Wiseduino+ kit available for sale

Update July 5, 2015
A redesigned wsduino kit is now available.

Updated Apr 24, 2012
This kit is DISCONTINUED (not available for sale anymore).

If you are looking into building an Arduino-based clock or a system that requires time keeping, this board is for you. Wiseduino+ not only offers an on-board real time clock, but an extremely accurate one, based on the DS3231 chip from Maxim.

Wiseduino+ is fully compatible with Arduino Duemilanove, from both the hardware (shields) and software (Arduino IDE) perspectives.

Since many people dislike (or are not comfortable with) soldering SMDs, the kit comes with the RTC chip DS3231 already soldered. (Note that there is no DS3231 in DIP form available.) All other parts are through-hole. Sockets are provided for the two other ICs (ATmega328 microcontroller and 24LC256 EEPROM).

Wiseduino+ kit contains the following parts:

• PCB (green), with a (cuttable) prototyping area;
• ATmega328 microcontroller chip, with 28-pin DIL socket;
• DS3231 RTC chip, soldered on the board;
• 24LC256 EEPROM chip, with 16-pin DIL socket;
• 16MHz crystal;
• 2 x 22pF capacitors;
• 2N2222 npn transistor;
• 4 x 100nF decoupling capacitors;
• 6 x 10k resistors;
• 40-pin female header;
• CR1220 coin battery, with socket;
• micro power switch;
• 2-pin polarized power connector with wires attached;
• clip for 9V-style battery (for use with a battery holder ONLY; NEVER connect to a 9V battery);
• 6-pin right angle male header, used as FTDI connector.

To assemble the board, use the same (similar) instructions for building Wiseduino.
A partially assembled board is shown in the photo below.

From the software perspective, any sketch developed for Wiseduino should work without changes on Wiseduino+.

Related postings:

• Introducing Wiseduino
• Assembling Wiseduino

Introducing Wiseduino+

Updated June 10/2011
Added images of the schematic and board and provided the Eagles files.

On this new Arduino-compatible board, similar in form and function to the older Wiseduino, DS1307 was replaced with the extremely accurate real time clock DS3231 from Maxim.

All the other feature were left intact:

• ATmega328;
• on-board real time clock with battery backup;
• on-board EEPROM (32K);
• connector for XBee adapter from Adafruit (with remote upload capabilities);
• parallel row of prototyping board-compatible headers;
• power switch;
• prototyping area (which can be cut off, if desired, and used as breakout for an 8-pin SOIC SMD);
• 6-pin FTDI connector;
• sketches for Wiseduino work without modifications.

Enhancements include:

• ability to use either resonator or crystal (and 2 capacitors);
• ability to connect to the interrupt pins of DS3231;
• better (manual) trace routing.

Here are the top and the bottom of the board:

Here are Wiseduino+ and Wiseduino (both partially assembled) side by side:

As a note, the PCB manufacturer cannot currently make black boards anymore (or it is prohibitively expensive).

Below are the images of the schematic (download Eagle file here) and board (Eagle file here).

Related postings:

• Buy Wiseduino+ kit (with on-board DS3231 extremely accurate real time clock)
• Introducing Wiseduino - an Arduino clone with on-board RTC and EEPROM
• Buy Wiseduino kit (with on-board DS1307)

Contest - enclosure for BookClock

I am of the opinion that an electronics project is not finished until it is encased. I have lots of working boards sitting around and collecting dust (literally). They cannot be displayed/shown and sometimes not even touched as they are, since there is a potential for shorts or breaking connections because of the open circuitry or fragile wiring.

Here is an idea: a contest for the design of an enclosure, specifically for the BookClock project. I originally used a cardboard box as case, but that looks rather shabby. I tried to explore other, mostly wood-based (because opacity should be a requirement) solutions, but they are too complicated to manufacture (involving tooling, die-cuts etc). I think that one of the best suited solution for "mass" production and also accessible to amateurs and hobbyists, is laser-cutting the box sides, but this is just my suggestion.

So here are the contest rules and details:

1. submit plans, containing drawings with dimensions, for a box for BookClock; basically, the book-sized box should hold the 8x32 LED matrix display from Sure Electronics (datasheet here) on a side, and the Arduino board inside.
2. email the design file (PDF, DGW, DXF, PNG, BMP, JPG) to s o m e o n e @ c i f o . c o m;
3. deadline for submission is Nov 15, 2010;
4. the best design(s) will be awarded DWex watch(es);
5. the design must be open source (publishable, downloadable);

The winner(s) will be chosen based on the following criteria, not necessarily in this order:

• solution cost: the cheaper, the better; this involves materials and processing work (labor/machining/assembly/finishing);
• design: how it looks;
• originality, special features, cool factor.

I will be posting on the contest entries and announce the winner a few days after the contest ends on Nov 15.

DWex is here! Real and ready!

Thank you for 17 days of unbelievable patience.
I will ship all outstanding orders tomorrow, plus the promised (see comments here) gift (a small step to your next clock project).
It may sound like an excuse, but this kind of delay happens in the big leagues as well, even at a grander scale. I myself ordered from Texas Instruments their Chronos watch development kit, in November of 2009. Almost one year later, I received the shipping confirmation. If you don't believe me, look at the snapshot below.

New in the Shoppe: Wise Clock 2 - assembled, tested and ready for use

Updated May 5, 2011  - This product is now DISCONTINUED.


The latest issue (Sep 2010) of Elektor magazine has a catchy title on its cover: "Give your projects simple grace with the Elektor project case". Browsing the magazine curiously, I found out that the mentioned project case is actually the way I enclose my own projects, made out of two laser-cut plates of transparent acrylic. I am glad I am not far off from "perfection" :)

Since it cannot be said better, here is the quote from the Elektor article:

A brief tour of the World Wide Web clearly shows one of the problems facing many electronic enthusiasts: the enclosure. All too often it’s a plastic box in a dismal shade of grey, cluttered with an awkward arrangement of connectors, controls and indicators. You spent hours designing a stunning PCB layout, assembled the board neatly, and it ends up in a humdrum plastic box. Isn’t there a better way?

Starting today, for people who don't own (and are not interested in owning) a soldering iron, I am making available the assembled and tested version of the Wise Clock 2. It comes with the SD card, formatted and with the right files on it, the USB power adapter (5V DC output) and a 4-foot miniB USB cable (used to power the clock from either a computer or the USB adapter). In the assembled Wise Clock 2, the transparent acrylic plates are thicker, at 4mm (1/6"). The ATmega644 microcontroller comes programmed with the latest software (since new feature are added periodically). The display can be chosen between red and green.

Wise Clock 2 is shown in the photo at right and also in this video.


The clock is available for shipping to North America only, for the price of US$125, with free shipping.