My team (1895, Manassas, VA) would like to purchase a second control system. I see that we can purchase the CRIO and modules from National Instruments. Where can we purchase and additional drivers station, Power distribution module, and side cars?
Thanks in Advance,
Dave Frederick, Team Mentor
Assuming you are getting ready for next year, I would hold up on the Driver Station because it seems like FIRST will release a new one.
http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2009/09/good-afternoon-teams-well-be-shipping.html
Otherwise, the items (apart from the CRIO) can be found here:
http://andymark.biz/09electronics.html
andymark.biz for most of it, but beware, the DS for 2010 is changing … lots of threads and posts around about it…
As an interim solution, you can use the Virtual DS written by 111. http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75431
We’re in the same boat … however, I’m already aware of the AndyMark electrical page. What I’m wondering is who is the point-of-contact for purchasing the cRio. (NI? FRC? other?)
Rumor has it, according to some of the mentors on my team, that I’m able to purchase a secondary cRio for $750. Our team wants the second unit to be able to prototype on one platform while having a functional test-bed 'bot using the other. Problem is, none of my teammates can point me in the right direction.
I just spent some time on the FRC.org website and found no mention of it there. (and I did get distracted reading up about the potential new drivers’ station setup)
I’d be much obliged if somebody could provide me a link or some guidance on getting a new cRio (and maybe what’s included in the $750 price tag).
Thanks.
For the cRIO, NI is the contact. A search would probably turn up the exact contact–I know it was on CD recently, but I’m too (lazy/busy) to search for it right now.
Which, under the “Click for info” on the cRIO, links to…http://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-2823
Thats the ticket! Thanks fella’s.
Here’s a link to the order page:
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/206678
Don’t buy what’s on the page though! That’s the price for FRC cRIO systems beyond the one discount per team.
Call NI at the phone number to the right of the page for the team discount on your first order.
Some of the cRIO modules might change for the new season, however, so if you can hold your order for kickoff that might be best.
Mark, which modules do you think it would be safe to purchase before the season? We’re purchasing a new system or two as well. Or should we totally hold off on it until more information about next season is released?
There’s always the chance that NI/FIRST will changeover to a cRIO with fewer slots, or a different mix of modules (e.g., a CAN module). I don’t think it’s a major risk. Anything they change would have to be backward compatible to the 2009 system, since that’s what most teams will be running with for the next few years.
I don’t think you’d really go wrong in purchasing what’s being offered right now, but any new modules added in the 2010 KOP would be an additional cost if you don’t wait until it’s released, so it’d cost you more – at a guess, maybe $200, to buy just that module later on.
The $750 covers the cRIO and all the modules that came with the 2009 control system. You don’t order the pieces separately.
I don’t think that there is much of a chance of them switching out the crio. It has already been stated on bills blog that we will be required to reuse all other control system components. To me this is saying that they will not be switching anything out. this is for this year not other years, so who knows for the 2011 season
Based on Bill’s Blog today on the parts veteran’s vs rookies get (and reading between the lines) I’d also delay purchasing: