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>It's actually the ESP8266 chip inside that you're after. No, it isn't, just like most arduino users aren't actually "after" the Atmega328p.

by blhack 10y ago

Alupis 10y ago
> No, it isn't, just like most arduino users aren't actually "after" the Atmega328p. Every one of the boards we're discussing has an ESP8266... the specific board itself doesn't matter really. You found the chip you need, now you just find the board that has the features you want. In the case of the arduino, there's a plethora of microcontrollers they can have, ATmega328p being only one of them. The microcontroller on the arduino dictates it's maximum capabilities - for example, ATmega328p only has one set of hardware serial TX/RX pins, whereas the ATmega2560 has two sets. In the case of boards/modules built using the ESP8266, the board/module dictates the maximum capabilities. It either exposes GPIO ports or it does not, some boards build in power regulators or battery connectors, or other nice-to-have-features that do not exist in the ESP8266 chip itself. It's the same chip under the hood. So, yes, in this case, it is indeed the ESP8266 chip you're after.
- blhack 10y ago
  >So, yes, in this case, it is indeed the ESP8266 chip you're after. No, it isn't. You're after a chip with wifi, that you can program using the arduino IDE, that has a programmer on it, and that has the pins broken out. The thing people want here is the Atmos D1, which uses a ESP8266 to cover some of those wants, and itself to cover more of them. When I am buying, for instance, a bean (basically an arduino variant with a BLE radio on it), I am not buying an AVR. Bluntly: I spend about 100% of my time working from a hackerspace, and a good chunk of that time is spent teaching people to program microcontrollers. The D1 is by far the best ESP8266-based board I have seen so far. THAT is the thing that people have been wanting, the ESP part of it is irrelevant to people. They want something that does the things I outlined. The ESP just happens to do half of them. If tomorrow, wemos swapped that chip out for an identical one, people would STILL want the D1, and wouldn't be missing the ESP at all.
  - Alupis 10y ago
    I'm not sure what you're arguing about. You're saying exactly the same thing, just another way. > You're after a chip with wifi, that you can program using the arduino IDE, that has a programmer on it, and that has the pins broken out. That would be an ESP8266... no? The ESP8266 is everything you just listed as a requirement - it literally checks every box you laid out. Now you just pick a board in the form factor you need for your project, and has any additional features you need/want. > The D1 is by far the best ESP8266-based board I have seen so far. You just said it again right there. The D1 just happens to be the packaging the ESP8266 is wrapped in. > When I am buying, for instance, a bean (basically an arduino variant with a BLE radio on it), I am not buying an AVR Except that you are! The bean is powered by an ATMega! The 328p to be exact! > If tomorrow, wemos swapped that chip out for an identical one, people would STILL want the D1 Probably not, since any other chip is unlikely to have as much community support and integrate so seamlessly into existing arduino IDE's. People don't want a wemos or D1, most people don't even know they exist! People want an arduino with wifi that doesn't cost $99 and isn't in a clunky shield form factor. They get that with an ESP8266 wrapped up in one of the hundred different board options, of which, the D1 is but one. Heck, you can even get an ESP-01 (ESP8266 chip with only basic functionality exposed) for less than $2, and add wifi to an Arduino Uno, or any other device with serial capability. > Bluntly: I spend about 100% of my time working from a hackerspace, and a good chunk of that time is spent teaching people to program microcontrollers Perhaps you should spend some time teaching people about what they are really working with. They don't need an arduino to build their project, they need a microcontroller, and the ATmega328p happens to be very cheap, easy, and accessible for even complete beginners. You're kind of doing people a disservice by leaving the arduino as a magic black box.
    - blhack 10y ago
      >Perhaps you should spend some time teaching people about what they are really working with. Oh FFS. Look, if you give the overwhelming majority of people this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-ESP8266-Wifi-Chip-with-SDIO-2-0-SPI-UART-Interface/32225358086.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-ESP8266-Wifi-Chip-w... They aren't going to make anything. If you give them this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-ESP-12F-ESP-12E-upgrade-ESP8266-Remote-Serial-Port-WIFI-Wireless-Module/32714088769.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-ESP-12F-ESP-12E-upgrade... They are going to have a bad day because it doesn't have a programmer built onto it. If you give somebody this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WEMOS-D1-mini-Pro-16M-bytes-external-antenna-connector-ESP8266-WIFI-Internet-of-Things-development-board/32724692514.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WEMOS-D1-mini-Pro-16M-bytes-... They are going to install the arduino IDE, hook it to a USB cable, and make something. Are you technically pedantically and absolutely pointlessly correct that the ESP8266 chip is the important part of this to SOME people? Yes. But the people who are taking a bare chip in a freaking QFN package and building something around it, who have the equipment to mount it to a board, are not reading "$20 DIY cat feeder" articles, nor would they be in any way confused by somebody telling somebody to buy a prototyping board in an arduino-form-factor. Your "point" here is one that is completely irrelevant to anybody who would be reading it.

>It's actually the ESP8266 chip inside that you're after. No, it isn't, just like most arduino users aren't actually "after" the Atmega328p.

by blhack 10y ago

>It's actually the ESP8266 chip inside that you're after. No, it isn't, just like most arduino users aren't actually "after" the Atmega328p.

Alupis 10y ago

> No, it isn't, just like most arduino users aren't actually "after" the Atmega328p. Every one of the boards we're discussing has an ESP8266... the specific board itself doesn't matter really. You found the chip you need, now you just find the board that has the features you want. In the case of the arduino, there's a plethora of microcontrollers they can have, ATmega328p being only one of them. The microcontroller on the arduino dictates it's maximum capabilities - for example, ATmega328p only has one set of hardware serial TX/RX pins, whereas the ATmega2560 has two sets. In the case of boards/modules built using the ESP8266, the board/module dictates the maximum capabilities. It either exposes GPIO ports or it does not, some boards build in power regulators or battery connectors, or other nice-to-have-features that do not exist in the ESP8266 chip itself. It's the same chip under the hood. So, yes, in this case, it is indeed the ESP8266 chip you're after.

blhack 10y ago
>So, yes, in this case, it is indeed the ESP8266 chip you're after. No, it isn't. You're after a chip with wifi, that you can program using the arduino IDE, that has a programmer on it, and that has the pins broken out. The thing people want here is the Atmos D1, which uses a ESP8266 to cover some of those wants, and itself to cover more of them. When I am buying, for instance, a bean (basically an arduino variant with a BLE radio on it), I am not buying an AVR. Bluntly: I spend about 100% of my time working from a hackerspace, and a good chunk of that time is spent teaching people to program microcontrollers. The D1 is by far the best ESP8266-based board I have seen so far. THAT is the thing that people have been wanting, the ESP part of it is irrelevant to people. They want something that does the things I outlined. The ESP just happens to do half of them. If tomorrow, wemos swapped that chip out for an identical one, people would STILL want the D1, and wouldn't be missing the ESP at all.
- Alupis 10y ago
  I'm not sure what you're arguing about. You're saying exactly the same thing, just another way. > You're after a chip with wifi, that you can program using the arduino IDE, that has a programmer on it, and that has the pins broken out. That would be an ESP8266... no? The ESP8266 is everything you just listed as a requirement - it literally checks every box you laid out. Now you just pick a board in the form factor you need for your project, and has any additional features you need/want. > The D1 is by far the best ESP8266-based board I have seen so far. You just said it again right there. The D1 just happens to be the packaging the ESP8266 is wrapped in. > When I am buying, for instance, a bean (basically an arduino variant with a BLE radio on it), I am not buying an AVR Except that you are! The bean is powered by an ATMega! The 328p to be exact! > If tomorrow, wemos swapped that chip out for an identical one, people would STILL want the D1 Probably not, since any other chip is unlikely to have as much community support and integrate so seamlessly into existing arduino IDE's. People don't want a wemos or D1, most people don't even know they exist! People want an arduino with wifi that doesn't cost $99 and isn't in a clunky shield form factor. They get that with an ESP8266 wrapped up in one of the hundred different board options, of which, the D1 is but one. Heck, you can even get an ESP-01 (ESP8266 chip with only basic functionality exposed) for less than $2, and add wifi to an Arduino Uno, or any other device with serial capability. > Bluntly: I spend about 100% of my time working from a hackerspace, and a good chunk of that time is spent teaching people to program microcontrollers Perhaps you should spend some time teaching people about what they are really working with. They don't need an arduino to build their project, they need a microcontroller, and the ATmega328p happens to be very cheap, easy, and accessible for even complete beginners. You're kind of doing people a disservice by leaving the arduino as a magic black box.
  - blhack 10y ago
    >Perhaps you should spend some time teaching people about what they are really working with. Oh FFS. Look, if you give the overwhelming majority of people this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-ESP8266-Wifi-Chip-with-SDIO-2-0-SPI-UART-Interface/32225358086.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-ESP8266-Wifi-Chip-w... They aren't going to make anything. If you give them this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-ESP-12F-ESP-12E-upgrade-ESP8266-Remote-Serial-Port-WIFI-Wireless-Module/32714088769.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1PCS-ESP-12F-ESP-12E-upgrade... They are going to have a bad day because it doesn't have a programmer built onto it. If you give somebody this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WEMOS-D1-mini-Pro-16M-bytes-external-antenna-connector-ESP8266-WIFI-Internet-of-Things-development-board/32724692514.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WEMOS-D1-mini-Pro-16M-bytes-... They are going to install the arduino IDE, hook it to a USB cable, and make something. Are you technically pedantically and absolutely pointlessly correct that the ESP8266 chip is the important part of this to SOME people? Yes. But the people who are taking a bare chip in a freaking QFN package and building something around it, who have the equipment to mount it to a board, are not reading "$20 DIY cat feeder" articles, nor would they be in any way confused by somebody telling somebody to buy a prototyping board in an arduino-form-factor. Your "point" here is one that is completely irrelevant to anybody who would be reading it.