You'll need an Arduino, a power source and a counting mechanism in addition to the AmmoCounter kit. I recommend an Arduino Pro Mini or Pro Micro.

You'll also need to setup a trigger mechanism (IR Beam or Lever Switch) and a battery source. These components will very depending on your blaster/dart setup.

Most of these parts can be found on the Sparkfun Parts List.

Yes, you can program the counter to start at any number.
You can also use a switch to change the count to 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 25 and 35 counts depending on the clip size in your blaster.

There are various ways to count ammo. The most common two are IR dectors and lever switches. An IR detector requires that you place an IR beam into the barrel or barrel extention. Once the beam is broken, the counter will count down.
If you have a semi-automatic blaster you can install a lever switch behind the trigger. Once the lever switch is pressed the counter will count down.

Arduino IR Beam Setup

There is a working curcuit on 123D Circuits. It includes an IR beam, counter and reset buttons.

You can download the latest AmmoCounter code here. You can also stay up to date with new features or contribute to the code on GitHub.

Yes, if you need a longer ribbon cable for your mods, you can use any "2.54mm Pitch 16 Pin F/F IDC Connector" ribbon from Amazon or local retailer.

Here are some suggestions:

Uxcel® 12" (300mm) Rainbow Color Ribbon Flat Cable
Uxcell® 43.3" (1100mm) Gray Ribbon Cable - 2 Pcs2

The AmmoCounter uses a Common Anode 0.56 inch 2 digit 7 segment display. If you would like to know the dimensions, here is the data sheet.

Additional colors can be found on eBay, Amazon or by checking the AmmoCounter shop for updates.

This is probably due to a high amperage battery causing interference in the system.

If you are using an external scope, you may be experiencing vibration issues. If so you'll need to stabilize the IR beam by adding a few drops of hot glue to the 3d printed part.

If you are using an internal counter, you may be experiencing vibration issue or noise in your IR beam cable. Try adding some electrical tape to your connections on the Arduino. If that doesn't fix it, you'll need to add a .1uF capacitor between your ground and signal.

Feel free to contact us for help!