What exactly do I need for a Rainbowduino purchase - manual?

[tdg8934]

I bought a Rainbowduino and a UartUSB v2.2 device after looking through the v1.1 manual which implied with the pictures and text that I was going to get a power supply and cable adapter and RGB LED matrix as stated from page 5 “You just need plug everything easily out of box and it will shine!”

Now I have to place another order and need to know what I need. I also found out that I could have used my Arduino Duemilanove to program the Rainbowduino instead of the UartUSB v2.2 device I bought.

Please help!

[constantine]

Sorry for the inconvenience brought!
This page will help you.
rngtng.com/2009/06/25/rainbo … rogram-it/

[tdg8934]

Thank you for the reference but I have already visited that site many times and feel confused still on what is required. I have purchased the UartSB v2.2 and most everything I see is showing an Arduino Duemilanove (which I do have also).

I have been able to use the UartSB v2.2 to program in the firmware for the mtXcontrol program but don’t know if I need to use the Arduino Duemilanove for the “Master” program as the executible program for Windows doesn’t see the Rainbowduino.

It sounds like to me that you use the UartSB v2.2 to program in firmware or base code of some sort into the Rainbowduino and then use the Arduino Duemilanove to program it with “master” code to be sent (RX,TX and DTR/RESET) to the Rainbowduino. Is this correct?

Is there any better resources available like a tutorial or something for the Rainbowduino? I’m just starting with my Arduino Duemilanove and it’s variant on the C language (as I know BASIC programing for micro-controllers not C).

Summary: I can not get the mtXcontrol program to work at all. I don’t know if I have the “libraries” even correctly located due to my limited Arduino and C background. I want to know if I need to use the UartSB v2.2 or do I used my Arduino Duemilanove instead with the Rainbowduino (including the mtXcontrol software). Are there any better tutorials on the Rainbowduino to help start with the programming?

BTW: I have updated my Arduino Duemilanove recently with the Atmega328 from the 168. Much of the documentation may be refering to the 168 and I wanted to see something updated refering to the 328 (as far as tutorial or setup information)

Thank you.

[tdg8934]

I finally got my Rainbowduino to work with just a USBart v2.2 adapter and 12 vdc power supply using this method below. Apparently the newest mtXcontrol does not work and you need to change the COM port for the USBart to COM 1.

@constantine

First make sure an UsbART adapter,with a UsbART adapter you can start to program the rainbowduino.
I suggest that you download mxtController program to control a 8x8 RGB Matrix with Rainbowduino.
This is the video
youtube.com/watch?v=MVj1YPzREKI

Follow what our engineer Icing has said:

1. Download the mtXcontrol_windows.zip and Rainbow_mtX.zip here:http://code.google.com/p/rainbowduino/downloads/list

2. Connect your rainbowduino in proper way to your computer that you can program it throgh COM.(Remember to change the port to use COM1)

3. Unzip Rainbow_mtX.zip to your arduino code directory (no need in the arduino library), open Rainbow_mtX.pde by arduino and program it to your rainbowduino.(If it compiles failed, there may be another rainbowduino class in your arduino library, so back up and remove it).
   After programmed, the rainbow Matrix will be all in white.

4.Unzip mtXcontrol_windows.zip and run mtXcontrol.exe.
If ther’s error reported, like “not found javaw.exe”, then you need to add the java path to your environment variable(On my computer is: D:\Program Files\arduino-0018\java\bin ). Am I understood?
If there’s no error reported, just enjoy controlling your rainbow!

Here is the source link
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=435&start=20