[FRC Blog] 2016 Radio Update

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

That's quite odd. It looks like everything is there except for the Rio. Did they just decide to give all that stuff to us so they didn't have a lot left over after the control system switch.

That's not something that normally happens right?

It wasn't supposed to happen.

What WAS supposed to happen, back in '09, was: They'd give every team a control system on entry into FRC (or if there was a new system). (cRIO, modules, etc., the whole thing.) After that, as cost saving, they'd only give the stuff that they needed to.

Looks like that's changed.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by sraque

We ran one of these at IRI. I am pretty sure we did not need to rewire anything. We just pulled off the DLINK and put this one on.

-Steve

We also ran one at IRI and had to rewire. It was probably just so easy that you forgot.

[thatnameistaken]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

That's quite odd. It looks like everything is there except for the Rio. Did they just decide to give all that stuff to us so they didn't have a lot left over after the control system switch.

That's not something that normally happens right?

Happened in 2012-2013, too, apparently.
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ariation-table
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...eran-variation

Going back to 2010-2011, it seems that for all the control system components veterans got, rookies got 2. Odd.
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...write%20up.pdf
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...ifferences.pdf

Interestingly, it seems giving veterans router models they received previously only started in 2014.

[Knufire]

Originally Posted by sraque

We ran one of these at IRI. I am pretty sure we did not need to rewire anything. We just pulled off the DLINK and put this one on.

-Steve

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

We also ran one at IRI and had to rewire. It was probably just so easy that you forgot.

Can confirm what Joe Ross said, we also ran one at IRI. All you had to do was flip the power wires from the regulated 5V side of the VRM to the 12V side.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Knufire

Can confirm what Joe Ross said, we also ran one at IRI. All you had to do was flip the power wires from the regulated 5V side of the VRM to the 12V side.

The blog notes that FRC firmware is not available until kickoff. Does that mean if we buy one now, we won't be able to mess around with it/use it on a practise bot?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by thatnameistaken

Happened in 2012-2013, too, apparently.
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ariation-table
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...eran-variation

Going back to 2010-2011, it seems that for all the control system components veterans got, rookies got 2. Odd.
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...write%20up.pdf
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...ifferences.pdf

Interestingly, it seems giving veterans router models they received previously only started in 2014.

If you take a look at my last post, I don't think it's odd at all.

The original intent was that only new/upgraded components of the control system would be sent to all teams in the KOP, while rookies would get the whole system (because they kind of need it).
2008 and prior: New system, complete, every year, to every team. (Thanks to IFI for their support--and for the ability to run a match within 30 seconds of the last robot turning on.)
2009: New system. Operator box, router for it, D-link for the robot, cRIO, PDP, cRIO modules, and breakouts, to all teams.
2010: Slight modification... Classmates distributed to all teams. I want to say modules and breakouts were also on the distribution list, but more limited.
2011: Same sort of deal as 2010, sans classmate.
2012: See above. A Kinect was also included. But this also saw the Einstein Incident... And there had been some other incidents with wireless.
2013: Everybody gets new router, some modules...
2014: See 2013.
2015: New control system: everybody gets one! (On the robot side at least. OI being what it is, the Classmate is not provided to veterans.)
2016: All we know for sure is: the RoboRIO system is getting a new radio, and thus it'll be in all KOPs sent out. In theory, the rest of the system isn't changing, so there's no need to send everybody everything... but who knows.

[Knufire]

Originally Posted by Basel A

The blog notes that FRC firmware is not available until kickoff. Does that mean if we buy one now, we won't be able to mess around with it/use it on a practise bot?

AndyMark has directions here for installing OpenWRT onto the radio and getting it all set up for home use. I imagine the FRC firmware will be required for connecting to the FMS.

[sraque]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

We also ran one at IRI and had to rewire. It was probably just so easy that you forgot.

Yes, I was probably distracted with something else when the installation happened.

So, now I agree with the observation that we will see some calls for help as teams wire up to the VRM where last year's sticker says "Radio".

-Steve

[FrankJ]

The Dlink went from a Rev A to a required Rev B. one of those years. While they look a lot alike, all teams needed a new radio. What comes in the KOP is also dependent on donations.

[marshall]

We're one of the beta test teams again this year and I believe we'll be testing this radio out. We're going to have to work out an external switching solution so we can keep our vision system working. As a beta team, we'll do our best to keep the community informed about how this shakes out for us.

[thatnameistaken]

Originally Posted by EricH

If you take a look at my last post, I don't think it's odd at all.

The original intent was that only new/upgraded components of the control system would be sent to all teams in the KOP, while rookies would get the whole system (because they kind of need it).
2008 and prior: New system, complete, every year, to every team. (Thanks to IFI for their support--and for the ability to run a match within 30 seconds of the last robot turning on.)
2009: New system. Operator box, router for it, D-link for the robot, cRIO, PDP, cRIO modules, and breakouts, to all teams.
2010: Slight modification... Classmates distributed to all teams. I want to say modules and breakouts were also on the distribution list, but more limited.
2011: Same sort of deal as 2010, sans classmate.
2012: See above. A Kinect was also included. But this also saw the Einstein Incident... And there had been some other incidents with wireless.
2013: Everybody gets new router, some modules...
2014: See 2013.
2015: New control system: everybody gets one! (On the robot side at least. OI being what it is, the Classmate is not provided to veterans.)
2016: All we know for sure is: the RoboRIO system is getting a new radio, and thus it'll be in all KOPs sent out. In theory, the rest of the system isn't changing, so there's no need to send everybody everything... but who knows.

From 2010 onward, literally everything but the cRIO, solenoid breakout, and radio (except when it was new, until 2014), was given to all teams. Even the PDP, which was fairly expensive as I recall. Just based on precedent, I wouldn't be surprised to get another PDP and VRM in this year's KOP; however, as the supplier has also changed, I could really see it going either way.

But back on topic, I'm pretty happy with this radio. The footprint is great, and my team was planning on using a USB camera anyway; no real drawbacks for us. I'll still be interested in know how easy it is to use a switch, though; never know when we'll need another port in the future.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Just bought 2 at the special pricing, which is how the world works. I get quotes all the time for Rockwell Automation parts for my customers and their price is significantly different than my companies price. Its how things are done in industry. Companies sign contracts to get special pricing all the time.

[kmodos]

Its $104.00 for FIRST teams, $135.00 for non FIRST on Andy Mark, just sign in with a team account... I don't see why people wont post the price.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by kmodos

Its $___.00 for FIRST teams, $135.00 for non FIRST on Andy Mark, just sign in with a team account... I don't see why people wont post the price.

Because it is a special price for FIRST Teams only. I don't think the company wants the public to know the Price teams are getting them at.

[Whippet]

People won't post the price because they respect FIRST and Andymark's decision to keep it hidden. No, it's not hard to access the price, but it was probably hidden for a good reason.

Edit: Ninja'd.