Oooo… looks fancy. I cannot tell, exactly, what the PC has to do with anything in that picture. Does it transmit the signal via PC now instead of through the antenna or does it just make the transmitter look neat? If it is now transmitted through the computer, can it be transmitted throught the internet? 
This would surely help in not having to worry if my transmitter (or me for that case) is too far away from my rover, but IS that how it works? 
The transmitter and PC work together. The PCTx utilizes a normal r/c transmitter to achieve a wirless link to your robot, r/c car, or any r/c receiver for that matter. Instead of you manually moving the sticks on the transmitter, you can write software to send commands through the transmitter instead. It connects to a PC via the USB port.
Take a look at the site now. Ive added more movies and images that hopefully will explain things better. www.endurance-rc.com
The advantage would be ease of integeration. Control software is already written in VB and C++ and can be easily modified for other languages. You can also use any standard r/c gear you already have.
If you connected the system to a PC running server software, you could do this.
Hi all,
Has anyone used the endurance-rc.com PCTx besides BotHakr who developed the PCTx?
I have been to the website, but there does not seem to be much in the way of recent downloadable software available.
I would expect more sophisticated free APIs for downloading by now, or is the website owner not allowing them to appear to help enhance the sale of his own software?
Just a thought.
Regards,
TCIII
If the cable simply connects the Tx to the Computer, one can use a R/C flight simulator cord for hooking your Tx to the computer.
You can find them for $10 to $20. $10 here: gravesrc.com/category_s/371.htm
I use on of these for my flight sims and you can set it up as a joystick in windows. One could interface the controls from there.
Unless yours comes with software for interfacing the controls on the pc.
evolution,
Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
The PCTx comes with the appropriate cable\connector to connect to whatever brand RC transmitter that is being used.
I had not thought of using an R/C flight simulator program as you have suggested.
What I would like to do is to use either a joystick or a steering wheel to guide my Rover using my PC and the PCTx interface to my R/C transmitter.
Suggestions?
Regards,
TCIII
Most $20 adapter come with the necessary adapters for all Tx brands. And you don’t need the simulator software. Windows will run an R/C transmitter as a joystick. Really all you would need is the software to interface the R/c Tx inputs and PC Wheel inputs and output them to whatever is controlled by them. The R/c Transmitter will continue to transmit on 75mhz as usual to your receiver.
Hi all,
For those of you who are interested, endurance-rc has come out with a PC GUI for their PCTx interface that will work with any joystick, mouse or keyboard. The price is $99 and it is called Servo Commander.
Regards,
TCIII
TCIII,
Straight from the horses mouth here. No. To date, I have received only one user software submission and credit was given to him. I am referring to the C#, VB.NET API’s and documentation.
As far as user projects I occasionally receive e-mails about what the users are working on but again, it’s rare. I would be more than happy to post anything anyone wants to share. The reason I released the API (and subsequent examples) in the first place was to spark user creations.
The software for sale was created because more often I received e-mails along the lines of “I am not a programmer and I need to be able to do…” so for this reason I have software than is generic and ready to go.
BotHakr,
For the record, I have purchased one of your PCTxs and the Servocommander software.
The Servocommander software is just what I need to control my Rover robot project.
Regards,
TCIII
Cool! Drop me a line when you get your project up and running. I’d like to create a user submitted projects section when I get enough in.
Hi Bothakr,
Okay. I have got the rover running with a Hitec Laser 6 transmitter and a 75MHz HFD-08RD 7/8 channel receiver. The receiver is connected to a BS2 which controls two Parallax HB-25 motor controllers that provide me with skid steering.
The next step will be to get your Servo Commander program up and running with your PCTx. Then, using a Saitek joystick, control the rover through the PCTx Hitec transmitter interface.
The rover can be controlled either by RC or autonomously by an onboard thermal tracker. I can drive the rover to the area of interest and then let the thermal tracker guide the rover once a target is acquired.
I have two onboard cameras. One is wide angle and is used for steering while the other is used for surveillance and is mounted on a pan and tilt platform. Video is transmitted to a base receiver by a 1.2GHz 200mw transmitter.
Regards,
TCIII
How are you achieving the autonomous, non-autonomous modes? Are you placing a MCU in between the R/C receiver? Or are you sending the sensor data back to the PC and controlling it autonomously over the PC and then back through the R/C link?
Bothakr,
Presently I have a MCU in between the R/C receiver and the HB-25s. It decodes the R/C receiver channel 1 and 2 pulses and sets up the pulse outputs for the HB-25s to do skid steering.
The MCU monitors the landing gear channel to know when to switch between manual and autonomous modes of operation.
I do have a one way 433MHz radio link that can send back telemetry, but I have not made use of it yet.
I presently have my hands full getting the direction/steering and wireless camera functions going. Wireless telemetry will follow once I am satisfied with the direction/steering and wireless camera functions.
I am most impressed with your Servo Commander software and GUI. You sure have packed a lot of features into the GUI. As Darth Vader would say: “Most impressive!”
Regards,
TCIII
Thanks for the kind words about the software. Please post some pics of your bot. I am eager to see what you have going. You mentioned your bot would have a thermal sensor. If you don’t mind me asking, what would you be using this type of robot for?
Bothakr,
I am returning to Texas from California on Sunday so I will try and snap some pics of the rover before I go.
The wife and I are building a new home in Melissa, TX which is about 50 miles north of Dallas and is the second home in a new development of about 75 new homes. We are somewhat out in the sticks and I am a little concerned about security. Therefore, I am building this rover to act as a remotely controlled surveillance device until there are more homes in the area.
If I see some unusual activity in the area I can send the rover out and guide it manually, using the onboard wireless camera, to the area of suspicious activity. At that point, if there is thermal target in the area, I can put the rover in the autonomous thermal tracking mode. It will then automatically track the target of interest while sending back wireless video from the onboard camera.
Regards,
TCIII
BotHakr,
Sorry it took so long, but the work load at work has been tremendous and it has taken until now for me to have some free time to myself.
Here are some pictures of my Rover that uses your ServoCommander software for control by PC over an Hitec RC link.
There are two banks of home made 12v 4500ma rechargeable batteries (NMHi) to power the motors and there are two Parallax HB-25 motor controllers to let the BS2p Stamp perform skid steering when commanded by the RC link. There are two 7.2v NMHi batteries wired in series to provide 14.4v for a 12vdc regulator used to provide power to my wireless camera and transmitter and Luxeon headlamp and a 9vdc regulator for the BS2p Stamp.
The gray superstructure mounted on the aluminum chassis will eventually have fenders on the sides and will support the wireless camera on a home made servo controlled arm using Lynxmotion brackets and tubing.
I actually had the Rover moving under remote control using the Servo Commander software on my PC which was interfaced to my Hitec Laser 6 with a PCTx. The BOE/BS2p received two servo inputs from the onboard Hitec receiver and converted the inputs to drive the two Parallax HB-25 motor controllers for skid steering.
This Rover is a real composite of hardware suppliers. The wheels and chassis are from Superdroid Robots, the 12vdc motors are from the Robot Market Place, the Hitec Laser 6 RC combo is from Tower Hobbies, the BOE/BS2p/PSC and the HB-25s are from Parallax while the NMHi batteries are from all battery on ebay. The servo controlled camera arm, not seen in the pictures, is from Lynxmotion and the CCD camera is from CCTV-Surveillance on ebay. The camera wireless transmitter/receiver is from the Protection Depot.
I have not done anymore work on the Rover since early January since I am now back in Texas awaiting completion of our new home. I will probably not be able to work on the Rover until we have moved to Texas which will probably be around late May. Though I might be able to get back to LA between now and May depending on how busy I am at work.
http://lh3.google.com/TCoyleIII/R6ThTjQou3I/AAAAAAAAAB8/e8_D1EH9xCg/s576/Robot_1.JPGhttp://lh5.google.com/TCoyleIII/R6ThUDQou4I/AAAAAAAAACI/yL0z4rYt4Jg/s576/Robot_2.JPG http://lh3.google.com/TCoyleIII/R6ThUjQou5I/AAAAAAAAACQ/_dloxBwAwfo/s576/Robot_3.JPG http://lh5.google.com/TCoyleIII/R6ThVDQou6I/AAAAAAAAACY/QGTEv7SNsHA/s576/Robot_4.JPG
Regards,
TCIII
I need close ups bud!!! That thing looks awesome. 
evolution,
I have enlarged the pictures to provide more detail.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
TCIII
Well done! was the chassis Tig welded?