mmm, 30$? I don’t but it’s not very much, I know that the SEQ is sold just a bit more, but this is one project, so the guy will spend a lot of time on it just for 30$, but maybe you could do your own software, start learning about programing will be good in robotics.
If the devices either connect via a serial port interface or appear to the computer as serial ports, then you probably could make your own program, depending on just how complex you want it to be.
I just need a basic setup. Use a computer game controller to move the motors or the keyboard arrows. Than I need another little set of buttons to controll the pan and tilt, and maybe to turn the headlights on automatically with a relay. I have absolutely no experience in any programming, but I would like to learn. I dont see how I can make this program without software and the know how.
Start with something simple like VBScript, there are thousands of sites that support and offer example code.
Then progress to VB or VB.NET.
After that, C# isn’t too much of a step…
In the end its not the language, its the principles. They all do the same thing essentially you just use different words to make it happen…
Microsoft Help files and MSDN are a vast source of information and thats just one of the places to look.
VB.NET express is free and has loads of example code. I’m sure every one of the programmers on this site will have there own little sources of code they goto when they get stuck…
Im downloading that now. Im sure Ill have a million questions to follow.
i could teach you, well the basics at least 
Hmm, programming is even 10 X harder than I thought. 
This is what I have to turn a light on from the ABB and atom 28. Not sure if its correct, WOWY gave me the codes.
[code]Public Class Form1
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
End Sub
Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Using com1 As IO.Ports.SerialPort = _
((My.Computer.Ports.OpenSerialPort("com1")))
com1.WriteLine("1".ToString)
End Using
End Sub[/code]What hardware do you have and what is currently connected to the computer?
Nothing at the moment. Bassically Im trying to turn on a light from my rover (LED POT) through the ABB and ATOM 28 by sending data through the COM1 when I click on Button 1.
OK, to make my gun fire, what I was thinking was a servo on each side. with a paper clip connected to the trigger. When each servo moves in the opposite direction at the same time, it presses down on the trigger, and vise versa to release. Heres a drawing:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m51/Italian_guy299/untitled.jpg
I need to know if this works before I go ahead and build this beast, but I have no working servos at the moment. Can anyone build this simple setup with a water pistol and tell me if it works. Or give me a better way of doing this? I would really appreciate it.
Again, Feedback is neccessary for my learning.
Why spend so much effort on trying to fire the pellet gun via a mechanical trigger? I’d just get a cheap one and dedicate it to the project. Many can be fired electronically as illustrated here: inventgeek.com/Projects/usbairsoftturret/Overview.aspx
The project is a USB controlled pellet gun, an upgrade of one of those foam USB missile launchers. However, basically anything capable of outputting an electric pulse (micro, SCC-32, etc.) can be used to trigger the gun. I’d adapt this type of system (using a Lynx pan and tilt instead of the brandX USB system) if I was putting a pellet gun on a bot.
Hope this helped.
Wait a minute, so I can trigger the gun by sending a pulse to the trigger mechanism from the SSC-32. Im not sure how thats going to work with no programming skills, and saying “learn” is easier said than done 
I did receive an email from them, and I am sending them some stuff to get the SSC-32 supported. I’m starting a separate thread on the subject. Thanks…
The SCC-32 can do digital I/O. Look under byte output in the user manual. Since it would be rare you’re using 32 servos, expecially for a rover, losing 8 pins for digital output might be an okay tradeoff. The command #3:123 outputs decimal 123 (binary 011111011) on pins 24-31. If say pin 31 was connected to buffer circuit (FET, optocoupler, relay, etc.), outputing values larger than 128 to bank 3 would trigger it to an on state, outputing values less would trigger it to an off state. Depending on the electronics of the gun i.e. does it have a trigger?, or is the trigger just a switch to start firing? you would wire it up slightly differently. If it has to carry the full current for the gun, I’d suggest a good solid state relay rated a bit more than the currount you measure when the gun is in use. If it uses a more intelligent trigger, any switching component you have lying around will probably do.
Of course, I used 8 digital I/O pins to essentially control 1 bit of information. You could use the others to switch other things seperately, for example some error LEDs (just an LED and resistor on the pin) or 4-bit output to a parallel LCD, or buffer and control for targeting lights or laser sight, the possibilities are endless.
I am going to look into using the SSC-32’s ability to do byte I/O also. I am putting an SSC-32 on WALTER, so there will be plenty of room to use as much as 16 bits for digital I/O on the SSC-32. I don’t see WALTER using more than 16 servos, and probably not more than 8 since he’s a two wheeled rover.
I’ve been having quite a lot of fun sequencing LEDS (now that I understand I2C with the Atom PRO), and see some possibilities for lights on WALTER now. 
8-Dale
This will be so cool! I think you are trying to pull me more into Windows… Are you one of those Agents of the Red[mond] Mask?
There are so many things I want to do with robotics, and I am glad at least some of them (like RoboRealm) don’t cost anything to play with.
8-Dale
Pellet guns have triggers and they are electronic. When you press the trigger it sends power to the shooting mechanism and fire! Im not sure if I should use the trigger or use the electronics to fire it without any mechanical fussing. The only problem is Im not sure how to do either. I know that servos arent going to work and Im not a programmer, so Im stuck at the moment.
The inventgeek article I listed had the conversion of an electric pellet gun to a USB turret with detailed instructions on how to modify the mechanics of a gun for such a use. My second post explained how to implement the control scheme with the SCC-32. Without knowing more about what model gun you’re using, I can’t be really be more helpful.
Ideally you have already stripped the gun down to a firing box like the inventgeek article with leads to the mechanism. If you have a meter, could you measure the current going through the contacts of the switch? If its more than 100 mA, I’d suggest getting a solid state relay which can be triggered at 5V 15 mA, and switch the voltage and current of the gun. Radio Shack has a 120V 5A one for $8 which will probably work should all else fail. If you go this route, you would hook the two leads of the trigger to the switch of the relay, the + to the pin of the SCC-32 you want to use as control, and the - to ground.
Hmm, well the geek.com thingy didnt seem to be as descriptive as you thought. It bassicaly talks mostly of disassebling the guns and mounting them, than it leads you to find the leads and connect them. I dont want to go down this route anyways, becuase its not very original. I like the idea of using a relay
lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx? … goryID=106
but im not sure how the SSC would control it?? I dont know the language and not sure I want to learn…
I’d get one of the electric air soft guns like below. At ~$16 they would be idealy cheap. An NPN transistor and resistor to operate a trigger setup is a lot smarter than spending $25 on a relay. Post up when you get a ssc-32 so you can try some simple code with it.