Honey, I bricked the RC

[JBotAlan]

For the past few days, I have been prototyping all sorts of code. I used the crazy long serial cable to connect my laptop to the robot, and created a really long program/reset cable so I didn't even have to leave my chair (true programmer style! ) Everything appeared to be fine. Then, a couple nights ago I crossed paths with the 8.2/8.3 volt bug. The robot put itself in auton intermittently. Power cycling did the trick. A few nights later, I worked on it for a couple of hours. I downloaded code fine at least 10 times. Then I put it in program mode, and tried to download the latest HEX file I compiled, and the RC wouldn't take the file (I just kept getting the error "check to make sure the RC is in program mode"). I reset it and put it in program mode again, but I cannot say for sure that it was actually in program mode because the RC was across the field from me at the time (remember, I've got a cable that's at least 20' long...). I got up (out of my nice, warm, comfortable chair... ) and checked the lights on the RC. What I saw baffled me: the "Battery Power" light was flashing green like normal, and the "Program State" light was solid orange, like in normal program mode, but the rest of the lights were off entirely. I went back and tried to load my HEX file again, and it would intermittently take it, but the OI and RC were no longer communicating, my code was not running, and I could not get any response out of resetting, power-cycling, re-sending code, etc. I am now entirely confused. I know I have discharged static through this controller more than once (yeah, I know, but it cannot be avoided when you rub the robot's "feet" across the carpet all the time...), but I don't think that's what knocked it out. Now that I think about it, I didn't have the presence of mind to test an old HEX file, but I will try that when I go back.

So as to keep working, I dropped our new '07 controller in the practice bot, and it's working fine. However, I am a bit afraid for this new controller's life. How do I know it won't die like its older sibling (uh oh, I'm personifying the control system. That's what you get when you mix FIRST and studying for an English final... )? I made sure the old RC is doing the same thing without anything plugged into it. When nothing is connected but the + and -, it does the same thing.

Anyone else seen this? Is all hope lost? Did I truly brick a controller?

Thanks for reading that ridiculously long post,
JBot