Important message for all new customers...

Make sure to install Node.JS version 8.x and NOT the lastest 9.x, 10.x or 11.x versions. Find the 8.x versions here.

Contact us if you need help installing Node and Johnny-Five

Check out GitHub

Make sure to visit our GitHub page to find all the code from the lessons.

Need help?

We really care about your success, so don't hesitate to contact us!  We provide many ways to get in touch.

Slack

As a customer you can join our internal Slack community and interact with the PodPi team members as well as other educators and subscribers.  

Request an invitation

Email

Want to send us a note or ask a few questions but you are not in a hurry?  Email is probably the best.  We monitor our email frequently and can get back to you shortly.

Text

If you need support while working on your lessons, texting with pictures is the quickest way to share with us your issues.  We will be happy to help.

Phone

Do you want to talk to us?  We will be happy to schedule a call with our support team.  Simply provide your phone number and a time that is best for you and someone will call you back.  Your number stays private. 

Need Help getting started?

Click here if you have a PC running Windows 7-10.  Follow the instructions to install Arduino and Node.JS.

Try out Mobile Web App beta

Click here is you have a Mac computer running Mac OS.  Follow the instructions to install Arduino and Node.JS

Try our Mobile Web App beta

Click here if you have a Chromebook laptop.  Follow the instructions to install the Johnny-Five Chrome extension.

Try our Mobile Web App beta

Have you downloaded Zoe's Cheat Sheet on how to create a script and run your code?  Click the button to access a high resolution of it and make sure to have a copy with you.

Video tutorials to lessons 1 and 2

Scroll down for the FAQ... and Common Mistakes

Do you need additional help getting started?

Tell us more about what you need and will try to help you ASAP.  Fill this form up and I will get back to you shortly.  Make sure to provide enough information so that one of us can help you out.  You can also send us screenshots at pi@podpi.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Technical

  • My JavaScript code fails to connect to the Arduino board on my PC.

This can happen when the Arduino board is not automatically detected by Johnny-five.  In this case you will have to specify the port yourself in the JavaScript code.  To find out what the port is, make sure your Arduino board is connected, then open the Arduino IDE (click the Arduino icon), check the bottom right of the window.  The Arduino should be recognized and tell you what port it is on.  For example COM3.  In your JavaScript, when you create the Board, add the port like this:

var board = five.Board ( {port: "COM3"} );
  • Lesson 1 - My LED only blinks once and then stops.

We've noticed that some computers (MacBook Air and older PCs running Windows 7) have issues with the .blink() command with the PWM pins.  The PWM pins are pins 3, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11.  Use a different pin on your Arduino board (like 4) and update your code with the pin that you choose.

Common Mistakes

Here is a list of common hardware and software mistakes we have seen our students do while teaching many classes. If you are stuck, we suggest you look at these two pictures and try to find something similar to your situation. If you can't find it, fill the form above and we will get back to you shortly.

Common Hardware Mistakes.  Check out the common hardware mistakes and make sure you are not doing any of these.

Common Hardware Mistakes.  Check out the common hardware mistakes and make sure you are not doing any of these.

Here are the common software mistakes we have seen while teaching our classes.  Review the list and see if you can spot some you have seen before.

Here are the common software mistakes we have seen while teaching our classes.  Review the list and see if you can spot some you have seen before.