Poll: What do you use to control your bot?!?!

[messer5740]

How do you control your robot from behind the lines?? What controller do you use and why? Do you have different controllers for different drive trains?! Vote!!!

[Poseidon5817]

Originally Posted by messer5740

How do you control your robot from behind the lines?? What controller do you use and why? Do you have different controllers for different drive trains?! Vote!!!

Two things:

1) You don't control your robot from behind the lines (unless you're 254 or one of the many other teams who used CheesyVision in 2014 )
2) Wireless controllers aren't allowed because all control surfaces have to be connected to the driver station.

[messer5740]

Originally Posted by Poseidon5817

Two things:

1) You don't control your robot from behind the lines (unless you're 254 or one of the many other teams who used CheesyVision in 2014 )
2) Wireless controllers aren't allowed because all control surfaces have to be connected to the driver station.

Oh lol didn't know that^

[MikLast]

We're using the Logitech 3d joystick. Our new drivers have expressed interest in using a controller though, so we might switch to joysticks at some point (or at least experiment with them)

[Hitchhiker 42]

We use both an Xbox 360 and a Logitech joystick usually. This year, we tried a HOTAS system for base driving, which worked nicely.

[Jay O'Donnell]

I've usually used Xbox or Logitech joysticks, or the attack 3 joysticks.

But I've also seen steering wheels, custom switch boxes and a guitar hero guitar. You can make lots of things work.

[ollien]

Usually use a xbox controller, but this year we decided to go gamecube. Don't do that. It like to get disconnected a lot.

[troy_dietz]

Originally Posted by ollien

Usually use a xbox controller, but this year we decided to go gamecube. Don't do that. It like to get disconnected a lot.

Original GC controller via an adaptor, or one of those USB clones? The adapters can be a bit of a pain at times, but I've never had any issues with the USB clones.

[nickbrickmaster]

Our standard setup for a few years now has been 2 Logitech Attack 3 joysticks for the driver. With this configuration, we've used tank, mecanum, and arcade drive layouts. Our operator previously used another Attack 3, but we found that insufficient for Stronghold, and we switched the operator to a Logitech Gamepad.

In the past, we have experimented with driving with a gamepad as well. At Gitchi Gummi Get Together, we had one driver on joysticks and one on gamepad (both drivers drove with both controllers at some point). They said that the joysticks were better (your mileage may vary).

Personally, I prefer joysticks because they have a longer moment arm, and thus, finer control over acceleration.

[adciv]

We use Logitech Gamepads (PS for PC controllers). They don't require a lot of energy to move, the drive team can put their hands where they want, and all the buttons are right there at your fingers (and we tend to use them).

[dirtbikerxz]

I use a xbox one elite controller. Purely because I need the instant access to all the buttons on the fly. I drive the bot alone, and dont have an operator. I would not recommend this setup for anyone that isnt capable of doing 10 things at once under pressure and stress . I linked an image of my latest control setup below. (note, the "activate boosters button" just flashes leds )

[jojoguy10]

When I was the driver for Hotwire, I loved dual Logitech joysticks! They were the ambidextrous ones, not the 3D Pro. I felt that I got more control since joysticks give a larger range of motion than an Xbox-like controller.

Our current driver also uses dual joysticks.

[ollien]

Originally Posted by troy_dietz

Original GC controller via an adaptor, or one of those USB clones? The adapters can be a bit of a pain at times, but I've never had any issues with the USB clones.

One of the new smash ones with a mayflash adapter. Our drivers were both melee players and couldn't stand the clones.

[GeeTwo]

We have used the big Logitech joysticks from the kit some years, and an xbox 360 controller others (xbox slightly more commonly). What we use is largely a function of how the programmers and drivers would like it to work. (Trying to move the emphasis so that drivers are first on that.) Just Thursday, Chris converted T1GGR (2016 Stronghold robot) from xbox to joystick, because of flaky controller behavior at Red Stick Rumble. So far, just bench tests have been performed (it was raining Thursday, and our current practice area is outside, though under somewhat of a cover). I think he also switched from a tank style control (two joysticks' parallel axes) to arcade style control.

[Bkeeneykid]

Like many others, we've used the Logitech joysticks for years, as well as a Thrustmaster T.Flight Stick X. This year, when one of our logitech joysticks started to crap out on us, we looked around, and decided on the Mad Catz Cyborg, mainly because our driver for the past two years has been left handed, so we wanted something that could accommodate both hands as opposed to our Thrustmaster for last year. We weren't really concerned about the lack of buttons, as we generally prefer to make our own labeled control box using the TI Launchpad included in the kit. We've been fairly happy with the Mad Catz joystick, and we plan on 3D printing something to bolt in onto the driver station board, as it doesn't have much weight. The front gray portion of the joystick is removable by two little pins in the bottom, so we'll replace that with something boltable.