Zigbee questions

[StuartL]

I've emailed these questions direct to Robosavvy's shop but I'm interested in the community response to them:

- When you buy a zig100 do you get one or two modules?
- When you fit a zig100 to a controller do you lose the hard wired serial capability?
- If you were to use the zigbee modules to communicate with a PC do you need any further hardware (e.g. custom made interfaces?!) or can the supplied modules interface directly with the PC serial port and the associated Robotis software?
- Can the zigbee modules be used for communication between Bioloids and the PC at the same time?
- Is any other hardware/software required to set up zigbee communication?
- Are there limitations of the Zigbee interface (e.g. you can't upload new firmware but you can upload new software)?

And a couple of unrelated questions:
- Are there any power supplies/battery chargers provided with the kit, if so are they US, Japanese or UK?
- Are the power supplies standard IEC connectors (so able to use any IEC cord)?
- Are the power supplies voltage and frequency auto-switching so that they work in both the UK and US?

TIA,
Stuart

[limor]

- When you buy a zig100 do you get one or two modules?
2 (see http://robosavvy.com/store/product_info ... cts_id/223 )

- When you fit a zig100 to a controller do you lose the hard wired serial capability?
Haven't tried it but I'm guessing that if you power the device with the serial cable attached it should work..


- If you were to use the zigbee modules to communicate with a PC do you need any further hardware (e.g. custom made interfaces?!) or can the supplied modules interface directly with the PC serial port and the associated Robotis software?
There's the Zig2Serial module that can be used to connect to the PC ( http://robosavvy.com/store/product_info ... cts_id/224 )

- Can the zigbee modules be used for communication between Bioloids and the PC at the same time?
Yes. Each one gets a unique address. and if I recall correctly, Robotis people said this feature was one of the product's design uses.

- Is any other hardware/software required to set up zigbee communication?
See documentation links in the product pages above

- Are there limitations of the Zigbee interface (e.g. you can't upload new firmware but you can upload new software)?
I recall being able to get the bootloader prompt while connected to the zigbee interface but haven't tried a firmware upload. the serial interfaces are the same so i would guess it should work.

- Are there any power supplies/battery chargers provided with the kit, if so are they US, Japanese or UK?
The boxes RoboSavvy carries have a high-amp 100-220V, 50-60Hz power supply. It can run the robot servos without the batteries. The default firmware for the CM5 provides an intelligent charging mechanism for the supplied NiMH battery.

- Are the power supplies standard IEC connectors (so able to use any IEC cord)?
They are Euro standard and you can use any IEC cord (like the one used with PCs and monitors).


- Are the power supplies voltage and frequency auto-switching so that they work in both the UK and US?
Yes they are 100-220V, 50-60Hz auto-switching and work in Japan as well.

[StuartL]

Superb, thank you!