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I need a 4 Channel Count Down Timer to generate 4 ea. 5 millisecond pulses. The count will start on a transition on one of the 4 channels, at which time one pair of 5 Volt outputs will be set. The outputs will be cleared at the end of the count. This process is repeated for each of the 4 channels, with the same duration for each.

This will require 4 separate timers. Other requirements are 4 Input channels & 8 5 Volt Output channels, & 1 12 Volt Output channel, also operation from 5.0 Volts.

What board should I use?

both the SuperPro and the DataLogger have 4 timers. In some of my reading (??'lpc1768) the pwm
block all use the same time base- which may/not apply to you. You are using a constant 5 millisecond pulse.
the DataLogger is faster so you could do more stuff in between your 'events' [I do more response action to
a keyboard/toggle event so have never dwelt with critical timing measurements]
HTH - Gary

How about the Pro Plus. I am familiar with the SuperPro, and have code that I can use for this application. I need a lot of I/O & 4 timers. Does the ProPlus have the same number of timers as the SuperPro?

The PROplus or SuperPRO should work. They can be powered from 5V, but almost all micros these days actually run at 3.3V with TTL compatible IOs.

Both those can generate 3 of PWMs from the TIMERs and there is also a PWM block that can generate 6 PWMs if they have the same cycle time, and also the motor controller can generate 2 PWMs

So maybe 11 PWMs are possible (I know I have generated 4 completely independent ones using the TIMER and PWM blocks).

I need a Proto Shield board compatible with the Coridium Pro Plus or SuperPro. Spark Fun offers a ProtoShield kit. Is that kit compatible with the Coridium boards?

Can you recommend a ProtoShield board?

I looked at SparkFun's DEV-07914-- it will do the 'arduino pins layout okay' but I don't think it wiil work for the other pins
on the Coridiums boards. For the Coridium DataLogger I took the pin connectors from a generic (Adafruit OR Seeedstudio) kit
and a perfboard from RadioShack and made my own shield. I think Adafruit has/had a kit that had an 'offset bent connector' kit
I've used it a couple of times [whereever I got it]- for that non-standard Arduino 'data' connector.
'
Coridium was kind enough to put the Arduino pins on standard spacing (along side the non-standard Arduino 'data' connectors).
I do believe the internal signal pins are all on standard spacing for perfboard -
'
Short answer - ONLY if you want to use ARDUINO only pins - otherwise NO
Gary Olzeke51

I think that I'll go with an Adafruit proto board. They have a space for a 20 pin through-hole DIP, and also a SOIC package. I'd like to see more pins available for through-hole DIPs. Coridium ought to consider offering a Proto Board compatible with their Pro Plus & Super Pro. If it was one row wider on each side, you could have breakout pins for more I/O.

1 hole wider -- then it wouldn't be 'Arduino compatible '!!!
Hey, an arduino mega shield might be the way to go -- it is longer but also has the original Arduino layout !!
Gary

I have used both off the shelf and custom boards to connect to other chips.

One project involved a programmable delay line, it came in an SO footprint. I ran down to the local Fry's and picked up a shield that had footprints compatible with what I needed, just a couple of wires to add.

Have also used plain old 0.1" perfboard to wire up stuff.

If I plan on building more than 1, I just do a quick layout and have a custom PCB made.

I'm not sure there is a standard shield we could turn into a project. But then, custom design is our business, so if you need more than a few we could do the design

I use PCB123 for my PCB layout & schematic capture. I did a custom Arduino board from Sunstone Circuits for a recent project. My hand wired board works fine, but the PCB has a noise problem. It's probably ground runs, but I haven't debugged it. I purchased 10 boards, but only built up one. I could layout a custom Arduino board, with 0.300" DIP spacing, but I couldn't sell the extras for what they cost.