DMStudios' Digital Playground
24Jan/130

The Jeruino (Arduino compatible clone circuit)

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Introducing the Jeruino! (not really.. but everyone else names their Arduino knock-off clone circuit.. figured I might as well be trendy too!) LOL =)

Everyone knows how much of a whore I am for the RFX platform...

I have also been playing with the Arduino for a while too... (any member here or JSSDC can easily jump in..with both feet and be up speed (at least my speed) in a day or so...so I dont wanna hear any pissin' & moanin' about things being too hard.. lazy I'll accept)

a HUGE problem for everyone who posts this junk is 'footprint' going from the non-practical BREADBOARD set-up that is great for YouTube vids.. but not so great for any practical project.. nor is stuffing a 'real/true' Arduino board into a project (they are more development/prototyping and have alot of bells and whistles you dont need in the end) very practical and wastes money.

you can get all the components for a barebones Arduino for around $7 bucks or so.... which is much better than $30+ each time to shove in a stunt or costume or other prop..

I saw Alec post his jedi training remote.. and pm'd him saying that is great project for an RFX or Arduino 'brain'.... since it doesnt need a CF or PC..etc.. this little brains fill a nice niche.

So I opened up photoshop and got to work on making [u]my[/u] first 'real' pcb schematic (IMHO).. since this was a real working board..and not just some traces to hold sensors or switches as I have etched out before..

(I etched another 'real' board...but it was based on TroyO's schematics for a multi-channel LED driver board.. which I've posted before...PWM chopper type)

this one I created myself from scratch.. and google/instructables... (basically ported my breadboard Arduino circuit to a PCB) with the intent being fore Alec's jedi training remote.. (anyways.. not sure if that currently being worked anymore) =(

but I produced my first functioning Jeruino board.. ;) (Arduino clone)

Its no PlecterLabs, professionally design PCB.. etched by a PCB house...etc.. this is DIY at home... (so if your looking for that.. Alt+F4 is for you! =) )

anyways.. on with the story/post.. =)

SO I made a design in Photoshop to illustrate my traces and vias/pads..etc
you print this out on GLOSSY PHOTOPAPER.. done with a LASER PRINTER (not ink jet)

**this happens to be DUAL sided (avoid at all costs if you can..true PITA for DIY)

you cut out your traces/design... lay it over your copper clad board (RadioShack..or anywhere)
and you IRON it.. heating up the toner so it adheres and transfers to the copper board.

let sit for a few minutes.. run it under water.. and rub/peel the paper away under only traces are left on your copper board: (looks like you printed on the board... sometimes traces by the edges do NOT transfer good.. so be careful.)

cut out other side.. and get ready to repeat process:

once you have your traces transferred to the board.. it is time you etch away the visible copper.
All copper is gone.. leaving only the traces you transferred to the board left.

the flip side: (**warning..UGLY.. you can see the lift of the paper and traces that are crummy on this side) (you can see the holes mis-aligned a bit.. but no worries..all good)

this side came out pretty damn good though:

from here.. I removed the toner on the board with some ACETONE..

Next we drill the holes (damn there was a lot)
Doesnt look too bad (from the top)..LOL

clearer view of the bottom side with some mis-aligned holes:

what stinks about the DIY approach with dual sided.. is THERE ARE NO THROUGH HOLES PLATED.. so its a real BITCH to solder through the holes to bridge continuity..

Anyways.. once you are at this point..
you can start to solder on your components:

and....viola`

and finished product..

threw in a Atmel chip from my Arduino.. (already had a sketch/program on it..so I knew it was working)..

powered it up.. BAM.. it worked! (STOKED!)..

however.. before I posted.. I needed to check the FTDI headers.. (these 4 pin headers are how you talk and upload new sketches/programs to the chip to be 'run')...

[b][size=150]FAIL![/size][/b]

it runs...works.. but only a pre-programmed sketch that was/is on the chip.. (BOOOO!)..

who wants to buy a REAL Arduino (besides people like me).. just to swap out the chip for your final project every time your done? (I guess many people do it this way though..as FTDI takes up a little space?)

be nice to just write directly to your final Jeruino.. ;)

so after some BS and a few swear words.. I fixed everything..(ala Ultra Sound approach) LMAO...

found a few continuity problems from top-side of board to bottom side of board..

and an FTDI problem...

the Ultra Sound fix was a missing trace to a certain pin (pin7...VCC..yikes)..

so I had to use a fix wire..like the old US boards.. hahaha.. (throw-back)
(it looks worse in the pic)

and of course.. because no good deed go un-punished and hard work is always laughed at in life..

I got punished by NOT doing my due diligence.. doing all this hard work for NOTHING!..

as I found a KIT.. that does exactly what I just created from scratch, myself.. that is MUCH more easier, and much more professional (however you dont get the satisfaction of failing over and over, swearing alot....and its missing any kind of Voltage regulator.. but making a quick PCB for that would be no problem!!!! haha)..

so I got a kit to compare mine..to 'his'... (fucker.. I really like his kits!!)

so without further ado..

some compare pics:

my DIY vs purchased (mine has a vRegulator though..so its a bit longer)

**disclaimer-

I make no implications that I know what Im doing..
that this is the BEST approach
that this is absolutely how things much be done.

I am simply sharing what "I've" done...

but for extra $10.. it can really kick up a stunt or costume..

you have a BRAIN with MANY I/O ports to hook stuff up to..

LED's... servos/motors.. accelerometers... and the list goes on and on..

all the same brain.. just change the code. =)

hope this helps someone finish that special prop/project.

feedback or questions are appreciated.

Thanks gang..

24Jan/130

S.C.A.B development…

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Over the 'years'.. (since I was first turned on to the RFX project/platform).. I fell in love with the idea of a generic platform for the user use as they saw fit.

motors, leds, rfid...whatever the project was.. a nice, simple, generic platform for users to 'tweak' and customize seems like a great idea to me.

with RFX basically defunct/dead... I turned toward the Arduino platform. Had a huge following, lots of examples.. and quite easy to get up to speed on basics..etc.. (even without an electronics background)

The problem with the Arduino platform (as is).. is that its purpose (to me) is for developing/prototyping your projects.. but not to be used in the end application.

why? due to size.. and price mainly for me.. (although other Arduino variants can come in smaller sizes.. the price is includes extra development stuff you may not use in your final projects...etc... and not to mention a minimal Arduino circuit can be made for under $7.00 bucks!)

And getting an Arduino to play audio isnt done easily (by default)..
****(although now I just tested a super easy PWM based audio output library.. doesnt use any DAC or AMP.. and the quality is pretty decent for what it is!)

SO I began to teach myself Eagle.. (not easy for me unfortunately..but after some time I got more comfortable with it)..

and laid out some stuff.. and finally felt confident enough to start making my own PCB's and having the shipped to me.. (instead of the old DIY home brew etch approach)

So here I am documenting my process.. (and failures) along the way.. ;)

a qcuik summary of the things I had to learn.do/involved..

*need to make a the schematic/circuit layout in Eagle
*hope its correct or have others look it over (check against design rules too)
*order the pcb's (sending the exported GERBER files form Eagle to your pcb fab house of choice)
*order a stencil (which is used to layover the pcb and smear solder paste over it to get it applied to the exposed pads through stencil)
*place parts on pcb (tweezers!!!!)
*re-flow pcb in oven

This was my first iteration.. using a different DAC than the schematic I was using as my guide:

Here was my FIRST generation of pcb's I got made:

Here is the pcb compared to other stuff.. an Arduino, a smaller minimal Arduino kit..and I think an US 2.5 board:

here I applied my solder paste.. and populated the board with its components..etc. and re-flowed in my wal-mart toaster oven!!

re-flowed:(done)

I had even tried to fix it by testing jumper wires to the default I/O pins..etc.. (no go)..

Well long story short.. after posting and asking....I just couldnt get it working with the DAC I had chosen..maybe someone else could have?? no clue.. (DOH.. should have just followed along..lesson learned)..which I guess is good.. as I had a few other mistakes as well.. =( SO I started over.

In the end, all I had was a tiny Arduino circuit..with on-board uSD socket.. nice.. but no audio output. :(

So lets go version 2!!

I got mew pcb's made... got a new stencil made..etc.. and started again.

Here is the process "I" did:

apply the solder paste, using stencil:

remove stencil.. examine paste placement on pads: doesnt need to be PERFECT as the heat from pads will pull solder towards it..etc:


Then populate board: (those TQFP chips are a PITA sometimes!!)

Stick it in the toaster for a bit.. (you can see the solder melt and get shiny)

and when you are done you get a finished board..

Here are some size shots and comparison shots against a full size Arduino & WaveShield (which is what my custom board is together..those two boards in one)



in the last pic you can see some pots wired inplace of some resistors.. I did this so I could dial in not only the volume.. but play with the filter/range, so things didnt sound so muddy/muted..

when done flash the board with whatever code you wrote to control/do whatever it is you need done.

thanks for looking.. was a fun project..

24Jan/130

Arduino: WaveShiled build process

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Hey gang-

while I was working on my own custom Arduino based project.. I found myself without a real way to compare the audio output (volume/quality) against the Adafruit WaveShield which I based my project off of)

So I was about to order one.. when I found a guy at my local makerspace that actually had one of these kits. The catch was he had never put it together.

So the barter was on.. I can borrow and test it.. as long as I put it together for him.. (pfft.. no problem!)

Here is my documentation of building an Adafruit WaveShield..

the kit parts:

compare shots against my custom board, for size:

thanks for looking!

summary: nice and easy kit
does what it says in minimal time and effort
volume quality is 'not' that great.. (but they know about it.. and they provide a resistor hack for adjusting the volume)
the filter/range is a bit muffled too..

over-all its better than straight, un-filterd, un-amplified PWM audio! and its only around $20.00

PS.

special thanks to Pete P. @ the local Milwaukee Maker Space! (you guys rock!)