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Topic: How to get started? (Read 2243 times) previous topic - next topic


May 05, 2013, 09:39 am Last Edit: May 05, 2013, 09:43 am by camaero Reason: 1
Hi guys,

I'm trying to figure out the best way to get started in Arduino. I've been looking at two kits and I'd like some opinions on which of them I should start out with, or even if I should start elsewhere all together. Any comments would be very much appreciated.

The two kits in question are:

Arduino Starter Kit
DFRobotShop Rover V2



They're not really comparable... much as I hate cliches, they're apples and oranges. That DFR one is a robot, so the kit has a specific purpose, whereas the starter kits have no end-project in mind. Starter kits teach the underlying concepts and get you going with various inputs (sensors) and outputs (leds, motors etc) which are the building blocks you need to do any "real" projects.

I'd go with the starter kit, or "a" starter kit; Arduino's isn't the only one but it has the advantage of its own forum.
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Thanks for the response! I think that makes sense. I wasn't sure if the robot came with the same basics as the other kit but also with the robot parts, or how that worked exactly.

Got any suggestions on which other starter kits might be worth checking out? Is the Arduino kit a fairly solid way to go?



I think they're all much of a muchness, and as I say the Arduino one has its own forum. I think the boxes turn into components too?

In any case, any extra things you decide to get are readily sourced. No kit will have "everything" and one day you'll wish there were two of "these" and you never used "that"..... whichever kit you get.

If you don't already have one, get a multimeter. Here's a lengthy discussion about price and brands....
Gone for good


I think part of the answer depends upon you. That is, if you have a boatload of money, get the best hardware you can. If you're like most of us, shop around. Personally, I want to support Atmel so I started with a "true" Arduino. For prototyping and things like that I now tend to look on eBay. I've bought a bunch of stuff from China and it has all worked well. You can buy an ATMega1250 for less than $20. The other issue is how well do you know C and does that influence what you want to do with the Arduino. If you're an experienced C programmer, then everything becomes a hardware choice. If you aren't a programmer, then you need to blend the hardware and software learning experience. One kit probably isn't going to be a perfect solution. Like they say: If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail. Personally, I'd look at myself and ask what do I need to learn, then I'd buy an inexpensive Arduino board, a programming book or two, and whatever hardware is necessary for those projects the peak your interest. My guess is that you could get a book book suited to your background, an Arduino board of some sort, and a handful of components that look interesting to you for much less than the price of the kits you mentioned.

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