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How am I limited (or not limited) by using ATMega32u4 instead of ATMega328 with my Arduino? I want my sketch to perform a simple "echo" of a code it receives, does ATMega32u4 allow me to do this?

Anindo Ghosh
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Jordan Sheffield
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  • Without knowing what you mean by "echo" I can't be sure as to what you are really trying to do. But from the sounds of it, the ATtiny25 could probably handle what you are doing. No sense in driving a tank when a bicycle will get you there just as easily. – Kurt E. Clothier Jul 09 '13 at 02:19
  • My guess is 'echo' being UART or USB->UART. – dext0rb Jul 09 '13 at 02:21
  • "Sketches" are things artists draw, which has nothing to do with electrical engineering. – Olin Lathrop Jul 09 '13 at 12:54
  • @OlinLathrop "Sketch" is the common name for a program in the Arduino IDE. – jippie Jul 09 '13 at 14:15
  • Please be more specific to what you are trying to accomplish. If you are using an existing Arduino, you don't get the choice of 328 vs. 32u4 as the controller depends on the Arduino board you have. – jippie Jul 09 '13 at 14:17
  • @jipp: "Sketch" may be a word re-purposed by the arduino community, but this is a electrical engineering site where we expect the proper terms to be used. Say "sketch" all you want on a arduino board, but not here if you want to be taken seriously. Same goes for "shield". – Olin Lathrop Jul 09 '13 at 15:55
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    @OlinLathrop As I've pointed out before, there are many terms in the electrical engineering world which have been repurposed, or branded, for instance 1-wire which doesn't really mean 1 wire at all. If one is incapable of learning new applications for terms, that's a pretty sad reflection on one's cognitive skills. – Anindo Ghosh Jul 10 '13 at 11:03
  • @Anindo: There are legitimate terms used as jargin in the business, and then there are niche terms invented by marketing people only for their own benefit at the expense of everyone else. In some cases, like "1 wire", they have taken off and are used in the industry. However the terms "sketch" and "shield" have annoying re-purposed meanings only in the very limited arduino community and are not used that way in the industry. These terms are not acceptable here on this *professional* electrical engineering forum. – Olin Lathrop Jul 10 '13 at 12:57
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    @OlinLathrop That "acceptability" is your opinion, not a defined standard for either this site or the Stack Exchange family as a whole. Having the humility to not project a personal opinion as a standard of acceptability would behoove someone of your knowledge and experience. – Anindo Ghosh Jul 10 '13 at 13:01
  • @Anindo: No, we can't allow anyone, especially amateurs from outside, to make up terms we are supposed to use. "Shield" is particularly bad since it already has a specific meaning in electronics. I find these misused terms annoying and obnoxious. We need to keep hammering on them until the arduino users finally learn they are not welcome here when they arrogantly expect *us* to use *their* terms. – Olin Lathrop Jul 10 '13 at 13:09
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    @OlinLathrop Interesting: The word *arrogance* used in a comment that eminently demonstrates said attitude. Good going. – Anindo Ghosh Jul 10 '13 at 13:11
  • Regardless of the context of the question and what echo is supposed to mean...I found this question and answer extremely useful!! Thanks @Jordan although you were unclear as has already been said above. – NULL Aug 31 '15 at 22:56

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ATMEGA32U4 has more features in almost every department, and should be able to do anything a 328 can. More IO, more ADC channels, more RAM, more timers, etc. Plus it has hardware USB, which is an awesome feature.

I'm kind of surprised Atmel didn't pimp the USB series more. I only discovered them in the last few years. Coupled with the free LUFA library they make things a snap.

Your question is a bit.. lacking, though. Echo what? Through what interface?

Marko
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