DigiX Order Contents Identification

[briankb]

I was very excited to find my DigiX order in the mail today. I was a $74 backer which included a DigiX + Level Shifter Shield and as a backer of the Digispark project I got a bonus which was a digispark shield.

I've looked at the Wiki but I'm still a little confused about one of the parts that looks like it could be a wifi component but wifi is already built into the DigiX.

Here is a overhead photo of all of the contents from my order envelope.

• A - Level Shifter Shield
• B - DigiX
• C - Digispark Shield
• D - ?

Can someone help me identify item D, where it goes and what it does?

[digistump]

D is the nRF24L01+ module the plugs into the DigiX in the socket right above the SD card slot - you may want to trim the pins on it down a bit so it fits snug in the low profile socket, but it works either way.

[briankb]

Cool. I forgot about that feature!  Can that module be used on the Digispark?

[digistump]

It is 5v tolerant but you'll need to provide it with 3.3v and find a library/edit a library to work with it - but a shield is in the works for the Digispark Pro

[briankb]

The DigiX has a built-in wifi chip and antenna. However to communicate over the mesh network it needs a nRF24L01+ module plugged in?

[digistump]

The WiFI and nRF24L01+ present two different ways to communicate:

The WiFi can communicate with the internet, an IP based network, and other WiFi modules. With this you could of course make a mesh network and get great range.

The nRF module can communicate with other nRF modules like it using either direct or mesh libraries - these are simpler transceivers that are cheap ($4 at digistump) and work with Arduinos and just about any other board. These are short range and the intention is that you can use them to have other devices talk to the DigiX and the DigiX act as a gateway to the internet for those devices - so perhaps some cheap $10-$15 minimalist Arduino compatibles with nRFs throughout a house talking to a DigiX, which puts all of the data from those nodes online.

I'm sure many won't use the nRF, and no doubt the WiFi is the bigger draw - but I wanted to create a device that could allow the use of many cheaper devices rather than making it necessary to buy many of the same expensive device when creating a network of nodes.

[chickenturd]

It is 5v tolerant but you'll need to provide it with 3.3v and find a library/edit a library to work with it - but a shield is in the works for the Digispark Pro

This is the first time I've heard of Digispark Pro.... What is it? A new Digispark?
My plan for the DigiX is to use it as a gateway and somehow figure out using nRF+ on my Digisparks. Just got my DigiXes in and haven't had time to play yet.

[digistump]

It will be a big brother (but still the same physical size) to the Digispark - more pins, backwards compatible