Bluetooth and MR-C3024

[Pev]

Thank you all. I have now got the ETX port working - was one funny though, I connected my serial LCD to it and set it up for 9600, RS232. No joy just got garbage as before. So after what seemed like hours I risked setting it to TTL levels. BINGO!!!!!!

So one silly question, it appears the ETX port is TTL levels, but the manual states RS232 (unless I misread it). Anyone know the answer for sure?




Sorry about the pic quality but it does show it working:

Code was :

DIM CHAR AS BYTE
ETX 9600,&HFE 'sets LCD to CMD mode
ETX 9600,&H58 ' clears LCD screen
CHAR="T"
ETX 9600, CHAR ' displays character T

and so on

Is all a bit clunky but it works

Pev

[subpilot]

The ERX & ETX lines come straight off the processor so they are most definately logic level. For that matter, there is no RS232 driver on board so I strongly suspect the download port is inverted logic level out and has a resistor divider and diode on the input so it can handle 232 levels but is less than great. Probably done to lower cost and save board space.

Somebody needs to trace out the board and draw up a schematic since it seems HiTech isn't forthcoming with it. Kinda dumb IMHO since it's aimed at hackers.

[Pev]

Cheers Subpilot, that'll teach me to read the manual lol

Pev

[subpilot]

Pev, Does that work off the LCD port too?

[Pev]

I did briefly try it off the LCD port and I got garbage - I tried both baud rates my display supports (9600, 19200) and no luck. Am still hoping to discover what the LCD port spec is but like all the interfaces information is lacking. I would ideally like to get it working off the LCD port but as yet no joy. Even tried an old Scott Edwards 2400 baud one and still nothing.

The other issue I can see is trying to work out what LCD command set is in use, lets hope they have used a pretty standard one.

Pev

[bauermech]

Oh, this is great! You've all inspired me to bust out my BlueSMiRF again...
Okay, everything's hooked up, but when I power-up the BlueSMiRF, the Robonova executes an 'athletic stretch'-like motion then two 'fast-walks' consecutively. Something's afoot.
Also, what is it exactly that you're using to call a subroutine on the robonova? I think I'm taking the wrong approach in my attempts. I sent 10101 then 0x00 (expecting a 'bow'). Any time after... when I resend 10101, the "forward summersault" executes. I'm either real close, or way off... hmmm, doesn't leave much room for being anywhere in between huh?

Alright, headin' back to work now... Be back later tonight w/ some updates and such.

[subpilot]

Seems like the BT module sends out some unwanted characters when the serial port is first opened. Think that is unavoidable.

If you changed the code as above then all you have to send over the serial line is a single hex character from 0x01 to 0x20.
0x01 = bow_pose, 0x02 = hans_up etc etc

I sent 10101 then 0x00 (expecting a 'bow'). Any time after... when I resend 10101, the "forward summersault"

Notice that 10101 = dec 21 and k21 = forward_tumbling

So yea, you're real close

[subpilot]

Here's an interesting challenge:
Get the PCM audio link to work on the BR-SC30A Bluetooth module. Add speech and maybe even voice control with very little harware. 8O

[bauermech]

Thanks subpilot! That worked! Last night I got the BlueSMiRF fully integrated into the MR-C3024. Apart from the SMiRF sending some garbage code whenever it initializes (opens the port)... it all works great. That 'garbage' makes the Robonova do an athletic stretch(#6), then two consecutive fast walks(#10). I disabled the fast walk in RoboBASIC ('gosub fast_walk:) to see what would happen... that just made the Robonova perform two consecutive forward walks (#11) instead. It's a bit frustrating....
After all that, my laptop took a dump last night. The hard drive died completely... I've lost some pretty good movement codes... Back to square one using the desktop PC I guess.

[subpilot]

Glad that worked OK. What regulator are you using for the 3.3V? I didn't have onr to fit the existing footprint so had to cob one in. Would like to get the right part but haven't been lucky so far in finding one that fits.

[bauermech]

The BlueSMiRF has an operating voltage between 3v-6v. If everything's running at 5v, then I shouldn't need one at this point...
At least I hope 8O... I'm still pretty new to this stuff.

...here's my rig so far...

Like you, I've only setup the TX>ETX end. I believe I'll only need one additional wire to run from the RX>ERX right? The ground is common...and the + has the same source?
I'm ordering a new laptop tonight or tomorrow... (that's one expensive remote!) Oh, I'm getting poor quick!

[subpilot]

Didn't know the BueSMiRf was able to operate over the extended voltage range. Checked it out and it looks good. I am using the BR-SC30A module. It only works at 3.3V. It actually looks to me that all the Sparkfun BT modules use the same guts and the BlueSMiRF has the voltage shifting circuitry added.

[subpilot]

I just realized that the "junk" characters that come out of the BT when the port is opened is a carriage return line feed 0x0d,0x0a (13 & 10 dec). The overall program will interpret that as a Step Right, Fast Walk.
I just made this code mod:

k10:
'GOSUB fast_walk
'GOSUB standard_pose
GOTO main_exit
k11: ' ^ 1
GOSUB forward_walk
GOSUB standard_pose
GOTO main_exit
k12: ' _ 1
GOSUB backward_walk
GOSUB standard_pose
GOTO main_exit
k13: ' > 1
'SPEED 8
'GOSUB right_shift
'SPEED 6
'GOSUB standard_pose
TEMPO 230
MUSIC "CDE"
GOTO main_exit

Now you just get a little music when the port opens (or closes). I added new functions for the fast walk and right_shift:

k33:
GOSUB fast_walk
GOSUB standard_pose
GOTO main_exit
k34: ' > 1
SPEED 8
GOSUB right_shift
SPEED 6
GOSUB standard_pose
GOTO main_exit


I also added the new K33 & k34 entrys to the GOTO lists.

[skeeler]

Hi,

I'm a rank beginner with robotics, not an expert on computers, and haven't yet acquired a Robonova---I'm hoping to do that around May---so please excuse my ignorance and poorly formulated questions.

Having said that, how do you route commands in your computer to the bluetooth modem? Do you need to associate the modem with a COM port? Any detail you guys could give me would be helpful.

[bauermech]

Hi Skeeler, I use a Motorola Bluetooth USB dongle off the laptop. It assigns a virtural serial port (COMM5 in my case) to the BlueSMiRF on the Robonova. I wrote a program to send 'chr$()' (character strings in VB6) over the bluetooth rig and into the ETX port on the robonova's MR-C3024. It sounds more complex than it really is I think. Just by reading, looking at the pictures from previous posts and purchasing the hardware, one should be able to get it going without too much of a hastle. As far as the little program used to send code through the COMM port, you can dowload the beta version for free. Look for the topic header... 'NEW GUI Interface for Robonova' (or something like that) on this forum for the link, or go to robosavvy's home page. The program may help get you started once your bot arives. And who knows, by May there might just be something even better... like Hitec's own Bluetooth setup made specifically for the Robonova!