This is the first step in the process towards automation!
Select your level of automation
| Microcontroller | Computer Controlled |
|---|---|
| Basic Den hosting | All microcontroller programs plus... |
| Day Skipping | Automated purple beam finder |
| Egg Hatchers | Den Hosting with stats! |
| Unattended Shiny Hunts | Autonomous Shiny Hunts! |
The levels of automation build off each other, to do Auto Max Lair you have to proceed trhough Microcontroller and Computer Controlled tutorials. You have been warned.
No matter the level of automation you need, start here!
Buy the necessary items from A & B.
| Switch | Switch Lite |
|---|---|
| Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adapter. (example 0, example 1) | Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adapter. (example) |
| A USB hub or portable dock. (example) |
Select which column best exemplifies your experience and purchase that microcontroller.
| Ardunio Leonardo | Teensy2.0 / Teensy2.0++ | ProMicro |
|---|---|---|
| For beginners | For beginners | Experienced users |
| I am accustomed to Arduino | I want to easily add programs | I want to automate multiple switches, cheaply |
| I'm not experienced with electronics | I'm not experienced with electronics | I know my way around electronics |
- A Mini-USB male to USB-A male cable or adaptor (from step (2)A)
- A microcontroller (from step (2)2B)
- A USB hub or portable dock (if you have a Switch Lite!)
If you are only doing Microcontroller Automation proceed to the next step here
If you are doing Computer Controlled or Auto Max Lair automation, proceed below to buy more hardware.
Buy the necessary items from A, B, C, & D.
Purchase one of the following serial boards
| Adafruit UART | CP210x Board |
|---|---|
| CP210x controller | 1 for $8 |
| 2 for $8 | |
| 4 for $8 |
Purchase one of the following Board Connections
| Mini-Grabbers to Male Jumer Wires | Soldless Hammer Headers | Hammer Headers |
|---|---|---|
| Arudinos only need these | N/A for Arduinos | N/A for Arduinos |
| Easiest option, but hard to find | Fairly easy to install. These must have a buldge on the short side. | Most difficult. Will require soldering. |
| No soldering. Best for beginners | Doesn't require soldering. | Requires soldering. Experienced only. |
Purchase a Video capture card (example)
Purchase HDMI cable(s) if you don't own any
Important: You will need a fairly powerful computer to handle serial programs with video feedback. For a single Switch with video feedback, we recommend a quad core computer no older than 2015. If you want to run 4 Switches all with feedback, we recommend a modern 8-core computer. The computer must also be running 64-bit Windows, though plan to extend support to other operating systems in the future.
There are many ways to set this up with varying cost and difficulty. Here we will present some simple options that do not require soldering. If you are experienced with electronics, feel free to do your own thing.