$9 Non-Profit Auduino on Indiegogo - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 04:14:03 am
content: I do like this, a non-profit Arduino campaign, and someone who has no intention of turning it into a business. :-http://igg.me/at/9duino/x/3963035

author: CrosseyeJack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 05:00:26 am
content: Personally I've not done anything on an Arduino for a while and I would just breadboard an at mega if I were to use one again. But a drinking buddy of mine recently showed an interest in tinkering with programmable electronics and for the cost I just put my name down for one on his behalf.For less then £8/2 and half pints (plus a usb micro cable and CD for the ide and some tutorials in it, but I have those around the house) I can maybe give him something to tinker with, it was just one of those things were I couldn't see a reason to just say no.For the cost I see them as great gifts for those around you who might want to tinker and even if they lose interest its not the end of the world.EDIT: My point being even if you have an original Arduino or you program your own atmega's with the Arduino bootloader you might have a friend or know of a kid who is interested in doing a bit of "interfacing with the real world" and for the price (plus a few components out of your own stock, LEDS (throw in couple IR LEDS), resistors, some transistors, maybe few optocoupers) even if they give up after an afternoon and go back to Call of Doodie its not the end of the world, but you never know, you might get them building their own TV-B-GONE and annoying I mean showing their folks what they can do.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 02:15:20 pm
content: I might buy the 3-board perk just to have some "so cheap they're almost throwaway" boards to leave permanently installed in things! I wonder how high that funds meter is going to get by the end of the campaign?

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 03:49:44 pm
content: I will buy a couple just to play around with usb staff. Just as a dev board for avr-gcc.Alexander.

author: 4to20Milliamps
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 04:13:49 pm
content: Projects like this are more like it, it's an outstanding value and he's doing it for all the right reasons.and there are SOME handy things you can do with and arduino:http://robottini.altervista.org/arduino-and-real-time-charts-in-excelArduino curve tracer

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 05:13:06 pm
content: Nice find. Picked up a few for myself too. Thanks Dave.

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 08:03:56 pm
content: This poor guy is going to regret the huge headache he just got himself into

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 09:08:36 pm
content: Not to poo-poo on his project but you can already get boards like that from China for about the same price. I've even seen some "Funduino" branded Mega 256 boards for about $14 including shipping.I'd really like it if someone could come up with a cheaper clone of the Arduino Due so I can start playing with some ARM stuff.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 09:16:29 pm
content: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAIJIUINO-Due-Pro-R2-completely-compatible-with-Arduino-Due-onboard-Ethernet-/130905955095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e7a9a5b17Like this?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 10:40:54 pm
content: Quote from: 4to20Milliamps on July 20, 2013, 04:13:49 pmIndeed, and that's what I like about this.It's not like a Tangibot "I want to start a company just copying other people's work and improving nothing" attitude.He may very well regret it when he has to pack and ship 10K boards!

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 11:36:21 pm
content: I'll be getting some too - but just for transparency, this project has some ties to another one that has been under discussion here for a few months (and which has quite a bit of drama):https://www.eevblog.com/forum/crowd-funded-projects/smartduino-real-project-with-deceptive-info/Notice the "partner logo" under the video.Harold works for SmartMaker, and this is a project he is doing on his own time (with support from his boss). The drama comes in because SmartMaker has still only shipped a small percentage of the products that were supposed to be shipped over 6 months ago, and backers there immediately questioned the allocation of resources to other efforts.I'm not stirring the pot. This was bound to be noticed at some point.Harold seems to be a nice genuine guy, and it's hard to argue with a $9 arduino clone (the build quality should be quite good - from what I've seen of the boards shipped by SmartMaker, they are pretty well-made).

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2013, 11:52:03 pm
content: Quote from: BulletMagnet83 on July 20, 2013, 09:16:29 pmOooh.. Shaddup and take my money!

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2013, 12:10:17 am
content: Very neat project...and I hope this guy has a VERY good handle on all his costs, because it's almost impossible for a project not to have hidden expenses, and if he has planned for a break even, those expenses mean losing money.But certainly this is the moral intent of crowd funding.... Good on this guy. I'll order some in support for sure.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2013, 01:51:28 am
content: Quote from: MacAttak on July 20, 2013, 11:36:21 pmThanks very much for pointing that out.QuoteThey're actually $11-12 Arduino clones. Compare to these $12.50 ($13 w/USB cable) clones on eBay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/290933391239It's not quite as good a deal, but you don't have to wait until September (or later), and there's less chance of drama.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2013, 01:55:33 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on July 20, 2013, 10:40:54 pmThey are being shipped from the assembler in China... I doubt he will even be there.

author: tesla
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 25, 2013, 09:38:46 pm
content: I've sent $15 last monday and bought the "1 board perk" ... then I come here and find that I'm not alone! That's good to knowBy the way, I also have some "True arduinos" and china clones but ... I don't know ... I liked the idea

author: FoXX
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2013, 07:39:00 am
content: The limit is now reachedQuote

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 08:06:54 pm
content: I thought this thread could use an update...I was one of the contributors for this Arduino, but on Kickstarter ... figured I already have PIC and the pickit 3 and having an arduino wouldn't hurt...Got the package with everything directly from Hong Kong on Friday.Overall board looks ok, a couple of smd parts moved a bit in the oven but it's nothing serious. Other than that the board looks fine, the extra stuff is nice (leds, 9v to power jack cable is cool, the mini breadboard is kinda pointless).. the usb cable is something I don't like (flat, no ferrite beads) but hey, it was free...Pictures below at around 1600px wide something... if anyone wants larger size I can post the large ones (3200x*)

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:15:02 am
content: Still waiting for mine, but this is Oz.Massively oversubscribed but still shipped way ahead of schedule.Apart form the ridiculous email verification fopar, a very well executed campaign.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 03:40:01 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 17, 2013, 05:15:02 amI agree, but of course it should have been, since there was no design work required. Funny that the same people did the super-ambitious campaign first, then the easy one second. I wonder what comes next.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:48:41 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on September 17, 2013, 05:20:13 amYou can go to the order verification page (it isn't password or unique-code protected), enter in any backer's email address, and it will A) confirm that is in fact their email registered with IGG, and B) show you their shipping address - which for 95% or more will be their home address.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:51:04 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on September 17, 2013, 03:40:01 pmThird one is already underway - the "Arduino Basic Connections" book.I get the impression that several more campaigns are in pipeline too.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2013, 09:57:49 pm
content: Got mine. Looks great. Can't believe he did 15,000 boards - but he did.

author: ijchan223
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 12:30:33 am
content: man, that looks nice, wish i saw this while it was running. they did an amazing job.

author: CrosseyeJack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 05:07:40 am
content: Quote from: ijchan223 on October 07, 2013, 12:30:33 amWhile it was nice to pick a few up, you can still get fairly cheap Arduino Leonardo's on ebay. I just saw on from a seller with decent rep here in the UK for less then £2 more then the igg campaign were selling them at. Ok it doesn't come with the "kit" but that was something that was added later on in the campaign.Shop around, you will find them for a decent price, for example -http://hobbycomponents.com/index.php/dvbd/dvbd-ardu/ardu-dvbd/arduino-compatible-r3-leonardo-latest-model.html

author: kmarcisz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 07:53:17 pm
content: I got mine today as well. Very impressed with the way this campaign has been handled, ahead of schedule with 15k of boards delivered. I have received 2 boards, all seem to be working perfectly fine + I got two bags of resistors and whatnots.

author: quantumvolt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2013, 02:29:50 pm
content: Quote from: MacAttak on September 17, 2013, 05:51:04 pmHave you checked the comments on IGG lately? Seems that "the sponsor and his protege" are in for a turning tide. And the man in yellow seems to be involved in "the book" also. Wonder where he will go for his next stunt ...

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 09, 2013, 03:03:08 am
content: Oh yes, I'm very aware of it.I did get one of my 3 boards (which seems to be very well built), but the other 2 are MIA. Pretty much everyone in USA that ordered more than 1 board got sent only a single board. And a very large number of shipments that went out of HK have been in limbo for weeks now.I really hope the book fares better. There isn't a whole lot more for them to screw up after the Open System / SmartDuino fiasco where the engineering overwhelmed them, and now the $9 Arduino which had zero engineering but they totally screwed up the customer shipping portion (after knocking it out of the park until that point). The book has zero technology. They could farm the entire thing out to a real publisher and never touch a physical copy of it. So if they screw that one up too then I'm not really sure why they don't just throw in the towel altogether.

author: sorin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2013, 03:18:31 am
content: $9.2 Including shippinghttp://www.chinabuye.com/arduino-compatible-uno-r3-development-board-electronics-diy

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2013, 03:23:49 am
content: Quote from: MacAttak on October 09, 2013, 03:03:08 amI'm in the USA and I got both of my ahead of schedule. Very excellent all around!

author: Frenchie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2013, 12:02:32 pm
content: A quick word of caution, first time playing with these boards with external power this evening, two of my three boards have dead 5V regulators. Both worked fine programming via USB but as soon as I used the included battery snap and a 9V battery*, two dead micros. Possibly worth checking the regulator is functional before getting too excited with them.* USB not connected at the time.

author: timbarnes
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 13, 2013, 07:03:07 am
content: I missed out on this one, but I did get a $9 Leonardo from China which is now running my preamp. I think in the future I'll probably just build from a microprocessor directly - there are so many tutorials out there. It only takes a few components (even fewer if you don't mind using the internal clock). You can buy a set of five processors with the Arduino bootloader for just over $10...http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-X-ATMEGA328P-PU-Microcontroller-With-ARDUINO-UNO-Bootloader-SSY-2225-/221275539990and here's one example of how to build up your own circuit...http://www.instructables.com/id/YABBAS-Yet-Another-Bare-Bones-Arduino-on-Stripb/If you make the stripboard a bit bigger, you won't need a shield - just add what you need right alongside.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 04:57:00 pm
content: Harold has a new Arduino kit campaign:http://igg.me/at/bemakerIt's reminiscent of SmartMaker... overly complicated matrix of different perks, and oddly enough the project description is written in Italglish.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 08:24:21 pm
content: He goal is to provide teaching materials, and a well stocked kit to teach electronics around the world.Hardly anything to scoff at.Plus for the "kit" - he's charging $30 for something others are charging ~$100 for. I say hats off to him.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 09:34:13 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on October 25, 2013, 08:24:21 pmThat's an admirable goal, but considering the whole SmartMaker saga, and the complete lack of original content on his website so far, I think it's OK to take it with a grain of salt.QuoteIsn't that about the same as similar kits from China, that you wouldn't have to wait until February to get?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 09:47:57 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on October 25, 2013, 09:34:13 pmWhat's the SmartMaker saga?

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 09:57:32 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 25, 2013, 09:47:57 pmQuote from: MacAttak on July 20, 2013, 11:36:21 pm

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 10:02:01 pm
content: I don't know anything about the SmartMaker saga/connection to Harold.....but considering he just shipped 15k boards ahead of schedule, I think it's ok to give him the benefit of the doubt.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 10:03:53 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on October 25, 2013, 09:57:32 pmAh, got it.Well, if Harold only "works for" SmartMaker and doesn't call the shots, then what he does on his own time shouldn't really have a conflict of interest.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2013, 11:10:16 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 25, 2013, 10:03:53 pmI think the consensus is that Harold's projects (as well as Alberto's book) are SmartMaker projects, but Dimitri got Harold to be the front man.Which is not to say they aren't worthwhile projects.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2013, 12:17:33 am
content: Quote from: edavid on October 25, 2013, 11:10:16 pmI was told the whole thing was master-minded by Elvis Presley with Santa Clause doing all the dirty work.

author: CrosseyeJack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2013, 03:15:34 am
content: With this new project (who ever the project belongs to Harold or smart marker, I don't really care. I will just referrer to them as well them :-p) a update was pushed out to everyone sayingQuoteBut they have now back tracked saying.QuoteThey then "sold out" the perk and created a new perk stating it wouldn't be eligible for the free shield but what about the people (20 of that perk have been "sold" at time of writing) who took the first mass mailing at face value? It sets my spidey senses off. An honest mistake? fair enough, but will they honour the perk to the people who paid up before the clarification? Because as its a flexible funded campaign the money as already been taken out of the backers accounts and is now in the account of the person (or people) running the campaign.I guess only time will tell.EDIT: I understand that this is crowd sourcing, but when you use words such as guarantee(sic) it does make me think that not only are backers thinking they are buying something, but Harold is using the platform to sell something too.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 27, 2013, 11:32:02 pm
content: I'm not supporting the new project for a number of reasons. But probably one of the biggest reasons is that I don't trust them to design any hardware at this point. Not until the original smartmaker "open system" packages ship. In a month it will have been a full year of delays, and we aren't clear at all on what he intends to actually ship by that point. So far only a trickle of the most basic kits have gone out. Dimitri (or anyone else associated with smartmaker) has stopped communicating with backers completely other than an "update" every 2 weeks that doesn't really answer any of the recurring questions.Almost all of the updates and comments posted by Harold on the $9 Arduino have been written in similar broken english to what Dimitri would use in his own project. It's very hard to tell who is responsible for what, and they are intentionally blurring those lines further every day.