General question about the robot controller
 

I just want to turn my controller on for the first time and check some programs among them the online program to check the servos. My question is: can somebody please tell me how to step by step power the controller, download programs from the computer (I'm using easyC pro) and testing them. I mean, what do I have to connect first and to where, what to do in order to run programs on my robot controller.

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

To power it on, you need to have it wired to a 12V source and the 7.2V backup battery. There is a diagram in the wiring manual indicating recommended wiring that is pretty easy to follow. You CAN have it without the breaker and wired directly to the battery, but that is an extremely risky thing to do because if you get a short, it could destroy your RC.

As soon as it has power, it'll turn on. Note that it will turn on (I think) without the backup battery, but the backup battery is what powers the servos, so you need it in order to do your testing.

Attach the program cable (serial cable) from the program port on the RC to a serial port on your PC. You'll probably need to specify in easyC which serial port it is connected to.

To get a program onto it, you'll need it turned on. Then, press the program button (little black button with prog or program written next to it) until the lights on the front change to indicate program mode. At this point, you should be able to transfer the program from the computer via the program cable. I'm not sure what the process is on the computer side for easyC, so I'll leave that to someone else.

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

Ok, so I don't need to connect the OI to the controller?

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

You do need to connect them the first time you power it on to set the team number on the RC.

Set the correct team number on the OI, then tether to and power up the RC.

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

What to you mean by saying tether to and power up the RC, and how am I supposed to enter my team number to the OI?
Sorry for the multiple questions, I'm a rookie in a rookie team:o

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

Fire up Windows calculator, go to view->scientific and type in your team number, then hit the "Bin" radio button. That's your team number in binary, on the OI is a set of DIP Switches labelled Team Number, I think by default they come all 0, so flip the switches that correspond to the 1s in your binary team number, if you press the mode button on the OI a few times it shows your team number, so you can make sure it's set right, then just tether to the RC, it will automatically program the RCs team number.

Re: General question about the robot controller
 

Ok, I think I've got it. Tomorrow I'll check it in school and let you know.