What are the technical differences between them?
Spark max supports brushless motors, Victor doesn’t.
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Victor SPX and Spark MAX are very similar products but made by different manufacturers. It’s a bit like asking what’s the difference between Apple and Android or Pepsi and Coke. The Spark MAX does have extra ability to control the NEO, NEO 550 and NEO Vortex brushless motors which are more efficient and lighter than brushed motors.
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OK, thanks very much for your help!
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Another advantage of the Spark MAX is that you can plug sensors into it.
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To explain why this is useful a bit more, the SparkMAX is considered a “smart” motor controller meaning that it has the ability to take a sensor input and to also run a control loop using that sensor on the motor controller itself rather than the RoboRIO.
The SparkMAX has a port for external sensors, but can also use the internal encoder inside a brushless motor.
The VictorSPX is an entry level controller. It is cheap and drives motors, but does not have all of the features of a “smart” motor controller. CTRE, the company that produces the VictorSPX also makes the TalonSRX brushed controller and the TalonFX brushless controller which are more similar to the capabilities of the SparkMAX.
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Nail on the head. I’d also add that both the VictorSPX and TalonSRX support CAN and PWM control same as the Spark Max. It’s not as obvious because you don’t change out the data cables. You just use a single pair of the yellow and green wires on each MC as the new PWM signal and ground. The guides from CTRE mention it, but it’s not obvious by looking at the physical controller.
I’m not sure if that carries to the TalonFX nor would I want to control a TalonFX without the extra features CAN provides over PWM control.
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