N|Watch vs WatchX

[RobG]

Hello,

Today I received an email about "WacthX". Is this the same as the N|Watch? Could I use Arduino to program a new function on N|Watch? I know nothing about programming at all but I wanted to know if this is possible using Arduino for the N|Watch?

What I want to try and do is make the hourly chime wake up the display when the chime beeps. I also would like to set this function to only happen during the day and not at night to save battery life.

Dumb question: Does the N|Watch have the YUN Shield board?

[Zak]

Hey Rob, from what I can tell at the moment the watchX is using the same software as the N|Watch. However in terms of hardware it has a bunch of extra sensors (gyro, accelerometer, barometer and they plan on getting bluetooth in there too) and the watchX can be programmed over plain USB unlike the N|Watch which needs a separate USB-serial converter and pogo adapter. I would also imagine the watchX battery life will be a lot less than the N|Watch.

Both the N|Watch and watchX use an ATmega328P as the core microcontroller, which is also what the Arduino Uno and a lot of other Arduinos use, so both devices can easily run Arduino code. The software they run at the moment was developed with Atmel Studio, which is plain C code, but it does have a lot of the lower level frame work stuff all implemented. For example to wake the watch up when it beeps you only need to change 1 line of code in the time_wake() function in time.c:

Code:

return RTCWAKE_SYSTEM;

to

Code:

return RTCWAKE_USER;

The YUN is a very different thing from these watches, so no.

[RobG]

Hi Zak, Thank you so much for replying!!! I know this is probably easy as cake to make the display wake up when the hourly chime sounds off but I have no idea where to begin to do this. Could I bother you with a few questions?

I have a MacBook Pro. Can I use it to make the change in the code?
Is this USB thing in the attached photo the USB-serial converter and pogo adapter?
Do I just connect USB-serial converter and pogo adapter in the holes on the board on the side with the 2 buttons?
What Mac software can I use to make the change "return RTCWAKE_SYSTEM;" to return RTCWAKE_USER; ?

Sorry I am so dumb.
Rob



Image:
http://pixelrob.com/n-watch.jpg

Update: So I thought I would take a stab at this with absolutely ZERO knowledge of programming skills.
• I connected the USB-serial converter and pogo adapter that came with the N|Watch to the board and plugged the USB end into my MacBook. The red light lit up on the USB board.
I was hoping the N|Watch would mount like a HardDrive?
• I downloaded and installed "MonoFramework-MDK-5.2.0.215.macos10.xamarin.universal.pkg" Don't ask me why? I thought I might need it. I have no idea what it does or where it is on my MacBook.
• I downloaded and installed "Xamarin Studio.app" I thought maybe this might be a client to where I would be able to see the N|Watch and the code. I am so lost!
• I then installed Arduino.app I think I 'm supposed to select the board from the pull-down menu under tools. I don't know what board this is on the N|Watch.

Am I on the right track? LOL!

[Zak]

Yup, that thing in the photo is the USB-serial converter and pogo adapter. You connect it like this - http://blog.zakkemble.co.uk/wp-content/u...CT2825.jpg the 2 outer pogos have pointy ends and poke into the little holes, then push down so all 4 pins make contact with the pads, but not too hard, then run whatever program you're using to upload the firmware to the watch.

The watch is programmed the same way as a normal Arduino Uno, the USB-serial converter will show up as a serial port.

I've no idea how to go about doing all this on a Mac, I mainly use Windows and sometimes Linux. Atmel Studio was used to write the firmware, but it's Windows only :/

[RobG]

Yup, that thing in the photo is the USB-serial converter and pogo adapter. You connect it like this - http://blog.zakkemble.co.uk/wp-content/u...CT2825.jpg the 2 outer pogos have pointy ends and poke into the little holes, then push down so all 4 pins make contact with the pads, but not too hard, then run whatever program you're using to upload the firmware to the watch.

The watch is programmed the same way as a normal Arduino Uno, the USB-serial converter will show up as a serial port.

I've no idea how to go about doing all this on a Mac, I mainly use Windows and sometimes Linux. Atmel Studio was used to write the firmware, but it's Windows only :/

Zak, Would you ever consider if I ship/mail my N|Watch to you and make this update for me and I would also PayPal you shipping cost to send it back to me? and send a tip too. I really want the watch you made for the screen to wake up on the hourly chime.

Rob

[Zak]

Alright then, I've emailed you.

[RobG]

Alright then, I've emailed you.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!