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Very cool! I too am a "pure software" guy. A few years ago I was really into hardware but started to go with buying finished solutions instead of building thin

by dvcrn 10y ago

Very cool! I too am a "pure software" guy. A few years ago I was really into hardware but started to go with buying finished solutions instead of building things on my own to save time and concentrate on the software. I had no idea it's this simple to solder something together and speak to it. Now I'd love to know how to do the same with a arduino or similar "less heavy" build. Does anyone have links to resources in how to do that and how to get started?

StavrosK 10y ago
I keep meaning to write a post about how to get started, but I don't remember what "getting started" means any more. If you want, email me with a few questions and I'll try to incorporate them in my post.
tmuir 10y ago
Both sparkfun and adafruit have tons of tutorials for both arduino and traditional microcontroller development. Both companies also sell all kinds of development boards, breakout boards, and prototyping tools and supplies.
exDM69 10y ago
> Does anyone have links to resources in how to do that and how to get started? If you don't mind spending a little money (less than $100), get one of those "starter kits" for electronics that come with an Arduino (or similar) and a bunch of leds, resistors, caps and chips to tinker with. From there on, it's really easy. There should be tutorials that work with the kit you get or find a set of tutorials and get a kit to match. If you want to build things that talk to the Internet, a Raspberry might be a better starting point than an Arduino (for which you need an Ethernet or Wifi shield, but they should be easy to use too). I can wield a soldering iron but I've only dealed with analog audio electronics before, but I was able to whip up a custom gaming controller for flight simulator use using shift registers, multiplexers and LEDs (and 64 buttons) in just a few nights of tinkering.
- DanBC 10y ago
  > I can wield a soldering iron but I've only dealed with analog audio electronics before, but I was able to whip up a custom gaming controller for flight simulator use using shift registers, multiplexers and LEDs (and 64 buttons) in just a few nights of tinkering. I would love to read about that!
  - exDM69 10y ago
    I'm sorry I don't have anything written down and seems like I don't have the images of it around either. Basically it was just a big ass 8x8 switch matrix made with multiplexers and shift registers and cobbled together with some diode logic. This gives 64 "buttons", some of which are wired to rotary encoders and the rest are buttons and switches. It's got enough knobs and buttons to deal with all the navigation and communication instruments in a small civilian aircraft. Alternatively, I've thought of using it as a MIDI or similar controller for my software synth projects. The coolest feature was that there is a row of backlit buttons that have two colored, two wire LEDs. Current goes one way -> LED is red, current goes opposite, LED is green. Alternate the current direction quickly and you get yellow. This is used for autopilot status indicator, e.g. when running in heading hold (HDG) mode and going to intercept a VOR or ILS beam, the HDG led is green and VOR led is yellow. When you intercept and autopilot changes mode, the HDG goes off and VOR goes green. Right now it's gathering dust, which is a shame but I haven't had time for flight simming in ages. Building this thing cost me a lot of money since I bought all the hardware new, and big beefy switches are damn expensive. I learned a lot when doing it. Like that electrical current flows both ways in a copper wire. I felt really stupid when I realized that I must use some diodes to get my switches working.
    - whamlastxmas 10y ago
      Just FYI you can do this a lot easier in the future with a Teensy board.
      - exDM69 10y ago
        Care to elaborate? Most of my issues were with designing and constructing the hardware. The micro controller and the software wasn't too difficult to deal with. The only issues I had were getting the LUFA firmware built to make the device work as a USB HID game controller.

by dvcrn 10y ago

StavrosK 10y ago

I keep meaning to write a post about how to get started, but I don't remember what "getting started" means any more. If you want, email me with a few questions and I'll try to incorporate them in my post.

tmuir 10y ago

Both sparkfun and adafruit have tons of tutorials for both arduino and traditional microcontroller development. Both companies also sell all kinds of development boards, breakout boards, and prototyping tools and supplies.

exDM69 10y ago

> Does anyone have links to resources in how to do that and how to get started? If you don't mind spending a little money (less than $100), get one of those "starter kits" for electronics that come with an Arduino (or similar) and a bunch of leds, resistors, caps and chips to tinker with. From there on, it's really easy. There should be tutorials that work with the kit you get or find a set of tutorials and get a kit to match. If you want to build things that talk to the Internet, a Raspberry might be a better starting point than an Arduino (for which you need an Ethernet or Wifi shield, but they should be easy to use too). I can wield a soldering iron but I've only dealed with analog audio electronics before, but I was able to whip up a custom gaming controller for flight simulator use using shift registers, multiplexers and LEDs (and 64 buttons) in just a few nights of tinkering.

DanBC 10y ago
> I can wield a soldering iron but I've only dealed with analog audio electronics before, but I was able to whip up a custom gaming controller for flight simulator use using shift registers, multiplexers and LEDs (and 64 buttons) in just a few nights of tinkering. I would love to read about that!
- exDM69 10y ago
  I'm sorry I don't have anything written down and seems like I don't have the images of it around either. Basically it was just a big ass 8x8 switch matrix made with multiplexers and shift registers and cobbled together with some diode logic. This gives 64 "buttons", some of which are wired to rotary encoders and the rest are buttons and switches. It's got enough knobs and buttons to deal with all the navigation and communication instruments in a small civilian aircraft. Alternatively, I've thought of using it as a MIDI or similar controller for my software synth projects. The coolest feature was that there is a row of backlit buttons that have two colored, two wire LEDs. Current goes one way -> LED is red, current goes opposite, LED is green. Alternate the current direction quickly and you get yellow. This is used for autopilot status indicator, e.g. when running in heading hold (HDG) mode and going to intercept a VOR or ILS beam, the HDG led is green and VOR led is yellow. When you intercept and autopilot changes mode, the HDG goes off and VOR goes green. Right now it's gathering dust, which is a shame but I haven't had time for flight simming in ages. Building this thing cost me a lot of money since I bought all the hardware new, and big beefy switches are damn expensive. I learned a lot when doing it. Like that electrical current flows both ways in a copper wire. I felt really stupid when I realized that I must use some diodes to get my switches working.
  - whamlastxmas 10y ago
    Just FYI you can do this a lot easier in the future with a Teensy board.
    - exDM69 10y ago
      Care to elaborate? Most of my issues were with designing and constructing the hardware. The micro controller and the software wasn't too difficult to deal with. The only issues I had were getting the LUFA firmware built to make the device work as a USB HID game controller.