Zig100 question

[Tyberius]

So I've been reading through all the posts I can find relating to this to avoid asking a question that may have already been asked many of times... but I'd like to confirm my findings.

Currently I can access the ZigBee Monitor in the Robot Terminal by holding shift-1 and hitting reset on my Zig2Serial, I can change the settings via this no problem. If I go into manage mode, I get a response displayed on the Robot Terminal from the CM-5 listing the version # and how many dynamixels I have connected. But when I try to go into Program mode, it appears to start but then basically 'freezes' up, and the format of the text gets all jumbled.

Reason being is that I'm writing a C# program that works just fine using Jon Hylands USB Bioloid Bus board, and also works using the CM-5 in manage mode when connected directly via serial port... but it doesn't work at all over the zig100.

It's my understanding that simply soldering a Zig100 into my CM-5 and my Zig2Serial will not allow me to use Robot Terminal in the same manner as if the CM-5 were plugged in via serial cable?

I assume this is because it doesnt use the same protocol as a direct serial interface such as the serial cable. Is this correct?

Also: Has anyone thought about building an XBEE interface directly into the serial 'stereo jack' as an alternative? Xbee modules can get up to 1mile range, considerably better than what I've heard with the Zig100s.

Thanks a ton!

[srobot]

Hello Typerius,

It's my understanding that simply soldering a Zig100 into my CM-5 and my Zig2Serial will not allow me to use Robot Terminal in the same manner as if the CM-5 were plugged in via serial cable?

Here is some information on Cable Vs. Zig100:

Andi

Just to add to what Pev has said.

The serial Bioloid cable, as used for down loading BCPs from PC to CM5, can receive data from a BCP running on the CM5. Unfortunately Robotis must have decided that no one would want to send data from the PC to a running BCP program, there is no facility in BCP to do it! If you program your CM5 using C then you can do it and I have posted on this forum how to achieve this with demo software.

Now if you are running a CM5 BCP program you can send and receive to another BCP program on another CM5 wirelessly if you have installed Zig100s in each CM5. The protocol Pev talks about is that used by this link when you use this facility.

If you connect to your PC serial port a Serial2Zig board and plug into that board a Zig100 you can talk wirelessly to a CM5 by using the PC to 'fake' the protocol so it thinks its talking to another CM5.

Complicated? Well its not actually as difficult as it sounds, and it does mean that you are now wireless without a constraining cable. Again I have posted on how to implement this protocol.

Pev has developed a means to use Bluetooth instead of Zig100 as the wireless method.

Dewey

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2204

There has been a number of Threads/Posts dealing with how the CM5 Serial Port Cable and the ZIG-100 relate in terms of sending data. As Mark Pepper's schematic shows when the CM5 transmits it goes out on both the CM5 Cable and the ZIG-100 channel, you have no choice/control its hardwired.

Input however is a switched. I do not believe it is possible to get input from via the CM5 cable into a BCP Program (If someone knows how I would be interested!), you can get ZIG-100 input.

It is possible to get input from the CM5 Cable and/or the ZIG-100 in C. The code below demos this.


http://robosavvy.com/Builders/Dewey/CableOrZig.zip


Dewey

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1642

Also: Has anyone thought about building an XBEE interface directly into the serial 'stereo jack' as an alternative? Xbee modules can get up to 1mile range, considerably better than what I've heard with the Zig100s.

Understanding all of the above information -- connecting an Xbee in place of the Zig100 has been talked about, although I am not sure if it has been done. Pev's BlueTooth hack may also be able to be done with Xbee in place of the BlueTooth.

Pev's BlueTooth Hack:

http://www.bipedrobots.co.uk/blindex.aspx?id=284

It would help me better answer your question knowing what you are trying to do.

[Tyberius]

Essentially I just wanted to confirm what I had learned from reading through these forums, and that was: "The Zig100 is not a drop in replacement for the serial cable. Robot Terminal will not work using just a pair of Zig100s, the CM-5 and a Zig2Serial."

Seeing as though I'm ultimately not interested in Robot Terminal, and my software works fine with the CM-5 in manage mode using a serial cable, I was wondering if anyone had dropped in an Xbee where the serial cable connects in. I've seen some Xbee to RS-232 interfaces that might work for this, guess I'll have to try.

[StuartL]

The problem is that the BCP firmware on the CM-5 doesn't switch the tri-state buffers to the zigbee when the serial cable is unplugged. There's not much you could do about it without hardware mods or disassembling the BCP firmware and modifying it.

[Tyberius]

The problem is that the BCP firmware on the CM-5 doesn't switch the tri-state buffers to the zigbee when the serial cable is unplugged. There's not much you could do about it without hardware mods or disassembling the BCP firmware and modifying it.

Thanks for the info.

You think an XBee configured to pass RS-232 traffic would work in place of the cable?

[StuartL]

You think an XBee configured to pass RS-232 traffic would work in place of the cable?

The RS232 cable is RS232 signal levels so you'll need to be careful of that whatever you do. You can get level converters if you want to take that route but I think you'd be better off just ditching the BCP software and writing your own firmware...