Four-digit team numbers
 

I am sure that you all have realized that the team numbers as they appear in the posts have four instead of three digits now. Does that mean that there are actually 1000+ teams now?

Actually......
 

Acutally isnt truely 1000+ teams because of the gaps in the numbering....but there is a team #999 this year....so Brandon is probably just getting ahead so next year there will be room for 4 digit team numbers if that is the way FIRST decides to go.....



:D


(This is the rumor mill....am i missing some kind of joke?)

I was just preparing for whenever team #1000 comes along

numbers
 

They do not have 999 teams they have around 650 teams.
The numbers given out @ random

yes.

[read Clarks post]

Re: numbers
 

Not entirely random...team numbers are assigned as follows(at least as far as I can tell):

1. All returning teams get to keep their existing team number.
2. Rookie teams get assigned a new team number, starting with the first number that was not used the previous year(i.e., if 2001 ended with team # 702, #703 would be the first used in 2002)
3. It's my understanding that because of the current limitation on team # size in the innovation first controller, some rookie teams were assigned numbers of teams that had once competed, but then dropped out for whatever reason.

How does the Robot controller display over 1000?

Rumor has it that there's a 4th digit (or at least an extra half digit) there behind the cover. So the board's already ready for the FIRST1K switch. :)

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there 16 DIP switches to set the team number? That would allow team numbers up to ~64000, if the circuitry could handle it.

I've heard this as well, how true it is, i dunno...
Actually, I think the magic number is 12 DIP switches, but in either case, it's more than we'll need for a while...

It has 12 binary digits and it can support (much) over team # 999 it will display it as - - - on the screen but be normal as far as everything else is concerned, There are other posts with this subject in which i go into grater detail.

check the manual (page 20, 5.1).

team #1000 wil probably feel very special because of their number. And I believe it wasn't a coincidence that the last team registered for 2002 was team 999. Why did FIRST stopped on that team and didn't want the #1000 for this year?
(I'm asking this just because I THINK it happened, no evidences)

PS: by the way, I like the number "383" very much. :)

And I like 384 a lot too.

The Innovation FIRST controllers are prepared to accept a fourth LED, but it isn't physically in place on the versions we've got.

Also, FIRST looped registration back into the 700's once they got to 999.

If FIRST wants to stay out of the 1000's they probably can.

Just use up ALL the numbers < 1000. Will more than 350 new teams be here next year (there are 650 this year)?

But, if more than 350 new teams join next year then the Innovation First people will have to add an LED to the controller.

from the rumors i've heard, InnovationFIRST is supposed to come out with a new controller system this year. so... maybe they'll just go ahead and add another digit.