[coolbotz]

Here's my take on this board. The board is used to switch modes (which color to look for or which part to manipulate). It is not used for navigation. The IR has proven to be too scattered for navigation. Each team can pick the particular IR codes with their own remote. But during competition each robot will need to respond to the same IR code for each mode. The field code be almost completely covered with multiple high output IR transmitters (spotlights) from many angles. Each robot only needs to see one valid code to give the FRC controller a 100mSec signal per the Official FRC spec sheet. Well how do the units get programmed at the competition you may ask. Since I don't have a decoder board I can speculate that the J2 header on the decoder board is a programming port or a remote "learn" switch. Another possibility is that the IR board has some preprogrammed IR signals that are not used by IR remotes. If you compare the FRC decoder board to the TinyIR2 board by TaunTek You will notice the extra 10k resistor (R4) That seems to go to the J2 header. Sounds like a weak pullup for an input to the PIC. Maybe someone can post a picture of the back of the board (unless it's a 4 layer) or better yet a schematic.