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>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, t

by 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.
  - Alupis 10y ago
    Nobody said buy a raw chip and give it to a newbie. You've stuffed a straw man just to further your point. The ESP8266 is in every ESP8266 based board. Your favorite ESP8266 based board just happens to be the D1 that comes with extra bells and whistles, such as a USB port. The point I originally made, that apparently started your tirade, was that the ESP8266 is the common chip that provides the capability people are looking for. They don't need to buy a D1 to get that capability, they can buy _ANY_ board with an ESP8266 inside! So long as it has an ESP8266 inside, they get the community support, IDE support, and WiFi support. If they want/need it, they can also get GPIO and directly program the ESP8266 inside, but that is _NOT_ required. You can plug any ESP8266-based board into another microcontroller and get WiFi connectivity through the serial pins. You've found the chip - now you just find the board. How do you not understand that? With that said, I feel this could go on forever... so... we're done.
antoniuschan99 10y ago
D1 mini and nodemcu. Hands down. So cheap and easy to use.

by blhack 10y ago

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.
- Alupis 10y ago
  Nobody said buy a raw chip and give it to a newbie. You've stuffed a straw man just to further your point. The ESP8266 is in every ESP8266 based board. Your favorite ESP8266 based board just happens to be the D1 that comes with extra bells and whistles, such as a USB port. The point I originally made, that apparently started your tirade, was that the ESP8266 is the common chip that provides the capability people are looking for. They don't need to buy a D1 to get that capability, they can buy _ANY_ board with an ESP8266 inside! So long as it has an ESP8266 inside, they get the community support, IDE support, and WiFi support. If they want/need it, they can also get GPIO and directly program the ESP8266 inside, but that is _NOT_ required. You can plug any ESP8266-based board into another microcontroller and get WiFi connectivity through the serial pins. You've found the chip - now you just find the board. How do you not understand that? With that said, I feel this could go on forever... so... we're done.

antoniuschan99 10y ago

D1 mini and nodemcu. Hands down. So cheap and easy to use.