(Proposed) Adruino Ethernet and MEGA 2560 Merge Project

[Cra451]

I just ran into the 32K code barrier for the Arduino Ethernet board, And I was thinking that maybe what is needed is a Arduino Ethernet with the MEGA2560 chip as its core. The biggest thing that pushed it over the edge was Twitter internal OAuth code that would enable the device to talk to twitter directly. (without a middleman server) So my current code works in parts, but all together its 37K and I have 10K more to write.

I have Eagle set up along with the Boards and the Schematics downloaded from thier source locations. I managed to get the Chip copied from the original Mega Board on to the Ethernet Schematic ... Most of the pins match up directly. There are a couple of pins that im not sure if they are the same , and im not sure that the firmware would be the same.

Is there any advice that you call could offer on things that I should watch out for? Does anyone want to help out? I'm thinking that if we do this right it could be the Ethernet R3 Version ... and get any other issues handled that others have seen?

Chuck

[westfw]

There are a couple of 1284p-based boards (128k flash, 40 pins) that might be easier to use if you don't need all the extra IO pins.

A (normal sized) smt 1284 + wiznet 5200 board would be an interesting beast; significantly cheaper and smaller than a 2560+5100 board. Not as standard, of course The idea would be to implement all of the on-board communications using the "extra" pins from the 1284, leaving all the shield-connected pins usable for other purposes.

[Cra451]

Great Points ...

I didn't know anything about the ATMega 1284P ... but found this link.
http://maniacbug.wordpress.com/2011/11/ ... ga1284p-4/

Also did not know that there was a W5200 out there either
http://blog.wiznet.co.kr/w5200-arduino- ... 7clMkXOy8A

Your point is duely noted on the right sizing the core and pins... At first I was not thinking of really using the extra pins.

Maybe we need two....versions...(the 1284 for the code problem only.... ) but then i started ...just thinking and not really knowing how hard this is but its a neat idea...
But to really make this a beast, GRANDE!!! how about this .. I have no idea if its possible but its an idea.

First Setting some parameters...
Finished board to be sized as same as Uno (would have to be SMD and multi Layer....)
All (lower) Digital Pins and Analog Pins are to be presented as available

But the following is connected to the higher order pins already and some sort of framework is already in place. That lets all the following work....
Eeprom is working , and proper web setting library... where "my mom" could change the settings... without recompling....
Ethernet W5200 is connected (Twitter Out and Web Page IN)
RTC + Battery (pushing Wakeup command)
Sleep Circuit? For self and screen....
USB (1) connectivity for programming like standard UNO
USP (2) is available for one of the following Android, Iphone or wireless connection via
see here for Miniture Wifi ... https://www.adafruit.com/products/814
or lastly maybe a usb Blue Tooth device too...
Connector for touch display Like the one already at adafruit... but not needing the shield...
SD Card
Power

This is probably way over board but it would be really cool to get as a base for the "Internet o things".... and you could just concentrate on the Shield for you interactivity with the world.... and sensors... What do you think?

[Cra451]

Oh yes.. I forgot to say this, i'm going to look at the 1248 and see if it would fit doing this too. Thanks for the point in the right direction.

[Cra451]

An Update ....

After looking at this over the weekend, it appears that the price difference between the 1248 and the 2560 is not that much $5 total in quanity.
The price difference is about $1 @ quanity one. So i'm gonna start the process in getting the 2560 together and all the updated components to make that happen.

The problem is that the more I read the more questions im getting.

Does anyone know who built the existing Ethernet board for Arduino?

[westfw]

The price difference is about $1 @ quanity one.

Really? Where are you shopping?! Most of my sources have the 1284p at half the price of the 2560 ($8 vs $18 at Digikey, $6 vs $13 at Mouser...)

[Cra451]

Well this is interesting ...

http://maniacbug.wordpress.com/2011/11/ ... ga1284p-4/

[Cra451]

and if you look long enogh you can find anything on the internet.

There is a EtherMega Board over at freetronics.
http://www.freetronics.com/collections/ ... 9I2ktXOy5I