Messages

151

Wirelings / Re: AST1006-D

« on: January 27, 2022, 12:45:07 PM »

Hiya JS,

I know I answered this over email, but I thought I would copy the response here if anyone else runs into the same question:

The digital hall sensor relies on an analog pin rather than an I2C (SDA/SCL) connection. So the three pins you would need to connect are A0, GND, and 3.3V. Then you could use this code example that I have modified from what’s available in the tutorial(https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Wirelings/Hall-Effect_Wireling_Tutorial/#digital-hall-effect-wireling):

Code: [Select]

#define magPin A0        // Corresponds to PORT# of Wireling used (Do not use A0)
bool hallOutput = 0;     // What is directly output from Wireling
bool magnetDetected = 0; // Make sense of output

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);

  // Set Hall Switch Pin to input
  pinMode(magPin, INPUT);
}

void loop() {
  hallOutput = digitalRead(magPin); // If no magnet, hallOutput == 1
  magnetDetected = !hallOutput; // Flip the hallOutput so magnetDetected == 1 when there is a magnet

  Serial.println(magnetDetected);
}
For the three pins you would need to connect to the Arduino Uno (GND, 3V3,INT), you can look at the diagram in this tutorial: https://tinycircuits.com/blogs/learn/make-your-own-wireling-using-a-wireling-cable

The Breakout Wireling is a great quick reference of the pin layout as well (all Wirelings have the same pin connector order of GND, 3V3, SCL, SDA, INT): https://tinycircuits.com/collections/wireling-input-output/products/0-1-breakout-i2c-wireling

152

Wirelings / Re: RobotZero and stepper

« on: January 27, 2022, 12:06:34 PM »

Hiya!

It looks like you're using a modified version of this example? - https://github.com/TinyCircuits/TinyCircuits-RobotZero-ASM2027/blob/master/examples/RobotZero-Basic-Motors-Wireling/RobotZero-Basic-Motors-Wireling.ino

Without me testing it, it looks like you're not following the pattern outlined with these functions:

Code: [Select]

void goForward(){
  setMotorCurrent(100);
  setMotor(1, 10);
  setMotor(2, -10);
}

void stopMotors(){
  setMotorCurrent(1);
  setMotor(1, 0);
  setMotor(2, 0);
}
The example you gave also doesn't compile without the header file (the stepperInit() function throws an error). I'd recommend going back to the example and commenting out the unneeded code so you can maintain the working components' order. Let me know if you need help with that!

Cheers,
Réna

153

TinyTV & Tiny Video Player / Re: Sound

« on: January 24, 2022, 06:11:18 PM »

Hi there! This question is answered on the TinyTV FAQ: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Kits/TinyTV-FAQ/#volume

Here's the pasted info from there:
- You should be able to get around 2-5x the sound by pressing and installing the speaker more firmly. To do this, take off the white sticker and adhere the speaker firmly against a flat surface (like on the inside of the TV's back panel). It may help to have the TinyTV on with a video playing and testing the audio while pressing on the speaker.

- The volume on the TV is limited by the volume of the video that is converted using the TSV Converter. Make sure that you are converting videos with louder volume, or consider editing the volume on a video with a utility like Photoshop.

Let me know if you need any clarification on that info! An earbud jack is theoretically possible, but this would require some hardware and software knowledge, so I would not recommend pursuing that route if you are not experienced with embedded systems.

Cheers,
Réna

154

New Product Ideas / Re: 1.14 screen

« on: January 24, 2022, 06:08:01 PM »

While it is a possibility, it's unlikely we would create a product so similar to one we already have. The 0.96" screen is very close to the proposed 1.14". We do see ourselves possible offering different sized OLEDs in the future, such as something like a 1.5" screen, but it's hard for us to forecast our future products given the supply chain issues making it difficult to reliably design around a specific part.

If the 0.96" screen could work with a differently placed USB, you could use the TinyScreen TinyShield with the TinyZero processor to move the USB to the right side when looking at the screen. That being said, I'm not sure that solution would work for your project. It's something you can look into as an option!

Cheers,
Réna

155

TinyTV & Tiny Video Player / Re: Help programming the TinyScreen+

« on: January 14, 2022, 02:05:04 PM »

Hiya,

Were you able to upload the example in the first tutorial?

To see the right board's port, you want to make sure the hardware is turned ON and you are selecting the right items in the Arduino IDE.

You should be able to select "TinyScreen+" for your Board under the "TinyCircuits SAMD Boards" option found in the Tools/Board menu. The SAMD21 processor is made by Atmel, but it is not an 'ATMEL' board, so that would be incorrect to select.

There's a photo reference here for what to select: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Help/Upload_Arduino_Programs/#tinyscreen

The 'Arduino as ISP' shouldn't be an option from what I can tell. the two options you need to change in the Tools menu are the board (TinyScreen+) and the Port (COM# (TinyScreen+)) - everything else you should be able to leave as the default selections. Then just press the 'Upload' arrow button.

I hope that helps!

Cheers,
Réna

156

Thumby / Re: Playing Gameboy Games on Thumby

« on: January 13, 2022, 05:11:31 PM »

This is awesome!

157

Tiny Arcade & Pocket Arcade / Re: flaw with the Game Development Tutorial

« on: January 13, 2022, 01:21:55 PM »

Hi there,

It looks like the ALPHA variable is only explicitly shown to be added to the GameTutorialSprites.h file. It's mentioned in this step of the tutorial 'Adding Bitmap Sprites': https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Help/Developing-a-Game-For-Tiny-Arcade_Tutorial/#adding-bitmap-sprites

It looks like the line"const uint16_t ALPHA = 0x1111;" that's included in the GameTutorial.ino file at the end of the tutorial is partially shown in a few places of the tutorial (like in this step: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Help/Developing-a-Game-For-Tiny-Arcade_Tutorial/#exporting-binary-files-from-the-arduino-ide), but you're correct that the value assigned isn't mentioned, which leaves the tutorial incomplete. I'll add the line to the tutorial so that no one else faces the same problem. Thank you for letting us know about the issue!

Cheers,
Réna

158

Wirelings / Re: Help with code

« on: January 11, 2022, 07:02:02 PM »

Hi there,

I ran your program through diffchecker (https://www.diffchecker.com/diff) with the pulse sensor wireling example from the setup tutorial: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Wirelings/Pulse-Oximetry_Wireling_Tutorial/
I attached a picture of what this difference looks like.

It looks like you never update the sensor, or store any data from it for that matter. In the loop() you use the pulseSensor.begin() function. So instead of polling for new data each loop, you are re-initializing the sensor. The delay is also far too large - some discussion on why that is.

I advise going through the tutorial linked above.

Cheers,
Réna

159

TinyDuino Processors & TinyShields / Re: Limitations on Stacking Modules

« on: January 11, 2022, 01:34:54 PM »

Hi there,

There are some limitations to consider pin-wise. We have a compatibility matrix for all of our boards that aren't compatible with each other due to pin conflicts, and workarounds for some that are compatible with a few extra steps (mostly resistor/address changes): https://learn.tinycircuits.com/TinyDuino_Overview/#tinyshield-compatibility

Power can definitely be something to take into consideration when you are working with a battery-powered project, but many times you can make compromises on the project by limiting polling times or using low-power modes on devices/sensors that have those modes available - or getting a bigger battery if you can't make compromises. The current consumption information for all of our boards is available on the product pages under Tech Specs and in the dropdown Technical Details menu on each tutorial (https://learn.tinycircuits.com/) page - you can use the current consumption info to help you calculate how long a battery might last with your project, more discussion on that in this Arduino forum thread: https://forum.arduino.cc/t/calculating-power-consumption/50820

Feel free to ask more questions if you need more details on clarification on anything!

Cheers,
Réna

160

TinyTV & Tiny Video Player / Re: TSV File Size

« on: January 05, 2022, 07:46:58 PM »

Hiya,

The files are converted using FFmpeg and are not compressed or made smaller, they are resized. The .tsv file contains the same number of frames and audio data as the original and is not smaller or compressed because the microcontroller used in the TinyTV is not powerful enough to be able to decompress these large video files.

The TV can only play .tsv files with the way the software is written.

The 8GB card included in the TV kit is large enough to fit 3-5 full movies (depending on the actual length of the movies), but if you would like more video time than that, you can absolutely get a larger micro SD Card to fit as many videos as you'd like. Keep in mind, the battery in the TV will only play around up to 5 hours of video on a full charge (less time with brighter videos, potentially more time with darker videos).

If you want to use a larger SD Card, just be sure to reformat it to FAT32 before adding .tsv files so that it's readable by the TV program.

I hope that helps! Would love to see how you customize/paint your TV! 

Cheers,
Réna

161

Thumby / Re: Thumby Serial Connection

« on: January 04, 2022, 06:34:51 PM »

Hiya there,

Since no port is coming up at all when the Thumby is turned on - it's possible that the cable you are using does not have the necessary data lines for communicating with the Thumby. Many Micro USB cables have just the power and ground wires to charge or power electronics.

Do you have any other cables you could try? Or are you able to transfer data with that cable in a different way - possibly by transferring files or pictures from a different device?

Let me know if that helps!

Best,
Réna

162

New Product Ideas / Re: TinyZero/Addition of PH connector for INT1

« on: January 03, 2022, 04:56:34 PM »

Greg,

We likely won't pursue a different version of the TinyZero unfortunately since it's difficult to stock and manufacture different versions of any product for a company of any size.

I recommend using thinner wire for the solder point and limiting the contact of other items or surfaces with the soldered wire. We haven't bought this wire exactly, but we have something similar and it's regularly what we would use for something like your project: https://www.amazon.com/Solder-Flexible-0-25mm-Copper-Wrapping/dp/B008AGUCWW/ref=asc_df_B008AGUCWW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167153365865&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6121982080359427693&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1023522&hvtargid=pla-310428807515&psc=1

I hope that helps.

Best,
Réna

163

Wirelings / Re: Help with MAX30101 Library

« on: December 28, 2021, 05:16:28 PM »

You can download the library from this section of the pulse tutorial: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Wirelings/Pulse-Oximetry_Wireling_Tutorial/#materials
The library was written by us, so it's available through our tutorial or our github.

For help downloading the library, you can follow either Method 2-3 from this tutorial: https://learn.tinycircuits.com/Help/Installing_Libraries_Tutorial/

Hope that helps!

164

TinyTV & Tiny Video Player / Re: Tiny TV Arcades

« on: December 27, 2021, 03:26:08 PM »

I bought myself some tiny ducks because I could not stop thinking about them!! The Etsy painter gave me a little holiday wreath as well! Thank you so much for sharing the tiny find.

They blend in perfectly with all the other tiny things on my desk in the office.

165

General Discussion / MOVED: Accelerometer Units/Dog Fitbit

« on: December 21, 2021, 09:43:42 PM »

This topic has been moved to Wirelings.

http://forum.tinycircuits.com/index.php?topic=2392.0