Arduino beginer

Arduino projects on the go
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Coxfledgling
Posts: 15
Joined: 12 Nov 2021, 10:04

Arduino beginer

Post by Coxfledgling »

Please, what is the best beginer kit to get for auduino stuff.

Would the kit come with a cd to load programming software into a non internet laptop running xp please.

Eventually I would like to make an auduino based ignition system for an old ( 1980 ) bike with a self contained but unreliable CDI system.

I first need to learn to crawl audio wise.

Thanks
Martin
Posts: 744
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 14:11
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Arduino beginer

Post by Martin »

You want a board with a USB connection to make things easy to start. I would get either a Uno (the current one is 'Rev 3') or a Nano to begin with. They're pretty much identical from a programming point of view, but the Nano is smaller and easier to use on a breadboard or eventually build it into your finished gadget.

The cheap 'clones' on eBay are fine, and usually work just as well as the 'official' ones.

You can buy kits of displays and sensors to connect up to your Arduino, but all you really need to start with is some LEDs, resistors, and bits of wire. For your first programs you don't need anything, as both the Uno and Nano have an on-board LED that you can program to flash.

XP is a problem. You can download the install file on an internet connected PC (for free), and stick it on a USB memory stick, or burn a CD, to get it over to the XP machine - but then the install program will complain that it can't run on XP. You can get it working by first installing a Java Virtual Machine, and then installing the Arduino IDE with a few commands from a command line interface, but it's a hassle. You'd probably find it easier to get a second hand PC with Windows 7, or install Linux on your XP computer, if you're happy to have a go at that.

A Raspberry Pi can run the Arduino IDE - so that's one way of getting a Linux "PC" for little cash - providing you already have a spare USB keyboard and mouse, and a suitable monitor, preferably with a HDMI video input.
Coxfledgling
Posts: 15
Joined: 12 Nov 2021, 10:04

Re: Arduino beginer

Post by Coxfledgling »

Thanks for the reply, Linux mint ?

I have a that on s laptop
Martin
Posts: 744
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 14:11
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Arduino beginer

Post by Martin »

Yes, Linux Mint runs the Arduino IDE great. I have a PC that dual boots Linux Mint or Windows 10, and the Arduino IDE installed in both operating systems. The Mint one compiles quite a bit faster than the Windows one, despite the fact that it's running on the same hardware! Once you're in the Arduino IDE, it looks exactly the same on both operating systems. You have to add yourself as a user to the dialout group, so that you get access to the serial ports without running the Arduino IDE as root every time.

Code: Select all

sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER
You only have to do that once.

From Mint, the serial ports have names like /dev/ttyUSB0 instead of COM5 or whatever from Windows - but they work just the same.
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