Go to Post What I learned from week-1 is that once again my son has been inspired to the level that he came home after the BAE Systems Granite State FIRST Robotics Regional Competition with the biggest smile I have seen on his face for a long long time. I am truly grateful for that. - FIRST_Parent [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > FIRST > Rumor Mill
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 01-09-2003, 18:00
Ian W. Ian W. is offline
College? What?
no team (Gompei and the Herd)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Worcester, MA | Smithtown, NY
Posts: 1,464
Ian W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to all
Send a message via AIM to Ian W.
IFI Controllers For 2004

Ok, as this is the Rumor Mill (Lathe?), don't take anything I say to be 100% true, in any circumstance. That little disclaimer said, here's what I've heard...

One of the tech teachers who will be on my team for the upcoming year (he wasn't last year, due to issues regarding him keeping a job at the school), called me up last week and told me something that may or may not be true, but is at least a matter of interest to everyone here.

He told me, first of all, that the new programming language would probably be C (or some embedded variant), and second, that his "sources" (he apparently talked to someone at IFI, not too sure if I believe that or not) said that there may be a problem involving availibility of the new controllers for the 2004 season, meaning that we may not receive the new controllers when we were expecting them (I forget exactly when this was to be).

Now, keep in mind, I don't entirely trust my teacher, as he's given me some completely bogus stuff before, but in anycase, this seems like it could very well be true. The part about the programming language, I think we've already more or less decided will be between C and Java, this may give another point to C. The part about not being able to make enough controllers fast enough, I'm not too sure, because every team needs a new controller, unless we're all to destroy last year's robots .

As one last thing, remember, this is the Rumor Mill, so while this is probably false, no one can say for sure (unless you work for IFI ). And no, I'm not trying to pull everyones' leg, I'll leave that to the pros .
__________________
AIM --> Woloi
Email --> ian@woloschin.com
Reply With Quote
  #2   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 01-09-2003, 20:51
Ricky Q.'s Avatar Unsung FIRST Hero
Ricky Q. Ricky Q. is offline
yee haw!
FRC #0148 (Robowranglers)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,651
Ricky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond reputeRicky Q. has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Ricky Q.
Re: IFI Controllers For 2004

Quote:
Originally posted by Ian W.
said that there may be a problem involving availibility of the new controllers for the 2004 season, meaning that we may not receive the new controllers when we were expecting them (I forget exactly when this was to be).
Maybe in the pre-season kit?
__________________
Ricky Quinones
Director of Sales - VEX Robotics
Reply With Quote
  #3   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 01-09-2003, 20:58
Ryan Foley Ryan Foley is online now
Registered User
FRC #5687 (The Outliers)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: ME
Posts: 447
Ryan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond repute
C programming language would be interesting.

If it is an IFI controller, i'd be happy. I like the IFI control systems.

As far as the "not recieving the controllers when we expected" perhaps that just means they are coming in the regular kit in January, rather than the pre-season kit.
__________________
Ryan

FRC #5687: The Outliers [2015-?]
FRC #1995: Fatal Error [2007-2009]
FRC #350: Timberlane Robotics [2001-2004]

FRC/FLL volunteer since 2005
Reply With Quote
  #4   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 01-09-2003, 21:21
Ian W. Ian W. is offline
College? What?
no team (Gompei and the Herd)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Worcester, MA | Smithtown, NY
Posts: 1,464
Ian W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to allIan W. is a name known to all
Send a message via AIM to Ian W.
Ryan, that's what I thought, but my teacher didn't give me any specifics (which leads me to believe he didn't know what he was talking about, but since the rest sounds plausible, well, yeah).

As for the controllers being from IFI, I'm more than certain that they will be, as FIRST is the reason they began (InnovationFirst). Hopefully they'll be better than what we've had previous years, but I guess as long as we can make a robot move with it, it's better than nothing .
__________________
AIM --> Woloi
Email --> ian@woloschin.com
Reply With Quote
  #5   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 02-09-2003, 16:03
EStokely's Avatar
EStokely EStokely is offline
Registered User
AKA: Eric Stokely
FRC #0360 (Revolution)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Rookie Year: 1998
Location: Tacoma
Posts: 195
EStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond reputeEStokely has a reputation beyond repute
Since you brought it up in the Rumor Mill I'll toss in what I've heard. Also second hand but a pretty good second hand.

New chip (not sure what one)
No more 25 pin screw in connector. All .1 inch pins like the PWM's
Programming in C

I think that was all. Sounds like it matches what has been heard other places.

I just want more memory, the ability to take the Sin of an angle, and maybe neg numbers and decimals.

Killing time until the kick off......
__________________
Eric Stokely
Team 360 The Revolution, past mentor of 258 The Sea Dawgs
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
Reply With Quote
  #6   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 02-09-2003, 16:08
Ryan Foley Ryan Foley is online now
Registered User
FRC #5687 (The Outliers)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: ME
Posts: 447
Ryan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond reputeRyan Foley has a reputation beyond repute
As long as IFI makes it I'm happy. I spent 2 years learning that thing (I'm sure that many other teams have spent a lot of time trying to master it as well). It doesnt seem logical that FIRST would change to a totally new system, so thinking logically, it should be IFI. If they did something different, they might get a few complaints because we would have to spend more valuable time learning a new system.
__________________
Ryan

FRC #5687: The Outliers [2015-?]
FRC #1995: Fatal Error [2007-2009]
FRC #350: Timberlane Robotics [2001-2004]

FRC/FLL volunteer since 2005
Reply With Quote
  #7   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 02-09-2003, 20:41
JimWright949's Avatar
JimWright949 JimWright949 is offline
The Owen Day of Seattle
AKA: Jim Wright
FRC #4542 (Titanium Talons)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 94
JimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to beholdJimWright949 is a splendid one to behold
Here is what I have heard.

The processor will no long block for the radio, which will make the processing speed much faster. The current Basic Stamp will wait until the radio receives a message, then allow the processing of the message. The new processor will take the values last message that the radio received if the radio did not receive something new.

The user processor will have direct access to the Robot Controller Inputs. They will not be read through the serin (or serin type of command), they will look more like the Operator Interface LEDs, where writing a bit to OUT8 will turn on the light.

I'm hoping the direct access to the Inputs will mean that we can use two of them for software interrupts. The interrupts can be used to poll encoders to tell how far the robot has gone.

I've also heard the language is going to be C as well. The processor will probably be a Microchip PIC chip with somesore of boot loader so that the firmware code can be written to the chip without a hardware programmer.

-Jim Wright
Team 949
Reply With Quote
  #8   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 03-09-2003, 08:34
Unsung FIRST Hero
Matt Leese Matt Leese is offline
Been-In-FIRST-Too-Long
FRC #1438 (The Aztechs)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: May 2001
Rookie Year: 1998
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 937
Matt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond reputeMatt Leese has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Matt Leese
First of all, I'm 99% sure that IFI will be designing the new control system for next year. The main reason for this is that I've seen what I was told what was the field control system for next year. We were using it at the Maryland State Fair Competition and it was made by IFI and is very similiar to last years system. I'm not sure what that tells you but that's all I could tell just from looking at them.

Matt
Reply With Quote
  #9   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-09-2003, 02:17
Wetzel's Avatar
Wetzel Wetzel is offline
DC Robotics
FRC #2914 (Tiger Pride)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Rookie Year: 1999
Location: DC
Posts: 3,522
Wetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Wetzel
I read online somewhere that IFI said they were redesigning their main control system to use C, and it would be out by the Fall.

Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~
I <3 the internet.

Last edited by Wetzel : 04-09-2003 at 22:07.
Reply With Quote
  #10   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-09-2003, 14:50
dez250 dez250 is offline
54... What a good number!
no team
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Upstate NY / Manchester, NH
Posts: 1,721
dez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond reputedez250 has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to dez250
Quote:
Originally posted by Wetzel
I read online somewhere that IRI said they were redesigning their main control system to use C, and it would be out by the Fall.

Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~
I <3 the internet.
Hey Jeff did you mean IRI or did you mean IFI, because both are 2 different items when it comes to FIRST.
~Mike
__________________
#5

-Michael Dessingue
Reply With Quote
  #11   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-09-2003, 18:38
Jferrante Jferrante is offline
Registered User
#0506
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 67
Jferrante is an unknown quantity at this point
Send a message via AIM to Jferrante Send a message via Yahoo to Jferrante
with all this talk about converting to C and C++ im starting to think it'd be a good idea to learn some new languages... Can someone recommend some good resources (preferrably free) to learn either C or C++... My programming expierience currently consists almost entirely of pbasic (I learned it for robotics of course).
thanks
__________________
GodBless America
September 11, 2001... NEVER FORGET!
All Gave Some. Some Gave All. How much are you willing to give?
FDNYPD
Reply With Quote
  #12   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-09-2003, 19:20
FotoPlasma FotoPlasma is offline
\: |
no team
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,900
FotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond reputeFotoPlasma has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to FotoPlasma
Quote:
Originally posted by Jferrante
with all this talk about converting to C and C++ im starting to think it'd be a good idea to learn some new languages... Can someone recommend some good resources (preferrably free) to learn either C or C++... My programming expierience currently consists almost entirely of pbasic (I learned it for robotics of course).
thanks
The internet is a great resource, in general.

If you want to learn C, DJGPP is a Windows port of the Gnu C Compiler ( gcc.gnu.org ), and is free. I also recommend picking up a copy of The C Programming Language, Second Edition, by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.

I just searched a bit, and the first few links I looked at seemed pretty good.
__________________
I played hacky sack with Andy Baker.

2001-2004: Team 258, The Sea Dawgs
2005: Team 1693, The Robo Lobos
Reply With Quote
  #13   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-09-2003, 22:07
Wetzel's Avatar
Wetzel Wetzel is offline
DC Robotics
FRC #2914 (Tiger Pride)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Rookie Year: 1999
Location: DC
Posts: 3,522
Wetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond reputeWetzel has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Wetzel
Quote:
Originally posted by dez250
Hey Jeff did you mean IRI or did you mean IFI, because both are 2 different items when it comes to FIRST.
~Mike
Mea Culpa.

Fixed.


Wetzel
Reply With Quote
  #14   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 05-09-2003, 20:46
computhief263's Avatar
computhief263 computhief263 is offline
Battlecry...Here We Come!
AKA: "The Freshman"
#0263 (sachem aftershock)
Team Role: Operator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 140
computhief263 is on a distinguished road
Send a message via ICQ to computhief263 Send a message via AIM to computhief263 Send a message via MSN to computhief263 Send a message via Yahoo to computhief263
Talking OOOOOOOOOO A New Magic Smoke bomb?

o Could this be true? A new type of IFI controller to plug a faulty dongle into and watch it go boom? (i can smell the magic smoke already)

O the possibilites (and not to mention fun of watching C's head spin)

A new programming language? There goes my job as the backup-backup programmer, owell still got electronics and the electrical system

4 those of u not on my team u probly didnt understand this rant, ask and ill gladly explain
__________________
Tom "40Watt" Bigelow

Team Electrical/Court Jester

Proud creator of The dongle that nuked the OI, Dj in a bag, and THPD(strobe lights, a hat, a modified flashlight bulb, and a 12v B&D Firestorm™ flashlight make a good combo!)
Reply With Quote
  #15   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 07-09-2003, 11:15
Eric Reed Eric Reed is offline
I am somebody now!
#0481 (De Anza Robotics Team)
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Richmond, CA
Posts: 103
Eric Reed will become famous soon enoughEric Reed will become famous soon enough
Hm...redesign the whole system to accomodate C when there is a Java stamp available that would just plug into the existing design?? I have my doubts. We'll see.

Eric.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
initialization program and speed controllers rosebud Programming 15 05-10-2004 03:35
Extra 2002 IFI controllers Ryan Foley Electrical 0 03-09-2003 22:53
speed controllers & circuit breakers deuceswild Electrical 2 15-01-2003 14:46
speed controllers archiver 2000 5 24-06-2002 00:19
Calibrating speed controllers and joysticks thedillybar Technical Discussion 4 11-02-2002 13:24


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 19:00.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi