Purchasing the 2009 controller

[Tottanka]

Hey guys,
i wanna purchase the 2009 controller to play with during the off season. Do you know where i can do that, and what will the estimated price be?
Thanks a lot =]

[CyberWolf_22]

The cRIO costs 3k without all the modules that make it useful. FIRST is going to get a big discount also they are working on some custom comments that will allow for easy PWM control so until they release the entire package prototyping will be difficult anyway.

[Jon236]

Liron,

that's a great question....I sure want to know the answer! Later in the fall, announcements will be made at ni.com/community/first. In the meanwhile, they will have tutorials and training available there on-line.

You can also use the NXT in the Mindstorm kit and program it with Labview; the C environment will only work on the PAC system from NI.

[Tottanka]

Originally Posted by Jon236

Liron,

that's a great question....I sure want to know the answer! Later in the fall, announcements will be made at ni.com/community/first. In the meanwhile, they will have tutorials and training available there on-line.

You can also use the NXT in the Mindstorm kit and program it with Labview; the C environment will only work on the PAC system from NI.

i already am using labview on mindstorms

[extreme.BS]

http://lejos-osek.sourceforge.net/

C/C++ support for NXT. I can't wait for the compactRIO, but I don't have Mindstorms, so I can only get our new hybrid code working for sponsors .

[dsm]

Some links and prices for reference:

Here's a good set of links to CompactRIO products:
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/3114

$3000 - This is what "looks like" the FIRST integrated controller and chassis (no guarantees from me though) (NI 9074):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/203964
Note: The NI website indicates 128MB RAM and 256MB storage, while the FIRST FAQ indicates 64MB/128MB, so this may be an indication that FIRST is getting a customized version -- or it might just be a typo.

$350 - The analog input module mentioned on the website (NI 9201):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14588

$350 - The digital I/O module mentioned on the website (NI 9403):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/203425

$100 - The "solenoid" module mentioned on the website (NI 9472):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14175

Again, no guarantees that FIRST will use these exact versions....

So, ~$3800 to get the whole package now -- nearly the cost of entry for a regional competition. Plus, I don't know where to get the new power distribution block and digital sidecar board, or how much they might cost.


Some options to save a few bucks:

$1500 - What looks like a lower-end controller, with less RAM/storage (and no integrated chassis):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/203347

$700 - What looks like the lowest-end chassis (no integrated controller):
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14156

So if you really want something to play with in the pre-season, you could spend ~$3000 for a somewhat limited controller/chassis, or $3800 for the (possibly) real thing -- or save all kinds of money and just do research until you get the real deal in 2009.

FRC is definitely getting more expensive for the off-season... Each team will have to judge their spending based on their own budgets and desires for off-season work.

I kind of hope that they DON'T release the final controller, etc, until the 2009 kickoff, it would be a nice little equalizer for lower-budget teams if everyone had to start their hands-on learning curve at the same time next year.

[Uberbots]

We have some mentors, one of them who works with a guy at National Instruments, who are pushing for getting us a controller that we can learn and prototype on in the post season.
even if it isn't the actual controller we are getting next year, we cant exactly train new programmers on our old board.

I'm so excited for this thing- 32 bits of tastiness.
Ill never have to worry again about the ADC interrupt corrupting my floating point calculations!!

[jtdowney]

The guys at the NI booth said the FRC controller will be a hybrid of the cRIO-9072 and cRIO-9074 with it leaning more toward the later. They also said FIRST plans on giving teams only one instead of a new one each year. The price of the additional cRIO-FRC with modules is supposed to be comparable to what we pay now for an additional IFI-RC.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by jtdowney

The guys at the NI booth said the FRC controller will be a hybrid of the cRIO-9072 and cRIO-9074 with it leaning more toward the later. They also said FIRST plans on giving teams only one instead of a new one each year. The price of the additional cRIO-FRC with modules is supposed to be comparable to what we pay now for an additional IFI-RC.

Wow, one period? that is really, really lame.

did he say when it'd be available?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Wow, one period? that is really, really lame.

did he say when it'd be available?

Giving one. That way it's reusable. Something was said in the thread about the controller (and the FAQ, I think) about a discount on extra ones.

[tseres]

we're trying to at least get a cRIO to mess around with before the summer. i know it won't be like the FRC one, most likely (software, standard libraries, etc.) but i like PLC's anyways, and wanna learn LabVIEW lol.

[Wayne C.]

Originally Posted by EricH

Giving one. That way it's reusable. Something was said in the thread about the controller (and the FAQ, I think) about a discount on extra ones.

Giving only one and recycling is unacceptable for several reasons-

1. if you intend to develop new teams by lending them old robots that totally shoots that idea in the foot. If you intend to use robots for public relations purposes it also ruins that idea.

2. if the "kit" will cost the same from year to year but you don't get a processor with each one then why not register as a new team and get a rookie kit? Why should the "veteran" teams be denied if they are paying the same price as new rookies.

True- recycling the thing is a neat idea but old robots have lots of good uses and ripping their brains out is simply a brainless idea.

130 lb paperweights- I don't think so.

WC

[chaoticprout]

Originally Posted by Wayne C.

Giving only one and recycling is unacceptable for several reasons-

1. if you intend to develop new teams by lending them old robots that totally shoots that idea in the foot. If you intend to use robots for public relations purposes it also ruins that idea.

2. if the "kit" will cost the same from year to year but you don't get a processor with each one then why not register as a new team and get a rookie kit? Why should the "veteran" teams be denied if they are paying the same price as new rookies.

True- recycling the thing is a neat idea but old robots have lots of good uses and ripping their brains out is simply a brainless idea.

130 lb paperweights- I don't think so.

WC

Ugh, agreed 100%. I hope they reverse this decision.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by chaoticprout

I hope they reverse this decision.

Can someone point me to a link where this decision is mentioned?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

Can someone point me to a link where this decision is mentioned?

Ask, and ye shall receive!
http://first.wpi.edu/2009_FRC_Controller_FAQ_FINAL.pdf
It's the last question (and 2 questions) under Logistics, near the top of Page 3.