Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
1
Introduction to Arduino
Electronics enthusiasts have always been present. For decades, they have been
creating interesting devices and products. Amateur radio enthusiasts typically
made their own radio sets using schematics found in magazines or simply from
their own design. How many of us built a radio system to discover electronics,
only to be hooked? With a few dollars' worth of components, you could create
your own radio and listen to glorious long-wave transmissions on a small low-
quality speaker, and yet it was better than what could be bought in the shops
because it was homemade. If you wanted better sound, you could buy a better
speaker. More volume? There were kits for that, too. Audiophiles built their own
amplii ers and accessories depending on their needs. Electronics shops proposed
topics for all levels, from beginner to expert. Kits were also available using the
simplest of components all the way to entire computer systems. It was a time
in which you could build just about anything, and everything. You could, quite
literally, walk into an electronics shop, buy a DIY computer, and spend a few
hours soldering memory chips onto a printed circuit board. That's how I started.
In the 1990s, things changed slightly. Most hobbyists had a PC on their desk
and could use them to create schematics, simulate parts of a system, and even
print circuit board with transparent layouts, making the entire process much
easier. However, something was missing. Almost all the devices that could be
made were not programmable. Microprocessors were available but were either
too expensive or too complicated. At the time, the 68000 microprocessor was
one of the most reliable components available and was relatively cheap but
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