Various pin headers and connectors

All these pins and headers are used for connecting various modules, expansions, and programmers to your MAKERbuino board. There are four types of connectors included in the MAKERbuino kit:

6 pin angled female header

This tiny black connector is used for connecting your MAKERbuino to the serial UART programmer board (important for programming the console).

2×3 male angled ICSP header

Used for connecting expansion modules and an ISP programmer for reprogramming the game console’s microcontroller over ICSP (in circuit system programming) protocol.

2×5 male angle extra breakout header

The 10 pin double row angle header is soldered to the rightmost part of the game console and is an extra option that gives you some extra useful pins for connecting hardware expansions.

KF2510 4-pin anti-reverse angle headers for i2c ports (2pcs)

These connectors go to the top side of the device and are used for connecting expansion modules and other MAKERbuino’s (multiplayer games!).

They’re just like all other connectors but with a special anti-reverse function so that you can’t swap the polarity and short circuit your game consoles when connecting them with the multiplayer link cable.

1k ohm wheel trim potentiometers (2pcs)

Wheel potentiometers are very important for regulating the screen’s backlight and dimming the sound volume.

The potentiometers have B102 written on their back indicating that they have 1Kohm of resistance (10 * 10^2 ohms).

Resistors

Resistors are standard passive two-lead electronic components that implement electrical resistance as a circuit element.

The resistors are used in MAKERbuino for all sorts of important tasks like adjusting signal levels and regulating current flow.

Every resistor’s resistance is measured in ohms.

You can determine the resistance of a resistor by using color code – reading a set of colored rings on the resistor.

There are four types of resistors used in the MAKERbuino kit:

• 100 ohm resistor x1This one is used when outputting sound to MAKERbuino’s headphone jack.Color code: brown, black, brown, golden(*in some versions of the MAKERbuino kit, these resistors might be labeled like this: brown, black, black, black, brown or golden)
• 2.2k ohm resistor x1This one is important for driving the transistor in the MAKERbuino’s sound circuit.Color code: red, red, red, golden
• 4.7k ohm resistor x2These resistors are used as pull up resistors on i2c lines (multiplayer and expansion ports).Color code: yellow, purple, red, golden
• 10k ohm resistor x2These are important for driving the LCD screen and connecting the microcontroller to the serial UART programmer (for connecting the MAKERbuino to your computer).Color code: brown, black, black, red, golden

Electronics 101: reading resistor’s color code is quite easy, you just have to follow a color code table like this one over here.

Alternatively, you can also use a resistor color code calculator tool like this one: color code calculator.

Every pro maker has to know this resistor table by heart, and it’s quite easy using this interesting technique – you just have to remember this sentence: Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well Get Some Now!