I have a project in mind for EL wire, and I’ve come here to get a sequencer – both the EL Escudo and EL Sequencer look good, but what else do I need to get? I saw [[u]this thread[/u] so I hope I’m in the right forum. I’ve also seen the heartbeat and speed limit vest projects, which got both my creative juices flowing and curiousity in the details. I’m more of a programmer than a hardware guy, so looking at the details gets me a little lost. Please guide me!
From what I can figure out:
Sequencer has a built-in ATmega microcontroller that I can program sequences.
Escudo needs a separate Arduino microcontroller and/or board, and I program on that.
So Sequencer looks like a better deal, as I don’t have to get a separate microcontroller. Or is there something I’m missing?
If the Sequencer has a built-in ATmega, what hardware do I need to get to program it? The [[u]photo of the board[/u] looks like I’d have to get a separate USB connector to solder on.
What software is needed? Free would be better, of course! I’m not too afraid of using any language, as long as there is some sample code available.
Going beyond the board itself, I know I need the EL wire itself (duh!). Also an inverter - just one? Not one per el wire channel? (at least that’s how I see it in [[u]this photo[/u].) I want to make this portable, so what size batteries? And I know it depends on the length of el wire what size inverter to get. I think I have around 21 feet total.
Any other things I should get or watch out for? I have some friends that can do wiring and soldering, but I hope to learn how.
I didn’t know about the FTDI Basic Breakout, but I figured it would be an easy connection. Is it something I can easily disconnect for more than one Sequencer? (Hey, I’m planning BIG!)
Sorry to be a pain with the details…
So, I download this software from http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software? I’m windows xp, btw, though I have also windows vista. Is it easy to setup and run? After setting up and using multiple programming languages, it’s always the setup that’s more difficult than the actual programming.
I am more comfortable now with the hardware. Thanks FartingMonkey92! And there’s something I never thought I’d ever say…
rogerc:
“I didn’t know about the FTDI Basic Breakout, but I figured it would be an easy connection. Is it something I can easily disconnect for more than one Sequencer? (Hey, I’m planning BIG!)”
Yup. It acts as a virtual serial port using lower voltages than a real one, useful for microcontroller projects. Once you’ve loaded code, you can unplug the FTDI board from the target. After the bootload timer expires, it will run the fresh code.
rogerc:
“So, I download this software from http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software? I’m windows xp, btw, though I have also windows vista. Is it easy to setup and run? After setting up and using multiple programming languages, it’s always the setup that’s more difficult than the actual programming.”
We know this because in the schematic for the El Sequencer, it has a regulator (U10) powering the logic which will accept a LiPo battery voltage (3.7V nominal) and is a simple low drop-out regulator.
Don’t worry about having to buy a new FTDI board to use with 5V targets, the 3.3V version can easily be modified to run at 5V.
Getting closer! Have parts and soon getting the EL wire. As always, another round of questions:
Connecting the FTDI Basic Breakout 3.3V board to the EL Sequencer was easy, especially when an electrical friend helped me with the soldering. But the pins don’t quite say the same thing:
Reading the comments on the Breakout 3.3V is sort of explains that TXO and RXI talk across to each other, and I assume CTS just gets grounded, but whats with the 3.3V to 5V? Do I need to do the snip-snip to convert my 3.3 to a 5V?
Powering: Which may be related to the above. Does the Sequencer BATT connect to a 3.7V LiPo, separate from the Power and Output of the EL Driver? I do see the BAT/USB switch - if I use BAT, do I still need to worry about the Breakout 3.3/5 conflict?
I have to say I do like the board – due to my misreading the picture it is a lot smaller than I originally thought. CM instead of inches, and all.
You shouldn’t need to do any level shifting to get it working because the ATMega on the Sequencer runs at 3.3V.
Both the battery input and USB power go through the Sequencer’s regulator anyway, although this is getting a 3.3V input aswell as outputting that voltage, it should be able to be powered over USB. The board that is… I wouldn’t go trying to power the board and an El-wire supply from the FTDI board.
Bear in mind you can also upload code over USB with the power from a battery, just use the switch.
I thought I had this complete, but now for the LiPo battery, which the local electronics store (not a Radio Shack) doesn’t stock. The EL Sequencer page lists “Polymer Lithium Ion Batteries - 2000mAh” – is this what I want for the Sequencer? Or the 1000mAh? And how do I charge up the LiPo battery when the “LiPoly Charger - Single Cell 3.7-7V Input” is out of stock?
Okay, I’m getting the PoLi battery, as well as a charger. I also got the suggested inverter from http://www.coolight.com/product-p/ifw-3294.htm, which also has 2 x AA batteries. Insert look of confusion. Looking at the EL Sequencer board, it has a BATT connection, as well as a connector for Power and Output inside an “EL Driver” box. Which battery goes where? My electrical friend looked it over and discovered BATT and Power are electrically connected, which I guess means either the AA or the PoLi batteries get voted off the island, but what do I connect to which?
You just need to hook up the red & black wires of the inverter to the “Power” socket on the Sequencer and also the white wire of the inverter to the “Output” on the board.
Note the polarity markings.
You power the whole creation with just the LiPo cell(s) connected to the Sequencer.
![[u]photo of the board[/u]](http://static.sparkfun.com/images/products/09203-02.jpg){kind=link}
![[u]this photo[/u]](http://static.sparkfun.com/images/products/09203-4.jpg){kind=link}