# Back in the saddle **URL:** \ **Category:** PKE Meters\ **Created:** [September 22, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049 "2014-09-22T19:03:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/1 "2014-09-22T19:03:55Z")
It’s been a looong time since I was here. Life and finances got in the way, but now that time and money are less of an issue I figured its time to get back into prop building. My first build… A RGB [pke meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter). I loved the look and sound of it as a kid, and the cavernous interior lends itself to sounds and electronics. That said, I bought an arduino uno (should be here tomorrow) and picked up a [Kenner](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/kenner-10410) on eBay. The $64 question is do I just use it as an LED micro controller or get fance and use an LCD display? ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 10:36am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/2 "2014-09-23T10:36:43Z")
So, my [Kenner](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/kenner-10410) pke should be here Friday, along with a trap in need of a little love. In the meanwhile, I’ve been reading up on programming in C. ---
**Author:** ![Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Grimmy_GB)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/3 "2014-09-23T15:48:21Z")
> [@Huabuster](#): > > The $64 question is do I just use it as an LED micro controller or get fance and use an LCD display? If finances are no longer an issue, I’d go with the LCD. I figured since you brought it up, that’s the option you’re leaning to. Looking forward to seeing the progress. ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/4 "2014-09-23T21:02:53Z")
My arduino showed up, and its a lot smaller than I thought it’d be. [![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/NHPreacher/Mobile Uploads\_image-6.jpg)](http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/NHPreacher/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-6.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/5 "2014-09-23T23:16:56Z")
I didn’t get any peripherals with the UNO, so all I could tinker with was programming the onboard LED. Still, C seems to be pretty user friendly. So… I went ahead and ordered THIS. It should arrive the same day my RGB pke shows up. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008HWTVQ2?pi=AC\_SX110\_SY165\_QL70&tag=gbfans-discourse-20](http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008HWTVQ2?pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&tag=gbfans-discourse-20) I feel it important to mention that my wife puts up with alot. Links in this post may be affiliate links. Purchases made through them help support this site at no additional cost to you. ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/6 "2014-09-25T19:09:24Z")
So my LCD showed up… and it is weee. Need to look at other options. [![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/NHPreacher/Mobile Uploads\_81141172-3AF3-447A-8277-A829973C2603.jpg)](http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/NHPreacher/media/Mobile%20Uploads/81141172-3AF3-447A-8277-A829973C2603.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Grimmy_GB)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/7 "2014-09-25T23:11:16Z")
Is that LCD TOO wee? ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/8 "2014-09-27T00:23:08Z")
Way too wee… On the upside, it’ll give me a chance to tinker with animation with the arduino. On the upside, all of this showed up today. RGB [pke meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter) for the hack’n build and a [ghost trap](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/ghost-trap). Also LEDs, potentiometers, micro switches, servos… all sorts of widgets to tinker with. [![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/NHPreacher/Mobile Uploads\_509CC249-2FE5-42ED-8203-18CA1CEFBB02.jpg)](http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/NHPreacher/media/Mobile%20Uploads/509CC249-2FE5-42ED-8203-18CA1CEFBB02.jpg.html) [![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/NHPreacher/Mobile Uploads\_C8FF3535-39D9-4825-8D06-E95C0A5C50A5.jpg)](http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/NHPreacher/media/Mobile%20Uploads/C8FF3535-39D9-4825-8D06-E95C0A5C50A5.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@Grimmy\_GB](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Grimmy_GB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/9 "2014-09-27T00:38:52Z")
Yeah…you need something like 5 times that size lol ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/10 "2014-09-27T10:47:13Z")
It’d be just about perfect for an Iona style pke… ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/11 "2014-09-28T16:34:12Z")
So being as I’m still learning all this micro controller stuff, some of y’all are going to be underwhelmed. That said, I built and programmed an array of LEDs controlled by a potentiometer. My next step is to work in blinkers on the ends of the antennas, a pezio buzzer and a constant light for the front of my RGB [pke meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter). Once I get the lights and sounds squared away, I’ll start the physical build. [![image](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/3X/2/8/28da649b96aece0400e5cc3c2f5842e7b97d989d.jpeg)](http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee418/NHPreacher/Mobile%20Uploads/50956017-EC8E-4F8E-A224-6A15019E39A3.mp4) ---
**Author:** ![Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/d2c977/32.png) [@Huabuster](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Huabuster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/12 "2014-10-02T22:07:20Z")
So after playing around with the wee little LCD I have, I’m gonna try for an animated display on my pke. Next week I’ll be ording one of these… [http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JFSBAL6?pi=AC\_SX110\_SY165\_QL70&tag=gbfans-discourse-20](http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JFSBAL6?pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&tag=gbfans-discourse-20) Links in this post may be affiliate links. Purchases made through them help support this site at no additional cost to you. ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/back-in-the-saddle/8049/13 "2014-10-16T18:45:01Z")
If I’m honest, I would not bother modding a [Kenner](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/kenner-10410) PKE with an arduino. If you’re going all out, get a bigger case and build one fron scratch. The Kenner PKE is sized for toddler hands and to my eye always looks bad in the hands of an adult. Just my two cents.