Re: Alternate encoders?
 

That is a pretty good description of my house, I have somewhere around 80 old computers....

Try the thrift stores or ebay

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Has anyone tried using last years Rockwell Automation light sensor for the kit of parts? They spec it as having a 1Ms response time. Unknown to me is how focused it is and how close it can be to the axle.

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

A one Mega-second response time?

I guess if you have a truly massive shooter wheel that spins one revolution per fortnight it'll work. :)

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

I pick them up at garage sales all the time, have a box full. Just to take them apart and use for things like this. Just have to keep your eyes open. The local thrift stores probably have some, too.

Started programming at 4? I'm impressed! :p

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

I guess erring that way is better (for my ego, at least) than what some of my students have guessed!

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Start in the basement...


Jim, I had never seen a steel green-eyed mouse before, nice link. But I owned a 5150. I still have my Heathkit 5150 clone downstairs - all hand-soldered (including the card cage) and socketed. Runs Norton Commander.

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Team 159 prototyped with the S6 encoder this year and we have found them to be incredible. The Index channel allows for virtually any speed to be used, and they seem to be bulletproof. Having their own casing, shaft, and other hardware rather than relying on the mounting makes them easier to work with as well.

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Yes. USDigital does make encoder kits which support a 1/2" shaft, they are just in a slightly different line than the one that comes in the kit.

In the past, we have had good success with part # E6-200-500-N-S-H-D-B. (See http://www.usdigital.com/products/en.../rotary/kit/e6 for more info.) This year, we'll probably order some similar encoders with fewer counts/rotation (the above part #is for 200 counts per rotation) since the shooter wheel speeds will be quite high. The above part is also available with a 64CPR disk.

We used a USDigital through-hole kit encoder in 2009 to control shooter-wheel speed and in 2010 to control the power delivered to our kicker. We didn't have any problems with these encoders during the entire competition season.

Note that when ordering parts from USDigital, there is a discount available for FIRST teams (at least there has been in past years; we haven't yet placed an order this year) that gives teams "one up" discount pricing. The USDigital pages all mention quantity discounts -- essentially, FIRST teams get the next-level quantity discount. (i.e. order 1 encoder and get it at the unit price for 10 encoders; order 10 encoders and get them at the unit price for 50 encoders...)

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

So people aren't the only things that go to Arizona to retire. Got a KIM?

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Managed to find an "old" ball mouse at home last night. I think I got it for "free" with a computer back in the day, and never used it, so it still looks like new. Didn't stop me from taking it apart, though!

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Nope...but I think I programmed one in the early 80s in "EE for dummies" class.

I do have a little S-100 stuff, but none of it is put together enough to work.

I sure hope we get our latching hall effect encoder thingy working soon! It makes the meter change, but the cRio doesn't see it.

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

When you do get it working, you should let us all know what the setup is :) Last night we tried putting together our own "DIY" encoder, and it seems to be working great on the scope... I think tonight we need to see how it works with the cRio. Assuming all goes well, I'll be back here with a circuit diagram and a digikey parts list for anyone who wants to make their own. It's certainly cheaper than buying one(enough parts to make ~10 of them for $20)!

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Jim, any chance of you bringing in your o'scope tomorrow? I'm kinda old school in that I like to see what the signal really looks like. Seems like every time we hook something new up to the control system it takes some sort of divine intervention before it shows up on the dashboard. At least scopes are pretty trustworthy in the right hands.
Dave

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

Squirrel - I have PCBs arriving today that I put together for the US1881 Hall Effect sensor. If all goes well I will know by tomorrow if my design translated from breadboard to PCB layout without issue. Are you having trouble with using the US1881? I can share my schematic later when I get home. It is pretty much the 3 wire design in the data sheet, but I also threw in an FET and LED on the output so an LED will turn on/off each rev for easy visual confirmation that the sensor is getting power and working.

Re: Alternate encoders?
 

We did get the sensor to appear on the cRio, it was something that the programmer didn't have running that he needed to have running, he figured it out eventually. So we probably don't need the scope, unless you want to look at other stuff to...I can bring it in, no problem.