Buy Duino644 kit

Updated Sep 30, 2011 - DISCONTINUED
This kit is no longer offered. It was replaced by the Wise Clock 3 kit.


Updated Jan 27, 2011

A redesigned (revision 2.1) Duino644 is back in stock. Read more about it here.

Note: Although I added a few more components and I made the board a bit larger, I decided to keep the price unchanged. I hope this is appreciated :)

Also, the picture below won't accurately reflect the actual component set. Missing are the 4 right-angle push buttons (one is replacing the reset button), the micro-speaker and the high brightness blue LED.

I have a few Duino644 kits for sale, on hand and ready to ship. After they are gone, any order will be fulfilled in about 4 weeks time.
Duino644 kits are US$54, with free regular shipping to North America.

For only US$10 more, buy the 2416 LED matrix display from Sure Electronics (ebay), and you can have a nice gadget on your desk to impress your friends an colleagues.

The Duino644 kit includes the following parts:

• PCB;
• ATmega644 / 20MHz, with bootloader;
• either 16 MHz resonator or crystal 16 MHz (plus 2 capacitors 22pF);
• 40-pin socket for ATmega644;
• SD card socket (SD card is not included);
• DS1307 real time clock, either in DIP or SOIC package;
• 24LC256 EEPROM, either in DIP or SOIC package;
• 3V coin battery (CR1220 equivalent);
• battery holder for CR1220;
• crystal 32,768 Hz;
• 2 x 16-pin (2x8) female headers;
• 3 x capacitor 100nF;
• 78L33 regulator (3V3);
• 10 x resistor 10K;
• 3 x resistor 4.7K;
• micro push button (reset);
• micro slide switch (power);
• 6-pin angled male header (FTDI);
• either USB miniB SMD connector or USB type B connector;
• infrared receiver;
• 40-pin female connector;
• either molex 2-pin angled power connector or JST jack.

Assembling instructions are published here.

Related posts:

• Introducing Duino644

Introducing Duino644

Updated Sep 30, 2011 - DISCONTINUED
This kit is no longer available. A very similar kit is the Wise Clock 3.

A simple name from a simple mind: think Arduino clone powered by ATmega644.

Compatible with Arduino software environment (thanks to the Sanguino board, from which it was inspired), Duino644 offers more capabilities than a regular, ATmega328-based Arduino, in the same price range.

Duino644 was originally designed to be used in an advanced new version of Wise Clock. It features the same combo RTC + EEPROM as Wiseduino, and also an SD card socket and connectors for the 24x16 LED matrix display from Sure Electronics.

Duino644 can also be used as a general-purpose Sanguino-compatible board, having all ports (input/ouput pins) exposed and available for use.

Here are some of Duino644 features:

• PDIP (40 pin) ATmega644 on socket, running at 16 MHz;
• compatible with Arduino software environment through the addition of Sanguino libraries;
• directly pluggable into the 2416 LED display from Sure Electronics;
• semi-pluggable (just one of the two connectors) into the 0832 LED matrix display from Sure Electronics; display type (2416 or 0832) is selectable through jumper;
• compatible with uzebox game console (requires a different crystal and the "uzebox shield" (under development));
• relatively easy to solder, with mostly through hole components;
• on board socket for either SD card or microSD card;
• on board RTC (DS1307) in either PDIP or SOIC package;
• on board EEPROM (24LC256) in either PDIP or SOIC package;
• 6-pin FTDI connector with automatic reset capability;
• powered, with regulated 5V only, through either standard 2-pin power connector (MLX-WF02R from molex or JST jack from seeedstudio) or USB (type B or miniB connector);
• power on/off micro switch, easily accessible on the side;
• available interrupt output pin from RTC;
• on board backup battery (CR1220), allowing RTC to keep time even when Duino644 is not powered;
• infrared receiver for remote control;
• all 4 ports made available through extension headers, spaced at 0.1" multiples, for use with prototype boards;
• ISCP6 connector for AVR programming.

Schematic (download Eagle file)

Board (download Eagle file)

A few Duino644 PCBs are shown in the photo below.

And this is an assembled Duino644, which is the base for Wise4Sure. With the current software, it works exactly like in this video.

Assembling instructions can be found here.



Duino644 by FlorinC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


References:

• Sanguino
• Arduino vs Sanguino vs Arduino Mega

Related posts:

• Wise Clock 2 with ATmega644
• The original Wise4Sure
• When 2K is not enough

Assembling the "LED matrix shield" kit

Updated May 16, 2011
Fellow Arduino fan Scott graciously offered this PDF version of the assembling instructions.


Updated Feb 17/2010

The content of the "LED matrix shield" kit was slightly changed: the 40-pin female header used as socket for the LED matrix is now replaced with two 12-pin machined female headers, making a much better quality connector, suitable for the thin pins of the LED matrix.

Since these new headers are not as high, the IC sockets, if soldered, would impede on the complete insertion of the LED matrix in the headers; therefore, they have been dropped.

The LED matrix shield for Wise Clock kit includes the following components (also shown in the photo):

• PCB, Arduino shield format;
• 8x8 bi-color (red + green) LED matrix, medium size (47 x 47 mm);
• 1 x 40-pin male header;
• 2 x 12-pin machined female header;
• 17 x 100 ohm resistor;
• 1 x 10K resistor;
• 2 x 100 nF decoupling capacitor;
• 2 x 595 shift register;
• 1 x ULN2803;
• 1 x infrared receiver;
• 2 x mini push button.

Like Wiseduino, the LED matrix shield kit requires some basic soldering skills.
One of the most important aspects of correctly assembling the kit is paying attention to the orientation of the ICs and the LED matrix. The ICs must be positioned to match their notches with those on the silkscreen. Pin 1 (and also Pin 13) of the LED matrix are clearly marked on the silkscreen. To eliminate any doubt I also hand-wrote the pin numbers on the back of the LED matrix.

Following are the steps for assembling the board:

1. cut the male headers in 4 pieces (two 8 pins, two 6 pins) and solder them in their right places; the easiest way to perform the soldering is to insert the pins into the Arduino extension connectors, like you had a shield in place already;

2. solder the two 12-pin headers;

3. solder each 100 ohm resistor after placing it vertically (bend one terminal 180 degrees);

4. place and solder the 2 push buttons;

5. solder the remaining 2 resistors, R17 (10K) and R19 (100 ohms);

6. solder the infrared receiver, then bend it 90 degrees so it becomes parallel to the board and also sticks out a bit;
7. insert the 3 ICs, matching their notches with those on the silkscreen, then solder them (before inserting them, don't forget to bend their pins, as shown here);

8. solder the 2 decoupling capacitors (100nF);

9. carefully insert the LED matrix, paying attention to its orientation (the pin numbers are hand-written on the back, for easier identification).

In the end, the assembled LED matrix shield should look like this (shown plugged into Wiseduino):

The code for Wise Clock can be viewed and downloaded here.

Related posts:

• Introducing Wise Clock
• Introducing Wiseduino, an Arduino clone
• Wise Clock sketch

Enclosures - part 3

Since my last posting on enclosures, I have found a few interesting ones that are worth mentioning.

This USB enclosure may qualify as one of the smallest. And here is an update, enclosing an actual circuit board.

Cases in different sizes, from Staples
This particular one (0.55L) fits perfectly the 8x32 LED matrix display from Sure Electronics.















A simple yet practical enclosure

The Chronulator
Not a mere enclosure, but rather a work of art. Check out lots of other Chronulator mods here.

Lego case

MicroRAX

Related posts:

• Enclosures - part 1
• Enclosures - part 2

Wise Clock sketch

In essence, what the Wise Clock sketch (download from here) does is to display, by scrolling from right to left, two pieces of information:

• the current time, retrieved from a real time clock (RTC) and
• a quotation (a one-liner piece of text) retrieved from an external EEPROM.

Some auxiliary functionality offered by the sketch:

• allows user interaction through a Sony TV remote control and through the "Menu" push button (useful when testing or when the remote is not at hand);
• displays selectable menu items;
• sleep mode (turn display off);
• time could be set through the remote control;
• uses different colors for display.

Troubleshooting the Wiseduino board

One of the most common problem reported when building an Arduino-clone (not necessarily Wiseduino) is the failure to communicate with the board, that is, the sketch cannot be uploaded.

Here are a few things to check in this case.

- make sure the polarity is correct: the 5V and GND pins in the power connector are indicated in silkscreen;
- measure the current taken by the board; this would give an indication if there is a short somewhere; normally, when only the Wiseduino board is powered (no shields attached), the
consumption should not be higher than 30-50 mA, at most;
- the power switch must have the "lever" towards the female headers to power the board;
- the batteries must be rechargeables (1.2V each, making about 4.8V together); 4 regular AA (new) batteries would provide at least 6V, a bit too much for the ICs;

- make sure the FTDI cable is inserted correctly: ground (black wire) closer to the female headers;
- are the ICs properly inserted into their sockets (so that the notches match, see the photos for assembly instructions)?

A lot more explanations should be provided, no doubt. Your comments, observations, issues are welcome. Also, your contribution to the development and refinement of this code is appreciated.

Related posts:

• Wise Clock