FIRST Choice 2015 Window Open

[thatprogrammer]

Are there always stack bins in Choice? I believe that boxes were used as the 2003 game piece...

[AndreaV]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Are there always stack bins in Choice? I believe that boxes were used as the 2003 game piece...

the boxes in 2003 were rubbermaid tubs. If you're suggesting these can be a game piece... we're all doomed.


I noticed that the two belt sizes used in last years kitbot are available in limited quantities. Maybe that indicates that this years kitbot will not be using the same center to center distances? larger wheels maybe? an obstacle maybe? frame perimeter change? hm?

[evand4567]

Not horribly useful unless you're doing heavy simulations for your robot, but anyone else think the Quadro K4000 for 100 points is a steal? I mean come on, that's a $700 beast of a graphics card that costs the same as 10 mini dry erase boards. http://firstchoicebyandymark.com/fc15-114

[RoboMo786]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Are there always stack bins in Choice? I believe that boxes were used as the 2003 game piece...

Maybe this is baseless speculation, but the stack bins are the only item I noticed that don't have a "yes" or "no" in the "In kickoff kit" box, therefore leaving the box blank. A hint perhaps?

[Joe G.]

Originally Posted by RoboMo786

Maybe this is baseless speculation, but the stack bins are the only item I noticed that don't have a "yes" or "no" in the "In kickoff kit" box, therefore leaving the box blank. A hint perhaps?

Much more likely, a simple oversight.

These bins are on a completely different scale than the 2003 bins

Originally Posted by AndreaV

I noticed that the two belt sizes used in last years kitbot are available in limited quantities. Maybe that indicates that this years kitbot will not be using the same center to center distances? larger wheels maybe? an obstacle maybe? frame perimeter change? hm?

The item page says that these will be included in the kitbot box on kickoff.

[Anthony4939]

Could someone please explain the difference between the two Jags?

[Michael Hill]

I wish they told us the resolution on the CUI encoder there...AMT103-V isn't exactly useful. I could be missing it, but I don't see it anywhere.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

I wish they told us the resolution on the CUI encoder there...AMT103-V isn't exactly useful. I could be missing it, but I don't see it anywhere.

It says it's programmable. Here's the Digikey page for it, http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...1308-ND/827016 and datasheet http://www.cui.com/product/resource/amt10-v.pdf

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

It says it's programmable. Here's the Digikey page for it, http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...1308-ND/827016 and datasheet http://www.cui.com/product/resource/amt10-v.pdf

Thanks, I thought I was going crazy. I've never heard of a programmable resolution encoder before. Now I'm going to have to research these.

[DonRotolo]

Note that ALL First Choice items are donated, but in quantities smaller than necessary to give some to each team. Although FIRST would just love to have more offerings (ask Kate Pilotte yourself!) in the donation world, you get what you get and love it. There are no game hints in there.

THANK YOU to all the companies who donated items. This is all very much appreciated.

Originally Posted by Anthony4939

Could someone please explain the difference between the two Jags?

Nominally they are the same, but the supplier is different. One could argue the ones supplied by Texas Instruments are older and so somehow inferior, since the later ones have (IIRC) some minor improvements, but in my opinion they are the same.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

Thanks, I thought I was going crazy. I've never heard of a programmable resolution encoder before. Now I'm going to have to research these.

The resolution is set by internal dip switches.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by Anthony4939

Could someone please explain the difference between the two Jags?

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Nominally they are the same, but the supplier is different. One could argue the ones supplied by Texas Instruments are older and so somehow inferior, since the later ones have (IIRC) some minor improvements, but in my opinion they are the same.

These ones are the older ones (2012 season and previous) and earlier made by TI. These ones are the newer ones (2013 season - 2014 season) made by IFI. As far as I'm aware, they're identical electrically, but the ones made by IFI are conformal coated, while the ones made by TI are not.

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

The resolution is set by internal dip switches.

I get that, but I'm more curious in how they physically/electronically work.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

I get that, but I'm more curious in how they physically/electronically work.

The AMT is unique among modular incremental encoders because it is capacitive (the same technology used in digital calipers) and not optical. This eliminates handling of the sensitive optical disk and issues related to LED burnout from the photo diode.

So it's probably reading position as an analog value (the capacitance), and then converting to digital. The dip switches just set the resolution at which you convert (just a scalar).

This is pretty common with magenetic encoders too (selectable resolution).

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

So it's probably reading position as an analog value (the capacitance), and then converting to digital. The dip switches just set the resolution at which you convert (just a scalar).

This is pretty common with magenetic encoders too (selectable resolution).

That makes sense. Thanks