KOP gearbox?

[Andy Brockway]

Is it just my imagination or is the 2005-2006 KOP gearbox no longer available from IFI? I looked today and do not see it listed anywhere. We have one left from last year that may now be obsolete for this year's competition.

[Billfred]

Indeed, I can't find it anywhere either.

Equally interesting is the Kitbot page, where the frame is not available--it says "Check back after 1/8/07" instead. Could we be receiving a new frame and/or transmission?

[Rob2713g]

Put that together with Dave Lavery's quote and I guess we are in for some big changes.

Originally Posted by dlavery

Let me just take this opportunity to repeat an earlier comment. I would strongly recommend that teams do not go out on any big spending sprees, purchasing lots of mechanisms, stockpiling stuff in anticipation of some expected use in their 2007 robots (from ANY source - this is NOT a targeted comment about AndyMark or any other particular vendor). Wait until after kick-off and until you know the challenge, constraints, and limitations that may be included in the rules. Teams do not yet know what may be included in the 2007 rules that may constrain sources for additional (non-KOP) parts, limit purchased components to a given level of complexity, restrict the cost or size of additional elements, proscribe the permissibility of pre-ordering parts and components, or define the timing under which materials for the competition robots may be purchased. It would be a shame if a team were to commit a significant portion of a limited budget on a component pre-ordered before the 2007 kick-off, only to find once they read the rules that the component was not permitted in the 2007 FRC competition.

Just a word to the wise...

-dave

[mtaman02]

Hrm begs the question and yet a retirocal one at that - Has Andy Mark partnered with FIRST in such a way to provide some part in the kit for '07 that could limit the availabilityof those parts from teams that would go purchase it themselves or any other vender for that matter?

[chris31]

Hmmm. Daves comment had we worried about ordering frame and transmission parts to play with before the season. Now that the IFI frame and transmission are there I am not to eager to go out and buy several hundred dollars of parts.

Offtopic, the IFI version 2 traction wheels should be out in the next few days.

[Joel J]

Oh man.. maybe new motors?

I would say MagMotors, but they are sooo heavy, among other things.

It would be nice to have new motors.. the robot keeps getting heavier, the game keeps getting a bit more demanding, so with all this traction the robots are needing to get slower.

I would be happy to see some new stuff.

That said, I'm not reading into what IFI's pages say. I'd rather be surprised, than dissapointed.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Indeed, I can't find it anywhere either.

Equally interesting is the Kitbot page, where the frame is not available--it says "Check back after 1/8/07" instead. Could we be receiving a new frame and/or transmission?

Or they could be just protecting us from ourselves for a while.

[Hieb]

To add to the rampant speculation that the few weeks before build season brings on -- the serial (programming) cables on the IFI site also say to check back after kickoff. Could we be switching to USB?

[chris31]

Originally Posted by Hieb

To add to the rampant speculation that the few weeks before build season brings on -- the serial (programming) cables on the IFI site also say to check back after kickoff. Could we be switching to USB?

After several threads about USB and Serial programming i basically concluded that they would stick with serial. But now, maybe. Just maybe we will have USB this year.

[Donut]

Originally Posted by Hieb

To add to the rampant speculation that the few weeks before build season brings on -- the serial (programming) cables on the IFI site also say to check back after kickoff. Could we be switching to USB?

The whole control system (radio modems, Robot Controller, and Operator Interface) all say this as well; maybe it is changing?

All the motors are still listed for sale; but the CMUCAM, pneumatic storage tanks, and fuse panels all say to check back. Maybe a new fuse panel, a newer CMUCAM, or pneumatics are on the way?

[Joel J]

Originally Posted by chris31

After several threads about USB and Serial programming i basically concluded that they would stick with serial. But now, maybe. Just maybe we will have USB this year.

I sure hope so! A USB program port sounds great!

[Tom Bottiglieri]

I really hope FIRST doesnt limit teams to using IFI or AndyMark parts. That would be terrible.

[chris31]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

I really hope FIRST doesnt limit teams to using IFI or AndyMark parts. That would be terrible.

I dont see that happening. That wouldnt be cool at all.


I dont think there is a new CMUCam, so it could be that they just dont have nay of thsoe right now.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by chris31

I dont see that happening. That wouldnt be cool at all.


I dont think there is a new CMUCam, so it could be that they just dont have nay of thsoe right now.

Either do I.. I'm just putting it out there. FVC can only use IFI parts. FLL can only use Lego parts... what next?

[Peter Matteson]

Rumor is there's a new kitbot and trannies this year.