Thinking About Making A Working Stargate Model

Im New to playing with the Picaxe but so far im having fun learning how to get things to work.
I have seen a working stargate model online and most of the sites say that they were built using arduino.
I was thinking about trying to make one of my own with a working DHD ( When I get my 3d printer working ) and was wondering how easy it would be to try and use Picaxe instead of arduino. and I was wondering if there are any ideas on what I would need and where I would start?

Welcome to the forum !.

Please post a link to what it is you want to build, I'm sure we can help.

Also, what is a DHD ?

Sounds like a big physics challenge, essentially using a small microcontroller to create controllable wormholes in spacetime..................................

Buzby said:

Also, what is a DHD ?

Click to expand...

Dial Home Device.

Pongo Got It. DHD = Dial Home Device
The link you requested: http://www.glitch.org.uk/
there is no DHD but I would like to see if I could ad one if possible.

most things that can be done on ardiuno can be done on picaxe.
how many button does the DHD need? Are the shevron thingies going to move? If so how?
Depending on how you want to do things, you may need to either drive each of the LEDs (9 in total from what I understand) or multiplex them. same goes for the DHD buttons - but I don't think you will be able to multiplex both the buttons and the LEDs at the same time on a single picaxe. so you can either use a single larger picaxe, or 2 smaller ones. one to handle the buttons, the other to handle the get itself with the DHD one sending dialling address to the one that controls the gate via serial or i2c depending on the chips used.
I notice the one in the link uses a stepper motor, this means that there is no encoder, maybe just a "home" locator switch on the ring, this is something you have to think about before printing the itself. you could use a normal motor and a single micro switch to count the number of addresses have passed and calculate the rings position from that.

so in short, its possible, there will be challenges along the way. but with a little determination, you should get there.

Wow adding a DHD sounds a bit complicated. and considering how new at this I am I think I will Leave off the dhd for now and go with a simple preprogramed motion connected to a single switch for now. and there is a single chevron thing that moves. I think that can be done with a servo and some kind of string and a spring maybe.

Is it a 3d printed project?

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1603423

I have it on my list of things to print!

This may be late to the game, but what I've always thought would be a great Stargate microprocesser project would be to have one of the dialing pedestals that are in front of the Stargate and used to dial the standard gate set up with all the symbols around the periphery. Then have each symbol connected to inputs on a microprocessor and one pin connected to your actual garage door opener - that way you could encode a seven digit sequence to open your garage door!! You could even encode the sound effects from the show - although this might take way more memory than most PICAXE processors have - and play them as the symbols are depressed.

If anyone goes down this path I'd be interested!.