DFRobot DFRduino ATMega1280 MEGA Review

Introduction

The question often arises where you ask yourself - what microcontroller should I be using for my robot? What is the right one? The fact is - there is no straight forward answer. However, what you can ask yourself is - what do you want to do and which controller can do it for me?

Having said this - we are hear to talk about the DFRobot DFRduino Mega Microcontroller. We picked up this board some months ago. Our intent was to get an understanding of the board and see what we could do with it. This is our benefit. However, for those of you at home it might not be.

So we are here to lay down the skinny on this board.

Overview

The DFRobot DFRduino Mega controller is a board that can be used for just about any project. From home automation to your advanced robots. This board can tackle the task and then some.

The great thing about this board is that it can be converted into just about anything. Its a shield friendly and needy controller. So make sure you have the space. Furthermore, make sure you plan out what you are going to do ahead of time instead of buying up every shield you can find.

Recall that some shields are not compatible with other shields. So you will need to make sure your shield combinations will work for your project.

The following is a quick introductory video providing an overview of the DFRobot DFRduino Mega.

DFRobot DFRduino Mega Microcontroller Features

Now for the nitty gritty of the DFRobot DFRduino Mega Microcontroller. This section contains all the detailed features of the board you may need to know in order to determine if it can be used for your project.

• Microcontroller : ATmega1280
• Operating Voltage : 5V
• Input Voltage (recommended) : 7-12V
• Input Voltage (limits) : 6-20V
• Digital I/O Pins : 54 (of which 14 provide PWM output)
• Analog Input Pins : 16
• DC Current per I/O Pin : 40 mA
• DC Current for 3.3V Pin : 50 mA
• Flash Memory : 128 KB of which 4 KB used by bootloader
• SRAM : 8 KB
• EEPROM : 4 KB
• Clock Speed : 16 MHz

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Fits just about any project
• Supports many shields
• Highly expandable
• Small footprint
• 4 UARTS!!
• Plenty of memory for your sketches

Cons

• Shield combinations may not fit your project
• Requires more planning

Compatibility

The DFRobot DFRduino Mega microcontroller is compatible with the freely available Arduino IDE. We have used numerous versions of this software and it has worked flawlessly.

The following is a list of shields that are known to be compatible with the DFRobot DFRduino Mega:

• Arduino Mega Prototype Shield
• Arduino I/O Shield
• Arduino LCD Shield
• Arduino Motor Shield

The following is a list of shields we have used with the DFRobot DFRduino Mega without flaw. They are not official from DFRobot however we have used them without one hiccup:

• Arduino Mega Sensor Shield
• Arduino XBee Shield

Support

Very little support is required for this board. You will need to have more support when it comes to the shields you use than the controller itself. The beauty of this design is that is straight forward and simple. Just like the rest of DFRobot's products. We have found the manuals to be complete and concise and have provided all the information we have required for our projects.

Their online support is simple and easy to navigate. We have yet to have to contact support for assistance with their products.

Conclusion

In conclusion - if you are looking for a controller that can fit just about any project then the DFRobot DFRduino Mega is the board for you. It can morph into just about whatever you need. It seemlessly integrates with all the DFRobot sensors as well as many third party sensors and devices.

We highly recommend this hoard if you want to have a board that can fit several projects. The only catch to this is you must make sure to plan out your project correctly. Not all shields will work together. So you must be able to find the right combination of shields for your project to work. Otherwise you might find yourself going down the wrong path.

Where to buy?

DIYbin.com