Gamepad legality

[Darth Pbal]

I have a gamepad that i was to use to control the robot but it requires a driver install. Can anyone tell me if that's legal? Are we allowed to install gamepad drivers?

[EricH]

Please don't put the same thread out here twice. There may be a good reason that it wasn't answered the first time--like being in the wrong forum, where the people who would have a good idea as to the answer don't hang out much. (The Control System subforum or Rules/Strategy subforum would have been better.)

To answer your question, I can find nothing in the rules that would either permit it or disallow it. Therefore, I recommend asking Q&A about this topic.

[3195mentor]

Originally Posted by Darth Pbal

I have a gamepad that i was to use to control the robot but it requires a driver install. Can anyone tell me if that's legal? Are we allowed to install gamepad drivers?

Have you considered an XBOX360 or PS3 controller? Those are usually just plug and (pray). I have heard of teams that have used these types of controllers in the past, and since the 360 / PS3 are USB compatible right from the get-go, it shouldn't be too hard to implement them. however, i am unsure of whether labview supports those, so the programming would have to be C/C++ or Java.

as stated above, I would also confirm this with the FRC Q&A group. just to be on the safe side.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by 3195mentor

Have you considered an XBOX360 or PS3 controller? Those are usually just plug and (pray). I have heard of teams that have used these types of controllers in the past, and since the 360 / PS3 are USB compatible right from the get-go, it shouldn't be too hard to implement them. however, i am unsure of whether labview supports those, so the programming would have to be C/C++ or Java.

XBOX360 controllers definitely need extra drivers on windows, and I'm pretty sure PS3 does as well. One gamepad that doesn't need drivers is the Logitech Dual Action Game Pad

As far as compatibility, you need to find one that is compatible with the drivers station software, not with any particular language. The Driver Station software reads the buttons and axes and sends those to the robot over the network. From the robot side, all 3 languages read the network data identically. Any joystick/gamepad that is supported by the DS software is automatically supported by any of the 3 languages and conversely, any joystick/gamepad that isn't supported by the DS software will not work in any language, no matter how much programming you do.

[cmh0114]

Last year, we used what was basically a PS2 controller, although it might have been the Logitech controller that Joe Ross mentioned. What kind of controller do you have in mind for using?

Also, if there are any mods reading this, I suggest that this thread be moved to the Rules/Strategy section, or somewhere else appropriate.