Switching the Channel for Competition

[Matthew_H]

We are coming up on having our local Media Day and I only have a switch to change the channel on the 2003 Controller. Has anyone come up with a way to change the channel for local competitions without having to connect to the offical Competition port?

Thanks in advance

[KenWittlief]

without the competition port adapter all the OI run on the same channel - using the comp port adapter IS the way to change channels - why would you want another way?

all you need is one jumper on a DB15 - what could be simpler than that?!

http://www.innovationfirst.com/FIRST...nout_Guide.PDF

[Matthew_H]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

without the competition port adapter all the OI run on the same channel - using the comp port adapter IS the way to change channels - why would you want another way?

all you need is one jumper on a DB15 - what could be simpler than that?!

http://www.innovationfirst.com/FIRST...nout_Guide.PDF

That is what I was looking for. It looks like the same from last year. I will have to check. Again thanks.

[KevinB]

We have craploads of dongles for the competition port. If you're referring to the UAH media day that we'll be at .... you're more than welcome to borrow one.

[Ian W.]

We wanted some blue LEDs flashing, so I jammed a paperclip in the right pins (I looked them up), played with the channal dipswitches, and got it set to 13. Now we have blue LEDs.

It's not that hard, just don't do anything dumb ;-).

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by Ian W.

We wanted some blue LEDs flashing, so I jammed a paperclip in the right pins (I looked them up), played with the channal dipswitches, and got it set to 13. Now we have blue LEDs.

For those of us too lazy to read the IFI paper ... the pins to jam the paperclip into are 8 and 12.

[Matthew_H]

Originally Posted by Ian W.

We wanted some blue LEDs flashing, so I jammed a paperclip in the right pins (I looked them up), played with the channal dipswitches, and got it set to 13. Now we have blue LEDs.

It's not that hard, just don't do anything dumb ;-).

I have also set the channel to 13 but we are still getting red leds. What could I be doing wrong.

[KenWittlief]

I think you also have to set you team number to something other that zero?

[Matthew_H]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

I think you also have to set you team number to something other that zero?

Yea we have the team number set and everything is talking correctly. The only thing is the color led is red on whatever channel we set.

[Ferazel2001]

Where are the "sheets" for this kinda thing? I noticed the Chatsworth box had a LOT more stuff in it then mine does, and that kinda bugged me... I had been looking for like 30-60 mins for the pinout guide for the CPT port. Could someone please direct me twords the resources they used or other people used for their comp port things?

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by Ferazel2001

Where are the "sheets" for this kinda thing? I noticed the Chatsworth box had a LOT more stuff in it then mine does, and that kinda bugged me... I had been looking for like 30-60 mins for the pinout guide for the CPT port. Could someone please direct me twords the resources they used or other people used for their comp port things?

I think this is all the general public knows about the port:

pin 1 - VCC (note that IFI says that using this pin will void your warranty)
pin 5 - Autonomous Enable
pin 6 - Disable
pin 8 - Ground
pin 12 - Enable Channel Select

[jacob_dilles]

Originally Posted by KevinB

For those of us too lazy to read the IFI paper ... the pins to jam the paperclip into are 8 and 12.

hahaha thats counting from the left or from the right *whoops* i guess it was the other way

[Ferazel2001]

Whats VCC?

is that a thing that would be used in the actual competitions?

Has someone fried their system yet using that port?

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by jacob_dilles

hahaha thats counting from the left or from the right *whoops* i guess it was the other way

They're labeled on a standard 15 pin connector.

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by Ferazel2001

Whats VCC?

is that a thing that would be used in the actual competitions?

Has someone fried their system yet using that port?

VCC is a direct connection to the OI power. You could use this pin to provide the operator interface with a power supply (connect a 9v battery to pins 1 and 8). You can also use this pin to *get* power from the operator interface (to power LCDs or the similar).

The reason IFI doesn't want people messing with this pin is because it is a direct connection to voltage and could fry the OI if you're not careful. That said, we've never ruined an OI -- one time we shorted some of the wrong pins on the competition port and it started going crazy but a power cycle fixed that problem.