Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Seconded for truth! That backup battery was a big pain to keep track of... One of our mentors ended up designing a charging circuit for it our second year, so it could stay charged off the main robot battery during competition.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

I wouldn't necessarily say the robot wouldn't be going anywhere. It could simply be because of large current draw from drive motors, not that the battery is dead. Waiting for the roborio to reset after that is a real killer. Could the solution be to just add a good sized capacitor across the power inputs?

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

I'd promote better power design.

P.S.
If you really have this problem then an easier solution might be to have your software check voltage and limit your power draw as it approaches the low end.
Both the cRIO and roboRIO designs cut your motor draw when the voltage drops too low, but if you have really severe power problems then you can implement your own smart power management.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

The alpha teams at the second weekend event were actively trying to reset, pushing walls for extended periods of time. We were happy with how it behaved, but they decided to tweak a few things in the FPGA. I'm anxious to see how the beta teams do.

Greg McKaskle

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

We spent a long time trying to get the robot to die and couldn't manage it. We could not move the robot because our voltage was so low, but the roborio never reset. I don't expect if to be a problem.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

I call fake. Where is the famous "Cross the Road" chicken logo? :rolleyes:

Thanks to the alpha teams for the pictures. It isn't quite September but teams are getting the start of build fever. Having real pictures tamps the burning hype down.

Nice looking boxes, it's shaping up for another year of the "electronics look professional"

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Can it be? Has the power board distribution board gotten smaller?

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Yup. That's been confirmed for a while now, if I remember correctly.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Beautifully timed, I'm looking for some pictures to put into a Powerpoint presentation for an upcoming training class.

Permission to use your pictures is requested.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Absolutely!!!!! That's why we put them up, and that's the whole point of Beta.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

We have some random Beta pictures too if you need more.
http://www.team358.org/files/program...stem2015-2019/

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Thanks Tom. I appreciate it. The pictures are good and clear.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Mark, the diagram showing the architecture of the control system is just what the Doctor ordered. Thanks to you and the Eagles.

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

On the diagram under the custom electronics port, it shows that the DIO has been pulled up to 3v3, implying that it uses 3v3 logic levels. Could you clarify, what logic levels does the RoboRIO use on both the main IO and MXP port? I believe I saw a voltage selection jumper on some alpha pics, implying that voltage is selectable, does this work and does it affect both the main-IO and MXP or just one?

Also your MXP pin-out is out of date. It appears that the roboRIO will get a different configuration to the myRIO (https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-30419)

Re: 2015 Beta Testing - The Components are Here.
 

Per NI (a year ago), the voltage selection jumper is inside the case. I have not opened ours to check, however.