Episode 102 - Build an Email Alert System with Microcontrollers [Discussion]

[bigbigspoon]

I bet you could setup a email account that will never be used. Then put termite in you computer on top of the Hard drive and if you are were not at your home when the government decides they want to attack the piratebay members for downloading all the free goodies; it could be triggered to go off. Hmmm??? better setup to raise the flag after 5 consecutive emails.... ;0) Great episode, thanks guys!

Does a usb parallel cable on a mac work? Since the computer already has built in logic, (Dumb question) why not just interface to the parallel port with just a few simple parts? Do not get me wrong, I do have a parallax board to test this project and can not wait to try it.

[m3wse]

Having played with both pics and AVRs, I prefer AVRs, but whatever your choice, unless you're programming on a mass scale, you can easilly get a cheap processor (like the velleman kit pic programmer, or hit the USBasp in circuit serial programmer, available for very little. The arduino is really sweet in that once you have made the circuit on the arduino, you can burn the same code to a blank avr and put it into a circuit. If you spend several hundred on a programmer for hobby purposes, you've been had!

Originally Posted by bigbigspoon

I bet you could setup a email account that will never be used. Then put termite in you computer on top of the Hard drive and if you are were not at your home when the government decides they want to attack the piratebay members for downloading all the free goodies; it could be triggered to go off. Hmmm??? better setup to raise the flag after 5 consecutive emails.... ;0) Great episode, thanks guys!

I have seen older power supplies spark as large as a foot on occasion for no reason. Fortunately the back of the computer was not aimed at the wall. Just a thought.

[kiwifrog]

Originally Posted by gamerfreak

\
What Dave also failed to mention while he explained the cost of a PIC writer, is that AVR writers can be as low as $15 or free with a parallel port.

Overall, it felt as though the show was strongly bias towards PIC/Stamp, and didn't reflect the realities hobbyist micro controllers.

Remember Guys PICAXE is not just a PIC, PICAXE is a PIC with a boot loader installed. This boot-loader allows you to programme the chip(using basic) WITH JUST YOUR SERIAL PORT, 3 PINS NOTHING MORE GND, RX, TX. No programmer Necessary, just like the ATmega8.

Basic Stamps are overpriced and completely unnecessary for ANY project, Basic stamps are a CON!, overpriced modules designed to rip schools off and spend all their government funding. The only Parallax chip that excites me is the Propeller.

As I mentioned earlier all micros are capable of pwm, and servos can be driven with nothing more that a 330ohm resister connected to the output pin.

Mike.

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by bigbigspoon

I bet you could setup a email account that will never be used. Then put termite in you computer on top of the Hard drive and if you are were not at your home when the government decides they want to attack ...

Yep. Let loose the termites!

[davmoo]

Originally Posted by haku

Using what you have lying about isn't much of an excuse

That's easy to say when its not you that has to fork out money or learn something in two days and be ready for a broadcast-quality shoot.

It is nice to see things back on track. even though a few details were a bit sparse. I like the fact that time was taken to explain the basics to sort of tell a story. If one can just go back to the basics, almost anything can be solved. You can download the boe-bot book. Since my goal was to build robots using antique computers, I purchased the books: robot builders bonanza original version and a newer version. I know nothing about electronics, This year has been educational with the help of Systm.

[md2389]

Originally Posted by bigbigspoon

I bet you could setup a email account that will never be used. Then put termite in you computer on top of the Hard drive and if you are were not at your home when the government decides they want to attack the piratebay members for downloading all the free goodies; it could be triggered to go off. Hmmm??? better setup to raise the flag after 5 consecutive emails.... ;0) Great episode, thanks guys!

"Lets burn this motherf*bleep* to the ground!" - Patrick Norton

[davmoo]

Originally Posted by MD2389

"Lets burn this motherf*bleep* to the ground!" - Patrick Norton

I always thought that was one of Pat's best intro lines