12V Tether pinout [Archive]

f22flyboy

31-10-2002, 09:54

Does anyone know the pin-out for the 12V OI tether. We're thinking about wiring up a backshell so we can run the OI off of a large 12V battery. I know this is a little unsafe for the OI, but if it works it would be great. Anyone?

AdamT

31-10-2002, 10:23

Please just post in one forum if you have a question....

We just built a separate battery pack with "D" batteries and used the standard power input...

Jnadke

31-10-2002, 11:32

Our team did this last year with some of the 12V rechargable (lead-acid) batteries...

Unfortunately I don't have the circuit schematic for it.

It shouldn't be that difficult though. It's just a simple voltage and current divider. Ratshack should sell connectors needed to plug into the OI's wall transformer input. The transformer brick should say what you need to output.

Ours was a little more complex. It had leds that dimmed as the voltage dropped from 13.5V to 8V. The transformer I believe puts out 7 or 7.5V... I could be wrong though.

f22flyboy

31-10-2002, 12:03

Thanks but we want to use the tether connection and leave the OI power input open for undisclosed reasons...

Innovation First doesn't have anything on power pinouts, anyone know who would?

evulish

31-10-2002, 17:04

Undisclosed reasons, ehh? *Mission Impossible theme plays*

rbayer

31-10-2002, 19:02

Do you mean tether or competition? The tether port is 100% undocumented; they don't even say if it's RS-232 or something else. As for the competition port, which is probably more what you're looking for, is a little better, but not much.

Finally, I wouldn't be so sure that the tether is 12V. After all, the wall plug is only 9V.

Jnadke

31-10-2002, 20:06

Originally posted by f22flyboy
Thanks but we want to use the tether connection and leave the OI power input open for undisclosed reasons...

Innovation First doesn't have anything on power pinouts, anyone know who would?

What else would you use the power input port for???? Its only function is to input power. :confused: :confused:

You could probabaly get out the multimeter/voltmeter and start testing pins in the robot controller.

But, yeah, the Tether port is currently undocumented. It is a proprietary port, it has no certain specification. I wouldn't be surprised if it modeled an RS 232/242 port and just used one of the lines as a positive line.

f22flyboy

01-11-2002, 10:03

So the only way is the hard way :(

I know the tether is 12V, what is the competitition port?

This is just out of curiosity, its taken up by the different channel adapter

f22flyboy

01-11-2002, 10:05

Originally posted by evulish
Undisclosed reasons, ehh? *Mission Impossible theme plays*

this thread will self-destruct in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... *poof*

hehehe

Jnadke

01-11-2002, 14:34

The competition port provides power to the robot controller as well. It is also capable of changing the OI channels and such.

However, you have the same problem. No documentation for the power pins.

f22flyboy

01-11-2002, 14:51

I meant what is (the voltage of) the competition port