Hasta La Gadget!

Sweet merciful tech gods do we love the Arduino. Seriously, it seems there’s almost nothing this little MCU can’t do. The latest arrow in its quiver of awesomeness is this little sampler, called the GVS1, that can capture, loop, pause, and reverse pixelated clips of 1- or 1.5-bit video in stunning 128 × 96 clarity. (And, before you ask, we’re not exactly sure what half-a-bit is either.) The creator, known as Gijs on Vimeo, plans to upgrade the GVS1 to 2-bit capture at some point and is working towards getting some kits out the door in either September or October. If you’re impatient, and have have the necessary soldering skills, you can find schematics and the Arduino code at the source. But, before you go, make sure to check out the pair of demo videos after the break.

Continue reading Arduino-based GVS1 video sampler is like a DIY MPC for pixelated clips

Arduino-based GVS1 video sampler is like a DIY MPC for pixelated clips originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redpark’s iOS cable lets you interact with Arduino hardware through iPhones, iPods and iPads. Photo courtesy of Make

With the introduction of a new cable made for Apple’s iOS devices, hardware modders are no longer beholden to the Android platform alone to fulfill their hacking desires.

Electronics accessory builders Redpark introduced a serial cable on Monday, which lets you connect your iPod, iPad or iPhone devices to physical computing peripherals. After hooking your iOS device up to hardware like Arduino — one of the more popular open-source hardware platforms with the DIY community — you can download a software developer kit that allows you to control the unit using your iPhone like a remote control.

Over the past few years, open hardware computing platforms have grown in popularity. ARM Holdings’ mbed project gives non-programmer types the ability to program small computers known as microcontrollers, while encouraging integration with unconventional objects. In May, Android introduced its accessory developer kit (ADK) based on the Arduino hardware at its annual developer conference in San Francisco. Using the ADK and Arduino’s free software tools, those familiar with coding for Android can make programs that interact with other devices, from a simple LED to a remote-controlled robot.

While the iOS platform remains far from ‘open,’ Apple gave Redpark’s cable its official stamp of approval. That means unlike previously, you won’t have to jailbreak your iPhone to connect it to an Arduino unit.

The cable costs $60 from Redpark’s site, and works with devices running iOS version 4.3 and above.

Head on over to Make magazine for a great rundown of how to hook the cable up to your iOS device and get coding right away.

[Redpark via Make]

It’s like Christmas in July Arduino fans. The Italian open-source hardware platform just scored a number of new add-ons and a pair of fresh iterations that are sure to keep you tinkering and hacking for some time. First up is the Arduino Ethernet — which, as you may have guessed — sports an onboard Ethernet jack. You’ll probably want to pick up a USB Serial Adapter to program the ATmega328 chip but, once you’ve loaded your code, it can be hooked up to the web without the need for a Ethernet shield — and an optional PoE (Power over Ethernet) module means you’ll only need one cable for all you net-connected projects. The DIY scene’s favorite microcontroller was also blessed with the new Arduino ADK board, a take on Google’s accessory development platform. And, if you’re not sure where to get started, you can pick up an entire kit for €249 (about $352) that includes not only the ADK board, but a huge pile of sensors and components, and the Mega Sensor Shield to arrange them on. The ADK alone will run you €59 ($83), while the Arduino Ethernet costs €39.90 ($56) with an additional €14.90 ($21) for the PoE module. Can you say a synonym for awesome?

Continue reading Arduino delivers Android and Ethernet toys for all the good little DIYers

Arduino delivers Android and Ethernet toys for all the good little DIYers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The latest creation from modder extraordinaire Benjamin J. Heckendorn? This mashup of an Xbox 360, Maker Faire-provided Arduino board and a Sony CD changer lets gamers play their entire collection without ever needing to leave the couch again. The latest episode of The Ben Heck Show takes viewers through the build process in a bit under 19 minutes, but leaves the device still needing a bit of polish in the end. Sponsor element14 is offering motivated viewers a chance to with this and finish it off properly as they see fit, removing the hassle of L.A. Noire disc swaps once and for all without buying a PS3. The video, and press release with details on how to win the as-yet unfinished project for yourself, can be found after the break.

Continue reading Ben Heck’s Xbox 360 automatic disc changer mod targets lazy gamers (video)

Ben Heck’s Xbox 360 automatic disc changer mod targets lazy gamers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Triggertrap is an open source, Arduino-based box that will take pretty much any input and use it to trigger your camera. Lasers, a clap of the hands, even your old TV remote — all of them will work to trip your camera’s shutter.

The project differs from other Kickstarter projects in a few ways. First is that there will be two very different versions. Photographer and geek Haje Jan Kamps has already built an Arduino-based laser trigger for a camera (break the beam, take the shot) and he will be selling a more complex kit with various inputs for DIY-loving photography hackers.

The second product will be a smaller, more polished box designed to be sold — eventually — in camera stores. This will contain a laser trigger and other inputs, along with variable time-lapse controls. It will still be hacker friendly thanks to a USB port through which it can be programmed.

The idea is that if you can connect it to an Arduino board, you can use it to fire you camera. This means that you will only be limited by your ideas.

To get in on the Kickstarter action, you’ll need to pledge $75 to get an assembled, Arduino-based model (Haje says prices will rise in the future). If that’s a little rich for you DIY types, you can download the open-source plans and build your own.

Triggertrap: The Universal Camera Trigger [Kickstarter]

See Also:

• DIY IR SLR Trigger Is Simple, Easy, Cheap
• Camera+ Sneaks Volume-Activated Shutter Past Apple's Censors …
• Cheap DIY Camera Systems Perform Amazing Photographic Feats …
• Downgrade Your Camera With The Gigtube Remote Viewfinder