arduino: a cheap board for E11 blaster effects

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

I wish I knew more about electronics. Where can I buy these modules, and find more info on assembling them?

 

Sparkfun.com

 

Hey skyone: any chance you'd post you would "release" your code as you go? Maybe under the BPL? (blaster public license)

 

-Eric

[skyone]

i will post the scheme and the code when i have finished but if anybody in the meantime have started the same project i can help anyway.

 

to complete the circuit and program i need the 3W RGB led from china, some leds and resistors.

Edited May 10, 2012 by skyone

[Locitus[Admin]]

That led display looks awesome

[skyone]

On 10/5/2012 at 6:59 PM, Locitus said:

That led display looks awesome

yea! it costed only 2 euro but it needs an accurate work with solder to make it works

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by skyone

[skyone]

Update:

yesterday i got the mini audio amp 3w+3w and it's really effectinevess! very loud volume, can't use it at the max capacity! i am testing it on a small speaker, still waiting for the pair ordered from china to be delivered.

 

 

seems a nuclear plant

 

i also installed the "on/off status blue led" on the hengster counter but i am not conviced about the position, it's too bright even at the minimum brightness (that can be set via arduino); it disturbs the reading of the ammo bar graphs.

So i am thinking to install it to another position...maybe on the external side of the counter

Edited October 11, 2017 by skyone

[Locitus[Admin]]

Awesome progress!

[bigironvault]

Pretty cool stuff man - keep it up!

[skyone]

thanks guys, i just moved the blue led on the external side of hengster counter

in that way it is visible also when the blaster is folded and doesn't interfere with the bar graphs leds

[Chivo]

skyone

any more progress on this project, very interested in this.

[kevster[TK]]

You may have already mentioned this and I didn't see it, if so i'm sorry. I was wondering if you had thought on how you would set the buttons up so you can actually use the trigger and other switches on the gun?

[DKMurphy]

I've ordered most of the parts. It should be fun to do. At least it doesn't involve reflow soldering! I have a couple questions:

 

1. Do you have a schematic you are working from or are you just winging it? I won't reinvent the wheel if I don't have to.

2. Do you know if something like this would work for the Sound Card Module http://www.ebay.com/...=item2570d4e456 ? Its about 1/4 the cost of the one you show.

3. Can I take a look your code? I might be able to help out of it. Though I won't be able to do much until my parts arrive from china lol

 

I'm digging this project. I was going to just take a Hasbro core for the electronics but this is more fun.

 

ETA, just read the post where you said you'd post schematics/code when you are done. Reading is fundamental.

Edited June 1, 2012 by DKMurphy

[Chivo]

I'm using this sound module which looks similar to that eBay one, very small and fits inside the e-11 barrel.

 

 

 

http://www.4dsystems.com.au/prod.php?id=73

 

[skyone]

On 2/6/2012 at 2:47 AM, mkc2 said:

I'm using this sound module which looks similar to that eBay one, very small and fits inside the e-11 barrel.

 

 

 

http://www.4dsystems.../prod.php?id=73

probably it will be fine, it reads ADPCM 4 bits til 32khz, so that format you have to convert all the sound effects. Maybe it's even better, because MP3 format adds always a small delay at the beginning of each track. The manual datasheet says 3.0V to 3.8V DC voltage range, the arduino voltage output is 5volts, so you need to use a resistor. The manual datasheet includes the serial commands to send to the board to play/pause tracks, but there aren't examples strings.

 

I just bought one from ebay just to test it.

 

 

On 2/6/2012 at 12:29 AM, DKMurphy said:

I've ordered most of the parts. It should be fun to do. At least it doesn't involve reflow soldering! I have a couple questions:

 

1. Do you have a schematic you are working from or are you just winging it? I won't reinvent the wheel if I don't have to.

you can see my schematic here, updated with the 3 driversmodded as shown below to power the RGB leds (no transistors and no resistors! more power saving)

 

Quote

2. Do you know if something like this would work for the Sound Card Module http://www.ebay.com/...=item2570d4e456 ? Its about 1/4 the cost of the one you show.

see above, it should work, but the serial commands are different to the ones i am using in my code

 

Quote

3. Can I take a look your code? I might be able to help out of it. Though I won't be able to do much until my parts arrive from china lol

my code now is very messy. Now i must change all the firing because i added the final 3 RGB leds; then i must complete each signgle weapon to work as the others.

here you can see just the part of the E11 firing, there are many links to functions that are not shown here (because functions stay at the end of the code):

 

 

															  // WEAPONS



	if (buttonPushCounter == 0) {		  // -------------------------- WEAPON 0  --- BLASTECH E11

	// fire led counter

		  if (buttonPushCounter2 == 11 ) {
	 statusCounter0 ();
	  }
	 if (buttonPushCounter2 == 10 ) {
	 statusCounter6 ();
 }
	  if (buttonPushCounter2 == 9 ) {
	 statusCounter5 ();
 }
	 if (buttonPushCounter2 == 8 || buttonPushCounter2 == 7 ) {
	statusCounter4 ();
	  }

	 if (buttonPushCounter2 == 6 || buttonPushCounter2 == 5) {
	 statusCounter3 ();
 }
	 if (buttonPushCounter2 == 4 || buttonPushCounter2 == 3 ) {
	 statusCounter2 ();
 }
	 if (buttonPushCounter2 == 1 || buttonPushCounter2 == 2) {
	 statusCounter1 ();
 }
		// end fire led counter

	 buttonState2 = digitalRead(buttonPinFire);	  
 // shots count - read the pin value and save it
		if (buttonState2 == HIGH) {		// control that input is HIGH (button pressed)  

			  if (buttonState2 != lastButtonState2) { // compare the buttonState to its previous state

			   if (buttonState2 == HIGH) {	// if the state has changed, increment the counter
							   // if the current state is HIGH then the button
								// wend from off to on:
									  buttonPushCounter2++;
				 }

			// if the current state is LOW then the button
			// wend from on to off:
		  }
if (buttonPushCounter2 <= 11) {						  // AMMO AVAILABLE 10
 // play file 000.mp3 in folder advert01

Serial.write(0x7E);
Serial.write(0x07);
Serial.write(0xA0);
Serial.write(0x30);
Serial.write(0x31);
Serial.write(0x30);
Serial.write(0x30);
Serial.write(0x30);
Serial.write(0x7E);
  delay(30); // pause to wait mp3 start
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(150);  // partial lenght of sound
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(180); // pause to wait the sound finish
	 }





	if (buttonPushCounter2 >11) {									 // EMPTY AMMO
	statusCounter0 ();
																   // play file 007.mp3 in folder advert02  EMPTY AMMO
	empty_ammo_sound ();

empty_ammo_led ();

  }
 }
 // save the current state as the last state,
 //for next time through the loop
 lastButtonState2 = buttonState2;

 buttonStateAmmo1 = digitalRead(buttonPinReload);					  // AMMO RELOAD
 if (buttonStateAmmo1 == HIGH) {	// ricarica munizioni
buttonPushCounter2 = 1;
	// play file 007.mp3 in folder advert02 RELOAD AMMO
reload_ammo_sound ();
reloadAmmoLed ();
}
}

 

 

 

 

and now the update! finally i got the RGB leds and the drivers; they are working fine out of the box, but for more efficiency and power saving, some mods are needed:

 

the driver should no be powered from its terminals, but directly wiring anode and cathode of power supply to the capacitor (pay attention, anode and cathode must be exact, the anode is showed by the capacitor with a minus); in that way we bypass 4 diods, needed if the driver was powered by alternating current (AC); but we are going to power the driver with a battery (DC, direct current), so we can save the energy absorbed by diods.

to dimming leds you should solder a wire to the terminal of its Integrated Circuit, as shown on the picture.

 

 

that wire will be connected to the arduino PWM PIN

 

 

the light emitted by leds is astonishing! wow! and with the RGB combinations we can manage to have the full color chart

 

 

 

 

last update, the speakers: finally i have found the right speakers! from ebay hong kong they sell replacement speakers for a GM Radio, they are 35mm height, the perfect size of my pvc pipe (inner diamter: 35mm). 4 watt 16ohm, i bought 2 of them. Tested with the small amplifier, the sound is quite loud and good quality, because they are 4watt vs. 3watt amplifier output.

 

 

well that's all for now, time to work on the blaster

Edited October 11, 2017 by skyone

[skyone]

and here the video WiP # 3

it's almost finished, only buttons will change and some code updates

 

[Locitus[Admin]]

Very nice! Great job Manuel!

[Arnie_DK[TK]]

Well that dont look complicated at all

 

Quite the mad skills you got there. Cant wait to see how you stuff it all inside the blaster

[Eldrik]

Really sweet build and great offer for the community!

 

Can you sum up the overall cost of the equipment that is visible in your demonstration video?

 

This could be the only reason why I might consider getting a second E11 to please the child in me

 

 

[Chivo]

Looking good, can we see the rest of the code.

[Chivo]

Some pic's of what i Used.

 

9 volt battery

 

 

Arduino pro mini and somo14D sound module and a small speaker.

3.3v voltage regulator and capacitor.

[skyone]

Really sweet build and great offer for the community!

 

Can you sum up the overall cost of the equipment that is visible in your demonstration video?

 

This could be the only reason why I might consider getting a second E11 to please the child in me

 

this is the list of the components that i actually used

 

the total cost is around 70 euro but if the new and cheaper mp3 module is going to work the total can be cutted off of 15 euro (55 euro tot.)

 

the list doesn't include tools like solder, tin lead and paste and batteries (2x CR123A 3,7 volts lithium recharg. protected)

 

 

#1 Arduino nano ATmega328P: 12 euro (should be installed on the back of the pvc pipe), pay attention 328 v.3.0 (that means 32kbytes of space for programming) avoid the 168 v.2.0!

 

#1 mp3 high quality sd card module: 20 euro (should be installed inside the hengster replica)

 

Note: there is a cheaper module that will be tested soon that cost only 5 euro (BE SURE THEY SEND THE SERIAL LINE MODE VERSION)

 

#1 RBG 3 watt (Red Blue Green) superbright led (4,50 euro) NOTE the led must have all the 6 pin (anode and cathode) as the one linked

 

#3 Constant Current Regulated LED Driver 1W 320~350mA as this: with minor mods (read here), is appropiate. 1,95 euro each

 

 

#1 Mini Amplifier AMP Board 3W+3W DC 5V

euro 2,58 ebayhong kong

 

#2 speakers 3 watt that fit the E11 pipe as this (they fit a E11 pipe with inner diameter of 35mm) ,tested, good and loud sound. Euro 3,60 each

 

 

#1 10 SEGMENT LED BAR GRAPH DISPLAY - Kingbright DC-7G3HWA to be used into the hengster counter 2 euro + shipping

 

 

 

#5 resistors 30 ohmfor bar graph led 1,20 euro

 

#4 resistors 1 kohm for output pins 1,20 euro

 

blue led for on/off status 1,05 euro

 

pin header wires3.60 euro

 

male pin header 2,40 euro

 

microswitch for trigger 1,70 euro

 

microswitch for selector and Slide Switch for ON/OFF, around 2 euro

 

one or two circuit boardswhere to solder the bar graphs and some connectors (to be cutted) 2 euro

Edited June 12, 2012 by skyone

[Arnie_DK[TK]]

I think you could make a small fortune(or at least some money) if you put together some ready to install kits and sold it to people in here

 

I would buy it for sure, as I simly dont have the skills needed to do this myself

[Sonnenschein]

I think you could make a small fortune(or at least some money) if you put together some ready to install kits and sold it to people in here

 

I would buy it for sure, as I simly dont have the skills needed to do this myself

 

I second that!

 

I, for myself, couldn't do any of this stuff at all.

[skyone]

Some pic's of what i Used.

 

9 volt battery

 

 

Arduino pro mini and somo14D sound module and a small speaker.

3.3v voltage regulator and capacitor.

I hope you are getting fun with your arduino

[Berbs42[TK]]

Had a buddy make this one for me when I gave him my tickets to Star Wars in Concert over the summer of 2010. Just lights that marquee down the side of the Hasbro. I don't mind the kids playing with this one!!

 

Would LOVE to do a full update with your build and a scratch built E-11!!!

(But that one wouldn't get into kids hands!!)

 

 

Can't wait to see more of this build!!

- Berban

[Eldrik]

 

 

this is the list of the components that i actually used

 

the total cost is around 70 euro but if the new and cheaper mp3 module is going to work the total can be cutted off of 15 euro (55 euro tot.)

 

the list doesn't include tools like solder, tin lead and paste and batteries (2x CR123A 3,7 volts lithium recharg. protected)

 

 

Thanks Manual for listing up the needed parts, I already own the tools and skills for proper soldering so this won't stop me from trying to build one up

 

When do you think you might be able to post a final package that include your latest wiring plan, the arduino code and a list of needed parts, maybe on github or another free open source code repository + wiki?

 

Can't wait to see the result on your doopys e11!