AMD Rocket Launcher Episode

I was hoping the episode would discuss how to actually interface into the AMD APU. For this project, it would be nice to know what advantage it would provide over the Arduino that you was being used to demonstrate the 8 segment LED Latch controls as I'm sure the AMD is cost much more and has much more capability behind it. Nice design overall. Thanks!

e14 Contributor over 13 years ago

I agree.
Could he not have built the entire rig from an arduino? What was the advantage of using an AMD APU?
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jlcarender over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

The reason he used the AMD APU is that is what AMD wanted. A small computer using the AMD APU in an unusual case that launched rockets.
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bknj over 13 years ago in reply to jlcarender

That was my point I was curious if AMD CPU and mini board provided any capability to interface into the real world. Back to my original question, why not just use a cheaper micro controller (that Ben probably needed to interface with PC anyway)
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jlcarender over 13 years ago in reply to bknj

I would guess it is just a normal mini-itx motherboard and would have no way of interfacing without a microcontroller. He could have done it with just the microcontroller but amd wanted it to use the amd apu so i guess the pc part controlls the microcontroller and rocketlauncher.
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e14 Contributor over 13 years ago in reply to jlcarender

I'm pretty sure you're right Joe. If you re-watch the episode the mini-itx board is actually interfacing with all the components through an Arduino (Arduino Mega 2560 I believe.) I wish Ben would have gotten more into the shift register he was using for the count down.

And like everyone else, I wish we could have seen Ben use the AMD chip more like a micrcontroller - solder the chip up to a power source, some componanets, and use a C compiler (or similar language) to do something. An AMD APU built like a Raspberry Pi would be awesome. Future show?
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benheck over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

That MSI board is a standard micro ATX motherboard. It doesn't have I/O like a Raspberry Pi.

So an USB attached device is the best bet. Go with what works.
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