SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-29T05:24:18-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsFlatFootFox on Tuesday product awesomeness!FlatFootFoxurn:uuid:66cd1b77-79a0-c972-f6f5-b256f368a45c2010-08-23T09:03:02-06:00<p>If you need accurate timekeeping, the Bulbdial clock has header pins for a Chonodot. <a href="http://evilmadscience.com/component/content/article/159" rel="nofollow">http://evilmadscience.com/component/content/article/159</a> It's a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator which keeps the clock within +/- 2 minutes per year.</p>
Ben121 on Tuesday product awesomeness!Ben121urn:uuid:a0030c6a-8250-cf10-b3a8-ecd73380e93b2010-08-19T08:40:45-06:00<p>:) A (gentle tongue in cheek) Pox on both your houses;<br>
It is neither shadows or reflections, rather it uses Refraction, to reshape the light into this uniquely clock-hand-like shape.<br>
One of the many reasons this should be interesting to geeks, is that this is the same technique used to image DNA for the first time, and it is currently used to discover the shape of specific proteins and cellular structures.<br>
If you can see the patterns created in the refracted light, you can (with your very own supercomputer, or botnet, if you've been root-kitting random computers for the last decade) - deduce the shape of the thing which caused the refraction - even if it is very-wery small.</p>
ElegantElectrons on Tuesday product awesomeness!ElegantElectronsurn:uuid:8698cc00-6648-358f-72e8-e6f1db536f002010-08-18T15:42:44-06:00<p>Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of your Bulbdial Clock Kit? The SHADOW knows.</p>
RobertC. on Tuesday product awesomeness!RobertC.urn:uuid:76392fa7-0675-5da9-20dc-b3cb7e8d9db42010-08-18T13:09:28-06:00<p>That is pretty cool. Price might be prohibitive though.</p>
TLAlexander on Tuesday product awesomeness!TLAlexanderurn:uuid:a260ba76-8d07-756a-a552-c3cd7d5b789e2010-08-18T12:39:18-06:00<p>Oh cool. I remember now seeing the blog post about that, but glazed over it at the time, heh.<br>
Well awesome! I'll remember to suggest that to people who want to learn about microcontrollers! :)<br>
-Taylor</p>
Natman3400 on Tuesday product awesomeness!Natman3400urn:uuid:e1601a74-cf30-51ca-9737-0741911f449e2010-08-18T07:50:27-06:00<p>reflections*</p>
Natman3400 on Tuesday product awesomeness!Natman3400urn:uuid:5e9f5ed2-331d-0607-a392-ca1ce563c07c2010-08-18T07:48:57-06:00<p>No, its relections</p>
followr on Tuesday product awesomeness!followrurn:uuid:e13e4022-559b-985a-91e1-9ea4b02338ec2010-08-18T01:11:26-06:00<p>While it doesn't include quite as many sensors, requests like yours are part of the motivation behind the SparkFun Inventor's Kit for Arduino: <a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9951" rel="nofollow">http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9951</a></p>
Jassper on Tuesday product awesomeness!Jassperurn:uuid:07561f99-f6bc-5d15-f09b-dec101a5f8022010-08-17T20:09:42-06:00<p>These are sweet too<br>
<a href="http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_DB9-USB-RS232.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_DB9-USB-RS232.pdf</a></p>
SparkedFun on Tuesday product awesomeness!SparkedFunurn:uuid:8fffef25-eb75-4561-03cc-30a3d81935492010-08-17T19:40:52-06:00<p>While i do like the tamiya plate and tracks if you just want a basic robot chassis pololu offers a pretty good one with tracks and motors and gearbox all done. and its all cheaper in the end.</p>
aqua_scummm on Tuesday product awesomeness!aqua_scummmurn:uuid:219b1a53-cd53-8814-0719-44722ce7015f2010-08-17T18:53:27-06:00<p>You've had the Tamiya tank treads forever, its about time you added the universal plate!<br>
If anyone's interested, the tank treads, dual motor gearbox, and universal plate are all designed to work together</p>
Conrthomas on Tuesday product awesomeness!Conrthomasurn:uuid:b3c64b08-91ef-3cd7-255f-0ac6070108602010-08-17T16:45:00-06:00<p>cool. thanks!</p>
RobertC. on Tuesday product awesomeness!RobertC.urn:uuid:069f6436-14ac-63ab-85eb-c845ac99cc9d2010-08-17T16:44:10-06:00<p>should be, most crystals are around +-20 ppm.</p>
Conrthomas on Tuesday product awesomeness!Conrthomasurn:uuid:b5cb6209-e8ab-20e7-4312-607cb785bf342010-08-17T16:25:40-06:00<p>cool, not bad for a diy project. I'd imagine the clockit is about the same?</p>
RobertC. on Tuesday product awesomeness!RobertC.urn:uuid:3ecd1708-2367-d18b-203f-b60dc56188d82010-08-17T16:18:32-06:00<p>The crystal used is a 20ppm, which equates to about gaining or losing 1.7 seconds of time each day, or 10.34 minutes per year.</p>
RobertC. on Tuesday product awesomeness!RobertC.urn:uuid:2b9bff3f-eaab-ffd5-632a-6461a3c0a7ea2010-08-17T16:14:22-06:00<p>Yep, you're right, fixed. Thanks.</p>
TLAlexander on Tuesday product awesomeness!TLAlexanderurn:uuid:1ab8f847-0cf2-5620-3558-0ab9672d18fe2010-08-17T16:11:42-06:00<p>Looks like shadows to me.</p>
Conrthomas on Tuesday product awesomeness!Conrthomasurn:uuid:1db32b7f-77a9-f587-ee56-7caa543403682010-08-17T15:45:04-06:00<p>@Sparkfun,<br>
Could anybody tell me the accuracy of the clock? Like, how many seconds gained/lost per day? Its at the same price point as the Ice-tube clock on Adafruit and I am now considering which one to get...</p>
Extra-Titanian on Tuesday product awesomeness!Extra-Titanianurn:uuid:77546d23-5ea5-e409-c16b-a0fa391e22012010-08-17T15:33:34-06:00<p>The stepper motor link leads to the mounting hubs.</p>
TLAlexander on Tuesday product awesomeness!TLAlexanderurn:uuid:96714d62-f00a-0008-76d5-4f9f0081b9cd2010-08-17T15:26:25-06:00<p>The sensor kit is pretty cool!<br>
I'm just thinking, when I was starting out, I got a great robot kit from Lynxmotion with a basic stamp, servo driver, servos, and plastic frame for a couple hundred bucks, and I was able to slap it together without understanding anything, just their instructions, and then slowly start to understand it after. I was just 14 years old or so, but it taught me all about microcontrollers, code, and how servos work. It was invaluable, and now I am an accomplished engineer!<br>
The sensor kit has the potential to do the same thing for people, but as of now, they'd still need to have a basic understanding of an arduino, and some power supply electronics, just to use it.<br>
What about making an even bigger kit that includes an arduino, breadboard, breadboarding wires, power supply, and <em>clear</em> idiot-proof instructions and code on how to get something working?<br>
Something clear enough that a 14 year old could follow without any prior knowledge of electronics?<br>
Just as the robot kits got me started when I was younger, and your tutorials keep me going (I learned Eagle here recently!), you could really provide a solid foundation for young kids (or anyone!) with a kit like that. Then lead them to a couple of your other tutorials for a more complete understanding, and you've got a clear learning path for interested learners!<br>
Thoughts?<br>
-Taylor</p>
Natman3400 on Tuesday product awesomeness!Natman3400urn:uuid:a2ea3bfe-5c52-ee4b-f2e2-139704d97ed02010-08-17T15:23:34-06:00<p>No they mean reflections.</p>
TLAlexander on Tuesday product awesomeness!TLAlexanderurn:uuid:2c628e7e-53c3-8311-0319-eac116e2888b2010-08-17T15:18:20-06:00<p>There's 16 sensors!<br>
The first 3 sensors are $125 just on their own. Then there's 13 more sensors for the last $75 in the kit.<br>
The first 3 sensors aren't overpriced, and I'm inclined to think that the 13 other sensors for $75 aren't overpriced, so what are you saying is overpriced?</p>
ElegantElectrons on Tuesday product awesomeness!ElegantElectronsurn:uuid:76d66d13-beaa-8d31-df67-9192329dd3c42010-08-17T14:39:05-06:00<p>"What exactly is Bulbdial Clock Kit? Well, essentially, it uses the reflections from LEDs to create the hour, minute and second hands on a clock face."<br>
You mean shadows?</p>
jakkjakk on Tuesday product awesomeness!jakkjakkurn:uuid:898ab5f0-0cd0-4caa-fd35-967bc72baf132010-08-17T13:54:39-06:00<p>Love the mounting hub and all the other mechanical parts. A lot of sites don't have those. Tough to find.</p>
RobertC. on Tuesday product awesomeness!RobertC.urn:uuid:7c127716-e58d-903a-0705-e80745266c782010-08-17T13:30:17-06:00<p>it's a LOT of sensors.</p>
jeffmcc on Tuesday product awesomeness!jeffmccurn:uuid:a9cb3009-b234-ca83-30ed-e4069e2664ba2010-08-17T12:05:13-06:00<p>*for</p>
jeffmcc on Tuesday product awesomeness!jeffmccurn:uuid:39db173e-881b-8ad6-7cab-e2e50d236a6b2010-08-17T12:03:50-06:00<p>that's a bit steep fir the sensor kit...</p>