How-tos

Step-by-step instructions.

SVN for firmware projects: Learn how to always get the latest MakingThings code while managing your firmware projects in your own Subversion repository.

Connect a Relay to a Digital Output: Explains how to use Relays with the MC.
Connect a Switch: How to connect a switch, or pushbutton, to the Make Controller.
Connect an LED to a Digital Output: Connect and use an LED with the Make Controller.
Distance Measuring Sensor: How to use a distance measuring sensor with the Make Controller Kit.
Make a Wireless Motion Detector: Create a remote motion detector with the Make Controller and a pair of XBee modules.
Photocell: How to connect and use a photocell (light sensor) with the Make Controller.
Piezo Sensor: How to connect and use a piezo sensor with the Make Controller Kit.
PIR Sensor: How to use a PIR sensor with the Make Controller Kit.
Potentiometer: How to connect a potentiometer to the Make Controller Kit.
Scale a 5V Signal to 3.3V: Convert a 5V signal (common with many sensors) to 3.3V (required by the Make Controller).
Temperature Sensor: How to use a temperature sensor with the Make Controller Kit.

Add Rubber Feet: Small rubber pads on the bottom of the Application Board make it much nicer to work with!
Connect a DC Motor: How to connect and use a DC motor with the Make Controller Kit.
Connect a Relay to a Digital Output: Explains how to use Relays with the MC.
Connect a Servo Motor: Connect and use a servo motor with the Make Controller Kit.
Make a Proper Screw Connection: How to make a proper connection to a screw terminal of the Make Controller Kit.
Manufacture a Make Controller Kit: How to make one yourself (sort of).
Replace Output Driver Chips on the Application Board: Replace the output drivers on the Application Board if you've burned them out.
Selecting Wire: How to select the right wire to use with your project.
Stepper Motor: Connect and use a stepper motor with the Make Controller Kit.

Connect a power supply to the green slip-on connectors: How to adapt any old power supply into one that you can use with the Make Controller.
Connect a Relay to a Digital Output: Explains how to use Relays with the MC.
Power Via an AC Adapter: Provide power to your Make Controller and any I/O devices via an AC adapter.
Power via USB: Power your Make Controller via a USB connection.
Split a power connection between several devices: Use a single power or ground terminal to connect to several devices.

Change Network Settings: How to change the IP address, and other network settings on the Make Controller Kit via OSC.
Communicate via XML with mchelper: mchelper can make a socket connection to a script/application to communicate with any Make Controllers connected to it.
Configure the Make Controller to Automatically Send Input Values: How to configure and use the autosend feature in the Heavy firmware.
Connect Two Make Controllers Wirelessly: Use the XBee modules to communicate between 2 Make Controllers wirelessly.
Easily update and set XBee module settings with X-CTU: Use Digi's X-CTU application to read and write the settings of your XBee module.
Serial RS232 Connection How-to: A step by step process of setting up a serial interface to your make controller
Talk to the Make Controller with Ruby: Use the rosc (Ruby-OSC) library to communicate with the Make Controller via Ethernet.

Build Firmware on Windows: Set up to create your own programs for the Make Controller.
Build Firmware With Eclipse: Use Eclipse (a free development environment) to create programs for the Make Controller Kit.
Build Firmware With XCode: Use Apple's XCode IDE to compile firmware for the Make Controller.
Connect Two Make Controllers Wirelessly: Use the XBee modules to communicate between 2 Make Controllers wirelessly.
Create Your Own OSC subsystem: Create a custom OSC interface to your own Make Controller program.
Generate up to date firmware documentation: Sometimes, if you're working from the source code in SVN, the online documentation can be out of date - generate your own if you want.
Read info from an RSS feed: How to get your Make Controller to check for updates from an RSS feed.

Communicate via XML with mchelper: mchelper can make a socket connection to a script/application to communicate with any Make Controllers connected to it.
Get Started with Python: A quick overview on using the Make Controller with Python over Ethernet via OSC.
Make a Wireless Motion Detector: Create a remote motion detector with the Make Controller and a pair of XBee modules.
Pass data to/from MS Excel with Make Controller C#: This how to explains how to communicate with Excel and the MC using Visual C# Express Edition. A free IDE available from Microsoft.
Talk to the Make Controller with Ruby: Use the rosc (Ruby-OSC) library to communicate with the Make Controller via Ethernet.
Use the Make Controller with Exemplar: Exemplar is a graphical environment that allows you to program by demonstration.

Get Help: How to get help with the Make Controller.
How to use this resource: A brief description of how you use and contribute to the Documentation Center.
Project Planning: You want to create a project, but don't quite know where to begin.
Upload Content to Your User Space: Share your MakingThings-related content with the world.