Triple-checking KHR-1 upgrade to RCB-3

[Magnus86]

Sorry, i'm just triple checking something here.
So, you can take the KHR-1, with it's original servos, switch the RCB-1's with the RCB-3 (and the firmware updates, power-supply etc) and the servos will not melt or something, correct?
Sorry again, but it's much cheaper to ask now.
Cheers

[tempusmaster]

Sorry, i'm just triple checking something here.
So, you can take the KHR-1, with it's original servos, switch the RCB-1's with the RCB-3 (and the firmware updates, power-supply etc) and the servos will not melt or something, correct?
Sorry again, but it's much cheaper to ask now.
Cheers

Smart question.

Yes, I took my original KHR-1 with it's original servos, took out the RCB-1s, installed the latest RCB3, converted the original motion sequences, and everything runs fine.

NOTE: If you are going to use the original servos, as I did, you keep the battery/power supply voltage at the original level - otherwise you will smoke. To run at the orignal voltage you buy and install the small Kondo booster module that plugs into the RCB3. The RCB3 connector comes with a jumper installed that you unplug and then plug in the booster. It boosts the lower voltage to the HV that the RCB3 wants to see, but keeps the voltage to the servos unchanged.

[AI-Bot]

Hmmm... RCB3J I am running with 7.2 V with 1.5A (external power) using 1 Hitec Giant servo 805BB and other 3 regular standard Futaba Servo.
I program it to run random for 6 hours straight. Everything seems to be OK.

I don:t have KHR1 servo, but for above setting everything seem to work OK for me.

[tempusmaster]

Hmmm... RCB3J I am running with 7.2 V with 1.5A (external power) using 1 Hitec Giant servo 805BB and other 3 regular standard Futaba Servo.
I program it to run random for 6 hours straight. Everything seems to be OK.

I don:t have KHR1 servo, but for above setting everything seem to work OK for me.

It may run fine without the booster. I don't have access to the overal circuit diagrams. Before I did the conversion I checked with two companies here. One told me it would be okay without the booster, the other said that it was absolutely necessary. Since the booster was pretty cheap I bought it and set it up that way. It runs fine, so I have no reason to change it at this point.

Still, I think the key point in response to the original question from Magnus86 is that you can't change the power supply/batteries to HV without running the risk of smoking the original servos.

[Robo1]

If i was you and wanted to replace the control board then I wouldn't replace it with the RCB3J. I can't see what advantage you would get over the old board. but this depends on what you want to do. I'm currently replacing my board in my khr-2. I just don't like the fact you can't program it.

If you just want to do the set moves then it's fine but for doing "real" progamming then it's rubbish. I'm in the process of looking to install a gumstix and running linux on it. 600 Mhz is a lot better, but then again I'm changing the PCB boards in the servo's to the openservo this will make them digital and daisy chained.

hope this helps bren

[Magnus86]

NOTE: If you are going to use the original servos, as I did, you keep the battery/power supply voltage at the original level - otherwise you will smoke. To run at the orignal voltage you buy and install the small Kondo booster module that plugs into the RCB3. The RCB3 connector comes with a jumper installed that you unplug and then plug in the booster. It boosts the lower voltage to the HV that the RCB3 wants to see, but keeps the voltage to the servos unchanged.

Whew, thanks for the warning!

[AI-Bot]

"One told me it would be okay without the booster, the other said that it was absolutely necessary. "

I agree it is better to get one on the safe side, but for some reason if you can:t get one. ...
Your original KHR1 servo is 6V. So the max Voltage for your input is 7.2V.
6V-7.2V your KHR1 servo is fine, but any higher your servo will become very very hot, and it will die out.


Off Topic
"If you just want to do the set moves then it's fine but for doing "real" progamming then it's rubbish."

Can you explain to me in details, sorry I do not understand.
Do you mean custom program? Can you give example what you want to do.


Regards

[Robo1]

Hi there AI-bot,

what I mean by this is that you can't write real code, by this I mean by using the standard software. If you want to write real code e.g. loops, if statement, conditions then you would have to write your own complier as the only software that KONDO have released is a H2H which is just drag and drop set poses no "true" coding allowed.

That's why I'm replacing it with a gumstix, plus the fact that it's 600Mhz doesn't hurt ever.

Bren

[Robo1]

Hi there AI-bot,

what I mean by this is that you can't write real code, by this I mean by using the standard software. If you want to write real code e.g. loops, if statement, conditions then you would have to write your own complier as the only software that KONDO have released is a H2H which is just drag and drop set poses no "true" coding allowed.

That's why I'm replacing it with a gumstix, plus the fact that it's 600Mhz doesn't hurt ever.

Have you figured out how to make you RN work with the new legs yet e.g. setting the home posing.

Bren

[tempusmaster]

Hi there AI-bot,

what I mean by this is that you can't write real code, by this I mean by using the standard software. If you want to write real code e.g. loops, if statement, conditions then you would have to write your own complier as the only software that KONDO have released is a H2H which is just drag and drop set poses no "true" coding allowed.

That's why I'm replacing it with a gumstix, plus the fact that it's 600Mhz doesn't hurt ever.

Have you figured out how to make you RN work with the new legs yet e.g. setting the home posing.

Bren

You're right in that the RCB3 isn't really an open platform that supports direct programming using C or some other language. Purists that really want to get deeply involved at the program level would probably want to switch to another controller.

Just to clarify a bit, the RCB3 and H2H3 do support looping, conditionals, and other functions that enable the user to build complex motions and behaviors. But, if you wanted to do something really involved, like vision, then a different, more open controller would definitely be the way to go.

Some people find the drag & drop H2H3 approach clumsy, but others like it. For those that want to tackle writing a compiler, the RCB3 command format has been published and the motion file data is a flat text file that's easy to figure out.