Microbit

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

I am trying to get hold of a BBC Microbic computer which is being given to all year 7 UK school children for free. Although I have placed a pre order with SCIENCESCOPE, they are not responding to my E-mails asking for an expected shipment date which is meant to be early July.
Anyone else bought one or knows any news?
BobH

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

School computer

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Try Farnell/CPC?

cpc.farnell.com/bbc-microbit?rd=microbit&selectedCategoryId=&categoryNameResp=All%2BCategories&searchView=table#Order

Neil

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Amazon are quoting 26th July Release Date

Dave

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Neil – Farnell – minimum order of 90 units !!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 09/07/2016 13:44:59:

Neil – Farnell – minimum order of 90 units !!

.

… and a link on the page takes you to this helpful list of resellers.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 09/07/2016 13:44:59:

Neil – Farnell – minimum order of 90 units !!

Picky!

[Dave Smith the 16thParticipant @davesmiththe16th]

Select smaller orders below and it takes you to various shops like the PiHut £13 Single Board and £16 for the starter kit.

Just getting into Arduino myself, but needed a Ti launchpad for another project, why do i keep finding new projects?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Microbit pricing makes the Raspberry Pi look astonishingly good value.

… I expected them to be about a tenth of what they are.

MichaelG.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Michael, Microbit is only £12.49, that's cheap isn't it ? Even cheaper when given to the school children for £0.00.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 09/07/2016 15:06:25:

Michael, Microbit is only £12.49, that's cheap isn't it ? Even cheaper when given to the school children for £0.00.

.

When I heard they were giving them away, I assumed that they had the economies of production down to a fine art,

In absolute terms, yes £12.49 is cheap … But Pi looks much better value, at about twice the price.

O.K. Microbit is thin, which is clever … But the revision to the Battery Pack kinda ruins the concept.

Have fun with it, and let us know what you think.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: Here is the News item that made me lose interest.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/07/2016 15:23:28

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 09/07/2016 15:06:25:

Michael, Microbit is only £12.49, that's cheap isn't it ? Even cheaper when given to the school children for £0.00.

The bullies will be lining up at the school gates. It's not their lunch money they want anymore!

Michael W

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Not immediately obvious from the dumbed down PR just how many accessible I/O lines are available. For MEs the most obvious question is "can I easily use it as a variable speed stepper driver?", closely followed by "can it do what a divisionmaster does?"

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Bazyle on 09/07/2016 15:35:58:

Not immediately obvious from the dumbed down PR just how many accessible I/O lines are available. For MEs the most obvious question is "can I easily use it as a variable speed stepper driver?", closely followed by "can it do what a divisionmaster does?"

I think the answer is 3.

An arduino Nano is more likely to be of use in the workshop.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Bazyle

**LINK** and **LINK** may be of interest.

MichaelG.

[Steve FParticipant @stevef]

Hi

Kitronik are a partner for the BBC Microbit and will supply just a bare board or the retail version in a box.

They already have resources on their site **LINK**

regards

Steve

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Kitronic are out of stock.
I understand that there are 19 addressable pins for either input or output, some can be either analogue or digital. As I see it, the main drawback is that there is no LCD display, just a matrix of 25 addressable LEDs which can change in brilliance (and colour ??). However a 16 x 2 LCD display (4 or 8bit addressing) is only £1.50 ish, so wouldn't break the bank.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 09/07/2016 19:16:19:

Kitronic are out of stock.
I understand that there are 19 addressable pins for either input or output,

Ah! I foolishly went by the animated video that just showed three i/o 'rings' for attaching croc clips.

Egad, it uses I2C, the serial interface of Satan

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 09/07/2016 20:23:52

[DodParticipant @dod]

Hate to spoil anyone's day but I collected 2 from the bin when clearing up after the launch at the skooll what where I work and so far I have been able to have the leds flash in different sequences.

Must try to learn more about making it do more.

[Dave Smith the 16thParticipant @davesmiththe16th]

Why not an Arduino or a TI launchpad?

Lauchpad just under £10 for the kit and an Arduino for 1/4 of that. I bought some Uno clones for £1.50. I was not expecting them to arrive but they did all 5 of them with shielded USB cables. All work a treat and you can get the smaller boards very cheap also.

 

 

 

 

Edited By Dave Smith the 16th on 10/07/2016 00:26:13

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

My main objective is to understand the Microbit so that when my grandchildren talk about it, I both understand and may even be able to help them. Its just getting my hands on one that is frustrating me.
BobH

[Steve FParticipant @stevef]

the micro it was given away free to year 7 pupils and was not available to buy retail. only recently at the end of May it was announced that that would be available as retail. That is more than likely why it is out of stock everywhere

Regards

Steve

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 10/07/2016 07:22:39:

My main objective is to understand the Microbit so that when my grandchildren talk about it, I both understand and may even be able to help them.

.

A very worthy sentiment

MichaelG.

[Dave Smith the 16thParticipant @davesmiththe16th]

Have you looked to see if they have a simulator? Ive seen an Arduino one somewhere. You write the code and it pretends to be uploading to an Arduino and the simulator shows the output.

So many options out there now, all slightly unique in some way. I have Arduino boards but needed the Lauchpad for the DRO project. But it still has issues with my calipers.

Would have been cheaper to keep the Arduino and buy new calipers..

Oh well i didnt like food anyway, what can i spend tomorrows dinner money on?

[Cyril BonnettParticipant @cyrilbonnett24790]

**LINK**

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