Einstein 2012

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by Gnishi2011

I believe 1629 won it again. It was announced after Chairman's, wasn't it?

yes.

[George Nishimura]

It's ironic that the pre-match speeches was about how this is as good as any sporting event, one of the best competitions in the world, and the finals are jeopardized by communications issues. Especially when it's promoting technology.

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by Gnishi2011

It's ironic that the pre-match speeches was about how this is as good as any sporting event, one of the best competitions in the world, and the finals are jeopardized by communications issues. Especially when it's promoting technology.

Its all kinds of embarrassing for FIRST.

They're going to have to answer to it. I don't see how they can not.

[JohnSchneider]

1717 had the same problems on newton(as did we) and we compared notes. There is no way it wasn't the field. All other indicators were fine, go into auto, come out, no coms.

Utterly embarrassing.

[martin417]

Since the advent of the CrIO in 2009, we have found that if we turned the robot on in the queue (as directed by the FTA and volunteers), prior to the FMS displaying our team number, we had issues 100% of the time. If we waited until we were on the field with our team number displaying on the FMS, before we turned the bot on, we had no issues. This has caused friction between our drive team and the volunteers and the FTA at every regional, but especially this year at North Carolina. Every year, we confirm the behavior in front of the FTA in a practice match that if we turned on in queue, without our team number displayed on the FMS, we have many problems, camera issues, encoder and / or gyro issues, loss of comms, or extremely long delay in connecting to the field.

In 2009, at the recommendation of the FTA, our programmer (who is now a programmer for Sony) used a default robot project (in C++) and tried it on the field with the same result, so it is not our code.

For the record, we always program in C++, and use gyros encoders, cameras, and other sensors every year.

[rocknthehawk]

Originally Posted by animenerdjohn

1717 had the same problems on newton(as did we) and we compared notes. There is no way it wasn't the field. All other indicators were fine, go into auto, come out, no coms.

Utterly embarrassing.

You were not alone. Many times have mentioned this same issue, on other fields. We played through two regionals without an issue. Coming to cmp, we dropped coms 3 or 4 matches. 1 was a failure of our own. We log all our data through the match (mostly to check shot speed)...the FTA couldn't find any issue in our system.


We were told every match to turn our robot on early. I loved the IFI system.


A side note, why is Chairman's not announced last anymore? It seems anticlimactic, especially being the biggest award to win.

[DominickC]

Unfortunately, this FIRST season has had a large spike in issues with the FMS at Regionals, and made it's way up to Einstein, delivering a coup-de-gras to the 2012 season. Does anyone else sense major change in the year(s) to come?

I've been using some of the 2000 FRC IFI Control Systems, and I've got to say, they are near bullet proof when they work.

It's very disappointing to see issues like this. I bet that every single team, winner or not, feels cheated out of a fair shot at the Championship. All of the teams were capable of winning, bar any FMS issues.

[shawnz]

To all those pointing out the reliability of the IFI control system: remember that it was much simpler tech and teams were asking much less of their robots back then (e.g. video streaming).

[DominickC]

Originally Posted by shawnz

To all those pointing out the reliability of the IFI control system: remember that it was much simpler tech and teams were asking much less of their robots back then (e.g. video streaming).

You are 100% spot on. It just strikes me as odd how you can have advanced capabilities, or you can have nearly flawless reliability.

Does anyone know why "Code Bonde" was not put in place?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by shawnz

To all those pointing out the reliability of the IFI control system: remember that it was much simpler tech and teams were asking much less of their robots back then (e.g. video streaming).

We didn't ask the robots to do video streaming because we knew the hardware couldn't handle it.

The IFI system, if the OI was upgraded to USB, would have been pretty solid for another couple of years (the Flightsticks were getting to be a pain to hook up). Beyond that, it would have needed a major overhaul, which IFI could probably have done just fine. That system could start in seconds, run just about everything needed with 99% reliability if you didn't accidentally get something unplugged (and the 1% typically resulted in a foghorn), and repeat that for a full season.

I think if IFI had been given a chance, they could have certainly risen to the occasion with a higher-performance system.

[Robby Unruh]

Originally Posted by Gnishi2011

I believe 1629 won it again. It was announced after Chairman's, wasn't it?

This is correct-- GaCo 1629. I think this is their second championship EI win, but I could be wrong.

[JoshSmith]

Originally Posted by hmannn1

Replay Einstein at IRI?

Definitely. No crazy field issues to ruin the competition. I would consider CNC'ing some awards just for this.

Originally Posted by JosephC

I'll have them up on a few hours

These will be interesting to read. Not sure what logging capabilities have with regards to the field management system. I would like to see the field's logs. I wonder if the cameras and QoS subsystem could have a hand in this huge failure.

[lorem3k]

At least there were no comm issues in the last match...

Congratulations 16, 25, and 180!

[mjustice66]

Originally Posted by lorem3k

At least there were no comm issues in the last match...

Congratulations 16, 25, and 180!

987 was dead the last 20 seconds or so if they were running they may have been able to score 2 or 3 baskets to take a close victory.

[Pi Fighter]

Originally Posted by lorem3k

At least there were no comm issues in the last match...

Congratulations 16, 25, and 180!

Two teams, one from red and one from blue, lost comm during the last match. I couldn't see the numbers from my seat, only the comm lights.