Forum - Recent Threads

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

Alistair — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 15:28:38 GMT

Thank you all for the positive feedback. It is much appreciated. It is also good to know I am not the only one wondering.

Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

Alistair — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 19:24:32 GMT

So, i don't really know what is wanted or expected for the blog posts so I am just improvising and ploughing on regardless. I have just posted a new one here if you want an example.

If everyone is happy then I am happy, but if I can be doing things better then please let me know. I am concentrating on relaying the new information that I now know having experimented and researched. If noting else I am hoping that it will be useful to the next person. If I can do something differently, even if it is just for you personally, then let me know. I seem to be drilling down a little more than I expected so I think there will be more than 5 blog posts, but I am trying not to go overboard and only post what otters will find interesting or useful. Telling ne not to waffle on is also a perfectly valid option. ;-)

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

e14phil — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:15:00 GMT

Hey Alistair

Thanks for the question, you have had some great answers from some real hard hitters below.
I have to agree, the blog looks great, Conversation and group problem solving is also encouraged.

We really enjoy hearing the story of how you are finding it, as well as the technical information.

Its coming along well.

Phil from e14

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

shabaz — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:57:37 GMT

As a blog, it looks fine, admittedly I only scanned through it. I have not used those parts (but the one part immediately relevant, concerning One-Wire and I2C, I already commented on in your previous blog). It could do with a bit of sprucing up (It is still useful blog content regardless), it's just a personal opinion. Perhaps rephrase the title to "Temperature Sensors: Compared and Contrasted!". And links to each sensor, because a user may have no idea what the benefits are for each one (perhaps it is already in a blog in which case a link to it would be good to add). Your content would barely need to alter, it is work you've done, you're now the subject-matter expert on that topic, so you're in a position to express it in any way, and it is still useful.

Also, some blogs are slow burners, waiting on people to search it out when they are having problems. But one should also document for themselves, i.e. make the blog relevant to their own needs too, and then it's never a waste. Besides, interest is contagious. If the author is not interested in it, then it's hard for readers to be enthused either (I don't have any specific blogs from anyone in mind, I'm just talking generally).

If you specifically meant how is the blog in the context of the competition, if you're unsure, if it were me, I'd check out a few blogs from past competitions just to get a rough idea. However, more directly relevant, I'd definitely read in detail the competition announcement pages, and any rules.

From what little I've seen, occasionally a contestant or two in competitions may get bogged down with one thing or another, and might forget about the aim of the project. I remember once seeing some competition project a while back, where one of the contestants forgot to use any of the supplied parts. It kind of missed the point of the competition it seemed.

Anyway, all the above is just an opinion.

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

balajivan1995 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:21 GMT

Sometimes I too feel this way. I started engaging with the community only for the past few weeks. Sometimes I see the engagement experienced member's posts get and found those posts are open for conversation, as opposed to the one that I post which are mostly an open and shut kind of experiment details.

I am trying to make my upcoming posts more engaging and insightful meanwhile sticking to the content.

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

kmikemoo — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 20:12:44 GMT

Alistair You are right on track. Content, not format. 👍

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

misaz — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 20:04:16 GMT

The rules do not requires any special form of blog. Everybody can create whatever blogs he/she wants. Usualy blogs should describe your progress as part of competition or show some interesting results or findings including, for example, showcase of unsuccessfull ways. Some design challenges requires two blogs, some five. Many members use first blog for describing their idea in theory at the begining before the project is build and last blog for showing the final implemented project. Remaining three blogs they use for showing some interesting parts of the project, or just for wiriting about their progres or about interesting technology which their found when impelementing or whatever else. If you are familiar with makling videos, you can of course record the video and post simple blog post with video included. But very few people do this as part of Design Challenges. Sometimes somebody choose video form for RoadTest review instead of written text.

Your blog is completly fine.

RE: Are my blog posts of interest and/or appropriate

Jan Cumps — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 19:46:54 GMT

All powers to the content creators. Your blog - and any engineering bog - is very welcome here. Thank you.

RE: Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

shabaz — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:02:42 GMT

There are sleep_us() operations in the code, it's very likely they may need tweaking (checking with an oscilloscope), since the timings won't be too accurate in that way at the microsecond level with MicroPython.

I2C is a better protocol for on-board sensors (appreciate that doesn't help with the immediate problem, but for future use).

Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

Alistair — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:12:30 GMT

I am trying to use the OneWire protocol to talk to a DS18B20, but I don't think it is currently compiled in to MicroPython for SAMD21 based devices.

Am I correct? If so are there any recommended alternative libraries. If not then any thought as to what I am doing wrong?

RE: Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

Alistair — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:56:40 GMT

That is the command I was needed. Thanks. Yes, it confirms that onewire is not compiled in for some reason. It is documented as it should be, so perhaps I should try and nightly build and see what I get.

RE: Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

Alistair — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:55:24 GMT

Thanks for the the link. Following the same logic I found the same library, but sadly it is not detecting the sensor. I checked the wiring by connecting to an Arduino for a test and it worked, so I suspect it is an oddity around the XIAO and Micropython in some way. Perhaps it is timing as that feels critical and relying on quick execution looking at the code. I might connect it up to the scope to see what is actually happening at the hardware end and see it that gives me a clue. Thanks for the pointer though.

RE: Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

scottiebabe — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:51:32 GMT

Can you post what you see when you type help('modules') into the REPL

(Pico example)

RE: Has anyone used the OneWire protocol with the Seeeduino XIAO under MicroPython?

shabaz — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:24:10 GMT

I've not used any of the boards/protocols you mention. However, MicroPython allows for general GPIO manipulation, and I believe 1-wire is slow enough that you could manually bit-bang your protocol if needed. That's what the author of this library has done:

https://github.com/robert-hh/Onewire_DS18X20

That library should work (or could be edited, since it is entirely in Python, manually bit-banging - no compiling needed).

RE: What IDE should I use with Seeeduino XIAO? Is it supported by Arduino IDE?

paulcastor30 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 16:25:39 GMT

Thank you very much feiticeir0. This is a great help for me.

What IDE should I use with Seeeduino XIAO? Is it supported by Arduino IDE?

paulcastor30 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:36:12 GMT

I received my item today. I am wondering if Arduino support the Seeeduino XIAO. If not, can you give me recommendation on what IDE should I should to get started with the Seeeduino XIAO?

RE: What IDE should I use with Seeeduino XIAO? Is it supported by Arduino IDE?

feiticeir0 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:49:19 GMT

Hi !

Yest, arduino IDE supports the Seeeduino XIAO.

Here's how to add the seed boards to the IDE:

https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Seeed_Arduino_Boards/

You can also use others, like VSCode with the MS arduino extension or with Platformio.

If you're going to use MicroPython or CircuitPython, Thonny is a great choice.

Just try them.

I've been using the Arduino IDE for C and Thonny for MicroPython

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

Alistair — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:09:49 GMT

Thanks for that. According to UPS, because of the options selected when it was sent I can not redirect it, but the sender should be able to do so. I can't PM srutledge (I just get "cannnot message") but I have replied to him blow. Fingers crossed we can get this sorted before the clock runs out and it is returned to the US.

Who do we need to contact about shipping?

Alistair — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:01:23 GMT

To cut a long story short, the package has arrived in my city, but I am on holiday and it will be returned before I return. It has been sent so I can not make any changes to the delivery instructions, so I need to contact the person who sent it to make the changes. Who do I need to contact?

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

Alistair — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 10:03:56 GMT

Yes, that is what I have on the web portal. I contacted them and it will be held there for 10 days and then returned to you if nothing is done. Annoyingly there is no way to hold it longer until I am back from holiday. The suggestion from UPS is for you change the destination address, but the way it has been sent you will need to do that as I can not. I can arrange for another address if you can change it. Thanks.

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

srutledge — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:30:57 GMT

Hello, just checking in to see if I need to intervene? It looks like the package was delivered to a UPS Access Point for pick up. Let me know if and how I could help!

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

e14phil — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:21:31 GMT

Thanks Jan

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

e14phil — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:21:17 GMT

Hello Thank you for your message, I know you also DMed me about messaging danzima about this, I will check in with them about this for you

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

misaz — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 21:20:53 GMT

Is your package shipped from Chicago? If so, contact srutledge via PM. He is responsible for shipping most packages from Element14. Btw, after first failed UPS delivery attemp, you sometimes can see additional options and possibility to reshedule or change delivery address (within the same country).

RE: Who do we need to contact about shipping?

Jan Cumps — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:21:30 GMT

I'd post it on Feedback&Support, with a mention to e14phil ...