Easy: CircuitPython running on an RP2040 or RP2350 microcontroller. Being able to write a simple bit of code and have it control something in the real world is sooooooo satisfying. OMG: You’ll jump for joy the first time you get it controlling some LEDs, a display, a servo, a motor, etc.
Programming a microcontroller for the first time was definitely the most fun I ever had when programming. CircuitPython makes it so easy, too! Oh if only it had existed back when I started learning electronics.
You’ll want to get an electronics starter kit. There’s zillions of them.
Having said that, the easiest hardware to work with is the rp2040 (RPi Pico) and rp2350 (RPi Pico 2). It’s got USB mass storage support built in which is about as easy as it gets and it does everything and you can use just about any pin for any thing. It really is awesome.
If you can’t find a kit that includes the RPi Pico (or Pico 2) just get a regular kit (e.g. Arduino) and a Pico separately.
Note: I just found this neat thing… https://a.co/d/05qypEzY it looks like it’d be super easy to learn with but you miss out on learning how to use a breadboard but that’s no big deal (you can just do that later).
100% agree! I write enterprise monsters for a living, in a bunch of different languages, and by far my favorite thing to do is make blinken-lights and other doohickies with my Arduino.
Doesn’t have to be Python or even the Arduino subset of C++, though. I like to use Go (tinygo.org) for anything that it will compile on
That reminds me I should finish that IR remote to USB keyboard translator I started… (I wonder if i can use the arrows on the remote to control the mouse pointer too…)
My AHEK-95 keyboard has an IR receiver and I programmed it with a cheap $0.50 remote. I only set it up to send the play/pause, next/prev, and volume control but in theory I could make it work with a huge universal remote to do whatever I want.
Easy: CircuitPython running on an RP2040 or RP2350 microcontroller. Being able to write a simple bit of code and have it control something in the real world is sooooooo satisfying. OMG: You’ll jump for joy the first time you get it controlling some LEDs, a display, a servo, a motor, etc.
Programming a microcontroller for the first time was definitely the most fun I ever had when programming. CircuitPython makes it so easy, too! Oh if only it had existed back when I started learning electronics.
What kind of electronics should I buy for a project like this?
You’ll want to get an electronics starter kit. There’s zillions of them.
Having said that, the easiest hardware to work with is the rp2040 (RPi Pico) and rp2350 (RPi Pico 2). It’s got USB mass storage support built in which is about as easy as it gets and it does everything and you can use just about any pin for any thing. It really is awesome.
If you can’t find a kit that includes the RPi Pico (or Pico 2) just get a regular kit (e.g. Arduino) and a Pico separately.
Note: I just found this neat thing… https://a.co/d/05qypEzY it looks like it’d be super easy to learn with but you miss out on learning how to use a breadboard but that’s no big deal (you can just do that later).
Thanks for the info. Looks like it would be a lot of fun to tinker around with one of these
100% agree! I write enterprise monsters for a living, in a bunch of different languages, and by far my favorite thing to do is make blinken-lights and other doohickies with my Arduino.
Doesn’t have to be Python or even the Arduino subset of C++, though. I like to use Go (tinygo.org) for anything that it will compile on
My favorite these days for embedded stuff is Rust. It’s soooooo nice.
That reminds me I should finish that IR remote to USB keyboard translator I started… (I wonder if i can use the arrows on the remote to control the mouse pointer too…)
My AHEK-95 keyboard has an IR receiver and I programmed it with a cheap $0.50 remote. I only set it up to send the play/pause, next/prev, and volume control but in theory I could make it work with a huge universal remote to do whatever I want.
There’s a demonstration of it working to send some numbers here: https://youtu.be/iv6Rh8UNWlI