This is true, but you can have 20 different PWM outputs. No team will need 20 different outputs, so number of outputs isn’t really an issue.
Having lots of speed controllers is nice. Last year, we had 4 on drive, 1 shooter, one for climber deployment, and three for the climber for a total of eight.
I’m pretty sure I count only 10 PWM outputs on the Digital Sidecar. Therefore, I’m assuming you’re referring to using two digital modules and two sidecars.
If you use the default setup, i.e. where a Black Jaguar is used as a Serial to CAN bridge, you max out at 16 CAN nodes (though multiple teams have posted that they had comm issues at 12 to 14 nodes). I’m unsure of the maximum for a 2CAN setup, but I believe that it should be higher.
Therefore, the protocol that can handle more nodes it is dependent on how many digital modules and sidecars you use (which in turn is partially based off of your model of cRIO – the older model had more slots available).
All of this being said, I tend to agree with magnets; the number of nodes you can control with either protocol is really not a factor in deciding what protocol a team will implement on their robot. And this is all completely tangential to the OP’s question, to which it sounds like they’d rather use Victors.
That is true. However, when you have small things like servos and pneumatics (don’t they use PWM?), you will get quite cramped. I think we may have maxed out on our PWM capabilities. We didn’t want to do something funky like multiple DSes. But I guess that’s what happens when you want too many functions in a robot (Good shooter [until it broke] and a reliable climbing mechanism)
http://www.andymark.com/v/vspfiles/photos/am-0866-2.jpg
Servos do take up one of your PWM ports. You also need to install a jumper to ensure correct voltage.
Pneumatics are not typically controlled via Digital Sidecar (though you can control them with relays). Teams generally use the Solenoid Breakout.
Relays don’t physically use the PWM ports on the DS. You can see in the picture that there 8 sets of relay pins below the PWM ports and in between the I2C port and Digital IO ports.
But let’s not hijack this thread; let’s get back to answering the OP’s question, not answering various side questions about how many PWM connections you can make or how cramped the DS gets. That’s the subject of a different thread.
Rookie teams also get 2 Victors and 1 Jag in their Kit of Parts.
Please stop scaring the rookie teams by talking number of minimum number of motor controllers. The question is Victor or Jag? As rookie team couple of years back smoked 2jags, after that victor has been our fav, 888 is awesome (disclaimer: we are not in the top 10 teams, but did better than others).
Correct, I was just referring to what they get in the IFI PDV.