And particularly, how adaptable are applications of the #riffle to the #nano-data-logger -- since...
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And particularly, how adaptable are applications of the #riffle to the #nano-data-logger -- since they're both Arduino-based and have the same real-time clock?
Are sketches/programs for one portable for the other?
There are some important differences between the Riffle and the Nano Data Logger.
The two loggers have different real time clock chips. The one on the Nano logging shield does not allow alarms to be set, so the Arduino processor cannot be awakened after sleeping. That means that without some clever workaround, the Nano Data Logger cannot be put to sleep between logging events, and the battery runs down quickly.
The Arduino Nano has a USB port and a power hungry serial chip which cannot be put to sleep very easily. The Riffle also has a USB port, but Don built in a physical switch so the power to the USB circuit can be turned off when the board is powered by battery. Very clever.
Both loggers have microSD card slots, and SD cards can use a lot of power (each one has a microcontroller in it). I think Don built in a mosfet (solid state switch) which can be programmed to turn the SD card slot on and off. So when you don't want the microSD card using power, the sketch can turn it off. Very clever.
So lots of the code in sketches for the Riffle involves setting alarms, powering down components with a mosfet, and waking up things when alarms go off. None of that code will do anything on a Nano Data Logger. Lots of the other code is portable because both loggers use the same Atmega328p chip.
There are some important differences between the Riffle and the Nano Data Logger.
The two loggers have different real time clock chips. The one on the Nano logging shield does not allow alarms to be set, so the Arduino processor cannot be awakened after sleeping. That means that without some clever workaround, the Nano Data Logger cannot be put to sleep between logging events, and the battery runs down quickly.
The Arduino Nano has a USB port and a power hungry serial chip which cannot be put to sleep very easily. The Riffle also has a USB port, but Don built in a physical switch so the power to the USB circuit can be turned off when the board is powered by battery. Very clever.
Both loggers have microSD card slots, and SD cards can use a lot of power (each one has a microcontroller in it). I think Don built in a mosfet (solid state switch) which can be programmed to turn the SD card slot on and off. So when you don't want the microSD card using power, the sketch can turn it off. Very clever.
So lots of the code in sketches for the Riffle involves setting alarms, powering down components with a mosfet, and waking up things when alarms go off. None of that code will do anything on a Nano Data Logger. Lots of the other code is portable because both loggers use the same Atmega328p chip.
Chris
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