A few questions

[cheezewiz]

Hey,

So far we have been able to program and upload code for our test robot. But we are still a little confused dealing with the IR. First off we heard that the schematic for the IR emmiter circuit was wrong, so we followed the new schematic and it just overheated and diddnt do anything. Was the origional schematic really wrong, or did we just wire the new circuit wrong? Then asuming that the emitter circuit is working, and we have the infrared reciever hooked up to digital input 1, what variable should we be useing to get input from the censor (as in rc_dig01)? Also when the robot sees the censor what value should the variable show? From our testing we it looks as if when it sees IR the variable is set to 0 and when it doesnt see IR it shows some # in the 3000's. Any help here would be greatly appriciated.

Thank You

[Adam Shapiro]

I can't really tell you about the IR reading values (yet) but wiring-wise, the new beacon schematics are correct. The wiring on the schematic that came with the kit had pins 2 and 3 reversed on the FET. If your circuit is overheating, you might want to check it over more carefully for shorts. There is a good chance there is a short in your soldering. Also check that you don't have the FET reversed and that you correctly made the changes to the wiring.

[Mark McLeod]

Hey,

So far we have been able to program and upload code for our test robot. But we are still a little confused dealing with the IR. First off we heard that the schematic for the IR emmiter circuit was wrong, so we followed the new schematic and it just overheated and diddnt do anything. Was the origional schematic really wrong, or did we just wire the new circuit wrong? Then asuming that the emitter circuit is working, and we have the infrared reciever hooked up to digital input 1, what variable should we be useing to get input from the censor (as in rc_dig01)? Also when the robot sees the censor what value should the variable show? From our testing we it looks as if when it sees IR the variable is set to 0 and when it doesnt see IR it shows some # in the 3000's. Any help here would be greatly appriciated.

Thank You

The values returned by the IR sensor are 0=sees IR, or 1=does not see IR.
Are you running the sensor from the EDU controller? If so pins 1 & 2 are setup as analog inputs. Use pin 6 instead which the default code sets up as a digital input. Make sure you get the IR sensor pins wired correctly. The center pin is the Blk or common.


BTW you can also check to see if your beacon is emitting by pointing a digital video or still camera at it. Digital cameras can "see" the IR frequency used.

[David Bryan]

The values returned by the IR sensor are 0=sees IR, or 1=does not see IR.
Are you running the sensor from the EDU controller? If so pins 1 & 2 are setup as analog inputs. Use pin 6 instead which the default code sets up as a digital input. Make sure you get the IR sensor pins wired correctly. The center pin is the Blk or common.


BTW you can also check to see if your beacon is emitting by pointing a digital video or still camera at it. Digital cameras can "see" the IR frequency used.


Hello,
Thanks for this information. We have another problem.
1) Is there any electrical information on the pinouts of the new joysticks?
2) Is the Operator interface controller the same pinout for inputs as last year?

Thanks,
David Bryan 818

[Kevin Watson]

First off we heard that the schematic for the IR emmiter circuit was wrong, so we followed the new schematic and it just overheated and diddnt do anything. Was the origional schematic really wrong, or did we just wire the new circuit wrong?The diagram in the kit and subsequent update on 1-16-04 had a flaw. The directions dated 1-27-04 (http://www2.usfirst.org/2004comp/Infrared_System_rev0120704.pdf) are correct.


Then asuming that the emitter circuit is working, and we have the infrared reciever hooked up to digital input 1, what variable should we be useing to get input from the censor (as in rc_dig01)? Also when the robot sees the censor what value should the variable show?The variable to check is Sensor_Stats[x].Beacon_Quality[y], where x indicates the sensor number (use 0 for sensor 1, 1 for sensor 2,..., 3 for sensor 4) and y indicates which beacon you want data for (use 0 for type-0, 1 for type-1). If the beacon indicated by y isn't in view of the sensor, this value will be 0. If the beacon indicated by y is in view, this value will be >0 (usually 2 or 3). When the receiver.c code is running, this variable is updated around 38 times a second. More information can be found on the infrared beacon and tracking frequently-asked-questions page (http://kevin.org/frc/faq.html). BTW, digital input 1 isn't one of the choices. Please attach the sensors according to the information in receiver.c. Let us know if you have any problems.

-Kevin

[Mark McLeod]

Hello,
Thanks for this information. We have another problem.
1) Is there any electrical information on the pinouts of the new joysticks?
2) Is the Operator interface controller the same pinout for inputs as last year?

Thanks,
David Bryan 818


The pinouts on the OI are the same as last year. It's a standard joystick configuration.
You can see the pinouts in the attached diagram. The diagram was released by FIRST to give teams a method of attaching two joysticks to a single OI port if they wanted, but the pinout descriptions on the chart are what you are looking for.

[David Bryan]

Hello,
Thanks for this information. We have another problem.
1) Is there any electrical information on the pinouts of the new joysticks?
2) Is the Operator interface controller the same pinout for inputs as last year?

Thanks,
David Bryan 818
--------------------------------


1/29/04 I got some answers:
The OI interface they tell me has the same input pin assignments.

__________________________
I have the following feedbacks but I do not yet have the new Joystick schematics. I would like to have the New Joystick schematics. Thanks to the Team members below for offering the following to me which I am now passing on to all Ch delphi Inet Team members.

(from innnovation first)
1) Do not know, you would have to contact FIRST.

2) The pinout info is in the OI Reference Guide located on our web site.
You should be able to used the Dashboard view and see which switch or pot on
the joystick activates which item on the Dashboard. Then use the OI Guide
to map the switch or pot name back to a pin number on the port.



If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email.

Ricky
Innovation First, Inc.
9701 Wesley St, Suite 203
Greenville TX 75402
903-454-1978 EXT 205

---------------------------------------------------------
Hi David,

The pinouts on the OI are the same as last year. It's a standard joystick
configuration.
You can see the pinouts in the attached diagram. The diagram was actually
released by FIRST to give teams a method of attaching two joysticks to a
single OI port if they wanted, but the pinouts on the chart are what you are
actually looking for..

<<y_cable.pdf>>
Mark

Mark L. McLeod

-----------------------------------------------------------
Thanks also to Nate Smith for his drawing also attached.
------------------------------------------------------------

AS STATED BEFORE WE WOULD REALLY LIKE A SCHEMATIC FOR THE NEW JOYSTICK. ALSO WHERE CAN WE BUY ONE AS A SPARE?

[Damian Manda]

BTW you can also check to see if your beacon is emitting by pointing a digital video or still camera at it. Digital cameras can "see" the IR frequency used.

Be careful with this method though, some cameras, especially new ones may not be able to see IR at all or as well as older digital cameras. They are now adding filtering that blocks some IR light from the CCD, so that it will not be displayed on the camera. I know that my older digital (HP850) sees IR much more strongly than my newer one (HP945). Also, any webcam should work fine, being cheap, it is not cost effective to add the filtering.

--Damian Manda