Arduino IDE on Raspberry PI

[xibalban]

Hey Fellas,

Lately, I've been trying hard (but succeeding) to establish an electronics workbench for myself. I've been trying to make it as compact as possible as well. Here's an idea, which reinforces the spatial optimisation for the workbench.

I'd be using an AVR ISP Programmer like the Pololu or USBasp, to program my test MCUs. An integral part of the development is the IDE which entails placement of a desktop (or laptop) and its peripherals. That would occupy quite a decent amount of space on my workbench.

I was planning, instead, to go to the extremes of portability:

• Use an 8"- 9" E-Ink Display
• Use Raspberry PI as the CPU
• Use some wireless mini mouse/keyboard combo
• Use Arduino IDE on the Linux distro

Reactions please!!

[Ebivetar]

Maybe try some window or linux miniPC + display of your choice.
linux miniPC range from $50 to $100, windows goes for $100+

here is something from my quick search on aliexpress: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2015-New-Windows-8-1-OS-Intel-Quad-Core-1-33Ghz-CPU-TV-BOX-mini-pc/32259813617.html?s=p

[sleemanj]

• Use an 8"- 9" E-Ink Display
• Use some wireless mini mouse/keyboard combo

That would drive me mad.

Developing any kind of software (or hardware) IMHO demands at least a large monitor, preferably two.  You need to have datasheets, schematics, pcb layouts, documentation, websites, google .... all open in front of you.  Working on a laptop, let alone an "8-9 inch E-Ink" display would be... torture.

[igendel]

I totally agree with sleemanj here - big monitor space is a must for programming.

I programmed AVR microcontrollers using my Beaglebone Black ( http://www.idogendel.com/en/archives/191 ), and the Arduino IDE works there well too - but it's connected to a 21" monitor and I won't have anything less. Apart from all the different information sources you need in front of you, there's also the code itself; if it's not big and clear, you're sure to have harder time debugging it.

[neslekkim]

Normally big screen is a must, but arduino ide?, how is it helping with and big screen in that crappy environment?
Using VisualStudio or something similar I would agree..

[igendel]

Normally big screen is a must, but arduino ide?, how is it helping with and big screen in that crappy environment?
Using VisualStudio or something similar I would agree..

Again, most of the time you don't have just the IDE open - especially if you work with electronics and need datasheets, references etc.

Also, as basic as it is, try to work with the Arduino IDE on a monitor the size of your hand and tell us how it feels 

[neslekkim]

Again, most of the time you don't have just the IDE open - especially if you work with electronics and need datasheets, references etc.

Also, as basic as it is, try to work with the Arduino IDE on a monitor the size of your hand and tell us how it feels 

Agrees to that, but there are lots between 8" and 21", 8" is far to small, but it also depends on the situation, what do one have room for.

I was looking around now for "wallmount" for an montor, if I could find something that I could hang under an shelve, so i could lift up the monitor under an shelve when not in use, then there would be room, otherwise I have to continue to use my normal computer, which is on my other desk.. not easy to get place for electronics and computers on the same place..

[igendel]

I was looking around now for "wallmount" for an montor

Good idea, monitors today are so thin, that if you can discard their base somehow they will take almost no work space.
However, many models have their power/data connections in their base or sticking out the back, so either choose the monitor carefully, or prepare yourself for some warranty-voiding hacking 

[neslekkim]

I was looking around now for "wallmount" for an montor

Good idea, monitors today are so thin, that if you can discard their base somehow they will take almost no work space.
However, many models have their power/data connections in their base or sticking out the back, so either choose the monitor carefully, or prepare yourself for some warranty-voiding hacking 

Yes, would need to chose an monitor that would fit, but first find stand.. I'm not capable to make that myself, that would have been something.
An friend of me found this: http://www.multibrackets.com/9826.shtml
if it was the other way around it would be nice.

[Monkeh]

I was looking around now for "wallmount" for an montor

Good idea, monitors today are so thin, that if you can discard their base somehow they will take almost no work space.
However, many models have their power/data connections in their base or sticking out the back, so either choose the monitor carefully, or prepare yourself for some warranty-voiding hacking 

Which decade are you in? Virtually every monitor made nowadays has a detachable base, no fixed leads, and a standard VESA mount on the back.

Brackets are easily available.

[neslekkim]

Good idea, monitors today are so thin, that if you can discard their base somehow they will take almost no work space.
However, many models have their power/data connections in their base or sticking out the back, so either choose the monitor carefully, or prepare yourself for some warranty-voiding hacking 

Which decade are you in? Virtually every monitor made nowadays has a detachable base, no fixed leads, and a standard VESA mount on the back.

Brackets are easily available.

It's still valid, first, I'm looking for something to hang the monitor, and push it up and away when not in use, that is, under an shelf, not on the wall, since the wall is my place to hang tools and such things.
Many monitors have their connections badly placed, like my 28" Samsung 4K monitor, the cable sticks right out in the back, and it doesnt even have vesa mount, just an idiotic footstand.
So, one need to find an monitor that will suit also, so it can be used properly...

[igendel]

Which decade are you in? Virtually every monitor made nowadays has a detachable base, no fixed leads, and a standard VESA mount on the back.

I bought two monitors in the last 3 years or so, they had none of that... interesting enough, I looked now at a local seller's website and many monitors there do support VESA. So I guess I'm fine, it's my country that was behind on monitor standards 

[xibalban]

I thought e-ink displays are slow to update like a book reader. Thumbs down to that.

Well, you may want to re-think, after watching the following:

[neslekkim]

That was 2 wasted minutes.. How would that one show how the update speed are?

This one shows how slow it is:

[neslekkim]

If you see the video i linked to, a bit into it, it's the same as kindle, ok for books of for that type of usage, but it would be killing my head if i had to use that screen and code on it..

[xibalban]

That would drive me mad.

Developing any kind of software (or hardware) IMHO demands at least a large monitor, preferably two.  You need to have datasheets, schematics, pcb layouts, documentation, websites, google .... all open in front of you.  Working on a laptop, let alone an "8-9 inch E-Ink" display would be... torture.

I agree, but the idea is to use my normal desktop (which resides separately in my study) to do stuffs like data-sheet download, research, or even write the preliminary code, etc. The same may be copied over to a usb stick (or accessed via LAN) and the final ISP programming stuffs like playing around with AVRDude, and program debugging, modification, etc would be carried out in the minimal work-bench.

A note to those people who have never used an E-Ink display:

"You wish to develop a really useful product using your programming skills, but would you compromise your vision impairment for it?" Or, ultra-extensive exposure to back-lit LCD monitors could adversely affect your vision, and that's how E-Ink (or paper-like) displays made route to the consumer markets. Different people have different opinions about the usage of these displays, but the bottom-line usually is being concerned about the health of your eyes, if that means waiting a bit longer for screen updates (which, believe me depends a lot on the underlying hardware design like processors, etc).

Well, you may want to re-think, after watching the following:

Looks like a device I could like but the video does not show rapid screen updates. Or any screen updates at all.

Well it does show a Charlie Chaplin movie (Modern Times - oh I love that movie  ) being played, quite well. Doesn't playing a video require screen refreshes (or updates)?

[xibalban]

Well it does show a Charlie Chaplin movie (Modern Times - oh I love that movie  ) being played, quite well. Doesn't playing a video require screen refreshes (or updates)?

What were you watching? The link I followed shows no screen updates at all. Not movies, not page turns. Certainly no Charlie Chaplin.

My bad, apologies. I think I linked the wrong video. Thanks for pointing that out. Below is the correct link:



The following is the source of the video, which provides a little more info:

http://the-digital-reader.com/2015/01/06/e-ink-demos-13-3-second-screen-e-ink-monitor-ces-2015-video/

[igendel]

ultra-extensive exposure to back-lit LCD monitors could adversely affect your vision, and that's how E-Ink (or paper-like) displays made route to the consumer markets.

Look, if you fell in love with this fast new E-Ink display, just go and get it but it it's your eyes/health you worry about, then around electronics I would suggest investing in other, more common protective measures - fume extractor and good ventilation for soldering, good hand tools and safety goggles for cutting stuff (little bits can fly right into your face) etc. There are greater dangers on a maker's workbench than an LCD monitor 

[dentaku]

By the way, Intel has a new ridiculously small full PC about the size of the Chromecast called the Compute Stick.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2866435/intels-compute-stick-is-a-dirt-cheap-windows-pc-that-fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand.html

You can just stick it to the back of a monitor completely out of the way.

[neslekkim]

My bad, apologies. I think I linked the wrong video. Thanks for pointing that out. Below is the correct link:

That was more useful, it looks like e-ink is getting better, that update rate seems useful. And with this kind of screensize it would make a good reader for datasheets and so on. (provided that the resolution is good)

This is also worth watching: