Projects – Hobbybotics Reflow Controller Quad V1.0

March 12, 2013March 12, 2013 hobbybotics Projects Arduino, Arduino Bootloader, Arduino Development, Arduino Prototyping, Bluetooth, Bootloader, Hobbybotics, Projects, Reflow, reflow controller, Reflow Oven, Thermocouple, XBee

Here’s a quick update to the new reflow controller project I introduced earlier. I have fully populated one of the prototype boards and began to write test sketches to ensure it functions properly. The project is moving a little slower right now as I am in the process of closing on a new house and that has been taking up a lot of my time.

The last picture shows an early prototype for the LCD/Button interface for the controller. I am in the process of redesigning the LCD/Button interface to use a 4-way rotary navigation switch with a center select button. I borrowed this idea from the Viki LCD project over on Kick Starter. I’ll post more updates in the coming weeks.

Projects – Hobbybotics Reflow Controller Quad V1.0

February 19, 2013March 12, 2013 hobbybotics Projects Arduino, Arduino Bootloader, Arduino Development, Bootloader, Hobbybotics, MAX31855, Projects, Reflow, reflow controller, Reflow Oven, technology, Thermocouple, wireless programming, XBee

I’ve been working on a redesign of the original reflow controller. Here are the features for the new board:

Four MAX31855 Type-K Thermocouple interfaces
DS3234 Real Time Clock with battery backup
FT231x USB
XBee or Bluetooth Wireless
MCP23008 I/O Expanders for 2-wire expanded communication
ULN2803 Darlington buffered output relay/SSR control
Internal or external micro SD interface
External LCD I2C interface/input
ATMega 1284P TQFP AVR with Arduino bootloader
16 MHz Crystal

Take a look at the new board:

I’ll post more on this project in the coming days. I’ll be offering this project as a full kit for those who are interested.

General – Optiboot 4.4

January 7, 2012May 3, 2012 hobbybotics General Arduino, Arduino Bootloader, Bootloader, General Comments, Hobbybotics, Hobbyduino

Been a long time coming but, today I officially updated all of the Hobbyduino boards to Optiboot 4.4 (same bootloader that is on the Uno). I’ll follow this post up shortly with a tutorial on how I did it. For those that cannot wait, you can take a look at my introduction for the Hobbyduino Mini Bootloader ISP Shield. The process to load Optiboot is pretty much the same as that for the Arduino Duemilanove w/ ATmega 328 bootloader except the board type is now ‘Arduino Uno’.

General – Arduino Optiboot Boot-loader

October 1, 2011May 3, 2012 hobbybotics General Arduino, Arduino Bootloader, Arduino Prototyping, Bootloader, General Comments, Hobbyduino

I’ll soon be updating the Hobbyduino Mini to the Optiboot boot-loader. According to the Optiboot Google Code Page:

Allows larger sketches.
Is a quarter of the size of the default bootloader freeing 1.5k of extra space.
Sketches upload faster.
Optiboot operates at higher baud rates and has streamlined programming.
Adaboot performance improvements.
Runs sketches sooner with no watchdog issues.
Compatible with 168 and 328 Arduinos.

Project – Hobbyduino Mini Boot-loader ISP Shield

June 26, 2011May 3, 2012 hobbybotics Projects Arduino, Arduino Bootloader, Arduino Prototyping, Bootloader, Hobbyduino, Projects

The Hobbyduino Mini allows for shields (or plugs as I call them) to be attached in somewhat the same way as the Arduino. As such, I would like to present one of the first shields developed for the Hobbyduino Mini called the Hobbyduino Mini boot-loader ISP Plug. This plug (or shield if you like) can be used to burn the Arduino boot-loader onto blank ATMega328 or ATMega168 chips. In essence, this plug is a minimalist AVR ISP programmer. Go here for the project.