RTFA: http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Tutorials/Protosh…

Here is a design for an Arduino protoshield that sits on top of the main Arduino board. You can use the files below to order a board from a PCB manufacturer, or you can make them yourself. The file is in Eagle format; you’ll have to generate your own drill and gerber files appropriate to your PCB house.

I built an Arduino Protoshield v.4 today, and it’s really cool. I’ve been working on an infrared decoder for a few days, and the solderless breadboard does become pretty cumbersome, after long enough. The protoshield makes it a lot easier!

When I got down to it, it was really hard to find good information about assembling the protoshield v.4. The tutorial from atomicsalad is useful, but it’s not for the specific protoshield I am using. This isn’t a big deal if you’re familiar with this stuff, but I had a hard time getting started. I decided to post some of the information that finally got me rolling.

First, I am using an Arduino Protoshield v.4 that was purchased from FunGizmos. So you know, this comes with absolutely no instruction on how to assemble it, nor does it include a 1k ohm resistor. I happened to have one lying around, so it’s not a big deal, but be aware…

The protoshield “source code” is actually an image, and it’s a matter of printing the image onto a PCB to actually make something useful out of it. Well, I got a printed protoshield v.4 and a few documents came in handy for understanding how to assemble it.

The two most helpful documents came from sgBotic:

1. PCB Diagram, which is the source image that the PCB was based on. Looking at this picture, it is easier to tell what hooks up with where, since the physical traces can be a little hard to see on the physical board itself.

2. Schematic Diagram, which is a high-level explanation of the components that need to be soldered to the board, and where they attach. I referred to this image to get the placement of the two resistors right.

Also, Lady Ada’s adafruit store has a very useful picture of the final product. I didn’t do anything about the ICSP interface (which is in Lady Ada’s picture), since I only use the one ATmega168 chip and I won’t be changing the bootloader.

There is another useful picture from sgBotic here.

In the end, everything worked out great. I had to position the breadboard in a pretty strange way, and that did require a few modifications… The following pictures show off the finished product, with a small project already on it.

Check out this soldering! …I think it looks really great.

Since the breadboard hangs off the side, I cut the insulation off the bottom of the portion that extends beyond the board. As you probably know, a solderless breadboard connects columns of pins with a piece of metal that is called a rail. Well, since my breadboard was right on top of the protoshield’s power connections, I had to remove one of the rails to prevent the shield from shorting the Arduino. Also, since I had removed the insulation from the breadboard, I covered the back with several pieces of electrical tape.

Anyway, the protoshield v.4 is definitely a good one. My primary criticism is that the breadboard I got for it doesn’t fit right, but as I’ve demonstrated, it’s not too hard to work around it. Enjoy!

A few days ago, I demonstrated an Arduino Duemilanove circuit that would receive keypresses from a TV remote control. Well, I had so much fun with it that I made the code more advanced, and I made a new video demonstrating what I did. Watch the video, download the code, and let me know what changes you made.

After watching the video, you’ll know what to expect. The next step is to get my Arduino sketch, which is available right here:

ir_decodepde.zip

Next up, you need an IR Receiver. I use the RadioShack 38 kHz IR Receiver Module (part number 276-640). This costs $4, and it’s in almost any RadioShack I’ve ever been to (even the small ones that look like they only sell cellphones and toys). I know, I know – RadioShack has a reputation for selling shoddy parts, but whatever. I’ve only been burned once, and it’s worth it for the instant gratification of getting what I need without waiting for shipping.

Next, you need a solderless breadboard. I recommend the Arduino Protoshield, but since I haven’t assembled mine, I am using my breadboard (RS part number 276-169). I’m not sure if this is still for sale, so please let me know if you have any luck getting one.

Finally, you’ll need some small wires, some LEDs, and some resistors. Get two LEDs (the cheapest you can find), two 10K-ohm resistors, and a 220 ohm resistor.

Oh, and you’ll need a remote control. I’m using the Sony RMT-V202. This is up to you, and I can’t promise that my code will work unmodified with any other remote. However, I can tell you that my code is an excellent starting point, since it will give you all of the IR timings that you need to understand what your remote is “saying.” Remember how the video had a “debug mode” for looking at the timing of the IR pulses? This is your key to adapting the code to any remote, whatsoever.

If you need help understanding how to use a breadboard with the Arduino, I recommend watching the following video. The video demonstrates, in somewhat excruciating detail, how to build a totally different project with the Arduino. It’s kindof fun to watch, anyway…

How-to Tuesday: Fun with the Arduino Starter Kit from make magazine on Vimeo.

So, have fun! Also, I want to hear about your experiences using my code and video to play with your Arduino.