$3 Tiny Arduino Alternative

Indroduction

TinyCore Series include TinyCore 16 (ATtiny1616 breakout board), TinyCore 32 (ATtiny3217 breakout board) and TinyCore Programmer. TinyCore is miniature prototyping board with common peripherals like I2C, SPI, UART. It also has PWM, Timers, Touch PINS, ADC, DAC, 16K / 32K Flash, 2K SRAM, 256 bytes EEPROM with 8-bit CPU running up to 20MHz all in its tiny body! It has Arduino support and open source libraries. They are maker and hacker friendly.

Step 1 - Prepare Software

Driver:

• Windows 10/Linux/Mac doesn’t need a driver for TinyCore Programmer
• For Windows 7 or lower, please try to download this file to install driver properly. Windows Driver

Software Through Arduino IDE:

• Install the current upstream Arduino IDE at the 1.8.7 level or later. The current version is at the Arduino Website.
• Start Arduino and open Preferences window.
• Enter https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xukangmin/TinyCore/master/avr/package/package_tinycore_index.json into Additional Board Manager URLs field. You can add multiple URLs, separating them with commas.
• Open Boards Manager from Tools > Board menu and install TinyCore platform (and don’t forget to select your TinyCore board from Tools > Board menu after installation).

Step 2 - Write Meaningful Code

A Neo Pixel Strip on the TinyCore Programmer board is connected to the DAC pin marked on the board silkscreen, copy below code to Arduino IDE and upload sketch:

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
#ifdef __AVR__
#include <avr/power.h>
#endif

#define PIN 12

#define NUM_LEDS 30

#define BRIGHTNESS 50

Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUM_LEDS, PIN, NEO_GRBW + NEO_KHZ800);

byte neopix_gamma[] = {
    0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,
    0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  0,  1,  1,  1,  1,
    1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,
    2,  3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  5,  5,
    5,  6,  6,  6,  6,  7,  7,  7,  7,  8,  8,  8,  9,  9,  9, 10,
10, 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16,
17, 17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20, 20, 21, 21, 22, 22, 23, 24, 24, 25,
25, 26, 27, 27, 28, 29, 29, 30, 31, 32, 32, 33, 34, 35, 35, 36,
37, 38, 39, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 50,
51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68,
69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 89,
90, 92, 93, 95, 96, 98, 99,101,102,104,105,107,109,110,112,114,
115,117,119,120,122,124,126,127,129,131,133,135,137,138,140,142,
144,146,148,150,152,154,156,158,160,162,164,167,169,171,173,175,
177,180,182,184,186,189,191,193,196,198,200,203,205,208,210,213,
215,218,220,223,225,228,231,233,236,239,241,244,247,249,252,255 };


void setup() {
// This is for Trinket 5V 16MHz, you can remove these three lines if you are not using a Trinket
#if defined (__AVR_ATtiny85__)
    if (F_CPU == 16000000) clock_prescale_set(clock_div_1);
#endif
// End of trinket special code
strip.setBrightness(BRIGHTNESS);
strip.begin();
strip.show(); // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
}

void loop() {
// Some example procedures showing how to display to the pixels:
colorWipe(strip.Color(255, 0, 0), 50); // Red
colorWipe(strip.Color(0, 255, 0), 50); // Green
colorWipe(strip.Color(0, 0, 255), 50); // Blue
colorWipe(strip.Color(0, 0, 0, 255), 50); // White

whiteOverRainbow(20,75,5);

pulseWhite(5);

// fullWhite();
// delay(2000);

rainbowFade2White(3,3,1);


}

// Fill the dots one after the other with a color
void colorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
    strip.setPixelColor(i, c);
    strip.show();
    delay(wait);
}
}

void pulseWhite(uint8_t wait) {
for(int j = 0; j < 256 ; j++){
    for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
        strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, neopix_gamma[j] ) );
        }
        delay(wait);
        strip.show();
    }

for(int j = 255; j >= 0 ; j--){
    for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
        strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, neopix_gamma[j] ) );
        }
        delay(wait);
        strip.show();
    }
}


void rainbowFade2White(uint8_t wait, int rainbowLoops, int whiteLoops) {
float fadeMax = 100.0;
int fadeVal = 0;
uint32_t wheelVal;
int redVal, greenVal, blueVal;

for(int k = 0 ; k < rainbowLoops ; k ++){

    for(int j=0; j<256; j++) { // 5 cycles of all colors on wheel

    for(int i=0; i< strip.numPixels(); i++) {

        wheelVal = Wheel(((i * 256 / strip.numPixels()) + j) & 255);

        redVal = red(wheelVal) * float(fadeVal/fadeMax);
        greenVal = green(wheelVal) * float(fadeVal/fadeMax);
        blueVal = blue(wheelVal) * float(fadeVal/fadeMax);

        strip.setPixelColor( i, strip.Color( redVal, greenVal, blueVal ) );

    }

    //First loop, fade in!
    if(k == 0 && fadeVal < fadeMax-1) {
        fadeVal++;
    }

    //Last loop, fade out!
    else if(k == rainbowLoops - 1 && j > 255 - fadeMax ){
        fadeVal--;
    }

        strip.show();
        delay(wait);
    }

}



delay(500);


for(int k = 0 ; k < whiteLoops ; k ++){

    for(int j = 0; j < 256 ; j++){

        for(uint16_t i=0; i < strip.numPixels(); i++) {
            strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, neopix_gamma[j] ) );
        }
        strip.show();
        }

        delay(2000);
    for(int j = 255; j >= 0 ; j--){

        for(uint16_t i=0; i < strip.numPixels(); i++) {
            strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, neopix_gamma[j] ) );
        }
        strip.show();
        }
}

delay(500);


}

void whiteOverRainbow(uint8_t wait, uint8_t whiteSpeed, uint8_t whiteLength ) {

if(whiteLength >= strip.numPixels()) whiteLength = strip.numPixels() - 1;

int head = whiteLength - 1;
int tail = 0;

int loops = 3;
int loopNum = 0;

static unsigned long lastTime = 0;


while(true){
    for(int j=0; j<256; j++) {
    for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
        if((i >= tail && i <= head) || (tail > head && i >= tail) || (tail > head && i <= head) ){
        strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, 255 ) );
        }
        else{
        strip.setPixelColor(i, Wheel(((i * 256 / strip.numPixels()) + j) & 255));
        }

    }

    if(millis() - lastTime > whiteSpeed) {
        head++;
        tail++;
        if(head == strip.numPixels()){
        loopNum++;
        }
        lastTime = millis();
    }

    if(loopNum == loops) return;

    head%=strip.numPixels();
    tail%=strip.numPixels();
        strip.show();
        delay(wait);
    }
}

}
void fullWhite() {

    for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
        strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, 255 ) );
    }
    strip.show();
}


// Slightly different, this makes the rainbow equally distributed throughout
void rainbowCycle(uint8_t wait) {
uint16_t i, j;

for(j=0; j<256 * 5; j++) { // 5 cycles of all colors on wheel
    for(i=0; i< strip.numPixels(); i++) {
    strip.setPixelColor(i, Wheel(((i * 256 / strip.numPixels()) + j) & 255));
    }
    strip.show();
    delay(wait);
}
}

void rainbow(uint8_t wait) {
uint16_t i, j;

for(j=0; j<256; j++) {
    for(i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
    strip.setPixelColor(i, Wheel((i+j) & 255));
    }
    strip.show();
    delay(wait);
}
}

// Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value.
// The colours are a transition r - g - b - back to r.
uint32_t Wheel(byte WheelPos) {
WheelPos = 255 - WheelPos;
if(WheelPos < 85) {
    return strip.Color(255 - WheelPos * 3, 0, WheelPos * 3,0);
}
if(WheelPos < 170) {
    WheelPos -= 85;
    return strip.Color(0, WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3,0);
}
WheelPos -= 170;
return strip.Color(WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3, 0,0);
}

uint8_t red(uint32_t c) {
return (c >> 16);
}
uint8_t green(uint32_t c) {
return (c >> 8);
}
uint8_t blue(uint32_t c) {
return (c);
}

Step 3 - Compile & Upload

Select Board TinyCore 16 or TinyCore 32 in the board manager and click and compile the code.

There are several ways to upload sketches.

Upload through TinyCore Programmer

• Select related com port number and click upload directly, same as programming Arduino Uno
• Upload through TinyCore ProgrammerSelect related com port number and click upload directly, same as programming Arduino Uno

Upload through Arduino Uno or similar boards.

• Connect Arduno Uno and Tiny Core boards as described here AND follow the instructions for “Building with Arduino IDE.”
• Arduin IDE->Tools->Programmer->Arduino PIN as UPDI
• Arduin IDE->Sketch->Upload using programer
• Upload through Arduino Uno or similar boards.Connect Arduno Uno and Tiny Core boards as described here AND follow the instructions for “Building with Arduino IDE.”Arduin IDE->Tools->Programmer->Arduino PIN as UPDIArduin IDE->Sketch->Upload using programer

Upload through Atmel-ICE Programmer

• Connect Atmel-ICE UPDI, VTG and GND PIN to TinyCore, supply TinyCore with external voltage, either 3.3V or 5V.
• Make sure the green light on Atmel-ICE is on, that means target is properly powered
• Arduin IDE->Tools->Programer->Atmel-ICE-UPDI
• Arduin IDE->Sketch->Upload using programer
• Upload through Atmel-ICE ProgrammerConnect Atmel-ICE UPDI, VTG and GND PIN to TinyCore, supply TinyCore with external voltage, either 3.3V or 5V.Make sure the green light on Atmel-ICE is on, that means target is properly poweredArduin IDE->Tools->Programer->Atmel-ICE-UPDIArduin IDE->Sketch->Upload using programer

Step 4 - Result

OtherDemo Projects

1. PWM LED (pwm)

2. Touch Enabled Neo Pixel Strip

3. Interfacing with E-ink display with data from ESP8266

4. SHT35 Temperature Sensor