Circuit Hacking Kits: Difference between revisions

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<h2>Overview</h2>
==Overview==
<p>Circuit Hacking Kits are available for purchase by request at [https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Circuit_Hacking_Mondays Circuit Hacking Mondays].  Tools and  
All kits are available for purchase at [https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Circuit_Hacking_Mondays Circuit Hacking Monday] (every Monday evening, startin at 7pm) at Noisebridge, or by request.  Tools and materials necessary to complete the kits are all located for use at Noisebridge.
materials necessary to complete the kits are all located for use at Noisebridge.</p>


<h2>Price List</h2>
==More Info On These Kits==
All of these kits are designed for total beginners who have never made anything before in their lives (yet intriguing and delightful enough for anyone).  For all ages and all skill levels.
 
More info on these kits is available at these websites:<br>
[http://www.CornfieldElectronics.com Cornfield Electronics] -- ("maker faire" tab) -- kits and projects by Mitch Altman.<br>
[http://www.Adafruit.com Adafruit Industries] -- kits by Ladyada, and others.<br>
[http://www.AppliedPlatonics.com/ Applied Platonics] -- kits by Josh Meyer.<br>
[http://www.jimmieprodgers.com Interactive Light and Sound] -- kits by Jimmie Rodgers.
 
 
==Arduinos, Arduino Clones, and Supplies==
<table border="1">
<table border="1">
<tr>
<tr>
Line 11: Line 20:
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>LOL Shield (red or green)</td>
<td>DC BoArduino kit (Arduino clone)</td>
<td>$25</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>LoL Shield is a charlieplexed LED matrix for the Arduino. The LEDs are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project. The LoL Shield is just a board with LEDs and headers on it, so you need something to control them.</td>
<td>This Arduino clone acts just like an Arduino (Duemilanove with ATmega328).  It also works with the latest Arduino softaware. For many projects it can even be preferable!  BoArduino is smaller than a standard Arduino, and designed to be used on a solderless breadboard. The kit includes all parts necessary, the assembly is straightforward and well-documented.<br>Since this design doesn't include a USB chip, you'll want an FTDI cable to program your BoArduino.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>LOL Shield (blue or white)</td>
<td>Volksduino</td>
<td>$35</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>LoL Shield is a charlieplexed LED matrix for the Arduino. The LEDs are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project. The LoL Shield is just a board with LEDs and headers on it, so you need something to control them.</td>
<td>The "Volksduino" is a low cost, high power, shield compatible, complete Arduino-compatible board kit (acts just like an Arduino Duemilanove with ATmega328). It comes with a 5 V / 1 A voltage regulator and has an option for a 3.3 V regulator. The Volksduino was designed to have a low component count and to be "easy for anyone of any age to put together".<br>Since this design doesn't include a USB chip, you'll want an FTDI cable to program your Volksduino. </td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>TV-B-Gone Kit</td>
<td>FTDI cable (needed for BoArduino)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>The FTDI cable is a USB to Serial (TTL level) converter which allows for a simple way to connect projects without a USB chip to your computer.  This is required to program BoArduino, Volksduino, Mignonette Game kit, and many other DIY projects that don't have a USB chip.
(One FTDI cable can be used for multiple projects and kits.)</td>
</tr>
</table>
 
 
==Kits That Do Not Require An Arduino==
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>TV-B-Gone (ready made, keychain)</td>
<td>TV-B-Gone (ready made, keychain)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Turn off TVs in public places with the push of a button! Comes in cool batman-like keychain.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TV-B-Gone Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>Turn off TVs in public places up to 50 meters away!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
Line 38: Line 63:
<td>TripGlasses (ready made Brain Machine)</td>
<td>TripGlasses (ready made Brain Machine)</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Same as the Brain Machine, but sleaker, and ready made.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Mignonette Game Kit</td>
<td>Mignonette Game Kit</td>
<td>$30</td>
<td>$30</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>A way fun low-res computer game console that you make yourself!  Once made, you can play the way fun pac-man-like game that it comes pre-programmed with.  You can easily hack the pac-man-like game into your own games.  Or download games from the mignette-game.com website that others hacked, such as a tetris-like game and and a space-invaders-like game.<br>If you want to re-program your Mignonette, you will need an FTDI cable.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Trippy RGB Wave Kit</td>
<td>Trippy RGB Wave Kit</td>
<td>$10</td>
<td>$10</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Make waves of colors by waving your hand over these!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Trippy RGB Light Kit</td>
<td>Trippy RGB Light Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Trippy colored mood light.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Open Heart Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>Open Heart is an LED matrix of individually addressable LEDs. It can be used to create a broach or bag light with highly customizable animations. It can be configured so that you can temporarily attach it to fabrics with headers that you simply push through, or you can sew it into a project using conductive thread/wire for a more permanent setup. I have also created a simple flash programmer that you can design animations with, and it will generate the Arduino code for you. That way you just copy, paste, upload, and enjoy.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Atari Punk Console Kit</td>
<td>Atari Punk Console Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Make noise!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>MiniPOV3 Kit</td>
<td>MiniPOV3 Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Write messages in the air!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>USBtinyISP (AVR programmer)</td>
<td>USBtinyISP (AVR programmer)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>program any AVR family microcontroller.  Works in-system.  All it needs is a cheap USB cable to connect to your computer, and free, open source software that works on Windows, MacOS, and Linux.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>DC BoArduino kit (Arduino clone)</td>
<td>RetroScanner</td>
<td>$10</td>
<td>Way simple and easy kit that blinks lights back and forth, knight-rider-cylon-like.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MintyBoost kit (charger for gadgets with USB)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Small, and runs off of two AA batteries -- use it to charge any of your items that charge through a USB connector (such as iPhone).</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>FTDI cable (needed for BoArduino)</td>
<td>LEDcube Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>3D animation art!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Volksduino</td>
<td>Drawduino Kit</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Drawdio is an electronic pencil that lets you make music and noise while you draw! It's great project for beginners: An easy soldering kit with instant gratification. Essentially, its a very simple musical synthesizer that uses the conductive properties of pencil graphite to create different sounds. The result is a fun toy that lets you draw musical instruments on any piece of paper. Runs on a single AAA battery. Use any pencil - mechanical or plain. The kit comes with a pencil. Ridiculously fun for all ages.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>RetroScanner</td>
<td>TV-B-Gone Pro (not a kit, ready made)</td>
<td>$10</td>
<td>$50</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Turn off TVs in public places from up to 100 meters away!  Internal rechargeable battery.  Comes with battery charger. Works on TVs all over the world!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
</table>
==Kits Requiring An Arduino==
<table border="1">
<tr>
<tr>
<td>MintyBoost kit (charger for gadgets with USB)</td>
<th>Name</th>
<td>$20</td>
<th>Price</th>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>LEDcube Kit</td>
<td>LOL Shield (red or green)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$25</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Lots of LEDs!  The LoL Shield has 126 LEDs that are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Lots of Arduino libraries are available on the jimmieprodgers.com website to make it easy to program it to make your LoL Shield do whatever you like.<br>Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>Drawduino Kit</td>
<td>LOL Shield (blue or white)</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$35</td>
<td></td>
<td>Lots of LEDs!  The LoL Shield has 126 LEDs that are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Lots of Arduino libraries are available on the jimmieprodgers.com website to make it easy to program it to make your LoL Shield do whatever you like.<br>The blue and white LEDs are super bright!<br>Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project. The blue and white LEDs are super bright!</td>
</tr>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr>
<td>TV-B-Gone Pro (not a kit)</td>
<td>OpenHeart Kit</td>
<td>$50</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>Turn off TVs in public places from up to 100 meters away!  Internal rechargeable battery. Comes with battery charger.</td>
<td>OpenHeart is 27 LEDs in the shape of a heart. It can be used to create a wearable broach, or simply a nice display, with its highly customizable animations (each LED is individually addressable LEDs, so you can easily make cool animations using the way easy-to-use flash program on the jimmieprodgers.com website -- just create the animation, copy, paste, upload to your Arduino, and enjoy). It can be configured so that you can temporarily attach it to fabrics with headers that you simply push through, or you can sew it into a project using conductive thread/wire for a more permanent setup.<br>Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project.</td>
</tr>
</tr>
</table>
</table>

Revision as of 11:20, 20 February 2011

Overview

All kits are available for purchase at Circuit Hacking Monday (every Monday evening, startin at 7pm) at Noisebridge, or by request. Tools and materials necessary to complete the kits are all located for use at Noisebridge.

More Info On These Kits

All of these kits are designed for total beginners who have never made anything before in their lives (yet intriguing and delightful enough for anyone). For all ages and all skill levels.

More info on these kits is available at these websites:
Cornfield Electronics -- ("maker faire" tab) -- kits and projects by Mitch Altman.
Adafruit Industries -- kits by Ladyada, and others.
Applied Platonics -- kits by Josh Meyer.
Interactive Light and Sound -- kits by Jimmie Rodgers.


Arduinos, Arduino Clones, and Supplies

Name Price Description
DC BoArduino kit (Arduino clone) $20 This Arduino clone acts just like an Arduino (Duemilanove with ATmega328). It also works with the latest Arduino softaware. For many projects it can even be preferable! BoArduino is smaller than a standard Arduino, and designed to be used on a solderless breadboard. The kit includes all parts necessary, the assembly is straightforward and well-documented.
Since this design doesn't include a USB chip, you'll want an FTDI cable to program your BoArduino.
Volksduino $20 The "Volksduino" is a low cost, high power, shield compatible, complete Arduino-compatible board kit (acts just like an Arduino Duemilanove with ATmega328). It comes with a 5 V / 1 A voltage regulator and has an option for a 3.3 V regulator. The Volksduino was designed to have a low component count and to be "easy for anyone of any age to put together".
Since this design doesn't include a USB chip, you'll want an FTDI cable to program your Volksduino.
FTDI cable (needed for BoArduino) $20 The FTDI cable is a USB to Serial (TTL level) converter which allows for a simple way to connect projects without a USB chip to your computer. This is required to program BoArduino, Volksduino, Mignonette Game kit, and many other DIY projects that don't have a USB chip. (One FTDI cable can be used for multiple projects and kits.)


Kits That Do Not Require An Arduino

Name Price Description
TV-B-Gone (ready made, keychain) $20 Turn off TVs in public places with the push of a button! Comes in cool batman-like keychain.
TV-B-Gone Kit $20 Turn off TVs in public places up to 50 meters away!
Brain Machine Kit $20 Brain Machine provides you with a fun, easy way to meditate, all the while being very photogenic! They work with lights and sounds that pulse at a 14-minute-long meditation sequence of brainwave frequencies. Your brain synchronizes to this meditation sequence, and you meditate. It's that easy! And the beautiful colors and patterns you vividly imagine along the way make it fun and enjoyable. The Brain Machine works with blinking lights. Be aware that blinking lights are not good for some people, especially those prone to seizures.
TripGlasses (ready made Brain Machine) $40 Same as the Brain Machine, but sleaker, and ready made.
Mignonette Game Kit $30 A way fun low-res computer game console that you make yourself! Once made, you can play the way fun pac-man-like game that it comes pre-programmed with. You can easily hack the pac-man-like game into your own games. Or download games from the mignette-game.com website that others hacked, such as a tetris-like game and and a space-invaders-like game.
If you want to re-program your Mignonette, you will need an FTDI cable.
Trippy RGB Wave Kit $10 Make waves of colors by waving your hand over these!
Trippy RGB Light Kit $20 Trippy colored mood light.
Atari Punk Console Kit $20 Make noise!
MiniPOV3 Kit $20 Write messages in the air!
USBtinyISP (AVR programmer) $20 program any AVR family microcontroller. Works in-system. All it needs is a cheap USB cable to connect to your computer, and free, open source software that works on Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
RetroScanner $10 Way simple and easy kit that blinks lights back and forth, knight-rider-cylon-like.
MintyBoost kit (charger for gadgets with USB) $20 Small, and runs off of two AA batteries -- use it to charge any of your items that charge through a USB connector (such as iPhone).
LEDcube Kit $20 3D animation art!
Drawduino Kit $20 Drawdio is an electronic pencil that lets you make music and noise while you draw! It's great project for beginners: An easy soldering kit with instant gratification. Essentially, its a very simple musical synthesizer that uses the conductive properties of pencil graphite to create different sounds. The result is a fun toy that lets you draw musical instruments on any piece of paper. Runs on a single AAA battery. Use any pencil - mechanical or plain. The kit comes with a pencil. Ridiculously fun for all ages.
TV-B-Gone Pro (not a kit, ready made) $50 Turn off TVs in public places from up to 100 meters away! Internal rechargeable battery. Comes with battery charger. Works on TVs all over the world!


Kits Requiring An Arduino

Name Price Description
LOL Shield (red or green) $25 Lots of LEDs! The LoL Shield has 126 LEDs that are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Lots of Arduino libraries are available on the jimmieprodgers.com website to make it easy to program it to make your LoL Shield do whatever you like.
Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project.
LOL Shield (blue or white) $35 Lots of LEDs! The LoL Shield has 126 LEDs that are individually addressable, so you can use it to display anything in a 9×14 grid. Scroll text, play games, display images, or anything else you want to do. Lots of Arduino libraries are available on the jimmieprodgers.com website to make it easy to program it to make your LoL Shield do whatever you like.
The blue and white LEDs are super bright!
Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project. The blue and white LEDs are super bright!
OpenHeart Kit $20 OpenHeart is 27 LEDs in the shape of a heart. It can be used to create a wearable broach, or simply a nice display, with its highly customizable animations (each LED is individually addressable LEDs, so you can easily make cool animations using the way easy-to-use flash program on the jimmieprodgers.com website -- just create the animation, copy, paste, upload to your Arduino, and enjoy). It can be configured so that you can temporarily attach it to fabrics with headers that you simply push through, or you can sew it into a project using conductive thread/wire for a more permanent setup.
Since this is a shield, you will need an Arduino for this project.