Wireless Control
by StuartL
Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:41 pm
In which case it's PS1/PS2 controllers only for now. If, for any reason, we find this inappropriate we will probably investigate alternative controllers.
There were four reasons we targeted PS1/2 controllers:
1) They're cheaply available in most countries.
2) The interface is not 'complicated' like a USB HID interface.
3) They're available with a variety of digital and analogue control configurations and layouts to suit the user.
4) The wireless controllers are specifically intended to be used in groups so have inherent anti-interference characteristics.
Point '4' is a big issue for us. The Zigbee units do see to work wonderfully when they're the only 2.4GHz unit around but as soon as you have other kit using the same channels the antenna/amplifier combination just doesn't seem to be reliable and you lose a lot of packets. The data rates are an issue for many-channel-control too.
There were four reasons we targeted PS1/2 controllers:
1) They're cheaply available in most countries.
2) The interface is not 'complicated' like a USB HID interface.
3) They're available with a variety of digital and analogue control configurations and layouts to suit the user.
4) The wireless controllers are specifically intended to be used in groups so have inherent anti-interference characteristics.
Point '4' is a big issue for us. The Zigbee units do see to work wonderfully when they're the only 2.4GHz unit around but as soon as you have other kit using the same channels the antenna/amplifier combination just doesn't seem to be reliable and you lose a lot of packets. The data rates are an issue for many-channel-control too.
by srobot
Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:59 pm
StuartL wrote:4) The wireless controllers are specifically intended to be used in groups so have inherent anti-interference characteristics.
Don't they have group playing events for PS2s (much like a LAN party)? A lot of robots at RoboGames use the PS2 and I have not heard of this as a problem (correct me if I'm wrong).
StuartL wrote:Point '4' is a big issue for us. The Zigbee units do see to work wonderfully when they're the only 2.4GHz unit around but as soon as you have other kit using the same channels the antenna/amplifier combination just doesn't seem to be reliable and you lose a lot of packets. The data rates are an issue for many-channel-control too.
At iHobby/Fall Chibotica 2008 I was having minor troubles with the Zig100. It should be noted this *was* a hobby show with thousands of channels used.
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RIBO Labs, Springing Robotic Development to a New Level
RIBO Labs, Springing Robotic Development to a New Level
by Gort
Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:08 pm
I have seen six Robonova-1s using zigbee at the same time with out a problem. They where at Robogames and there was also other robots beginning operated at the same time too. David Calkins used Zigbee at the first Hitec Cup with out a problem. He was able to control his robot from over 50 yards away with out any problems. He was so far away from his robot that he could not see it! It was also a RC car, plane, boat and helicopter trade show. 
by StuartL
Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:40 pm
Gort wrote:I have seen six Robonova-1s using zigbee at the same time with out a problem. They where at Robogames and there was also other robots beginning operated at the same time too. David Calkins used Zigbee at the first Hitec Cup with out a problem. He was able to control his robot from over 50 yards away with out any problems. He was so far away from his robot that he could not see it! It was also a RC car, plane, boat and helicopter trade show.
Maybe it's the Robotis ZigBee implementation that's the problem, then? Perhaps something with the antenna design?
I'm really excited about the PS2 stuff, as srobot has pointed it should resolve all of our interference issues and we should be able to get some interactive control of our bots without carrying the laptops around
by StuartL
Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:15 pm
This morning the PSX controller boards arrived from the manufacturer.
We're going to attempt to build a couple tomorrow evening and then spend the next week ironing out any bugs in the software. We hope to have some pre-production boards ready for the meet at the end of this month. Fingers crossed!
We're going to attempt to build a couple tomorrow evening and then spend the next week ironing out any bugs in the software. We hope to have some pre-production boards ready for the meet at the end of this month. Fingers crossed!