USB Joystick adapter is here!

[Joe Ross]

It looks like you can now order the USB Chiklet directly from IFI: http://www.ifirobotics.com/usb-chicklet.shtml

[DanDon]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

It looks like you can now order the USB Chiklet directly from IFI: http://www.ifirobotics.com/usb-chicklet.shtml

A hint to the legality of the Chicklet? Hmm...

[chris31]

I guess the struck a deal with IFI. Now to see if one comes in the KOP.

[EnderWiggin]

IMO the ideal way to control the robot is through a pistol grip system, like the ones the R/C Car racers use.
I found this one with a USB output for PC R/C games (ya, go figure):
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...rodID=VRCCP002

Would this work?

[Mike Copioli]

Originally Posted by EnderWiggin

IMO the ideal way to control the robot is through a pistol grip system, like the ones the R/C Car racers use.
I found this one with a USB output for PC R/C games (ya, go figure):
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...rodID=VRCCP002

Would this work?

If this is an HID device, we probably can support it. The only way can know this is for you to send us the device. Or connect it to windows. Windows will be able to tell you if it is HID. We can update the firmware on the Chicklet to include this device. There is a $25 fee for this service. Either way you will still need to send us the device.

Mike Copioli
CTRE

[Astronouth7303]

Is there a way to connect a generic HID device and then make a custom mapping?

[chris31]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Is there a way to connect a generic HID device and then make a custom mapping?

From the post above I think you have to send it to them so that they can put a new firmware on it.

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by MikeDubreuil

It is broken, that's why this product exists. FIRST is forcing us to use outdated interface technology.

It's not as broken as you make it sound. It is antiquated and no one makes a decent controller anymore. But it's also really, really easy to add your own stuff.

A new switch? Two leads. I could do that. A pot? Two or three wires. Anyone who understands what a soldering iron does could wire custom controls. Not so much with USB or anything else.

I'm very glad that FIRST allowed this device to be used. Too bad they just didn't change the rule to allow other power sources. (In fact, I think they made it stricter, I don't think you can have a computer connected to the dashboard, even. )

[ozrien]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Is there a way to connect a generic HID device and then make a custom mapping?

We originally wanted USB-Chicklet to do just that but due to time constraints of development, software validation, production, and shipment, USB-Chicklet supports a fixed list of devices. However we expect next season's USB-Chicklet to support ANY HID device, and provide a GUI to allow custom mapping of analog axes and buttons.

Note however that custom mapping of a SUPPORTED USB device is possible through user calibration mode. And that for a fee ($25) we can reflash your chicklet to support a new HID device.

Omar Zrien
Chief Software Engineer
Cross The Road Electronics
www.crosstheroadelectronics.com

[underwood]

oh yeah, about time! wii-mote anyone?








(and just imagine driving with a DDR mat!!!)

[Travis Hoffman]

This question is for Mike Copioil (sic).....

There are existing, inexpensive, PS2 to USB adapters currently available that permit you to use PS2 controllers with the PS3. I can't 100% confirm it, and it may depend upon the brand of adapter you purchase, but I believe most if not all of these adapters are HID-compatible. Is it potentially possible to program the firmware to accept such a configuration?

Also - the XBOX360 controller has a detachable rechargeable battery pack (or an adapter which permits you to use standard AA's). Presumably, you must use the USB Play and Charge adapter to physically connect the controller to the Chicklet - will the chicklet charge the battery while the controller is connected? Should the battery be removed?

I imagine technically, using external AA batteries or the rechargeable battery in the XBOX360 controller violates the external power source rule. In what configuration is the XBOX360 a legal controller for use in FRC?

[Mike Copioli]

Originally Posted by T. Hoffman

This question is for Mike Copioil (sic).....

There are existing, inexpensive, PS2 to USB adapters currently available that permit you to use PS2 controllers with the PS3. I can't 100% confirm it, and it may depend upon the brand of adapter you purchase, but I believe most if not all of these adapters are HID-compatible. Is it potentially possible to program the firmware to accept such a configuration?

It would make sense that if we could support the PS3 controller, we can support an adapted PS2 controller. As is the case with the X-box and X-box 360. The question is: Is the PS3 HID? And the answer is: I don't know. If we had one, we could find out. I would imagine the device being similar to the X-box 360, which is a HUB. If this is the case, supporting it becomes more difficult. It can be done, but it would require a more drastic change in the firmware.

Originally Posted by T. Hoffman

Also - the XBOX360 controller has a detachable rechargeable battery pack (or an adapter which permits you to use standard AA's).

I assume you are refering to the wireless 360. The wired controller does not require batteries. We currently do not support the wireless 360 controller. We do however support the wireless Logitech Rumblepad 2.

Mike Copioli
CTRE

[Sym]

Originally Posted by Mike Copioli

It would make sense that if we could support the PS3 controller, we can support an adapted PS2 controller. As is the case with the X-box and X-box 360. The question is: Is the PS3 HID? And the answer is: I don't know. If we had one, we could find out. I would imagine the device being similar to the X-box 360, which is a HUB. If this is the case, supporting it becomes more difficult. It can be done, but it would require a more drastic change in the firmware.



I assume you are refering to the wireless 360. The wired controller does not require batteries. We currently do not support the wireless 360 controller. We do however support the wireless Logitech Rumblepad 2.

Mike Copioli
CTRE

Mike,

Before we saw your product, we were going to build our own. We intended to use something along the lines of a PIC24HJ128GP206(http://www.microchip.com/stellent/id...me =en024685). Using the input ports on the microcontroller, we were going to make our own USB to Serial Xbox adapter. We learned the input pulse codes from this page (http://euc.jp/periphs/xbox-controller.en.html) and we had an experienced programmer who was going to write the HID driver. After the inputs had been read they would output to the serial port we were going to add to the microcontroller. The point of it was to simplify the controls to be read by the robot control interface.

Now that your product is out, ours would be obsolete. But just for the record, would that have worked? Or did I spend hours drawing the schematics and designing the PCB, all to find out there was a major component I was missing? I know what I said before is confusing, but the just of it, is could you use a PIC24HJ128GP206 to do the same thing this adapter does?

[Mike Copioli]

Originally Posted by Sym

But just for the record, would that have worked? Or did I spend hours drawing the schematics and designing the PCB, all to find out there was a major component I was missing? I know what I said before is confusing, but the just of it, is could you use a PIC24HJ128GP206 to do the same thing this adapter does?

To answer your question. No. You are missing a host controller. The Pic only has hardware support for a device, not a host. The good news is there are Host controller IC's available. Some use USART some use SPI some use I2C. To answer the second part of your question, again.. no. You did not waste any time. If you learned something from the process, your time was not wasted. We failed several times before we were actually sucessful.

The 16 bit PIC will do the job. We use a 32 bit ARM and an 8 bit pic. But the 24 series should have enough power to support HID. Our next revision we will probanly eliminate the ARM chip. Actually an 18 series(8 bit) is all you need for HID. Remember this is hardware, it is not loaded up with a bulky operating system like Windows or Linux.

Mike Copioli
CTRE

[Sym]

Originally Posted by Mike Copioli

To answer your question. No. You are missing a host controller. The Pic only has hardware support for a device, not a host. The good news is there are Host controller IC's available. Some use USART some use SPI some use I2C. To answer the second part of your question, again.. no. You did not waste any time. If you learned something from the process, your time was not wasted. We failed several times before we were actually sucessful.

The 16 bit PIC will do the job. We use a 32 bit ARM and an 8 bit pic. But the 24 series should have enough power to support HID. Our next revision we will probanly eliminate the ARM chip. Actually an 18 series(8 bit) is all you need for HID. Remember this is hardware, it is not loaded up with a bulky operating system like Windows or Linux.

Mike Copioli
CTRE

Ah, so thats why there was more then one IC on that PCB. I couldn't find the time between reports from the Xbox controller, so I just picked the most powerful PIC I could find. (I learned later how it worked)

Am I right in saying that the next version would be consideribly cheaper to produce without the ARM chip?


Edit: I hope I'm not insulting anyone by saying this but to get an Xbox controller to plug into the adapter for sale you need to modify the connecter. Luckily, Microsoft uses a modified USB plug for all of their Xbox controllers. You can buy the adapter or make it (Soldering 4 contacts).

http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Mods/xbox..._to_pc_usb.htm

When making it, I believe you leave the yellow wire hanging free(cut it and tape it to the Xbox cord), unless the USB cable you are hacking apart is grounded. Just use tin foil to repair the shielding.