Using Vex Brain as FRC Coprocessor

[Qbranch]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

No they don't. In fact by introducing a microcontroller like the AVR you open about 50 other cans of worms which would probably make the price point about even with vex. The most annoying of which would have to be soldering it to something. Look at the PICs that are controlling your robot this year. Now imagine trying to solder it.

If you REALLY REALLY still want a co-processor and you REALLY REALLY wont used a pre-packaged micro (i.e. VEX controller):

Just use the PIC18F8722 development board. Or better yet, go for a dsPIC or a Freescale Coldfire processor development board if you really want a serious co processor.

The dev. boards have the processors pre soldered, have a power supply, crystal, and have the pins brought out to an array of plated through holes. Also, most include the plugs for connecting your ICD or ICE, your power connection, as well as a ready-to-go DB9 connector to one of the uarts on the processor.

Just make sure you heed Adam Y.'s warning: you are opening a whole other can of worms. You'll have to make driver circuits all the output lines that you want to use. You'll also probably want to protect your input lines from ESD in some fashion, and you'll need to write a communications protocol to talk between the two processors, and ... (list continues)