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  • Author Author: atomar
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Gertboard Kit - Add-on GPIO expansion board for the Raspberry Pi

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The GertboardTM is an add-on board that extends the use of Raspberry Pi to devices in the real world, including motor/lamp control, and the sensing of voltages and currents. It also contains a host micro that can be programmed with code written and compiled for it, on the Raspberry Pi. The GertboardTM Kit contains the bareboard PCB and electronic components that allow you to self assemble your own GertboardTM.

 

 

It comes with a large variety of components, including buttons, LEDs, A/D and D/A converters, a motor controller, and an Atmel AVR microcontroller. There is a suite of test/example programs for the GertboardTM, written in C. , which is freely available from below Design Elements. The GertboardTM Kit is supported by a number of videos featuring Gert van Loo, creator of the GertboardTM and Paul Gibbon from Weller.  These video materials demonstrate how to solder through hole and surface mount components onto the GertboardTM.

 

 

Key Applications: Add-on GPIO expansion board for the Raspberry Pi

More Development Kits and Tools
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imageGertboard Kit - Add-on GPIO board for Raspberry Piimageelement14 Knode

 

Technical Documents

 

Learning Center

TypeDescription
User ManualGertboard: User Manual for Gertboard Kit
Assembly ManualGertboard: Assembly Manual for the Gertboard Kit

 

Design Elements

 

TypeDescription
SchematicGertboard: Schematic for Gertboard Kit
Application LibraryGertboard: Application Library for Gertboard Kit (Linux)

 

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Video

 

 

Videos on Gertboard Kit

 

Video 1: Exclusive interview with Gert van Loo, creator of the Gertboard for Raspberry Pi

 

Video 2: Advice on getting ready to assemble your own Gertboard Kit

 

Video 3: Through Hole Soldering Tips on the Gertboard Kit

 

Video 4: Surface Mount Soldering Tips on the Gertboard Kit

 

 

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Kit Features

 

 

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The major building blocks on GertboardTM are:


  • 12x buffered I/O
  • 3x push button
  • 6x Open collector driver (50V, 0.5A)
  • 48V, 4A motor controller
  • 28-pin dual in line ATmega device
  • 2-channel 8/10/12 bits Digital to Analogue converter
  • 2-channel 10 bits Analogue to Digital converter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kit Contents

 

  • Assembled Gertboard

 

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  • in reply to Former Member

    Making ones own PCB's might seem dull on the surface, however, it is really just another form of art, some people are good at it while others are not so good. As with everything else the more you do it the better you will hopefully become. It is a facinating process and I feel it is much better to learn a new skill like this rather than to just sit there watching TV.

     

    Interfacing to computers opens up a whole new world of electronics, and even art to many people, and is becoming much more popular nowadays. With inexpensive interfacing methods such as the GertBoard, most of the work is done for you as far as adding addtional connections is concerned, however, when one delves into designing and making ones own boards it can really become enthralling.

  • I've just 'surfaced' from designing my version of a Gertboard. I wanted a different layout and don't need an Arduino - well not yet anyway.  I'm here reading for a break.

     

    It's a shame there are so many messages of doom about the complexity of assembling and then soldering your own board.  Not a lot can go wrong anyway and you pick up another skill on the way.  Soldering really is easy even a machine can do it without human supervision. lol.  Of course I quickly realised that most of the users of both the Pi and this kind of add-on board are going to be programmers first and solderers second, (last more likely).

     

    There is fun to be had with the whole process though. Why start in the middle of it when you can:-

     

    consult the data sheets for a few days; sketch out your circuit; design and check the PCB layout; draw it up on a CAD package to print out a positive for use in creating the etch resist on the bare board; design and build a UV exposure box to activate the photo-emulsion; set up a small chem. lab. for developing and etching the board; drill all the tiny holes without breaking too many drill bits; then start assembling the board, (testing, programming etc. etc.)?

     

    It sounds deadly boring doesn't it?  My Wife says it is anyway. I love it.

     

    Getting down and dirty with the Gertboard has been fun.  I can now make my own plated-through, double-sided boards with real plating - none of those expensive little tubes with the even more expensive, glorified stapler used to fit them.  I've had a pleasant few days trying to lay the circuit out for single side, (yeah I'm still laughing) but I think a magic wand or a third layer would be easier. When I gave up in favour of two layers I had to go off and learn how to put some copper in the holes that go from the first layer to the second  - I can't solder to grp/srbp ..... yet!!!

     

    I've had to read and re-read the User Manual to understand how the circuit is supposed to work and yes I'm looking forward to the programming. There may be a few modifications: I can't program a PIC with the voltages available on the board for example. I've found a few slip-ups on the published diagram in the process of all this which tells me either I've learned a lot about the board OR I need to learn a lot more.  Who cares it's all fun to me.  I couldn't make my own circuit boards once.  When I learnt an bit about it I wanted to use the photo process cos it's better than freehand with a felt tip pen. I couldn't afford the UV box so I learned about them till I could design and build my own for peanuts.

     

    I've laboured the point I know.  Learning, acquiring skills and honing a craft.  It's what it's all about for me but hey I'm a weiredo. I'm an Engineer.

  • I try to bye the GertBoard but i can't. It ask me for PARTITA IVA. How can i bye this board?!?

  • now some sound recognition, and i can voice control the house, yeah !!!!

  • in reply to Former Member

    I believe these Gertboard videos should be available as HTML5 on Youtube.  You should be able to join YouTube's HTML5 trial:

     

    http://www.youtube.com/html5

     

    And then view the videos such as this on:

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p7Xqz2PGfs&feature=plcp

  • 'Unable to watch any of this site's videos (or download any PDFs) with my tablet because Flash is not supported anymore and I am unable to instal Flash from Google Play! Please make your site current. Thanx

  • in reply to Former Member

    is the flat connecting cable included?

     

    also is it still on target to be out in mid september?

  • Does anyone know the specs for the components? i would love to use a different set of LEDs, like blue square ones. I know they are 3.3V, but that is it.

  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Well, soldering in general is easy, soldering well is a bit more of a challenge. (BTW, you shouldn't assume from my comment that I haven't/cannot solder; I have a fairly nice soldering station for when I need to fix things)

     

    Washing my car is easy and so is mowing the lawn, however, I chose not to because I'd rather spend the free time I have doing something else. For a hardware guy soldering up a board might be time sweetly spent, most software types I know would rather just get the hardware assembled and write cool code. And as has been pointed out in some of the other forums on this site the additional cost of assembly would not significantly increase the price. I bet if you offered both the kit and an already assembled board the majority of buyers would pick the already assembled version.