MCP3008 help?

[Rahatmaini]

I am extremely confused about how I can use a MCP3008 for the Arduino. I have been sent to links about the SPI bus, but I am very much a noob at Arduino. Is there an easy way to learn how to connect the chip to the Arduino and some software examples as well? A tutorial?

Thanks

[adafruit_support_rick]

Is there some reason you can't use the Arduino's built-in A/D converter? The MCP3008 is more of a Raspberry Pi thing for us, since the Pi doesn't have an ADC.

[Rahatmaini]

You mean to say that the Arduino can convert digital pins to analog??

If that's right, I feel extremely stupid yet extremely thankful!

[adafruit_support_rick]

Pins A0 through A5 can be used for either digital I/O or for analog input.
Lesson 8 of our Learning Arduino series covers analog input.

Also, check out section 3 on the Arduino Tutorial page

[Rahatmaini]

Oh no no I want to ADD more analog pins. I need more analog inputs!

[adafruit_support_rick]

Ah. Well, if you want to use the MCP3008, then I'm afraid you will have to write a library.

However, one of our I2C 4-channel ADCs would be a lot easier, and you'll get 4 channels instead of 1. You can string up to four of them on an I2C bus, giving you up to 16 channels.

12-bit, 4 channel
16-bit, 4 channel

We do have an Arduino library for these guys.

[ottobonn]

The MCP3008 has 8 channels, not one.