending signals to a display? Does the display need its own chipset?

    • Without a chipset the display requires a lot of pins. So long as you don’t need many pins for the rest of your project you can get really cheap 2 line LCD character displays this way. For a bit more money you can get a display with a chip and it only requires 1 Arduino pin. (They say 3 but the other 2 are power and ground).

  • What languages can I used to program the Arduino? Python? C? Assembler? Can I use it to monitor my weather station? Heating system? Dogs? HVAC filters? How hard is it to make/access custom sensors? Is that even necessary? Shouldn’t I get out more? Won’t this interfere? Will it control my ancient (original) Lego Mindstorms hardware? What kind of power does it require and how long will it run on a reasonably portable version of the same? How is it for real-time stuff? Can I use it for audio processing? Robotics where I care when things happen? Bringing about world peace? What kinds of boards are out there? Should I care about which one I get? Hmm… I need to do some reading. Maybe there’s a book…

    • I don’t know about all languages, but it uses Processing, and recently you are able to use C# if you are using the Netuino.

    • The Arduino is programmed by a special language called (unsuprisingly) Arduino. It’s based off of C++, and i believe straight C++ code can be used. Arduino’s strength comes from the hundreds of libraries built for the language, which make coding a snap.

      You can use Arduino’s to do anything! Some cases may require beefier controllers like the Arduino Mega, though. Anything that requires more than a Mega might be better handled by an ARM.

      https://launchpad.net/nxti2cdevice (for the mindstorms, not sure how helpful this is.)

      About the other stuff, it’s over my head, but I recommend the USB BOArduino or Arduino UNO for boards.

  • What is the max power (W) draw of an Arduino?

    • Infinite, but only once and only for a brief moment.

  • How well can I use arduino to conrol DC or stepper motors? How many can I control with a single chip?

  • Anonymous

    I really want to learn arduino and see what can be done with it.

  • As a mechatronic engineering student, will working with an Arduino will give me good experience later on when using professional microcontrollers?

  • I am retired and new to Maker. I ordered my first project a week ago , so you can say I’m an empty vessel as far as Arduino is concerned, so fill me up (with a book).

  • Bcook65

    I have been playing and experimenting with the Arduino for the past 2-3 years.. It is such a versatile little platform and not too difficult to learn as you can use many of the existing example sketches to build from and the Help I have received via the forums definitely filled many gaps of my understanding accomplishing my goals via misc programming and hardware configurations..
    Is there any plans to increase onboard memory size, and over all capabilities and ranges of some of the commands, ( have some projects using Tone command but its range is limited on the low end to no lower than like 31hz, and just so happens I need lower) I am using delay and such to get lower, but seems as though they could increase usable range .
    No matter what, I love these little processors, I have 4 or 5 of them and a couple ardweenies etc.. Fun fun fun

  • I want to figure out how to have the Arduino help with the training of dogs.

  • What kind of applications are possible for amateur radio?

  • My son received Make for Christmas, and reads the magazine cover to cover. Arduino was a topic that neither of us is familiar with. As a 5th grader, my son loves computers, and I believe that Arduino will be a great way to introduce him to microprocessors. We are both very eager to learn.

  • What is the cheapest arduino clone and why?

  • hey guys. i make art and design things. lets make smart things. google gonduras to see what i done before arduino. let me start the revolution.

  • Why aren’t all the pins analog as opposed to analog and digital?

  • Why should I use Arduino and not one of the hundreds of other microcontrollers on the market?

  • What would be the best way to start building an Arduino robot?

  • I want my glasses to tell me about the world around me (not a HUD, just blinky lights in the corner of my vision for wi-fi networks, time, etc.) is there any projects like this?
    or
    Is there anything that Arduino can’t do?

  • How can I to add Bluetooth receiver to collect data and control sensors such as strain gages and thermocouples?

  • My question is, is it too early to start thinking about teaching my 10 month old daughter to code one of these things?

    • My daughter is just about to turn 1 y/o. I’ve been thinking about this since before she was born! At this stage I’m just looking for geeky toys and kids shows for her. She loves her toy gears!

  • I’ve always wanted to know more about how to properly use the two interrupts.

  • Jon

    What else do I need besides this book to get started playing with Arduinos?

  • Anonymous

    Is there a good resource for parts that work with Arduino? I have lots of ideas for projects but I don’t know where to find information on parts that work with Arduino.

    • Just remember, not everything HAS to be a shield. You can connect whatever you want to those pins by wires so long as the voltages are compatible. And if they are not there are ways around it!

  • how can i interface an arduino with mains power e.g. turning the porch light on and off?

  • I was wondering whether the prices of the Atmegas will go up due to the success of the Arduino. Any predictions for the near future?

  • What is the actual difference between the digital outs that can drive motors and the ones that can’t?

  • DUPE POST DELETED

  • I’d like to know how many simultaneous things an Arduino is capable of. For instance: If I wanted to make a jack-o-lantern with a Cylon Larson Scanner face and passive infrared motion detection that triggers servos to lift the pumpkin up into challenge mode while playing a wav file, how many arduinos would I need?

    (by the way, this is my goal for next Halloween with no experience in microcrontrollers)

  • Can Geico save you 15% on car insurance? More importantly…
    Can a Arduino home automation controlled system save a home over 15% on power consumption?

  • Anonymous

    With so many different flavors of Arduinos out there to choose from….which one is the best to buy for a father and daughter (age 11) to start programming on? Keep in mind that with so many to choose from…which one is also the best value so I don’t have to buy them all?
    -Mike

  • Were there any open rivalry of jealousy from other microcontroller developement platform developers once the Arduino started to get more followers?

    • Just mention Arduino at a Propeller Expo….

  • Anonymous

    I’ve always just had a hard time getting started with a project beyond the basics. I think that is because I never read anything like this, I just copied diagrams and what not (a good way to learn, but it only gets you so far).

  • I would like to have this book for our school library.

  • MrVikes

    Sweet. Just ordered an Arduino

  • Are there any cheap (relatively) Wifi shields? I saw ones for nearly $100

  • I would like to know what it would take for the Arduino to survive the rigors of space.

  • While the Arduino technical support from the web (forums, how-tos etc) is amazing, I struggle to find people writing about enclosures, mounting the boards etc. I know Arduino is a prototyping platform, but I hope others are building real-world tech with them and can share their experience.

  • Dr. Frankenstein didn’t have an Arduino, but I have several bodies in the cellar!

  • I need to learn everything. I dunno even know what an Arduino is!

  • Can I use it with a 9v battery?

    • Anonymous

      Yes, unless powering via USB while programming (or just tethered for power), this is the most common way to power the arduino… many places sell simple 9v to barrel jack connectors, like sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9518

  • Are there any girl-centric projects that I could use to get my daughters interested in Arduino?

  • I’ve always wondered what the most powerful programming Arduino could run was – like, could one hypothetically run a relatively modern OS on a single Arduino board (with video output and some form of input)

  • You’ve got to give it to arduino – the open hardware, software platform. The plethora of derivatives, the numerous projects that have spun across the internet, the simplicity it brings in interfacing with the lines after lines of well written code – an idea so simple yet so elegantly done. Thank you atmel for coming up with such a good controller in the first place and thank you arduino for making it available to public like the way you have.

  • Where should I start with Arduino (other than the Make book!)? And what’s a good project to start with?

  • Is it possible to build a telnet client using arduino? I want to create a wifi network based device controller.

    • Sure! But to make it compare to the computer software variety you will need either a character display with a LOT of characters or to drive some form of monitor with it. From what I’ve seen when driving a non-character based display you are still fairly limited in how many characters you can display before getting beyond what the Arduino is powerful enough to control.

    • Thats just what I did here:
      https://www.synthetos.com/blog/projects/antennabot/

      However I did not finish it completely. But you get the idea.

  • Are there guides on how to make a GPS tracker with an arduino?

  • Can I make display powered by ardunio?

  • Who are Arduino’s competitors?

    • Anonymous

      More traditional microcontroller manufacturers… the first that comes to mind is PIC. They make many dev kits for use with their microcontrollers and were probably the king of the hill before arduino came along and stole the party. Many people also work with the Basic stamp. A new competitor that is gaining traction is the Beagle Board — since it has a much more powerful microcontroller on it, it can handle a lot more.

    • The Parallax Propeller is a big one in robotics circles. That one almost straddles the line between microcontroler and single board computer though, in fact it is also used to make a hobbyist game console and various retro-computers.

      Pic was the big one in the other hobby markets.

      TI has the MSPP430 value line. They are not as powerful but they are going after the hobby market by trying to undercut everyone’s prices. They are cheap.

      I don’t think I would count the Beagleboard among Arduino competitors. It’s really more of a single board computer, most of them end up running some form of Linux on them.

  • What is a good starter project for my twins and me? Can’t wait to get them on the path to geekdom. Though my husband and I are still discussing how to determine if they are ready to learn the fine art of soldering… :)

    • Just remember… a few burns are just part of the learning process.

  • I’m very interested in playing with Arduino, but I’m scared of messing it up to an unfixable level. Can someone who’s experience with electronics numbers building computers in the 1980s and 1990s and physics labs actually use the Arduino platform to create cool EL clothing or a neat toy for kids?

  • Can the Arduino handle a PID loop? I want to automate a Power Wheels jeep.

  • I’d really like to know how to hook up to a mini linux box that is running a serial port and issue commands to and receive information from it. The box doesn’t have a USB port or video ports. It is actually a small wireless router running linux and the serial pins are just pins not a port.

  • Would an Arduino be best suited for A) escaping a burning building B) outrunning a Bengal tiger C) getting a date with a professional cheerleader D) surviving 1 year stranded on a deserted island or E) learning to jump rope at 39?

    • A, B Probably not but it would make one heck of a blog post if you survived trying.
      C, See my reply to the guy who wanted to impress his girlfriend
      D, It might help you with the boardom once you take care of the essentials… that is if you happen to have a power source, way to program it, and something to hook it too available as well.
      E, Using the pwm output and a suitable collection of inductors and caps one might be able to use it to shock your fat lazy but up off the couch if you are already incapable of jumping rope at 39. :-) j/k

  • I wonder how easy it will be to control an Arduino project from my iPhone without jailbreaking my phone. I also hope the Arduino will capture the imagination of my kids, niece and nephew.

  • I guess I am just curious about the life of the Arduino in an outdoor setting. How long would you be able to leave an arduino out in the cold/rain before it died?

  • Arduino seems to have endless possibilities, but what are its limitations?

  • Can Arduino be used as a tool for world domination?

  • Information about the clockrate, how that translates to the speed that your code runs, etc. Having done low-level programming I can make a guess, but it could be helpful for the people who haven’t taken classes on microprocessor and computer design.

    Some tutorials on the ‘how-to’ of designing the circuit that would go between the Arduino and your project could be useful – i.e., some basics on turning digital logic into the less ‘simple’ outputs. (e.g. Motors -> need a motor driver, why, how, etc:). To put it another way, what are the limitations in terms of current per output, voltage levels, etc for the various outputs, and if I’m looking at a datasheet, what do I need to look for to get a component that will be compatible. Safe practices to protect the Arduino, that sort of stuff.

  • I work in the specialty coffee industry and I’d love to develop a new espresso grinder. Is there much work involved in moving from using the Arduino in the prototyping stage, to using just the chip in the final project?

  • Anonymous

    I really would like to try some basic projects with my 11yo daughter, but while I am a computer capable mechanically inclined diy-er, I have very little electronics experience and even less programming experience. Any advice for such a beginner? I was thinking of the LED belt. Would this be a feasible project to tackle?

    • That should be feasible. It will take a lot of soldering.

  • Anonymous

    How exactly did the arduino come to be?

  • Is there a way to write select portions of code in a sketch using assembly language?

  • Anonymous

    the age of wireless computing is here.

  • Anonymous

    The age of keyboarless, mouseless and video-less computing is here.

  • I’d like to play around with this awesome plattform. Then questions will arise!

  • I would like to get my kids started with more science and electronics and this seems to be a great starting point.

  • Arduino is so fun, but why is it designed with such an odd space between digital pin 7 and 8???

    • I think I remember reading a story about how the pin spacing was an accident but it was discovered after many boards had already been run so they just stuck with it.

  • What’s the integration with web controlled projects like?
    Can arduino control audio samples via a shield or is an audio out built in?

  • What’s a good age for a child to start using Arduino? I have some young’uns, and don’t want to start them too early and scare them off if they can’t quite grasp it.

    • I think it depends on the child, but I have shown projects to my 8 and 5 year old. They even find the LED blinking to be great. Just be ready to take over the project if they seem to lost in it. They will enjoy themselves even if all what they are doing is watching you work on a project and asking questions. Let them compile the programs and load it to the arduino. Even a minimal involvement makes them happy and makes them feel like they contributed.

      My personal belief is that young kids will remember whatever they were exposed to when they were little with fondness. So the earlier you expose them to electronics or programming, the more they will have that fuzzy connection for the rest of their lives with the subject.

  • Anonymous

    Is this something I could get an 11 year old interested in?

    • That probably depends both on the 11 y/o and how you go about it.

  • What are the primary chips on the Arduino? Where can I get a schematic of the boards & chips?

  • Meta: It seems like I can’t replay to any comment. When I click ‘Replay’, nothing happens.

  • I realy wana try some fun projects with the arduino!

  • The reply button is not working on FF 3.6. It is working in chrome

  • How to make music / create interfaces/instruments with arduino

    • Anonymous

      The PWM pins make it really easy to interface with a piezo for making simple tones.

  • Anonymous

    How to parse a web page to trigger a relay.

  • I has always this dream to manipulate every thing by my computer, a machine that wake me up, turn on the tv and the coffe machine, at 7AM.
    is that possible with arduino ??
    Any way, I felt in love with arduino since the day I found your video on Youtube.

    • Yes! It would require a lot of support electronics like relays and clock modules, but it could be done.

  • Can you reuse an arduino controller or is it pretty much a one and done situation?

    • Anonymous

      You can reprogram and reuse the controllers over and over. That’s the beauty — you can easily prototype/change/extend your projects — and if you end up building something good enough to keep for posterity — just buy another controller, since they are so cheap. If your project was more of a gee-whiz fun thing, and isn’t needed long term, then by all means, reuse the arduino in your next project!

  • I have attempted electronic projects several times my whole life, only to give up because of the complexity involved. After watching several arduino tutorials I’m confident I can create something unique and usable while using my natural tinkering abilities. GSW/A sounds like an excellent primer that I.could use and pass down to my children and possibly help the rise of Skynet or perhaps finally replace my aching ankles with BIONIC ankles at a fraction of the $6,000,000 price. :-)

    • That’s something I have recently started to learn. As much as we get into this stuff wanting to build something original and impressive you get a lot farther if you start slow. Work through the basic tutorials. Duplicate what others have done. Then start changing things up with your own ideas, small ones at first. Go bigger from there.

  • What is the difference between the various versions of arduinos and how do I know which one I want?

  • I have a large 3-level house and many children, and I’m tried of yelling to have them come do the dishes. They’re also tired of it because to be heard it sounds like I’m angry. By the third time I’ve called and they haven’t heard, I am angry. The house used to have a whole house intercom which has had it’s wires cut. Can Arduino help me create a whole house, wireless intercom? Well, after I try some basic projects first.

    • I suppose an Arduino could control a vocoder chip for a digital intercom. Seems like overkill, I’d just go analog for that.

  • The real question is how can I use an Arduino to save time so I can spend more time with… my Arduino…?

  • How much heat does it dissipate ? Any problems running one in a totally sealed enclosure ?

  • What’s the difference between the analog pins and the digital pins?

    • An analog pin can be used just like a digital pin however it also has an analog mode. If used as an analog input it can measure a voltage between 0 and the supply voltage. This is great for using analog sensors. As an analog output it outputs pulses where you can control both the duration of and time between each pulse. This is good for controling servos, dimming LEDs and more.

  • I was wondering how the Arduino Lily-pad wall project was coming and if there where directions on how to make it? My mother teaches a 4YR old preschool class and I think painting a wall with magnetic and conductive paint would be a cool teaching tool. There is so many possibilities for that project. I was an art ed student as well and love the possibility of arduino as a teaching tool.

  • How can I impress the boys with an arduino?
    What would be an efficient way to incorporate controllable LED’s for a bulletin board area?
    How can I make interesting music/audio effects with the arduino?

  • Never used arduino: Are there some practical uses for around the home?

  • How much ‘other stuff’ do you need to really tackle an arduino project? Also, how much programming experience do you need? AND are there many places with sources of ‘inspiration’ out there?

  • Anonymous

    How can i build a smart dog door to keep a raccoon out of my house.

  • I’ve got several ideas for using an arduino to control several other arduinos. Is there coding out there that can do that or would I need to write my own? I’m better at Making then I am at coding. Thanks.

  • Anonymous

    How can i keep a Raccoon out of my house with a smart dog door?

    • Something like a RFID chip around the dog’s neck, the Arduino unlocks the door when the dog is close. Then you need something to detect that the dog is inside the house to lock the door again.

      • Maybe a RFID reader on both sides of the door. Just have the default state of the door at locked and when the dog approaches the either side of the door (to go in or out) the door unlocks for 10 seconds and then locks again. The only down side is if the dog loses the collar or something happens to the RFID reader and/or Arduino then your dog would be locked out (or in).

  • How many digi-pots can simultaneously be controlled with an Arduino?

  • I’ve had this book for a while, but I never really found it all that useful (sorry). Right now, I’m working through the 50 projects in the “Beginning Arduino” book by Mike McRoberts and am finding it to be very useful and helpful for this newbie. (I’m documenting everything as I work through all the projects over at http://handsonarduino.blogspot.com.)

  • I switched to the Arduino because the Basic Stamp was too slow…

  • I have yet to build an arduino project, but I have an idea that involves storing at least 6 numbers between uses. I’m thinking about using an SD card. And my display will be 4 2-digit numbers, 2 3-digit numbers, and at least 2 LED indicators (only one of which would be lit at a time). There’s also a need for 2 buttons and some type of reset capability. I’m a web programmer, so the actual logic that will be used is all pretty clear in my head, but I don’t have any idea about how to read/write to the SD card (if that’s even the best alternative), or how to drive the display (also: 7-segment LED’s vs. LCD?). Is this all covered in this book?

    • I believe there is a library for reading/writing to an SD card. On the hardware side you would probably use the serial interface which involves just connecting a few pins. One way to get a socket for it is to get a mini/micro sd to fullsize sd adapter, solder wires to the adapter and use the smaller device. Sparkfun also sells a breakout board with a fullsize sd slot on it. Or.. you can remove the socket from a cheap SD card reader.

      But… why do you want to do this? There is already an eeprom built into the chip. Space is limited but from what you describe should be a non-issue. Try this: http://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/EEPROM

      • Thanks for the suggestion of using an SD card reader as a slot. That makes a lot of sense. Do these slots get wired to the digital pins on the Arduino?

        How do you interface your code and hardware with an SD card without a library?

      • Thanks, Leif – that’s exactly what I needed to hear – I don’t have a big storage requirement, and it’s great to learn that I won’t need to consider any external memory. Obviously, I’m not even far enough along in my arduino skills to even know that much!

        If only there were some book I could read on it ;)

  • I’ve always wanted to create my own input devices and status monitoring devices, but felt like it was going to be more code/soldering than I know how to handle. I want to know if the Arduino is something a software guy can use to get into hardware.

  • is it reasonable to start with a project to control a greenhouse? it would need 2x thermocouples, and a couple of relays to open/close a vent and to start/stop a fan. Or should I start with something a little simpler and work my way up to something this big?

    • Sounds like it would be a simple thing to do. Just take some temperature readings, decide what to turn on/off and do it right? Or am I missing something?

  • What is arduino? and why do i need it?

  • Can Arduinos be stacked (linked, chained, networked whatever you want call it) to create an “Uber-duino?

    “There’s a shield for that!” should be Aruino-philes’ rally cry.

  • Is there a website that shows you where in the world can you buy arduino?

  • Anonymous

    How many servos can i run simultaneously with an arduino? I want to do some creepy halloween animatronics, and I’ve run out of even split channels with my lego mindstorms setup.

  • Can Arduino chuck wood? Follow up question: If yes, then how much wood could an Arduino chuck?

  • If I don’t win one of these giveaway books, what other FREE resources are a good place to start learning Arduino?

  • What is the smallest & simplest way, hardware-wise, to interface an Arduino with a C++ or Python program using the OpenCV computer vision library? The application is a camera-enabled, automatically locking/unlocking/opening/closing door using face detection & recognition for human, canine & feline family members.

    • Using the built in serial port on the Arduino. Offload all the processing of OpenCV onto your computer. Then once it is required send something as simple as an serial text message “UNLOCK” to the arduino board that triggers a relay etc.. Keep an eye on the make projects page as I am going to be writing a “Talking to Arduino with Python” tutorial coming up.

  • I got a Solarbotics Ardiuno ARDX kit for X-Mas and I’ve made everything in the supplied book. However, I’ve never been able to understand electrons, resistance, and electrical measurements although I’m good with math. Could anyone suggest a nice Arduino project that doesn’t require many resistance or voltage or amperage calculations? I never could wrap my head around it :(

    BTW: I made most of the ARDX projects with my 4-year old daughter. She loved trimming the extra leads off the LEDs and resistors almost as much as the lights and motor! She’s a smart little cookie, when her chemo’s not making her sick.

  • Anonymous

    What are some examples of projects that are on the upper end of what the Arduino can handle? Be it in processing power, or even just code-space.

  • I’ve a project idea, but it would need to read a couple of text files contained on an SD card or some similar flash media. Since I don’t feel like reinventing the wheel, is there a simple file system that has been written for doing this sort of thing?

  • Does the Arduino have a built in real time clock?

    • No, as far as I know, but there are many RTC modules available with Arduino libraries.

    • No it does not. But ditto Duncan.

  • I have three sons who love electronics and projects. My coworker just bought an Arduino and it sparked my interest. My wife and I homeschool and I would like to start teaching them by using the Arduino.

  • Anonymous

    Love Arduino would LOVE the book.

  • What’s the best way for me to use an Arduino to monitor the water level in a sump well? I’ve considered a float but space is limited and I am afraid it will get stuck on something or gummed up with algae and fail. I’ve considered electrodes but I want an actual level reading, not just a yes/no it has reached a certain level. I even thought about slanted electrodes that are closer together higher up the hole then measure the resistance but that would depend on the amount of electrolytes in the water to be constant which I don’t believe it is. Finally I’ve considered using the capacitance measurement library and two metal plates with a thin plastic coating to insulate them from the water. The dielectric would be part water part air depending on the height of the water. Would this work or would it also vary based on dissolved electrolytes? Has anyone else done this?

  • Anonymous

    Afraid to ask… eh? Hmm… Do people incorporate Arduino’s into production devices? I mean is it possible that I could go into some sort of industrial setting, crack open one of the control panels and find an Arduino?

    Brian

  • Anonymous

    How many buttons can I hook up to an Arduino? What is the best method? I need to be able to register more than one button push at once.

    • Anonymous

      Directly you can hook up as many buttons as you have free digital pins. (you could probably even get creative with an analog input to accomodate a switch also) If you need more, using some external logic gates or even an FPGA might help with that.
      As far as reading more then one button at a time, this can be tricky. On a small scale what I’ve done is written one routine (is that an old term?) that reads the states of all the button and stores the result in their respective varables. A second routine that reads all the variables and takes the approprate action based on the state of the variables. I have to assume if you had a TON of button inputs you may run into processing speed issues especially if you are using a software debounce on the inputs. There is probably some fancy Arduino-thing that can handle this better but this is probably the approach I would take.

      Example:

      {…

      read button 1
      if pressed button1_var = 1
      else button1_var = 0
      read button 2
      if pressed button2_var = 1
      else button 2_var = 0
      read buttton 3
      …button 4…button 5 etc…

      //deal with the state of the variables

      If Button1_var = 1
      Do whatever button 1 does
      else do nothing
      if button2_var = 1
      Do whatever button 2 does
      else do nothing

      …etc.

      Brian

  • Getting Started with Arduino, I would like to use an Arduino controller with the Xbee and Lilypad devices to make a wearable wireless garment that could be used remotely to control or que other devices. I have a teenage son that is a comedy magician (CodyComet.com) and I have been trying for a long time to get him to let me add some automation to his act. I am intrigued with the Arduino and I think these Arduino controllers would work well for a variety of magic material but I’m not completely convinced they could be integrated together with Xbee and Lilypad systems. Please let me know if this concept makes any sense and can be done and if there are specific Blogged examples that I can view. Thank you.

  • I’d love to get into Arduino. I guess my big thing is making a permanent project. How possible, easy, and cheap is it to remove the Arduino from a project once you have it done?

  • I’ve always been curious how much Atmel has to do with the Arduino community. Atmel has never had a friendly sampling program, and I’ve never heard of any meaningful interaction between them and the AVR hobbyist community. Even behind closed doors, does the Arduino team get any kind of heads up on product developments or help from Atmel?

  • I’ve got some hifi audio equipment that I don’t want to disassemble, but it doesn’t have a receiver/remote. Instead, it just has a really nice volume knob. Will I need two Arduino boards to make a remote / receiver combo that will let me mechanically control the knob? Or just one in the receiver? I think I could be a quick study, but I don’t have a lot of concerted electronics experience. Building an electric guitar from a schematic doesn’t seem the same as controlling a stepper motor or sending IR signals…

    • I own an RC helicopter with 3 infrared LEDs on the remote. How could I go about controlling the helicopter via an Arduino, from determining what wavelength the LEDs are in the remote, to figuring what blink frequencies correspond to what action on the helicopter, to receiving input on the computer to where the helicopter is and how it is oriented?

      • You would need a logic analyzer or an Oscope for this one I am afraid.. You are approaching the awesome realm of reverse engineering my friend!

  • Anonymous

    I don’t want to repeat a question but there are already so many comments! So i’ll just ask something that I’ve been wondering about. Can you use the Arduino as an ATMega microcontroller programmer and would you even want to do this? Or is getting a dedicated programmer the way to go? Would the board work with other Atmel chips? That’s more than one question but I guess I have quite a few.

  • Anonymous

    Just bought the Make Electronics primer in anticipation of going Arduino. Now all I need is the Arduino book.

  • I want to build a World War 1 diorama that incorporates LED’s, inside an underground bunker, that simulates a stove fire and also a speaker that will play 1920’s music and the sound of men laughing. I’ve heard that the Arduino can handle it but I don’t know how to make it happen.

  • I bought an arduino for my son for Christmas last year & fond that I am just as intrigued as he is. It has become a Father Son project from one to the next. What one doesn’t think of or do the other does. We both have time on it at different times & together. When we get together so much information comes pouring into the conversations we can’t keep up with each others ideas! We will probably be getting several more so keep some projects going, & some to do new projects on. We find so many things & articles on the web to do with the arduino. Thanks for the fun & union with my son!

  • Guest

    (this may be a repeat post from when the site was “down”) I’ve got some hifi audio equipment that I don’t want to disassemble, but it doesn’t have a receiver/remote. Instead, it just has a really nice volume knob. Will I need two Arduino boards to make a remote / receiver combo that will let me mechanically control the knob? Or just one in the receiver? I think I could be a quick study, but I don’t have a lot of concerted electronics experience. Building an electric guitar from a schematic doesn’t seem the same as controlling a stepper motor or sending IR signals…

  • I would like to do a Science fair project with my 11 year old child. I would love to receive some possible project topics. Anyone can answer. Give me some cool things to demonstrate and possibley prove with the scientific method using the Arduino. Thanks. I have some basic 8 bit and 16 bit motorola experience from my College days. Plus, I have some C# and Java experience from my professional time. Are there plans for the Arduino to use Java or C# style languages?

    • Check out the Netduino. Its a part of the Arduino family and uses the .Net Micro Framework instead of the Arduino’s CC++ based code. I use it all the time and my main programming languages are C# and Java. As for ideas on the Science Fair project…I’m kinda stumped on that one, sorry.

  • Why does the Arduino stop working if the compiled code size is over 15ish K? The compiler window clearly states it has 30ish K.

  • Why does the Arduino Duemilanove stop working, the code crashes somewhere, when the compiled code reaches 15ish K. The compiler window clearly states it has 32K. And yes this is a true Duemilanove.

  • The ICSP can be used to replace the Arduino boot loader. For example, if they have an upgrade to the code. Or perhaps to do a project with the board completely with your own code without the Arduino boot loader present.

  • What is the best way to optimize my Arduino implementation to minimize power usage?

  • Anonymous

    I have been studying the electronic locks made with Arduino. I like the knock knock lock and RFID and had thought about trying to maybe combine these. What I really need is a keypad lock. I have a lock from an ATM Machine made by LaGard inc. that has a keypad and high security lock but it requires the combination which the previous owner did not want to disclose ( I suspect they are using the same code on the new machine they installed) in order to reprogram it. So I thought why not control it with the Arduino. All well and good except interfacing with this keypad….Not sure how to go about it so I think the book would help advance my project….

  • Anonymous

    got my arduino for free, I e-mailed arduino in italy and told them of the knockoffs being sold on e-bay, so for my e-mail i recieved a free mega in the mail about a week later, I love it, mounted it to a glass plate with rubber feet, still learning, but I can build anything with this little toy, thank god for arduino

  • How does the arduino interface with other stuff like digital displays, keypads, and other inputs other than just on/off?

    • On the hardware level they use what are called shields. Basically they are boards that usually plug on top of the Arduino and then the device plugs into that board. On the software level, I seen libraries that are written for interfacing with the devices that you include in your code. Google “Arduino Shields” to find out about some of the diffrent shields that are out there.

  • What’s the best way for a novice Java programmer like myself to learn the Arduino?

  • Who does make the PCBs of the prototypes and small runs of your shields here in Europe (or China)?
    Best
    Alex – 5volt.eu

  • Anonymous

    I have been reading make magazine for a while. What I would like to see is an RF transceiver in the 146Mhz range (ham bands) also make the frequencies programable.

    • I’d definitely like to build and code some RF stuff, perhaps an APRS transmitter or receiver, maybe also using a motorized yagi for ARDF. Possibilities?

  • Analog circuitry is pretty straightforward. Everything is just a voltage or a current, and you can verify your math with a multimeter. In essence, digital circuitry is even simpler than analog since you need not worry about whether a voltage is 5.1 V or 5.2 V, it’s “high”. A lot of electronics today are digital, like cameras and displays. How can the average hacker integrate an LCD display or camera extracted from an old cell phone into a project? How can the average hacker communicate using USB without knowing a whole lot about the USB spec or how to write firmware?

  • Can I use an arduino to control a 3 axis CNC?

  • Is it possible to build a simple web server/database with an Arduino?

  • As a computer programmer with no electronics knowledge, how easy will it be to learn to build and program with Arduino? I always wanted to get into hardware programming. Would like to build my own gadgets

    • What language(s) do you know? Arduino’s language is based off of CC++. I program in .Net (C#) and so went with Arduino’s cousin, the “Netduino”. The Netduino uses Microsoft’s .Net Micro Framework and I’ve found it incredibly powerful. I have done everything from the simple blinking of a LED to turnning on and off my lights with x10 modules. Right now my Netduino is being used to open and close my garage door using my Android phone as the remote. I’m looking to get into Arduino though as it has more of a user community and more sheilds (for now anyway, Netduino is catching up in both those areas).

      • Wow that is pretty cool that you can use your phone for a garage door opener. Neat-O

  • Anonymous

    You’ve made your cool project ( Arduino + breadboard + parts ). Now you want to make it stand alone. How can you build your own Arduino type board? Would like to just order an ATmega328, and build an inexpensive board. Then keep using my Arduino for more development.

  • Arduino has always interested me as do most of the make projects. I am just wondering the scope of what Arduino can be used for? What are it’s limitations?

  • We have this in the office, but I want one for home so I can tinker at my leisure :) Think I am going to get my other half an arduino for his bday, I guess he will prob want to make something involving coffee!

  • I would like to see a book focusing on Arduino entitled, “Fun and Cool Projects You Can Do With Your Kids”. Maybe there can also be a contest to submit ideas for the book and the best ones could be published by Make. I would love a copy so I could participate in such a contest, or just to get started and have fun since this is new to me.

  • “Everything I always wanted to know about Arduino, but was afraid to ask. What are some of the nagging questions you have about Arduino, from the conceptual to the specific — no question too basic or advanced”

    Well, Im new to the arduino, I genuine newbie , Id like to ask, can you use interrupts and the internal timer at the same time? or is the timer disrupted? if not is there a work-around?

  • Now annoyed that I bought this book just last week.

  • Want! I’ve worked in close proximity to arduino’s on a robotics project, but I’ve never got to actually work with one. I was delegated to purchasing components and designing the motor drivers…

  • I’ve always had hard time explaining to non-electronic savvy (my gf) people what is an Arduino.

    How could I describe, using common words, an Arduino?

    • A mini-computer that can interact with the physical world. Think… Light, Sound, Touch etc.

  • Where can I get this book?

  • How do you see the future of Arduino as tool for building affordable solutions for commonly problems in less developed countries (like energy saving, food production, safety and so on) ?

  • Anonymous

    can the Arduino outputs (the AVR outputs) be used together to drive more current? i.e. you tell 4 outputs to go high to drive 80mA into a load?

  • I think in mechanical 3D sense, a gear, driveshaft or even a relay makes sense. Getting into the programming side has seemed daunting to me. I can build almost anything physical, but taking the step to get under the hood and programing something to do a task is a skill I want to learn, yet…. I have no idea where to start with Arduino.

  • Anonymous

    Can the Arduino outputs (the AVR outputs) be used together to drive more current? i.e. you tell 4 outputs to go high to drive 80mA into a load?

  • I’ve wanted to try making something with Arduino since they first started cropping up in knitting projects and clothing a couple years back. But I don’t have any experience with electronics beyond rewiring a table lamp and I’ve wondered if, once I bought some Arduino basics, I’d really know what to do with them. It would be fabulous to have a book like this – it’s exactly what I need to enter into a new craft/skill with confidence. Thanks for holding this giveaway!

  • I would love to explore Arduino and ZiGBee projects. Or to interface my Chronos EZ430 watch with Arduino board. Currently working on reverse geocache project.

  • Would you have to be an Arduino whiz to make a sensor that tracks when stray cats enter your yard to poop in the garden? I don’t want to put up a fence all around the property and cat poop is super stinky! The sensor would then deploy something cat-safe like a water gun to discourage them from entering the yard. Even better would be to allow my guinea pigs to free-range in the garden so they can manure the yard on their own while eating weeds- no cats in the yard would be necessary for this. Guinea pig freedom via Arduino, it could be called.

  • Although my main interest is in robotics I am interested in a programmable home thermostat that you could not only program but control from your computer and vie the internet. It would seem that this is the perfect platform for such a project.

  • I’d learn to code an Ohmmeter and Voltmeter to create a Power Regulated personal Vaporizer. Book Me, Please!

  • I really want to get into programming and building hardware, but the big projects are too overwhelming while the beginner programs are too useless to hold my interest (i.e. “hello world”) what are some easy things I can make that will actually be useful?

  • Why Arduino?

  • dcfx

  • How do I start?

  • I have a need to precisely control the speed of a diesel generator. While this may sound trivial, it’s not, and it’s expensive to have the injection pump recalibrated. Currently, I have the throttle locked to a specific spot, which works sorta well I was looking for a way to control the throttle electronically, when someone suggested using a Arduino.

    My ideas are pie in the sky… automatically start the engine… read fuel, water, oil, and current sensors… manage throttle… and, if anything goes wrong, shut the engine off.

    I’ve never programmed ANYTHING before, and this looks like a daunting task, but I think I’m up to the task. For me, hardware is easy… the tricky part is the software. My Arduino is in the mail, and I already have a basic layout of a sketch. Now, I just have to figure out how to get it done. Suggestions???

    • Suggestion is do not start with that project. Start with easy projects.. Get the Make book and go slow. Then read more blogs / tutorials and move up.. Next thing you know you will be able to use a light sensor or perhaps a rotational encoder to measure “rpms”. :)

  • Is there a way to communicate using wireless b or g?

  • Anonymous

    I could really use this book. I just want to learn the basics. And then the really complex stuff.

  • How can I use Arduino to make an interactive toy locomotive for my nephew?

  • We have a few projects we are looking to jump into that require a micro-controller. I have an old Radio Shack Armitron we want to automate. I have a fiberglass shell that looks amazingly R2D2 like that we would like to make an RC (full size). We would like to build a Rube Goldberg device for display in the school hallway to teach the basics of machines. All of this seems to point to the Arduino as a viable platform which I know very little about. This looks like a great way to do that!

  • Can you give me some ideas to correlate what I am learning in my college algebra class with how arduino programming works? I checked out a book from our library on C++ programming and have to say I’m not really sure where to start and I’d like to have a good idea if this is something I can handle without getting frustrated before I sink too much money into it. Extra bonus points for working in small steps/projects/concepts a five year old could help/work with ;)

  • Anonymous

    I see alot going on with the Arduino for a while now. I’ve been playing with the basic stamp controllers. So, what makes the Arduino better then the Basic Stamp series controllers??

    • Two things in my opinion:

      1. Cost. Arduino starter kits are much cheaper, especially if you make them yourself. Open source goodness and all that.
      2. Libraries: It’s been my experience that it’s a lot easier to locate a library for something with an Arduino (LCD, servos, serial communications, IR receivers, etc.) than a BASIC stamp.

      I have a Basic Stamp, and it just seemed too difficult (compared to the Arduino) to get it to “do stuff.” I think that’s the major draw for new people since they want to concentrate on doing something, not learning the programming intricacies of whatever chip they’re working on.

  • I’ve seen Arduino mentioned a lot and wanted to check it out but where is the best place to start when it comes to learning the basics? I’m looking for something clear and concise.

  • I want to implement Arduino with MQ Telemetry (google: MQ +telemetry +andy). Is this possible ? Believe me, this will be very exciting.

  • Although I have been a hobbyist “maker” for some years, I have recently started doing more intense Maker projects, the latest of which has been finding uses for every salvageable part of an old dead laptop. I’m using parts for everything from bookends to portable Nintendo64s, and from my research, it seems the Arduino is what I need to convert the trackpad into something useful. I’m very excited to do this, but I’m not sure where to start. This “Getting Started with Arduino” is exactly the resource I need. It may even teach me how to correctly pronounce “Arduino.”

    • Start out by googling the N64 controller pinout and go from there.

  • Anonymous

    Is there a arduino project where the device could be unplugged and used on another project?

  • Can I make my own arduino boards? I’ve seen the board layouts on the arduino site but what about the firmware on the micro?

    • Yes you can. The “firmware” is available right through the Arduino IDE. You need an AVR programmer. (You can use another arduino to do this.. however I have never done it) Hook up that programmer.. Connected the Arduino to a power source and then click the option that says “burn boot loader”.. Thats it..

  • I want my Kids to make a LED color changing temperature gauge. But where should they start?

  • Curious about integrating the Arduino with the various Perl event frameworks. Anyone have tips?

  • Anonymous

    I always wanted to know about Arduino but was too afraid to ask because I am one of those people that some of my friend and co-workers expect to know about things like this. Plus I am Arduino curious and want to teach my son some old school style tech hacking. It would make for a good father-son geek bonding opportunity.

  • I would like to get started with Arduino. Hep me?

  • I work on a lot of PWM type applications, how many PWM peripherals can it control? Is it hard to program the Arduino to work with motors?

  • I would like to know why my boyfriend is so fascinated with Arduino boards.

  • I’d like to make a fun (but rugged) toy for my girls, ages 1 and 2. I know there’s a metric ton of Arduino projects out there; has anybody got ideas about Arduino-based toys suitable for toddlers?

  • would gladly pass this along to my friend who doesn’t think he’s / she’s very artistic.

  • the last year, in one robotic contest, one event have a surprise reward… yes… an ARDUINO. After that, i discover the potentially of Arduino for make quick prototyping. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrcOKrC0vgI

    Now im currently using ARDUINO to teach to other students how to make his dreams true… quick and low cost.

    One recomendation for the begginers… use: virtual breadboard, for simulations of your proyects with ARDUINO.

    Best regards from Colombia.

  • What if I wanted to create a greenhouse monitoring system for water levels, water temperatures, air temperatures, humidity, soil ph, solar gain, outside temperature, air pressure, carbon monoxide levels, etc in order to auto compensate for greenhouse conditions by opening window vents, turning fans and pumps on and off, raising and lowering shades, and so on. What types of activities along these lines would Arduino be a bad fit for?

  • Is there an Arduino project that can fix my parent’s car that I drove without permission and accidentally crumpled the front fender? Perhaps a New-Fender-Shield or My-Insurance-Just-Went-Up-Shield might help?

  • Has anyone interfaced Arduino with old sound and video chips in a big way? (NOTE: Me tired so brain-to-mush ratio is not ideal ;-) )

    Also how hard would it be to link it up with the LEGO Mindstorms components?

  • Well one of the reasons I am interested is understanding electrical engineering in general (possible college or trade school in the near future), and applying a generator concept I dearly want to extend and develop. This could mean a REAL co-op opportunity, and it will help the earth!

  • I use to dream of getting Arduino for so many years but never had the opportunity to buy 1 for me coz of my country. Anyway, I finally designed one for myself and I am loving it :D

  • I use to dream of getting Arduino for so many years but never had the opportunity to buy 1 for me coz of my country. Anyway, I finally designed one for myself and I am loving it :D

  • awesome! let’s win big.

  • It’s been 30+ years since I last did any programming in 6800/PDP-11/TI990 assembler and (uh hem) Basic-Plus 2 and Pascal. How frustrating is it going to be for me to dive into the world of Arduino?

  • How can I teach my kids, 6th and 8th grade, the power of the Arduino?

  • Anonymous

    And the winners are: Gene Kaufman, Rob T Firefly, Liz Valentine, Michael Voss, Crow. Email me to claim your book.

  • Anonymous

    I’d like to get started, but I’m unsure of which of the many versions I should start with. Perhaps this book could help point me in the right direction.

  • what if arduino could make possible a new kind of career? imagine an intelligent home designer, someone who contracts with individual homeowners to build systems that turn their houses into intelligent systems, personalized to their particular needs!

  • Anonymous

    well I would like the book but I’m under the gun here because I just got here. But we need more kit builders!!! or at least kit builders outlets, what ever happened to Heathkit? Everything is called DIY now I guess. Whats a hardware geek like me to do?

  • I want to turn my room into high technology place like with sensors,robots,small screen with some message on it and some face detectors. So do I need one arduino for each of the sensor,etc or can I control multiple devices with a single arduino and another question is can we even control LCD with arduino I mean can we put the message or game on LED with the help of arduino

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  • Guest

    There is a “Make” video which shows how to control LEDs brightness to chance colors etc with an android device. In the video, they used the device as power source.

    I wonder if I can control the LEDs with the device (with a wire or wireless) and still power it up somewhere else?

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