# ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT for just $12 - For Anyone to learn Electronics!



## Vyom (Jul 31, 2013)

If you ever wanted an Arduino kit to kickstart those electronics projects, then this is a GOLDEN chance!

Arduino is a microcontroller board that can used for making computers that can sense and control more of the physical world than your desktop computer. 

The hardware consists of a simple open source hardware board designed around an 8-bit Atmel AVR microcontroller, or a 32-bit Atmel ARM. The software consists of a standard programming language compiler and a boot loader that executes on the microcontroller. Which means, you can use it to work on amazing electronics projects. 

And you can get a cheaper version of the same from this indiegogo campaign for mere $12, from this Indiegogo campaign! 

*The Arduino compatible board:*
*borderlesselectronics.org/igg/board_570pix.jpg

*The original Arduino:*
*borderlesselectronics.org/igg/leonardo.jpg

*IndieGogo campaign: $9 ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT - Anyone can learn Electronics | Indiegogo*

The contents of the kit that will be included with each board:

6 x LEDs (2 x red 2 x yellow 2 x green)

6 x resistors for the LEDs

1 x photoresistor and pairing resistor

1 x buzzer

1 x set of jumper wire (10pcs)

1 x mini solderless breadboard

*borderlesselectronics.org/igg/kit.jpg

*If you want to help me (please), you can buy from my referral link: $9 ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT - Anyone can learn Electronics | Indiegogo*

This is cool! Just around Rs 700!!

For reference:
*Arduino Website: **www.arduino.cc/
*Arduino Wiki: **en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino


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## quagmire (Aug 1, 2013)

Complete VFM for 9$, especially for beginners.

I have a hunch this will be fabricated in China. For the prices he's quoted (even for a 1000 pieces) it looks unlikely for manufacture in US.

For people familiar with AVR it will be much cheaper if they fabricate their own board. A serial programmer is required though.


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## Vyom (Aug 1, 2013)

Your hunch is absolutely right.
He's fabricating it in China, and in fact to cut middle men costs will be shipped directly from the factory in China to consumers.
Pretty neat.


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## Ayuclack (Aug 1, 2013)

Nice .. well I have a UNO !!! But Looking forward for this one !!


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 1, 2013)

I wanted to have one..!! But I don't know anything about Electronics


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## Desmond (Aug 1, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> I wanted to have one..!! But I don't know anything about Electronics



That's kinda the point. This is one of the most easiest architectures I know of.

Want to own one myself.


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## Vyom (Aug 1, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> I wanted to have one..!! But I don't know anything about Electronics



Neither do I. But I think I can start to learn. Since Arduino programming is simply C, I think I can get my hands dirty trying to code some useful things on it!


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## d3p (Aug 1, 2013)

Did someone actually ordered this ? 

Also is it safe & trusted to use the CC for ordering ??


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## Vyom (Aug 1, 2013)

d3p said:


> Did someone actually ordered this ?
> 
> Also is it safe & trusted to use the CC for ordering ??



I will order it. The product won't be available after the campaign I heard. It's for non profit, and by a teacher after all.

And of course, ordering with CC on Indiegogo is safe. Indiegogo is a renowed crowd funding website, which launched even before Kickstarter. If you don't know how crowd funding works, I suggest you read something about it on wiki's.


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## Desmond (Aug 2, 2013)

I have ordered already. Keeping my fingers crossed.


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## d3p (Aug 2, 2013)

Me too..placed an order for the same.


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## gagan_kumar (Aug 2, 2013)

Vyom said:


> Neither do I. But I think I can start to learn. Since Arduino programming is simply C, I think I can get my hands dirty trying to code some useful things on it!



i think we should know something about uC before even starting to look at these....


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## Santa Maria! (Aug 2, 2013)

Is this at a super beginner level? I've wanted to get into electronics & robotics, aiming for intermediate level.
Bah whatever, I've placed an order. Rs. 750. Curse you, flailing Rupee!


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## Vyom (Aug 2, 2013)

Damn.. rupee falling more and more. Reached 61.105 now. I should have ordered it yesterday only!


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## d3p (Aug 5, 2013)

Holy Sh!t..My Name is listed under the funders list, didn't notice it.

*i.imgur.com/r0NnpRn.png


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## vijju6091 (Aug 5, 2013)

I have very little Knowledge Regarding this but want to give a try and learn something atleast


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 5, 2013)

Vyom said:


> Neither do I. But I think I can start to learn. Since Arduino programming is simply C, I think I can get my hands dirty trying to code some useful things on it!



I know C..!! But nothing about electronics..!! Though I'll try but I don't have any idea what can be build using that


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## Vyom (Aug 5, 2013)

d3p said:


> Holy Sh!t..My Name is listed under the funders list, didn't notice it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Lol..
If you notice, they have names of *all* the funders. You can choose to hide your name, or your amount. That's why a lot of them are anonymous.


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## Santa Maria! (Aug 8, 2013)

2 more stretch goals reached means we get more booty per kit!


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## arka (Aug 8, 2013)

thinking of ordering this.. will they ship it in India especially in west Bengal ? will idbi debit card work ?


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## Vyom (Aug 8, 2013)

arka said:


> thinking of ordering this.. will they ship it in India especially in west Bengal ? will idbi debit card work ?



I think it can be shipped anywhere in the world. Be it West Bengal.
But, I don't think Debit cards are accepted. Better find a Credit card (I mean, ask dad or friend to buy it for you).


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## icebags (Aug 8, 2013)

so, anyone's item got shipped yet ?


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## Vyom (Aug 8, 2013)

icebags said:


> so, anyone's item got shipped yet ?





Dude. You don't even read what's the thread is about, do you?

The board's not *for sale* in the literal sense. And the guy is not *selling* the product for profit.

Its a crowd funding campaign by a teacher, who originally planned to let anyone who can't afford the original Arduino board, a cheaper alternative. Little did he know, the response would be this overwhelming. And if you don't know what crowd funding campaigns are, I shall explain it to you in brief.

In a crowd funding project, a person have an idea of what he can deliver if he/she could collect a predefined goal of X dollars. And sites such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter provides means to let the person share the idea with the world. Crowd (people like you and me on the Internet) can donate a little of our money to fund the project. Or we can invest some amount to get perks. (Perks are decided by the person who starts a campaign and can be multi level). If by the end of deadline (usually little less than a month) the project is able to fund its target, than the money is given to the owner of the campaign. But if project is not able to fund completely, money is credited back to our accounts, and owner of campaign gets nothing.

In this case, a teacher named, Harold have initiated a project to enable guys/students to get an Arduino board at a dirt cheap price, by cutting off any kind of profit and the middle man and ship it directly from the manufacturing plant in China to those who have invested. The deadline for this project is not even over yet, and still the project is funded 10 times of the original target and still growing. Once the deadline is met on 15th August, Harold will start shipping the boards or THE KIT as it's now become in September!

So lets see what would I get once its shipped: 

*borderlesselectronics.org/igg/summary.jpg

Grab it here: ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT for just $12


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## thetechfreak (Aug 8, 2013)

Very good initiative. Hope zomething like this happens for the Raspberry Pi too.


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## icebags (Aug 8, 2013)

there is another compatible board at ebay @ 1.2k, would this be a good buy ? come with replaceable microcontroller : 

Arduino UNO R3 2012 Compatible Development Board MEGA328P ATMEGA16U2 + USB Cable | eBay

the chip can be bought separate online or locally if available, in case it goes kaput:
*www.ebay.in/itm/Buy-Atmega328P-IC-...5?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item3cd44441d7

found other cheaper options:
700/-
*www.ebay.in/itm/Freeduino-Arduino-...8?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item3f26f55b24
875/-
*www.ebay.in/itm/Arduino-Duemilanov...9?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item33843795ed

they dont come with somany accessories though, but they r pretty cheap in calcutta: bb-> ~150(not sure exct price standard 6.6"), buzzer -> 20-25/-, resistance: 0.25-0.5/- per piece (1/4w), led-> 1-2/- per pc, photo resistor-> 10-30/- per piece, npn transistor -> 2-5/- per piece (BC148 or BC548, i forgot)

if u're planning on arduino projects, don't forget to get urself a multimeter. that comes very handy.

when u ppl all get ur boards, lets do some arduino projects together.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 8, 2013)

Is this really for anyone who don't even know ABCD of electronics? I don't even remember what diode is or what capacitor does. I guess I remember what resistor is due to it's meaning 

Thinking of getting one..!!


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## quagmire (Aug 8, 2013)

^Follow Jeremy Blum's Arduino tutorial on youtube, he starts from level 0 (almost )


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## icebags (Aug 8, 2013)

^if u had science @12, its no big deal to try some little projests (i started electronics projects from class 7 - only knew those basics but i loved electronics so much that decided to go for btech on it).

although with arduino board u will basically be controlling some electronic sensors with c programming, so, its more programming and less electronics.


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## Santa Maria! (Aug 8, 2013)

arka said:


> thinking of ordering this.. will they ship it in India especially in west Bengal ? will idbi debit card work ?



Debit cards should work. Any Visa/Mastercard compliant card will work. I paid for mine with an ICICI debit card.

Guys, do you think customs will screw us over a an item such as this?


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## Vyom (Aug 8, 2013)

icebags said:


> although with arduino board u will basically be controlling some electronic sensors with c programming, so, its more programming and less electronics.



My fingers are glad to hear this. 
I want to test some of my programming skills with such hardware. That's why I can't wait to get my hands on it!



Santa Maria! said:


> Guys, do you think customs will screw us over a an item such as this?



I never thought about that. I don't even know how much customs would cost on a product with such low price tag.


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## Santa Maria! (Aug 9, 2013)

I've never dealt with customs before.
Is this online calculator accurate? 
New Import Duty & Taxes Calculation | DutyCalculator
If so, it shows customs cost coming to approx Rs. 200.  I chose category: Electronics and Video Games --> Electronic Components --> Programmable controller.


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## icebags (Aug 9, 2013)

^ many arduino boards use atmega328 microcontroller. if u use arduino, its C via arduino, i.e. not exactly C i think. 

but these chips can be programmed with C, even without arduino software (i haven't read it yet):
*brittonkerin.com/cduino/home_page.html
A Brief Tutorial on Programming the ATMega (Arduino) Without Arduino Software

also found arduino board schematic. i think i will try to make my own arduino board - it should not cost more than 300 to buy these components.
Arduino - ArduinoBoardSerial
*webzone.k3.mah.se/k3dacu/arduino/releases/serial_v2/arduino_rs232_v2.png

never used arduino before, thanks for letting me know about it.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 9, 2013)

Thanks guy for your suggestions..!! I'd give it a try..!! INR 700/- is really affordable for a RnD


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## d3p (Aug 9, 2013)

Delivery time is one month..that's the only problem otherwise its good for hobbyist.


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## dan4u (Aug 9, 2013)

Good stuff, will give it a go...


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## Vyom (Aug 9, 2013)

Santa Maria! said:


> I've never dealt with customs before.
> Is this online calculator accurate?
> New Import Duty & Taxes Calculation | DutyCalculator
> If so, it shows customs cost coming to approx Rs. 200.  I chose category: Electronics and Video Games --> Electronic Components --> Programmable controller.



It does look like it will cost ~Rs 200 for customs.  Not a deal breaker though, for such a low cost device.
*i.minus.com/jbtyFNu5n0y2Or.png



d3p said:


> Delivery time is one month..that's the only problem otherwise its good for hobbyist.


I am not sure you can buy this anytime later too. It's a "campaign". 
There are somethings which you can buy from market and you can get it in days. It's the *original* Arduino. :/




krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Thanks guy for your suggestions..!! I'd give it a try..!! INR 700/- is really affordable for a RnD


Don't forget to use my (or somebody's) referral!


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 9, 2013)

Sure..!! I'd use the referral link


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## dan4u (Aug 10, 2013)

Vyom said:


> Don't forget to use my (or somebody's) referral!



any incentives for referrals ?

guys there's only one day left for the campaign to end....


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## Vyom (Aug 10, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Sure..!! I'd use the referral link



TY.



dan4u said:


> any incentives for referrals ?
> 
> guys there's only one day left for the campaign to end....



Well, in the end, person with the most referrals (the number of referral, *not* the number of Arduino's they bought) would win a signed copy of the author's book Arduino Adventures. I managed to get 7 referrals. And surely that wont be enough for me to win the book.  But I am happy nevertheless.

So finally, the Campaign is now officially closed, and that too before the deadline. More than 13 times the original amount raised. 15000 boards bought! Thats some good response.
Now only hoping customs don't charge for this, or atleast dont charge much.


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## dan4u (Aug 10, 2013)

Vyom said:


> Well, in the end, person with the most referrals (the number of referral, *not* the number of Arduino's they bought) would win a signed copy of the author's book Arduino Adventures. I managed to get 7 referrals. And surely that wont be enough for me to win the book.  But I am happy nevertheless.
> 
> So finally, the Campaign is now officially closed, and that too before the deadline. More than 13 times the original amount raised. 15000 boards bought! Thats some good response.
> Now only hoping customs don't charge for this, or atleast dont charge much.


I don't think customs will charge anything, there's a 2k limit if I remember correctly....but if its a gift that can go upto 10k, anything above that they charge you...check this out gadget import

and thanks, wouldn't have known about this if it weren't for this thread


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## Santa Maria! (Aug 10, 2013)

dan4u said:


> I don't think customs will charge anything, there's a 2k limit if I remember correctly....but if its a gift that can go upto 10k, anything above that they charge you...check this out gadget import
> 
> and thanks, wouldn't have known about this if it weren't for this thread




That's exactly the kind of FAQ I was looking for. Thanks!


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## Vyom (Aug 10, 2013)

dan4u said:


> I don't think customs will charge anything, there's a 2k limit if I remember correctly....but if its a gift that can go upto 10k, anything above that they charge you...check this out gadget import
> 
> and thanks, wouldn't have known about this if it weren't for this thread



Thanks for providing that link. It seems a great article on Customs. Hence I am blatantly quoting it here, for posterity:

 *Guide: All You Need To Know About Importing Gadgets Online*

 *A comprehensive FAQ explaining how to navigate through the complicated labyrinth that is Indian Customs.*

When India decided to tread along the path of _Nehruvian_ socialism and the _Licence Raj_,  it left us with the most unfortunate blend of capitalism and communism.  That's terrible for geeks and gadget lovers, because it results in  locally-manufactured products that adopt a capitalist pricing model and a  communist approach to features and quality. If you try and get around  that by procuring gadgets from First World countries, protectionist  government policies cut in with hefty import duties and miles of red  tape.
Nevertheless, it's hard to resist the dual benefits of  superior quality and ridiculously low prices (in some cases) that these  imports entail. Although online shopping has made it easy to obtain  stuff from across the globe, fear and ignorance of the duties involved  and the huge bureaucratic entanglement that might ensue prevents most  people from taking the plunge. Fear not, because I'm going to put my  extensive research and experience — stemming out of spending an  embarrassing amount of money importing goods online — to save you a lot  of time, cash, and heartburn.

*Will every purchase attract import duty?*
No, you can import goods worth Rs 2000 duty-free. Furthermore, this duty exemption is bumped up to Rs 10,000, *provided* the item is marked as a "gift".


*This gift loophole sounds appealing. How do I go about it?*
Firstly,  this practice is unethical and therefore not encouraged. In fact, most  web stores in Europe and America will categorically refuse to mark  shipments as a gift. However, online shops operating out of Hong Kong  are more than happy to do that. Heck, some of them are even willing to  bill the items at a fraction of the cost to make it easier for you to  evade duty. However, take the higher path and be honest. Remind yourself  that you are an upstanding citizen and not _Anil Ambani_.


*Fine, I'll do it by the book. What kind of duty am I looking at?*
The maximum Customs duty  imposed is 40%, plus an additional duty of 2%. In my experience,  however, the duty has ranged from a minimum of 25% for non-electronic  goods to anything between 35-40% for electronics and toys. At times, you  can even be charged with "handling charges" running into a few hundred  rupees.


*Sweet Bal Krishna, that's expensive! Tell me more about these Chinese web stores.*
It's  not just about evading duty, but it's a fact that almost everything  nowadays originates from China, and thus is cheaper when sourced  directly from there. You will be surprised to know that most of the cool  gizmos found on many e-shops (such as _ThinkGeek.com)_ are available for far cheaper on Hong Kong-based online stores such as _DealExtreme.com_,  with free shipping to boot. Make it a habit to double-check if you're  buying something that is also selling on these websites. Even Hong Kong  based e-shops that don't ship for free offer really cheap shipping  options — especially when compared to their European and American  counterparts.
Also note that paying in British Pounds Sterling is  usually more expensive than buying the same item in US Dollars. Having  said that, certain items on _Amazon.com_ (USD) will be more expensive than _Amazon.co.uk_ (GBP) because the former has to import them. In a nutshell, it pays to do your research.


*Which items are banned for import?*
Here's a comprehensive list of the banned items. Having said that, the _CBEC_ _(Central Board of Excise and Customs)_  works in mysterious ways. I have successfully imported several PCB  (Printed Circuit Boards) on several occasions for my DIY projects, even  though they are on the list of banned items. I have also been charged no  duty for items that were worth well over the duty-exemption limit,  whereas in some instances I have had to pay up for those that should  have been exempt. Expect anything.


*How do I pay the duty levied on my shipment?*
If  you choose regular mail as the shipping method, the local post office  delivers your package after the Customs department has appraised it for  duty. The postman will give you a receipt bearing the details and will  collect the amount from you. The procedure is the same for commercial  courier agencies such as _FedEx_ and _UPS_ (not to be confused with _USPS_ — The _US Postal Service_), except that you get a duty estimate and a polite telephonic reminder to keep the cash handy. Alternatively, _Amazon.com_  has an agreement with Indian Customs, wherein you have to pay the duty  at checkout itself. This, as you will realise in the course of this FAQ,  will save you a lot of headache.


*What should I do if the duty has been levied wrongly?*
The  duty receipt will have details regarding the department handling  refunds and grievances. Pay the duty anyway and write a letter to the  concerned authority for a refund. I can't say how long the process will  take, but don't get your hopes too high.


*What kind of shipping method is the best?*
That  depends on your requirements. For expensive and urgent shipments, it's  best to choose reliable courier services such as UPS and FedEx. They are  expensive, but there is virtually no risk of your parcel getting stuck  in Customs, as they have dedicated liaisons to ensure smooth delivery.  More importantly, the process is speedier and more reliable because the  local postal department is taken out of the loop.
On the flip  side, whenever I've chosen the cheapest shipment option, I've found that  even dutiable items can sometimes fly under the radar. One can deduce  that the Customs Department may have treated these parcels as low  priority, leading to decreased chances of attracting a duty. Please note  that these are merely empirical observations, and your mileage may  vary.
Generally, it's a good idea to choose the cheapest mode of  shipping if speed isn't a concern. Just make sure that you choose an  option that provides a tracking number. If you're concerned about the  security of your shipment, it will be reassuring to know that I haven't  lost a single parcel in all my years of online purchases.


*Help, my shipment hasn't arrived for several weeks! What do I do?*
Ideally, this never happens for courier services, but such instances  are quite common for postal deliveries. In reality, shipping takes less  than a couple of days, even for the cheapest delivery options. The  inordinate delays can be attributed to Customs procedures. Generally,  these packages are stuck in appraisal and awaiting action from the  importer (that would be you). When this happens, the department sends  you a letter seeking certain documents (proof of purchase, invoices) and  \ or a written undertaking. In your case, the letter either may have  been lost or probably not dispatched at all (unsurprisingly, a highly  common occurrence). A sample of one such letter can be seen alongside  (click on the thumbnail).

*img1.techtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumb_and_actual_image_watermark/public/features/2012/6/bad.jpg

In such instances, the shipment tracking  system will show that the parcel has arrived at the Customs department  and is awaiting clearance. Beyond this point, the original tracking  system becomes useless. To locate your package within the Indian system,  you need to contact the _Foreign Post Office_ (FPO) designated for your city. Refer to the comments section in this link for comprehensive, if slightly outdated, list. If you happen to live in Bombay, keep your tracking number handy and call the _Customer Service Department_  on 022 - 2261 1791. The FPO rep will tell you exactly where your  shipment is stuck and what should be done to get it moving again.  However, if the line goes to an answering machine, you can contact the  good people in the _Sorting Department_ by calling 022 - 2262 0756.

I  hope this information proves a good starting point for your future  travails with the Indian Customs. If you get slapped with a duty that  you consider excessive, you can always look up a _Clearing & Forwarding_ agent in your locality using an online directory. Using his "setting" with the Customs officers, he will be able to get you a good reduction on the required duty. Good hunting.


*Source: Guide: All You Need To Know About Importing Gadgets Online | TechTree.com*


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## gopi_vbboy (Aug 11, 2013)

Vyom said:


> Your hunch is absolutely right.
> He's fabricating it in China, and in fact to cut middle men costs will be shipped directly from the factory in China to consumers.
> Pretty neat.



Well it would cost still less if manufactured in India...all you need is pcb gerber file and components soldered...
i believe this is a open hardware proj..so definitely hobbyist can make it for even cheaper price 




krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Is this really for anyone who don't even know ABCD of electronics? I don't even remember what diode is or what capacitor does. I guess I remember what resistor is due to it's meaning
> 
> Thinking of getting one..!!



no i don't think its for u..




=======

btw is theres any board for learning embedded linux which is like arduino i.e a processor one running linux os? (OSH)


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## quagmire (Aug 11, 2013)

^Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone Black..


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Aug 11, 2013)

gopi_vbboy said:


> no i don't think its for u..



Me too


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## d3p (Aug 11, 2013)

gopi_vbboy said:


> Well it would cost still less if manufactured in India...all you need is pcb gerber file and components soldered...
> i believe this is a open hardware proj..so definitely hobbyist can make it for even cheaper price
> 
> no i don't think its for u..



^ I agree there,

*@Gopi :* Is there any specific section/thread in TDF, meant for Electronics or Embedded Hobist ??

It can be made, if the PCB gerber data is available. 

Regarding, why it is no meant for SW Coders ? 

You can't just program the kit without any interfacing circuit, Sensors, relay, H-Bridge, motors, switches blah blah...& this kit doesn't include those things.

Peripherals like sensors, relay & rest other things can be connected to IO pins & every IO requires a certain level of interfacing circuit, which is not possible if you don't know what is resistor, capacitors & Diodes. Period...


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## logichost (Aug 11, 2013)

It can not replace raspberry.


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## d3p (Aug 11, 2013)

logichost said:


> It can not replace raspberry.



Every Controller & Board has it own benefits, they are never meant like Pentium or Phenom, to be compared for.

Now those who have ordered, will get few Push Button or Tact Switches, 10x1kohms, 2nos NPN Transistors & 5 x PN Junction Diodes.

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/attachments/technology-news/11762d1376207979-arduino-compatible-starter-kit-just-12-anyone-learn-electronics-imageproxy.jpg


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## icebags (Aug 11, 2013)

Arduino discussion / tutorial thread is up.

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/tutorials/176760-arduino-projects-tutorials-thread.html#post1989135


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## quagmire (Aug 11, 2013)

logichost said:


> It can not replace raspberry.



You get what you pay for. RasPi costs 2.5 - 3k.


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## gopi_vbboy (Aug 11, 2013)

quagmire said:


> ^Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone Black..



thanks quagmire..



d3p said:


> ^ I agree there,
> 
> *@Gopi :* Is there any specific section/thread in TDF, meant for Electronics or Embedded Hobist ??
> 
> ...



no theres no such thread till now afaik..there was only one thread by rakesh(don't know full name) regarding diy pcb related to elek  in tdf....lets use icebags thread he posted


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## Ironman (Aug 12, 2013)

oh man am i too late ?? 
it's over ??



d3p said:


> ^ I agree there,
> 
> *@Gopi :* Is there any specific section/thread in TDF, meant for Electronics or Embedded Hobist ??
> 
> ...



So Lets make one of our own in the TDF here.


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## icebags (Sep 8, 2013)

borderless says they started shipping, any update on you guys ?

$9 ARDUINO Compatible STARTER KIT - Anyone can learn Electronics | Indiegogo


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## Vyom (Sep 8, 2013)

Yup. And almost half of boards are shipped too.

As for me, I ordered 3 boards. But only one is showing on their address confirmation page. So I wrote an email to them on the ID mentioned on that page.
So far got no reply, but I have full hope I will receive all my orders.


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## icebags (Sep 8, 2013)

u should also write in their comment section.....


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## Vyom (Sep 9, 2013)

icebags said:


> u should also write in their comment section.....



Did that. But more people have had such problem. Harold replied to all of them. So he have my faith.


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## Nipun (Sep 9, 2013)

Oh missed it. 
Anyone knows if it's available in local shops? Or electronic markets such as Lajpat Rai?


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## d3p (Sep 9, 2013)

Nipun said:


> Oh missed it.
> Anyone knows if it's available in local shops? Or electronic markets such as Lajpat Rai?



I don't know about Delhi, But for Bangalore its available with Vishal Electronics, S P Road for 2.5k [costly]


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## Santa Maria! (Sep 9, 2013)

I received my board last Saturday. Haven't gotten time to tinker around with it yet. 
It was in an envelope thingy that was 1-layer bubble-wrapped on the inside. 
Everything seems to be in order, but will make sure later.


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## Mr.Kickass (Sep 11, 2013)

Can you post a snap of it ?


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## Desmond (Sep 11, 2013)

Santa Maria! said:


> I received my board last Saturday. Haven't gotten time to tinker around with it yet.
> It was in an envelope thingy that was 1-layer bubble-wrapped on the inside.
> Everything seems to be in order, but will make sure later.



Did you have to pay any duty on it?


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## Santa Maria! (Sep 12, 2013)

Mr.Kickass said:


> Can you post a snap of it ?


Here are some quickly taken snaps. Sorry about the crappy glare and stuff. Didn't feel like opening everything and putting stuff back. I'll properly look at them this weekend.

View attachment 12148View attachment 12149View attachment 12150View attachment 12151



DeSmOnD dAvId said:


> Did you have to pay any duty on it?



No duty. Based on the meta-discussion we had earlier in this thread, it was pointed out that stuff under Rs. 2k or something are exempt from duty.

*EDIT:*
God dammit! How do you get image thumbnails? Could someone edit this post or just tell me how?


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## Vyom (Sep 12, 2013)

^^ Damn. The components looks Kewl! 
And on the other hand, I still haven't able to confirm the address. .__.


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## Mr.Kickass (Sep 12, 2013)

Santa Maria! said:


> *EDIT:*
> God dammit! How do you get image thumbnails? Could someone edit this post or just tell me how?



Only mods can edit posts 

1.Go to imgur

2.Upload your pics

3.Click on the uploaded pic

*i.imgur.com/rwN3Bgn.png

4.Copy the *Link to the BBcode*

*i.imgur.com/hX5ullV.png

5.Paste the link in your post

Hope it worked


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## icebags (Sep 12, 2013)

awesome, i hope they launch a similar campaign beaglebone.


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## Santa Maria! (Sep 14, 2013)

Mr.Kickass said:


> Only mods can edit posts
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Thanks, man. I just used the TDF image uploader instead of hosting it elsewhere.
If no one minds, I shan't bother rehosting the images due to laziness


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## hotshot05 (Sep 14, 2013)

Nipun said:


> Oh missed it.
> Anyone knows if it's available in local shops? Or electronic markets such as Lajpat Rai?




You can get it from here - eNTuino (Arduino-Compatible) Atmega328 version
or Arduino Compatible - Freeduino DU- Rs.819 - Made By - Embedded Market


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 14, 2013)

Can anyone explain what are the advantages on this freeduino thing over arduino?

I see there are number of prototypes like the one ^^he share and another I came upon is Induino R3 Low Cost Arduino R3 USB Clone Board with Atmega328 - Made in India | Simple Labs

So these are like same thing with Arduino bootloader but comes with no of accessories and shield options. So are these better or is it better to get arduino?

I think, sensors are available for that too right?


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## icebags (Sep 14, 2013)

^freeduino is free, unlike arduino, which has some trademark rights.

i think, u can make an arduino compatible board with whatever design u seem fit and give it away as "freeduino".


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 14, 2013)

Thanks. Now can you please say, that I don't know ABCD of electronics but I'm really willing to learn it as these type of projects and all really attracts me. So what would you suggest? Get a Arduino Uno board or some Freeduino kits mentioned above?


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## icebags (Sep 14, 2013)

not going to higher mathematical details, have an overview of this 2 links. and tell how u feel ? 

Resistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 14, 2013)

icebags said:


> not going to higher mathematical details, have an overview of this 2 links. and tell how u feel ?
> 
> Resistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that.  Are they required practically?

Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current 

But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.


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## Nerevarine (Sep 14, 2013)

^ read any btech basic electronics lab manual.. It will take only 1 hour and itll refresh your memory of how a basic circuit is designed


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## Mr.Kickass (Sep 14, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that.  Are they required practically?
> 
> Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current
> 
> But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.



I think its useless to post all what I wrote again, so here's what I'll do. I'll point you to my post written some time ago, here have a look

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/chit-chat/163693-dev-board-required-what-chose.html#post1756345

Just skip to the part where you're interested, not necessary to follow everything as I had intended it to be a proper route to learning electronics. You should obviously take shortcuts


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 14, 2013)

Mr.Kickass said:


> I think its useless to post all what I wrote again, so here's what I'll do. I'll point you to my post written some time ago, here have a look
> 
> *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/chit-chat/163693-dev-board-required-what-chose.html#post1756345
> 
> Just skip to the part where you're interested, not necessary to follow everything as I had intended it to be a proper route to learning electronics. You should obviously take shortcuts



Thanks a lot. Now to the investment part  Can you please suggest which one should I go for? Either those Freeduino boards or Arduino Uno or something else? What would you suggest?

I'm very much interested, because, I know programming (and that's my job too ), and I want to learn electronics, I love these things 

And regarding basic experience, I have few basic experience with Embedded Programming like programming firmware for ARM v7 based boards. Actually I work at a biometric manufacturing company, where they manufacture Biometric Devices, so I do few programming parts of the boards they design on ARM v7 on something like Keil or that. Though as you can understand the core level parts of displaying things on LCD, Memory Management and all are written by them. Once wrote a small program for implementing some XBee thing, used for WiFi mesh thing and all. But I stick mostly to the business logic part, never got into core of the Keyboard, LCD and all. They have the basic things designed and all.

So I have few basic experience, but now I want to go into little bit details.


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## icebags (Sep 14, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that.  Are they required practically?
> 
> Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current
> 
> But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.



kickass kink is good, how is ur  c / c++ or any programming skill ? anyways, u need to memorize a few basic terms and laws from that wikipedia too.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 14, 2013)

icebags said:


> kickass kink is good, how is ur  c / c++ or any programming skill ? anyways, u need to memorize a few basic terms and laws from that wikipedia too.






Its intermediary. I am fine with C and C++. Used to code for Qt. No issues with programming


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## Mr.Kickass (Sep 15, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> So I have few basic experience, but now I want to go into little bit details.



So, you're the ARM guy. That's just great.

If you know Linux then you should surely check out the Beaglebone. They include an ARM. The ARMv7 is the most followed instruction set so I'm assuming its required to program those chips. I've had more experience with AVR Studio(developed by Atmel) than any other IDE. Arduino product line is based on ATmega controllers.

I haven't purchased an Arduino but I did buy an ATmega16 for around 500 INR. Remember that it was just the controller. I had to buy other peripherals but that was specific to my project. The most pricey component was an ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 at around 600 INR or so. Well, just saying...



krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Its intermediary. I am fine with C and C++. Used to code for Qt. No issues with programming



But you are great because you have good programming experience. Firmware coders already possess enough information about an OS. So all they have to do is learn the hardware, which is nothing but.... the datasheet.

I'm not the best person to answer your query because I have never worked on Linux before, but if you know Linux AND Firmware then you are already light years ahead of us 

Just focus on ARM based boards as they will utilize your previous knowledge about Firmware(the hardware level) and thereby exploit your maximum potential.

If however, you are tempted by the Arduino then you should learn about the ATmega controller by reading its datasheet AND practice a little bit with the libraries provided with the Arduino IDE here at their website. Just take a look, I'm sure you'll feel at ease as its all C++ but different functions.
Tutorials

So, decide accordingly. As for the price, I think there are better people than me to help you with that because I really didn't buy it as I just assembled the circuit using an isolated ATmega16 and the supporting peripherals. IMO the Arduino must be cheap, but the Beaglebone is a serious contender coz at $45 it comes around to 2800 INR and you don't have to spend on extra peripherals as all of it is provided out of the box.

Still, it'd help if somebody confirms they are legit distributors, as recommended by ElectronicsForYou
Mouser Electronics

I conclude with an interesting comment comparing Raspberry Pie and Beaglebone from a developer's point of view, both having an ARM chip



> But remember, this device is targeted at a different market. For ten dollars more, you get a device designed to operate at 1 GHz (on the RPi, to get to 1 GHz you have to overvolt the cpu, which decreases lifespan, etc.), it has internal storage so you don't have to buy an SD card, but in all honestly, this video didn't mention it, but the beaglebone black provides access to many of the ARM cpu's internal peripherals. So if you are doing some sort of project with electronics, the beaglebone cuts out the need for external microcontroller boards. So no need to buy an Arduino. The chip inside is also more open to the community than the RPi. There are so many pieces of the raspberry pi that aren't documented because Broadcom won't release documentation without signing a big fat NDA. So in my personal opinion, with this device on the market, i won't be buying any more raspberry pis.
> 
> (Source)



Ignore other comments as they are mostly coming from n00Bs with no experience other than COD 



krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Got it what they does, but forgot all those Ohm's law and all that.  Are they required practically?
> 
> Anyway didn't got the theorem or mathimatical expressions. But overall I could understand that Resistor is used to resist current flow according to it's specification, asked dad and got example of Fan Regulator and capacitor is used to store the current
> 
> But no idea of those terms like farad, coloumb, volt etc.



I don't think you need to work with all that unless you want to learn everything. In most cases you just need to follow the instructions carefully and then you're done building the circuit.

From what I see, you need a programmer's model of the hardware. Like registers, memory banks, timers, counters, LCD architecture... that should be comfortable for you as you already have experience. Just go through the datasheet and code examples.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 15, 2013)

Mr.Kickass said:


> So, you're the ARM guy. That's just great.
> 
> If you know Linux then you should surely check out the Beaglebone. They include an ARM. The ARMv7 is the most followed instruction set so I'm assuming its required to program those chips. I've had more experience with AVR Studio(developed by Atmel) than any other IDE. Arduino product line is based on ATmega controllers.
> 
> ...



Thanks a lot for all the help and details 

Yes I know Linux, as I used to code on Qt and I know Linux Porting a little bit because I was one of the member of those hardware teams, when it came to Porting Linux on that ARM v7 based boards. But I have no idea about instruction set and all, so you can already understand that, the core things of modifying the kernel was done by them.

Wish I have taken ECE 

Anyway, I like Beagleboard thing, but just for my knowledge I'd like it know, what you all guys would suggest regarding Freeduino Boards posted above or Arduino itself?


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## icebags (Sep 15, 2013)

freeduino boards may be custom designed, may differ from original board layout by whatever margin. so, to start with, just get a standard arduino uno/leonardo board.

u may need to connect electronic components to it for projects, and the components may be polarized. so, be careful to connect them according to the polarity, otherwise stuff happen. this video's a warning. 



as a beginner, better don't work with voltage higher than 5-6 volts. still, components burn up when they get overloaded even at this voltage.


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## quagmire (Sep 15, 2013)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Anyway, I like Beagleboard thing, but just for my knowledge I'd like it know, *what you all guys would suggest regarding Freeduino Boards* posted above or Arduino itself?



Since Arduino is Open Source, Freeduino is a remake of the original. Freeduino is manufactured by many different manufactures (including some local manufacturers) while the original Arduino is manufactured in Italy. I think you have a fair idea about the quality of both.
Few of my friends use locally made Freeduino for a year now w/o any problems. I would recommend the original Arduino only if price is not a criteria.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Sep 15, 2013)

Thanks  a lot to both of you.


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