Comments on: Tengu clone on PCB

By: dimos

dimos — Sun, 04 May 2008 10:42:50 +0000

Hi Alex,I am from Greece if you want send me pcb.

Dimos Apostolidis
veranzerou 34 10432 ATHENS GREECE.

Thanks.
Dimos

By: David

David — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:27:06 +0000

Alex,

Thanks for the update. The board looks amazing. I’m interested in a PCB, but lately have been unable to put time into my EE hobby. I cant wait for the kit.

When I tried mine on the breadboard + arduino, the microphone I used was not very sensitive and so it didn’t work as well as I would have hoped.

I think an Arduino Shield is a good idea, but the tengu looks really cool as a the small package it is now (besides the battery pack). Although, it is more convenient for those who already own an Arduino, like myself. This project makes a good first soldering lesson–it doesnt have any surface-mount.

The addition of the ISP sounds likea good idea, that would probably the best improvement.

It was exciting to see this project evolve from the breadboard to the protoboard, and now to the PCB.

Cheers,

David

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:34:21 +0000

Ok, the two boards are gone. I’ll let you know when the next revision is ready.
Cheers,
Alex

By: dimos

dimos — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:12:09 +0000

Thanks Alex!

By: Daily DIY Network - Science Projects Plans Guides » Blog Archive » New Tengu clone in a PCB version

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:00:41 +0000

[…] Tengu Clone on PCB [Read this article] [Comment on this article] Source: MAKE Magazine […]

By: Electronics-Lab.com Blog » Blog Archive » New Tengu clone in a PCB version

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:11:55 +0000

[…] New Tengu clone in a PCB version - [Link] […]

By: DIY - How to build your own Tengu! | zedomax.com - The Coolest DIYs, Hacks, Gadgets, Web2.0,and Internet Marketing.

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:18:58 +0000

[…] a LED display that syncs to voice and music. You can buy one but I guess these guys over at Tinkerlog have made their own ‘DIY’ version Tangu. This is a new version of my Tengu clone. This time on a printed circuit board (PCB). I have them […]

By: Dylan

Dylan — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:21:31 +0000

Does anyone have a link to an online store that stocks all of these parts. I’m having trouble finding the led dot matrix. any help would be appreciated.

By: tateu

tateu — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:05:48 +0000

hey. great work. i was curious: how much is a PCB like that when you get it from olimex?
i was in the process of designing the same thing (for another application) but with the connectors for the display on the back of the PCB. and built arounf the 168.
your work looks great though. congrats.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:10:21 +0000

tateu,
That depends. If I look at my order, I would say a tengu board cost around 8 or 9 Euro. That is not really cheap but can get lower if I order in bigger quantities.
Cheers,
Alex

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:43:49 +0000

Oh I would love one, that is if yo have any left. He would be totally fun!

Nice project!

Lee

By: Kersny

Kersny — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:15:07 +0000

I would definatly reccomend going for an arduino and 168. This would not only allow the kit to be easily modified and programmed(a la www.moderndevice.com BBB), but it would also allow people to build their own with an arduino that they already own.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:54:12 +0000

@Lee, I am sorry, but I had only two and there are gone already.

@Kersny, BBB is a good option but I am not sure, if a complete BBB would fit underneath the display. Maybe an ATmega168, so you can at least program it like an Arduino.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:37 +0000

I have had the same problems with Olimex. They don’t process the silk screen layer and mask off from the soldermask. You end up with silk all over surface mount pads. — bad

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:23:20 +0000

Yes, I noticed that on my boards. I thought, I was to blame for that.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:10:19 +0000

Here is a link to a german online shop for the everlight 5*8 dot matrix.
http://www.conrad.de/goto.php?artikel=156379

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:57:37 +0000

Wow, very cool! If you had a kit with preprogrammed MCU, I’d so buy one!

An arduino version would be cool too, but I really like this design because the whole thing fits in the shadow of the LED matrix. Plus, if you wanted to install this in something, there goes your arduino board.

I might have missed this in the post, but do the pots change the volume sensitivity? That would be really useful so you get the best range of facial motions for the sound levels present.

Thanks for sharing this!

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:24:23 +0000

Kevin,
yes, the pots control the volume and the sensivity of the op-amp.
Cheers,
Alex

By: Tyler

Tyler — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:28:22 +0000

I love the design. Like Kevin said, an Arduino shield would be great, but there is something about the form factor of everything fitting behind the LED matrix.

Count me in for a kit, if you decide to put one together.

By: RBT

RBT — Sat, 10 May 2008 08:36:53 +0000

http://www.pollin.de/shop/detail.php?pg=OA==&a=NzQ4OTc4OTk=&w=OTg4OTk4&ts=0

for the guys from germany .. a cheaper 5×8matrix. less then a half of the conrad price.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 10 May 2008 09:40:03 +0000

RBT,
many thanks for the link. I was already searching for cheaper source for the display but missed that one. That will reduce the overall cost. Great.
Cheers,
Alex

By: jeremy

jeremy — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:54:17 +0000

Great job! I actually built one of these myself with an AVR and an 8×8 matrix. They are a lot of fun

I just have one question; according to the video, you use a Mac. Do you design the PCBs on your Mac? If so, what software do you use? Lack of decent PCB software is the only thing stopping me from buying one.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:22:39 +0000

Hi Jeremy,
yes, I am using Eagle CAD on my Mac. They have a limited but free version.
http://www.cadsoftusa.com/download.htm
Cheers,
Alex

By: dimos

dimos — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:57:57 +0000

Hi Alex, I need .hex please.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:33:16 +0000

Hi dimos,
I updated the zip file. Please check it out.
Cheers,
Alex

By: Thanos

Thanos — Tue, 20 May 2008 05:09:08 +0000

Hi Alex,

I’m Dimos friend, and we try toggether to make it work.

Thanks for the Hex update, but can you tell me the fuse settings? For some reason, it doesn’t work even if I set the fuses to correct ones for the 4Mhz crystal.

I use AVR Studio4 and STK500 to program it!

Best Regards, Thanos

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:34:25 +0000

Hi Thanos,
the fuse settings are: low 0xCD, high 0xDF.
Cheers,
Alex

By: Thanos

Thanos — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:36:26 +0000

Hi Alex,

I set the fuses as you said but still no luck…

I noticed that Dimos had used the ATmega48V-10PI that is low power version of the ATmega48. I believe its the same thing, right?

Another thing that might be the reason that this isn’t working could be the 8*5 led matrix… The one we have is the Kingbright TA24-11EWA (N) (other codes: 97-12). I believe is (A)node driven. Yours is (K)athode driven?

The problem is that we can see all the leds light dimly. And no reaction to sound.

Regards, Thanos

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 23 May 2008 06:32:28 +0000

Hi Thanos,
looking at the Kingbright datasheet, it has a common kathode per row. The Everlight (ELM-2081SURWA/S530-A3) has a common anode per row. So try to get another dot matrix or invert the outputs of the controller.
Cheers,
Alex

By: mariadele

mariadele — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:30:40 +0000

Hi! Could you tell me how you connected the electret to the arduino board? Is it enough to connect the electret mike to the board to give arduino the input of the sounds detected by the mike?

I am going to use it to make leds light up, and the leds are doing ok, just I don’t know how to make it all work (hardware) with a mike.

Thanks really, I have been sweating on this a while

Mariadele

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:28:11 +0000

Hi mariadele,
you can not connect the mic directly to the controller, the signal is too small. I used the LM386, an OP-AMP, to amplify the signal.
Here is the link, where you can see, how to assemble the mic, the LM386 and the controller.
http://tinkerlog.com/2007/10/22/diy-tengu-on-a-breadboard/

Another mic with amplifier that I found lately looks very promissing. It’s made by the guys from Sparkfun.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8669

Cheers,
Alex

By: Jake Good

Jake Good — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:27:26 +0000

Funny… was looking over your stuff and noticed I had some 5 x 7 matrix displays laying around… and an arduino…

I might try to replicate this onto my own MCB as an Arduino Shield possibly… would make it quite unique…

By: motorbuddy

motorbuddy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:00:37 +0000

hi Alex,

Cool…. is a very interesting project. I might want to try it too..but izzit possible for me to get the PCB board?

thanks.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:26:19 +0000

Hi motorbuddy,
sorry, all PCBs are already gone.
Cheers,
Alex

By: dimos

dimos — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:29:51 +0000

Hi Alex, look this: http://www.grobot.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104:-by-alex&catid=43:2008-04-19-14-02-08&Itemid=82

My new web site
www.grobot.gr

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:07:18 +0000

dimos,
great, you did it! And the video is cool.
Thanks for sharing it.
Cheers,
Alex