How to Use Adafruit Feather M0 Basic Proto: Examples, Pinouts, and Specs

The Adafruit Feather M0 Basic Proto is a versatile and compact development board that serves as a great starting point for building electronic projects and prototypes. Based on the powerful ATSAMD21G18 ARM Cortex M0 microcontroller, it offers a balance between performance and power consumption. This board is part of the Feather ecosystem, designed by Adafruit to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores.

• Wearable electronics
• Portable projects
• Educational purposes
• Prototyping IoT devices
• DIY electronics

• Microcontroller: ATSAMD21G18, 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+
• Operating Voltage: 3.3V
• Input Voltage: 3.7-6V via battery and up to 12V via the USB pin
• Digital I/O Pins: 20
• PWM Channels: 12
• Analog Input Channels: 10 (12-bit ADC)
• Analog Output Channels: 1 (10-bit DAC)
• Flash Memory: 256KB
• SRAM: 32KB
• Clock Speed: 48 MHz
• Dimensions: 51mm x 23mm x 8mm (without headers)

1. Powering the Board: Connect a battery to the BAT pin or supply power through the USB pin.
2. Programming: Use the micro USB port to connect the Feather M0 to your computer for programming.
3. Digital I/O: Utilize the digital pins for input or output functions. They can be used with digital sensors, LEDs, buttons, etc.
4. Analog Input: Connect analog sensors to the analog pins to read varying voltages.
5. PWM Output: Use PWM-capable pins to control motors, dim LEDs, etc.
6. Serial Communication: Utilize RX and TX for UART communication.
7. SPI/I2C: Use the dedicated pins for SPI or I2C communication with peripherals.

• Always ensure that the power supply voltage is within the specified range to prevent damage.
• When using PWM, remember that the resolution is limited to the capabilities of the microcontroller.
• For analog readings, ensure that the input voltage does not exceed 3.3V.
• Use the prototyping area to add components and build your circuit directly on the board.
• Avoid applying force to the board when inserting or removing it from a breadboard to prevent bending the pins.

• Board not recognized by computer: Ensure the micro USB cable is data-capable and the board's drivers are installed.
• Inconsistent analog readings: Check for proper grounding and stable power supply.
• Unable to upload sketches: Verify the correct board and port are selected in your IDE.

• If the board is not recognized, try a different USB cable or port, and reset the board.
• For analog issues, add a small capacitor between the analog pin and ground to filter noise.
• Ensure that no other program is using the selected port when uploading sketches.

Q: Can I power the Feather M0 Basic Proto with a LiPo battery? A: Yes, you can connect a 3.7V LiPo battery to the JST connector.

Q: Is the Feather M0 Basic Proto compatible with Arduino IDE? A: Yes, it is compatible with the Arduino IDE. You'll need to install the Adafruit SAMD board package.

Q: What is the maximum current the I/O pins can source or sink? A: Each I/O pin can source or sink up to 7 mA.

Q: Can I use the Feather M0 Basic Proto with other FeatherWings? A: Yes, the Feather M0 Basic Proto is designed to be stackable with other FeatherWings.

Here is a simple example of blinking an LED connected to pin 13 of the Feather M0 Basic Proto using the Arduino IDE:

// Define the LED pin
const int ledPin = 13;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {
  // initialize the digital pin as an output.
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                  // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                  // wait for a second
}

Remember to select the correct board from the Tools > Board menu in the Arduino IDE before uploading the code to the Feather M0 Basic Proto.