Boarduino With ATmega328 -USB

 

If you've ever struggled to use a solderless breadboard with an Arduino, you understand how frustrating it can be! I designed this Arduino clone to solve this problem in an inexpensive DIY fashion.

The Boarduino is an Arduino clone: when programmed with the Arduino bootloader, it can talk to the Arduino software and run sketches just like the original.

There are noticable differences between the Boarduino and the Arduino.

* Shields cannot be used as the form factor is so different

* There are two versions, a DC version and a USB version

For the DC version there isn't an on-board USB chip. This means you need to use a USB-TTL  or a MiniUSB  (or any other FTDI breakout board) which is not included. There are also no rx/tx LEDs and no rx/tx 1K series resistors.

For the USB version, there is an on-board USB chip but there isn't a DC jack or 5V regulator, you can power it through the USB jack. There is a rx 1K resistor so you can use this to talk to serial accessories.

16.00 MHz ceramic resonator is used instead of crystal, so cycle speed may be off by +- 0.3nS (0.5%). This isn't relevant for UART timing, servo drivers, PWM, etc. but could be an issue if you need nanosecond-precision timing. Note that the Arduino software only provides millisecond-precision timing for general sketches (1 second = 1000ms. 1ms = 1,000,000 ns)

The specifications for the USB boarduino include:

* Designed to plug into a breadboard for easy prototyping

* Petite size, only 2.75 " x 0.8" (75mm x 20mm)

* All 'standard' pins are brought out - Digital 0 thru 13, Analog 0 thru 5, ARef, 5V, Ground, 3.3V and Reset

* 2 LEDs, green power and red "pin 13" LED just like the Arduino Diecimila

* Standard Reset button

* 6-pin standard ICSP header

* Standard USB jack

* Atmega328 chip has twice as much storage, runs at 16.00 MHz, just like the latest Arduino. Upload baud rate is 57600, use Arduino IDE v13+ (note that the product photo above hasn't been updated)  

* USB or external power, selectable with a jumper

* 500mA fuse protects your computer from current overdraw

* Auto-reset capability

* Available as a low cost kit with standard parts, so its never out of stock

* All through-hole parts are easy to solder - SMT chip is presoldered & tested when purchased as a kit