Are there any ATMEL-AVR geeks around

four_tire · 28th November 2007, 09:07

Recently have caught up with the embedded projects using Atmel. Iam sure iam not alone and there may be many.

Rehaan · 28th November 2007, 09:24

Hi Four_tire,

Ive been using the atmega8 and atmega168 via arduino as well as a custom arduino built by a teacher of mine. (Arduino - HomePage)

Also used to use the wiring board for some servo intensive projects. (Wiring)

I havent yet build anything that was final enough to not be dismantled after playing with it.

Few things i did do...
- Interfaced the microcontroller + sensors to Macromedia/Adobe Flash via serial port
- Built little car (RC car hack) that would drive around and shoot silly string
- Built a "wold time" clock which changes time on the LCD as you rotate the globe
- Built a 5 or 6 servo arm that could remember/record its motion as you moved it, and then playback/repeat those motions (fairly primitive prototype)

and at the moment, once i have time... i play to retrofit a gyro and a host of other sensors onto one of those very cheap 2chanel helicopters and make it more stable to fly, as well as mildly autonomous (bearing and altitude). I have spent a good deal on some sensors for this project...just havent yet started.

What have you been using them for ?

I will post some cool videos shortly...

cya
R

Rehaan · 28th November 2007, 09:41

Here are some interesting projects...

YouTube - GraffitiWriter

YouTube - Wooden Mirror Computer

Videos:

YouTube - Aperture facade installation

cya
R

four_tire · 28th November 2007, 11:45

Rehaan,

Good to know you have done so much of work around AVRs. Quite impressive as well. I am in the basics, using atmega16, the purpose was to develop a I2c router, have been successful in doing that, but looking forward to interface the USB mass storage and audio decoders,

thanks for sharing the links ... i will see them at home as they are not allowed in office.

By the way are u in US now??.. because bangalore doesnt seem to have any good components market for decoders, etc.

if you happening to be in india.. we could meet sometime..

cheers

ankura12 · 29th November 2007, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by four_tire

Recently have caught up with the embedded projects using Atmel. Iam sure iam not alone and there may be many.

Very Very long embedded experience here. Would be happy to share ideas

MuzzledMoose · 17th August 2008, 20:30

Yo! embedded in a car forum. I am here too. i am with PICMicro/ARM/DSP please do share things

vrrraju · 18th August 2008, 18:22

Hi Guys,

I was the with one of the AVR approved consultants. I have worked on AT90S8515/8535 and Atmega range of components. My projects were more on the telematics and Industrial Automation.

If you need any help you are always welcome.

/Raju

greenhorn · 18th August 2008, 18:41

did a lot of crazy things with PIC's back in college. miss those days :(

MuzzledMoose · 19th August 2008, 15:53

We can make an ambitious custom ICE project which only TBHPians will own

IMP · 22nd February 2009, 01:31

I'm planning to try out some application using the atmega32, but have zero experience or background. It would be fun though.

Does anybody have any buying experience from Robokits India, Easy to Use, Versatile Robotics Kits... or Sunrom Technologies, Your Source for Development ? I couldn't find any components here in pune, so i am planning to get the ISP programmer and development board from robokits.

Where do you get components from?

Rehaan · 22nd February 2009, 19:00

IMP,

Sorry - quick reply :

Consider working on the arduino platform? It might be easier that fiddling with ISP programmer etc since you have zero experience...

Arduino - HomePage - They have quite a few boards to choose from.

I haven't bought any components here, but when i was in the US :
Digi-Key Corporation - USA Home Page
Mouser Electronics - Electronic Component Distributor
www.sparkfun.com
(might be useful to compare prices).

Thanks for the 2 indian site links!

cya
R

IMP · 23rd February 2009, 13:17

@Rehaan - Thanks for pointing me towards Arduino, didn't know anything about it. I have mailed some people in India mentioned on their website. Availability of arduino in India is very poor it seems, also it has comparatively tiny user base as compared to avr or pic, google is my teacher here and therefore more resources/forums for avr are available, still i am not decided on which one to go for.

Arduino is similar to PICAXE

Boot loader embedded into the PIC micro controller, not open source, boot loader is Proprietary and cannot be removed from the uC. Programming using Basic like language also can program by drawing flowcharts. Not available anywhere in India.

Regards
IMP

Rehaan · 23rd February 2009, 14:58

Hey IMP,

I'm no expert in this field, but i think your choice should depend on what you intend to do / learn.

If youre a newbie and doing it purely as a hobby and to play around - arduino is a great choice. (Dont underestimate it, you can do some fantastic things, and they have a decent resource of sample code + forums for help)

However, if you want to learn skills that might be applicable to other situations (specific languages, using a programmer etc) then maybe you could go with something else.

The Arduino comes in many flavours. I have a couple, as well as a few custom boards. All the ones i have run on the ATmega168 (which i think is the standard for them now). During my earlier comparison, this beat the picaxe.

A nice amount of analog input pins as well as PWM outs make it much easier to use for projects than some other chips.

(I started off with a basic-stamp and it was painful!! (no analog ins!). Then i moved to wiring-board, which was cool, and then to arduino (much more support than wiring board, as well as smaller).

Do you have any experience with basic electronics/circuits? How about coding?

cya
R

IMP · 23rd February 2009, 16:11

Rehaan

This is just a hobby, no experience with electronics and circuits, but am good with coding.

My interest in microcontrollers started with the picaxe, but couldn't lay my hands on the hardware anywhere in India, tried sourcing it from Singapore but was very costly.

Atmega AV development boards and programmers are available in India easily.

After your post about arduino i searched a bit for it, it seems that arduino is now available in India. Found out a good page which lists all websites selling kits and components including arduino in India Robotics India - Your online robotics community

I'm going through arduino details, will decide between arduino and Atmega AVR.

Thanks for the Info.

Regards,
IMP

Rehaan · 24th November 2009, 15:20

Heres a really UNREAL offer from parts supplier SparkFun!

Check it out :
SparkFun Electronics - News - 2009.11.23

cya
R

28th November 2007, 09:07	#1
four_tire BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 213 Thanked: 32 Times View My Garage	Are there any ATMEL-AVR geeks around Recently have caught up with the embedded projects using Atmel. Iam sure iam not alone and there may be many.
	() Thanks

28th November 2007, 09:24	#2
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,074 Times	Hi Four_tire, Ive been using the atmega8 and atmega168 via arduino as well as a custom arduino built by a teacher of mine. (Arduino - HomePage) Also used to use the wiring board for some servo intensive projects. (Wiring) I havent yet build anything that was final enough to not be dismantled after playing with it. Few things i did do... - Interfaced the microcontroller + sensors to Macromedia/Adobe Flash via serial port - Built little car (RC car hack) that would drive around and shoot silly string - Built a "wold time" clock which changes time on the LCD as you rotate the globe - Built a 5 or 6 servo arm that could remember/record its motion as you moved it, and then playback/repeat those motions (fairly primitive prototype) and at the moment, once i have time... i play to retrofit a gyro and a host of other sensors onto one of those very cheap 2chanel helicopters and make it more stable to fly, as well as mildly autonomous (bearing and altitude). I have spent a good deal on some sensors for this project...just havent yet started. What have you been using them for ? I will post some cool videos shortly... cya R
	() Thanks

28th November 2007, 11:45	#4
four_tire BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 213 Thanked: 32 Times View My Garage	Rehaan, Good to know you have done so much of work around AVRs. Quite impressive as well. I am in the basics, using atmega16, the purpose was to develop a I2c router, have been successful in doing that, but looking forward to interface the USB mass storage and audio decoders, thanks for sharing the links ... i will see them at home as they are not allowed in office. By the way are u in US now??.. because bangalore doesnt seem to have any good components market for decoders, etc. if you happening to be in india.. we could meet sometime.. cheers
	() Thanks

17th August 2008, 20:30	#6
MuzzledMoose BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MalluLand Posts: 220 Thanked: 75 Times	Yo! embedded in a car forum. I am here too. i am with PICMicro/ARM/DSP please do share things
	() Thanks

18th August 2008, 18:22	#7
vrrraju BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 186 Thanked: 35 Times	AVR Consultant Hi Guys, I was the with one of the AVR approved consultants. I have worked on AT90S8515/8535 and Atmega range of components. My projects were more on the telematics and Industrial Automation. If you need any help you are always welcome. /Raju
	() Thanks

18th August 2008, 18:41	#8
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,397 Times View My Garage	did a lot of crazy things with PIC's back in college. miss those days :(
	() Thanks

19th August 2008, 15:53	#9
MuzzledMoose BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MalluLand Posts: 220 Thanked: 75 Times	We can make an ambitious custom ICE project which only TBHPians will own
	() Thanks

22nd February 2009, 01:31	#10
IMP BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 123 Thanked: 30 Times	I'm planning to try out some application using the atmega32, but have zero experience or background. It would be fun though. Does anybody have any buying experience from Robokits India, Easy to Use, Versatile Robotics Kits... or Sunrom Technologies, Your Source for Development ? I couldn't find any components here in pune, so i am planning to get the ISP programmer and development board from robokits. Where do you get components from?
	() Thanks

22nd February 2009, 19:00	#11
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,074 Times	IMP, Sorry - quick reply : Consider working on the arduino platform? It might be easier that fiddling with ISP programmer etc since you have zero experience... Arduino - HomePage - They have quite a few boards to choose from. I haven't bought any components here, but when i was in the US : Digi-Key Corporation - USA Home Page Mouser Electronics - Electronic Component Distributor www.sparkfun.com (might be useful to compare prices). Thanks for the 2 indian site links! cya R
	() Thanks

23rd February 2009, 13:17	#12
IMP BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 123 Thanked: 30 Times	@Rehaan - Thanks for pointing me towards Arduino, didn't know anything about it. I have mailed some people in India mentioned on their website. Availability of arduino in India is very poor it seems, also it has comparatively tiny user base as compared to avr or pic, google is my teacher here and therefore more resources/forums for avr are available, still i am not decided on which one to go for. Arduino is similar to PICAXE Boot loader embedded into the PIC micro controller, not open source, boot loader is Proprietary and cannot be removed from the uC. Programming using Basic like language also can program by drawing flowcharts. Not available anywhere in India. Regards IMP
	() Thanks

23rd February 2009, 14:58	#13
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,074 Times	Hey IMP, I'm no expert in this field, but i think your choice should depend on what you intend to do / learn. If youre a newbie and doing it purely as a hobby and to play around - arduino is a great choice. (Dont underestimate it, you can do some fantastic things, and they have a decent resource of sample code + forums for help) However, if you want to learn skills that might be applicable to other situations (specific languages, using a programmer etc) then maybe you could go with something else. The Arduino comes in many flavours. I have a couple, as well as a few custom boards. All the ones i have run on the ATmega168 (which i think is the standard for them now). During my earlier comparison, this beat the picaxe. A nice amount of analog input pins as well as PWM outs make it much easier to use for projects than some other chips. (I started off with a basic-stamp and it was painful!! (no analog ins!). Then i moved to wiring-board, which was cool, and then to arduino (much more support than wiring board, as well as smaller). Do you have any experience with basic electronics/circuits? How about coding? cya R
	() Thanks

23rd February 2009, 16:11	#14
IMP BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 123 Thanked: 30 Times	Rehaan This is just a hobby, no experience with electronics and circuits, but am good with coding. My interest in microcontrollers started with the picaxe, but couldn't lay my hands on the hardware anywhere in India, tried sourcing it from Singapore but was very costly. Atmega AV development boards and programmers are available in India easily. After your post about arduino i searched a bit for it, it seems that arduino is now available in India. Found out a good page which lists all websites selling kits and components including arduino in India Robotics India - Your online robotics community I'm going through arduino details, will decide between arduino and Atmega AVR. Thanks for the Info. Regards, IMP
	() Thanks

24th November 2009, 15:20	#15
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,074 Times	FREE DAY @ Sparkfun Heres a really UNREAL offer from parts supplier SparkFun! Check it out : SparkFun Electronics - News - 2009.11.23 cya R Last edited by Rehaan : 24th November 2009 at 15:21.
	() Thanks