Optimal motor controllers?

[AlexanderLuke]

Originally Posted by frcguy

I think the Spark is great for a budget model, but I'm also a huge fan of the Talon SRX. They have a small form factor, and the ease of wiring just CAN is the main selling point for me. It's way easier to chain all of the controllers together with just one wire on each, rather than have half a dozen PWM wires going to your RoboRio. We used them this season and they were fantastic.

I am in agreement with your statements on the Spark and the Talon SRX. If you (the OP) are looking for a reference from a team that used the Spark during the 2016 season, I know that 3309 was running at least four of them at both LA and Ventura, if not all their motor controllers were the Spark. I am sure that there were plenty of other teams as well, but 3309 is just one that comes to mind for me.

The only thing that I do not like about the Spark is the large footprint, and the only thing I do not like about the Talon SRX is the price. For both the 2015 and 2016 seasons, we on Team 696 have been using the Victor SP; its a middle ground in some sense. You get the nice and small form factor with a bit lower price than the Talon SRX but, of course, you do not get CAN. We have been happy with the product for the past two years, and used PWM motor controllers for plenty of years before that, so there are no major complaints from us on the Victor SP. Only down side I could think of is the predetermined PWM cable length. In a perfect scenario, your motor controllers are not "that" far from the RoboRio, but I have seen teams have to make extension cables for their Victor SPs. I got excited when the OP said they used the Talon SR, I miss the days of getting to make PWM cables to whatever length you wanted.

I would recommend the Spark, Victor SP, or Talon SRX. They are all great products, but with their pros and cons to each of course.