[General] 555 timer audio circuits

Mon Apr 28 03:44:11 CDT 2014

Could run the game distributed, as long as the sections know how to ask
their neighbors what pixels are lit.

-- Hunter Fuller
On Apr 27, 2014 5:19 PM, "Stephan Henning" <shenning at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ya, that could work. Otherwise that would become a headache very quickly.
>
>
> Feel free to ignore the following, this is just a mental rambling that
> might be totally incorrect due to lack of caffeine.
>
> So, if we run with a Game of Life example, how would that work?
>
> Lets say a 5x5 grid of 5mm LEDs on each board with 1" spacing,
> charlieplexed on an I2C expanded chip such as the PCA9531. Add a dip switch
> to set the address on the PCA9531. The board would be about 5.4" on a side
> to allow for a connector to the next board while maintaining the 1" spacing
> across the gap.  The I2C lines would run either vertically or horizontally
> through the array, with a uC board be present at the end of each string.
> Since I2C only has 112 available addresses, depending on how large the
> display needs to be, some other communication protocol between the uCs
> would likely be needed. Then there would need to be one 'main' computation
> core that actually ran the game and distributed the updates for the
> display. There would also need to be a way for the display to adapt to
> changes in size, not quite sure how to handle that yet.
>
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 12:18 PM, James Fluhler <j.fluhler at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Yah probably smarter to do it that way.
>>
>> James F.
>>
>> On Apr 27, 2014, at 8:14 AM, Matt Barron <mbarronj at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I don't think we would need to program 2000 of anything. The backbone
>> here is basically an analog thing. To add networking and other complicated
>> elements, I would think only a handful of board need microprocessors. They
>> would act as a glue layer.
>>
>> Matt
>>
>> On Apr 26, 2014, at 8:01 PM, Stephan Henning <shenning at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> That's true, not sure what the minimums are on that service, I've never
>> ordered enough parts to bother looking into it.
>>
>> -stephan
>>
>> ---———---•---———---•---———---
>> Sent from a mobile device, please excuse the spelling and brevity.
>>
>> On Apr 26, 2014, at 4:49 PM, James Fluhler <j.fluhler at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Well if you are talking about actually buying something like 2000 chips
>> depending on who you but from you can get the manufacturer (microchip,
>> atmel, etc) to preprogram them before shipping them to you.
>>
>> James F.
>>
>> On Apr 26, 2014, at 3:53 PM, Stephan Henning <shenning at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hmmmm, ya, that would work. Would not be fun programming all the chips
>> though.
>>
>> -stephan
>>
>> ---———---•---———---•---———---
>> Sent from a mobile device, please excuse the spelling and brevity.
>>
>> On Apr 26, 2014, at 3:42 PM, Hunter Fuller <hfuller at pixilic.com> wrote:
>>
>> Could maybe provide a pre burnt uC with basic functionality, and Allow
>> the students to code an "upgrade" once the chip is built...? Socketed uC
>> would make this pretty easy.
>>
>> -- Hunter Fuller
>> On Apr 26, 2014 1:15 PM, "Stephan Henning" <shenning at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> My only caution would be against making it too 'awesome'. While it would
>>> be cool to have something that complex, it drives up complexity and cost.
>>>
>>> Also, I would think something that involves minimal code would be
>>> preferred. You can give kids a soldering lesson with a good kit, but if we
>>> have to add in code I don't think it will go as smoothly, unless it becomes
>>> something more akin to a full school year tech project in which they start
>>> from building an assembling and move to coding.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Apr 26, 2014 at 8:34 AM, Joshua Pritt <ramgarden at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> STEAMfest sounds something like the STEAM Carnival:
>>>> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/twobitcircus/steam-carnival-0
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Apr 26, 2014 at 2:37 AM, Matt Barron <mbarronj at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I like the game of life idea. At large enough scale, all of these
>>>>> sorts of things could be incorporated. GoL makes a great audio/light
>>>>> data-transducing algorithm
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Matt
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 25, 2014, at 4:50 PM, Stephan Henning <shenning at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>  Actually, I really like the idea of having something that behaves
>>>>> differently depending on how many of them are present/connected. I'll have
>>>>> to think on that a bit, see if I have an idea on something that would work.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've never looked into the programming, but maybe something like a
>>>>> game of life display, or a game of snake that grows across newly connected
>>>>> panels?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Apr 25, 2014 at 3:17 PM, James Fluhler <j.fluhler at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Could be interesting if there were say five kits that alone do
>>>>>> something but when put together do something more? Not sure exactly how
>>>>>> this could be accomplished just thinking like if a kid spends 30min to
>>>>>> build something he can use that's cool, but if it also connects to
>>>>>> something else to do more that could have new meaning.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't know the goal you have in mind but when I think about
>>>>>> teaching kids about electronics I feel also teaching how electronics can
>>>>>> integrate and how a team can make something together as a whole greater
>>>>>> than the individual parts, and also that each part does matter. Kinda a
>>>>>> life lesson taught through electronics. Haha maybe too much. Electronic
>>>>>> exposure is equally good if that's the goal.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> James F.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Apr 25, 2014, at 12:47 AM, Matt Barron <mbarronj at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yeah these are the sorts of  comments I was looking for. I think the
>>>>>> plan will be a mix of educational, production, and artistic collaboration.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I.e. Some things will be done through the school board, some through
>>>>>> sheer volume, and maybe a call-for-proposals to local groups. The end
>>>>>> result would be a big installation and/or a series of installations that
>>>>>> are interactive, taking input from various transducers and data sources,
>>>>>> and outputting either sound, light, or motion. Perhaps networked with
>>>>>> sister installations in town or elswhere.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2000 units is pulled from thin air. That would be one input for
>>>>>> everyone that showed up at STEAMfest- a little ambitious. But I think yall
>>>>>> see the idea and hopefully the potential.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Definitely interested in the Meatstand stuff. We'll talk, Tim...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks for letting me ramble a bit, maybe its just crazytalk and
>>>>>> nothing will happen...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Matt
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Apr 25, 2014, at 1:05 AM, Tim H <crashcartpro at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Meatstand learn to solder kit uses a 555 timer to clock a counter
>>>>>> and then uses the counter to display a dice pattern. My drive to build the
>>>>>> kit was wanting students to do more "work" than a battery and a couple
>>>>>> leds... the things I feel I learned though: being cheap enough to meet
>>>>>> peoples expectations is kinda hard. I missed that mark with that project.
>>>>>> Also, it can take a brand new solderer over an hour to fully assemble and
>>>>>> solder over 30 components. (Depending, of course) We should talk about it
>>>>>> some more.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -Tim
>>>>>> On Apr 24, 2014 8:37 PM, "Stephan Henning" <shenning at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Well, putting together 2000 of these kits is entirely different from
>>>>>>> using them to teach kids to solder.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Best way to get 2000 of the kits together is to pull the design,
>>>>>>> determine what parts are necessary, price the BOM and then price the board
>>>>>>> utilizing the parts chosen.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How ever you do it, I would build at least a half dozen prototypes
>>>>>>> first and put them in the hands of kids and make sure it can survive a
>>>>>>> little bit of abuse before making purchases in any large quantities.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 8:30 PM, Matthew H <hendrix04 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I was more thinking getting boards made, ordering parts and put
>>>>>>>> kits together yourself.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thursday, April 24, 2014, Matt Barron <mbarronj at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The design is known, open source, commodity, as are all the parts.
>>>>>>>>> If needed, it could be put out to a board house and reels of parts bought
>>>>>>>>> and sent to a pcb fab house for smt pick-n-place and reflow. I could handle
>>>>>>>>> doing it industrially.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> But I don't feel like that's the Hacker/Maker/Artist/Engineer
>>>>>>>>> style I'm going for. Howabout teaching kids to solder? Teaching classes on
>>>>>>>>> music synthesis and circuitmaking art? I am looking for the best thing to
>>>>>>>>> provide for the Huntsville community, and I would like creative feedback
>>>>>>>>> and Ideas from MakersLocal 256.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> If you were going to change the world with a 555 timer, how would
>>>>>>>>> you do it?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Matt
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 8:43 PM, Stephan Henning <shenning at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Should be easy enough to source the parts, would need to buy a
>>>>>>>>> copy to replicate the board, unless you know the schematic for the circuit
>>>>>>>>> being used.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Makershed version is much smaller and appears to have a lot lower
>>>>>>>>> part count. I'd be interested to see the BOM cost comparisons between the
>>>>>>>>> two.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 7:31 PM, Matthew H <hendrix04 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> You could also see if makershed has the ability to handle that
>>>>>>>>> quantity
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> http://www.makershed.com/product_p/mkjr2.htm
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 8:28 PM, Matthew H <hendrix04 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I would see if you could get the design for that board and source
>>>>>>>>> all the parts yourself.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 8:25 PM, Stephan Henning <
>>>>>>>>> shenning at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Clarify your question please.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> You wish to order 2000 of those kits?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> -Stephan
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 7:01 PM, Matt Barron <mbarronj at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Hey makers!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> What do you guys think is the best way to get about 2000 of
>>>>>>>>> something like this:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> http://www.etsy.com/listing/123476855/atari-punk-console-diy-kit?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product_listing_promoted&utm_campaign=music_low&gclid=CKzBipaq-r0CFY3m7AodNQcApw
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Matt
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> General mailing list
>>>>>>>>> General at lists.makerslocal.org
>>>>>>>>> http://lists.makerslocal.org/mailman/listinfo/general
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> General mailing list
>>>>>>>>> General at lists.makerslocal.org
>>>>>>>>> http://lists.makerslocal.org/mailman/listinfo/general
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> -You can't stop the signal, Mal. Everything goes somewhere, and I
>>>>>>>>> go everywhere.-
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> -You can't stop the signal, Mal. Everything goes somewhere, and I
>>>>>>>>> go everywhere.-
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> General mailing list
>>>>>>>>> General at lists.makerslocal.org
>>>>>>>>> http://lists.makerslocal.org/mailman/listinfo/general
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> General mailing list
>>>>>>>>> General at lists.makerslocal.org
>>>>>>>>> <http://lists.makerslocal.org/mailman/listinfo/general>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> -You can't stop the signal, Mal. Everything goes somewhere, and I
>>>>>>>> go everywhere.-
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> General mailing list
>>>>>>>> General at lists.makerslocal.org
>>>>>>>> http://lists.makerslocal.org/mailman/listinfo/general
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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