The Black Jaguar

[David Doerr]

Here is a link to my presentation on the new "Black" Jaguar, hardware version 2 of the Jaguar motor controller: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=13440

[EricVanWyk]

Thanks Dave!

I gave this presentation this weekend, I think it went reasonably well.

[Bob Steele]

Erik and Dave,
Thanks for the PDF...
Question 1:

Is this something that will probably be optional to use this year?
I can see they will not be in the kit... but it looked like it might be an option.

Question 2:

Does this also indicate that after a firmware upgrade ... the old gray Jaguars will be able to function in the same way as the new Black one?
Or is the firmware upgrade necessary to allow the Black Jag to work its magic with pig-tailed Gray Jags...??

Thanks for the information..

R

[RyanCahoon]

Naive question:

You say the Black Jags are required for CAN, but is there anything (technical, not rules) stopping a team from rolling their own CAN interface to connect to the Gray Jags, assuming the GDC allows teams to use CAN this year?

$3 PIC might be easier to pull off than a $150 motor controller on some budgets...

--Ryan

[EricVanWyk]

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

The developers tell you what you CAN do, the GDC tells you what you MAY do.

Beta testers only have access to the developers. Asking them what the GDC will deem legal is painfully pointless.

Originally Posted by Bob Steele

Erik and Dave,
Thanks for the PDF...

All the credit belongs to Dave.

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

Naive question:

You say the Black Jags are required for CAN, but is there anything (technical, not rules) stopping a team from rolling their own CAN interface to connect to the Gray Jags, assuming the GDC allows teams to use CAN this year?

Nope, CAN is CAN. You can use whatever CAN bridge you want. Note that you would have to run them in 'untrusted' mode.

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

$3 PIC might be easier to pull off than a $150 motor controller on some budgets...

The black Jags aren't 150$. I don't have actual pricing, but it will be comparable to a grey Jag. Also, if you can make a complete CAN bridge on 3$, please go into business.

[ajlapp]

I couldn't get to the PDF just now, but I recall in a conversation with the Jaguar guys last year about non-FIRST applications, that the grey version has CAN and was always available. No firmware mods necessary.

CAN just wasn't allowed during FIRST competition.