New Controller Board

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

Sure, I’ll have to check. I’ve probably lost more computer parts then I can count.

Thanks! I would appreciate it very much.

@KM6VV

I think so. At the time the project was started, that wasn’t a major concern. I have the ARM books, all I have to do is read, read, read!

I should probably get a good book on ARM too. But, I have come quite aways in the short time I have been working with PICs/dsPICs, and have not had any books to read about them. I’ve mostly just had datasheets, Pete’s code, and forums to go to for assistance, plus the few good examples I can find on the net.

@KM6VV

You need a lot! I don’t have any HS-645MG servos yet, maybe I should make the next batch '645? Which joint of a hexapod needs or can use the most torque? Probably NOT the Horizontal Hip. Vertical? Knee??

The Hip Vertical joint would be the heavy lifting joint. I’d definitely want a beefier servo there. If the robot is going to be a climber, I’d want beefy servos in all the joints since the force will vary depending on the terrain and steepness.

@KM6VV

Another trick is to get them as birthday gifts. My wife is very helpful in that regard. Trouble is, it’s a L-O-N-G time between birthdays (and maybe Christmas). Even Christmas is a long ways off!

@KM6VV

What’s the trick cutting ot a body for WALTER? It’s a large Octagonal sheet, right? I think I saw it. A bandsaw works great!

I just don’t have the tools to do the marking and cutting. I’m not real good with stuff like that. WALTER’s new decks are just under 11" across the widest points, octagonal shaped but larger than his current decks. I have four 12" x 12" sheets of yellow PVC type material (same stuff his current decks are made of).

@KM6VV

No sheet metal? Maybe it’s SolidWorks I’m thinking of. At any rate, I need fully dimensioned drawings in order to make a part. I did work out some hole patterns for servo horns, probably not what you want. What SES holes are there? What does this bracket mate up to? I probably haven’t seen it.

Nope, no sheet metal. I can create 2D drawings from my 3D models though. The SES holes are the four holes around the larger center hole.

@KM6VV

You’ll need to get out your dial calipers, and do a little measuring. You can make a paper (thin cardboard) template of your part, and try it out.

I need to get one of those. There are other things I should have too, like a decent oscilloscope or logic analyzer. I did finally get a nice little DMM.

@KM6VV

Doesn’t Alibre export DXF? I tired to import DXF, but didn’t get anywhere with it. I wanted to view some of my steam engine parts in rendered 3D.

Alibre can import DXF, but not export. I can export in IGES, SAT, STEP214, and Alibre STEP formats.

@KM6VV

Yeah, I saw the BiPod. Didn’t understand it! I was looking for a rotating (shoulder?) joint.

The first 3DOF of the leg is a hexapod style leg, and then I added an ankle rotate joint to allow converting from hexapod sideways movement to upright biped movement.

@KM6VV

Ugh! I wonder how close they’ll be! Have you seen a transaction flow chart or something like that for the I2C protocol?

I have not seen any flow charts. I think I need to go back to the original dsPIC interrupt routine and analyze that code so I understand what it is doing. I understand that there are several states that I2C goes through to do stuff, and I understand the order of some of it now, but not all of it.

@KM6VV

That could get ugly! Keep him off the walls! Slow is probably better, and cheaper in the case of mistakes! Like your driver-ed class instructor told you, don’t out-drive your headlights!

My cat doesn’t quite know what to think about the new WALTER either yet.

Between the GHM-04 nmotors and the 5" tires, WALTER gets PLENTY of traction on pretty much any surface.

8-Dale

[sn96]

@robodude666

I officially give this thread the “longest posts” award! Every post seems to get longer than the last!

These post are so long that It makes me feel to lazy to even try to read them. I just sacan for links and lick them if interesting. I also look for pictures.

[robotdude]

@SN96

I just sacan for links and lick them if interesting.

Helps keep your monitor clean too.

[robodude666]

@SN96

These post are so long that It makes me feel to lazy to even try to read them. I just sacan for links and lick them if interesting. I also look for pictures.

Yea… I used to keep up with this thread, but the posts got soo long that I became too lazy to read it… I search for my name sometimes and read around there Otherwise I too look for links and pictures!

@Robot Dude

Helps keep your monitor clean too.

It does, it does! Amazing how well it works for cats.

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

@linuxguy

I should probably get a good book on ARM too. But, I have come quite aways in the short time I have been working with PICs/dsPICs, and have not had any books to read about them. I’ve mostly just had datasheets, Pete’s code, and forums to go to for assistance, plus the few good examples I can find on the net.

Try the Arm System Developer’s Guide, Andrew N. Sloss et. al.

@linuxguy

The Hip Vertical joint would be the heavy lifting joint. I’d definitely want a beefier servo there. If the robot is going to be a climber, I’d want beefy servos in all the joints since the force will vary depending on the terrain and steepness.

At 2x the price of my 475’s, I’m going to have to think about it.

@linuxguy

I just don’t have the tools to do the marking and cutting. I’m not real good with stuff like that. WALTER’s new decks are just under 11" across the widest points, octagonal shaped but larger than his current decks. I have four 12" x 12" sheets of yellow PVC type material (same stuff his current decks are made of).

Well, just come over! we can cut the stuff here. You might look around for a local metal (or wood?) worker club. Often someone is nearby that can help.

@linuxguy

Nope, no sheet metal. I can create 2D drawings from my 3D models though. The SES holes are the four holes around the larger center hole.

That sounds like a servo horn pattern. If it bolts up neatly to a universal or ‘C’ bracket, then I think that’s what we want.

@linuxguy

@KM6VV

You’ll need to get out your dial calipers, and do a little measuring. You can make a paper (thin cardboard) template of your part, and try it out.

I need to get one of those. There are other things I should have too, like a decent oscilloscope or logic analyzer. I did finally get a nice little DMM.

Yeah, it just takes time to build up a set of tools and test equipment. I’ve been at it for a while, and my consulting work paid for a lot of equipment.

@linuxguy

The first 3DOF of the leg is a hexapod style leg, and then I added an ankle rotate joint to allow converting from hexapod sideways movement to upright biped movement.

That’s quite switch, going from hexapod (crab walk?) to biped motion!

@linuxguy

@KM6VV

Ugh! I wonder how close they’ll be! Have you seen a transaction flow chart or something like that for the I2C protocol?

I have not seen any flow charts. I think I need to go back to the original dsPIC interrupt routine and analyze that code so I understand what it is doing. I understand that there are several states that I2C goes through to do stuff, and I understand the order of some of it now, but not all of it.

Probably similar to other protocols, a back and forth exchange, ACK, NAK, etc. Just gotta get 'em right!

@linuxguy

Between the GHM-04 nmotors and the 5" tires, WALTER gets PLENTY of traction on pretty much any surface.

8-Dale

I think I used 8" wheel barrow wheels on my big Bot. Body is a MIG-welded truncated octagonal aluminum shell body that rotates on an 8" ID ring bearing. The body sits on the base that holds the batteries and drive electronics. There is a XT-sized bay in one of the sloping facets of the body. I might have some pix somewhere.

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

Try the Arm System Developer’s Guide, Andrew N. Sloss et. al.

I will check on this, and if it isn’t too expensive, I will get a copy. At the normal $40.00+ for technical books, I don’t buy many, even though there are quite a few I would really like to have.

@KM6VV

At 2x the price of my 475’s, I’m going to have to think about it.

That’s why it is taking me so long to get the servos I need. I want to get a six-pack of HS-645’s, but that is $239.94 (and that is a good deal, especially the metal SES servo horns). It would take me two months to get six HS-645’s , and I need 10 of them + 2 HS475’s.

@KM6VV

Well, just come over! we can cut the stuff here. You might look around for a local metal (or wood?) worker club. Often someone is nearby that can help.

I spent my first 17 1/2 years in California. I wish we did live near each other. I’m in very northern Oregon near Portland.

@KM6VV

That sounds like a servo horn pattern. If it bolts up neatly to a universal or ‘C’ bracket, then I think that’s what we want.

The same SES hole pattern is on all the SES brackets.

@KM6VV

Yeah, it just takes time to build up a set of tools and test equipment. I’ve been at it for a while, and my consulting work paid for a lot of equipment.

I have been looking at the digital PC based oscilloscopes and hybrid instruments. It looks like there are some nice ones in the under $500.00 range, which is probably what I would get. I’ve been looking at the BitScopes, which seem to have a real nice feature set for the price. I wonder how hard it would be to build a small hybrid oscope/logic analyzer using some PICs…

@KM6VV

Probably similar to other protocols, a back and forth exchange, ACK, NAK, etc. Just gotta get 'em right!

There are 4 or 5 states for I2C. That’s about all I know and that is from reading Pete’s code. I am getting some I2C activity between the 2680 and 4550 now! I can see State 2 and State 3, but the data is not making sense at all.

I also have the SCI stuff working at 9600 Bps. I am setting the 4550 up so it will be able to accept commands over the serial port, and also for USB when I get that hooked up and working.

8-Dale

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

@linuxguy

I will check on this, and if it isn’t too expensive, I will get a copy. At the normal $40.00+ for technical books, I don’t buy many, even though there are quite a few I would really like to have.

Well, I think it was more then $40. There’s another book, I’ll look it up when I get back to work.

@linuxguy

That’s why it is taking me so long to get the servos I need. I want to get a six-pack of HS-645’s, but that is $239.94 (and that is a good deal, especially the metal SES servo horns). It would take me two months to get six HS-645’s , and I need 10 of them + 2 HS475’s.

So how much are they needed on a CH3-R? Will one per leg help that much?

@linuxguy

I spent my first 17 1/2 years in California. I wish we did live near each other. I’m in very northern Oregon near Portland.

Yeah, Portland’s a LONG trip. We were driving up to Eugene for several years for a P.R.I.M.E Model Engineer’s show. Two days drive the way we do it.

@linuxguy

@KM6VV

That sounds like a servo horn pattern. If it bolts up neatly to a universal or ‘C’ bracket, then I think that’s what we want.

The same SES hole pattern is on all the SES brackets.

That’s the one then. I can simply measure one of my brackets. Wait, I just looked at your motor bracket plan, but I guess it doesn’t have a SES hole pattern? The dimensions didn’t come through on the PDF for some reason (7.0), gets me some time.

What are the WALTER plates and the turning? Are you building an articulated 'bot?

@linuxguy

I have been looking at the digital PC based oscilloscopes and hybrid instruments. It looks like there are some nice ones in the under $500.00 range, which is probably what I would get. I’ve been looking at the BitScopes, which seem to have a real nice feature set for the price. I wonder how hard it would be to build a small hybrid oscope/logic analyzer using some PICs…

Some people must like them. I’d checkout used 'scopes. Yeah, I must have seen an article in Circuit Cellar maybe?

@linuxguy

There are 4 or 5 states for I2C. That’s about all I know and that is from reading Pete’s code. I am getting some I2C activity between the 2680 and 4550 now! I can see State 2 and State 3, but the data is not making sense at all.

@linuxguy

st be a pointer problem? Sorry I haven’t had time to look at your code. Maybe a register error? Here’s a spec, if you don’t already have it.

nxp.com/acrobat_download/lit … 340011.pdf

@linuxguy

I also have the SCI stuff working at 9600 Bps. I am setting the 4550 up so it will be able to accept commands over the serial port, and also for USB when I get that hooked up and working.

8-Dale

9600? How about 115K? Is that tied into USB somehow? I seem to recall running 115K Baud and USB. Did you get the UBW?

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

So how much are they needed on a CH3-R? Will one per leg help that much?

It depends on how heavy the CH3-R is going to be with everything a person wants to put on it. I think Jim used all 645’s for the CH3-R he put the Johnny 5 torso on.

@KM6VV

That’s the one then. I can simply measure one of my brackets. Wait, I just looked at your motor bracket plan, but I guess it doesn’t have a SES hole pattern? The dimensions didn’t come through on the PDF for some reason (7.0), gets me some time.

The motor mount does not have the SES hole pattrern.

@KM6VV

What are the WALTER plates and the turning? Are you building an articulated 'bot?

It’s just what most would consider another one of my crazy design ideas. Yes, I would like to try an articulated 4WD.

@KM6VV

9600? How about 115K? Is that tied into USB somehow? I seem to recall running 115K Baud and USB. Did you get the UBW?

I just haven’t tried the SCI any faster yet. I have the UBW software as well as the Microchip USB framework.

8-Dale

[kurte]

@linuxguy

I have been looking at the digital PC based oscilloscopes and hybrid instruments. It looks like there are some nice ones in the under $500.00 range, which is probably what I would get. I’ve been looking at the BitScopes, which seem to have a real nice feature set for the price. I wonder how hard it would be to build a small hybrid oscope/logic analyzer using some PICs…

Like many here, I only scan this thread from time to time…

I too would like to get a better PC based oscilloscope. But maybe a year or two ago, I did purchase the Parallax USB Oscilloscopeparallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28014. For $139 it was cheap enough to play with. At first it did not work very well for me. But recently when I was having problems with my Atom Pro with the HSERVO appearing to mess with other output signals, I downloaded the latest software and tried it again. It is not great, I wish it had a much larger capture buffer, but I have been sucessfull in verifying that there are/were some problems and send Acidtech bitmaps showing it. So I am now glad I have it. But someday I will probably upgrade to something a bit better.

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

@linuxguy

It depends on how heavy the CH3-R is going to be with everything a person wants to put on it. I think Jim used all 645’s for the CH3-R he put the Johnny 5 torso on.

I don’t expect that much weight, so I think I’m just going to go with the 475’s.

@linuxguy

The motor mount does not have the SES hole pattern.

OK, I thought you meant it did. I probably haven’t seen the hole pattern then.

@linuxguy

It’s just what most would consider another one of my crazy design ideas. Yes, I would like to try an articulated 4WD.

@linuxguy

I just haven’t tried the SCI any faster yet. I have the UBW software as well as the Microchip USB framework.

8-Dale

You should be good then. I played with the UBW for a while. I went so far as to port the Microchip USB framework an UBW user file over to my Hi-Tech compiler.

Best Regards,

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

@kurte

I too would like to get a better PC based oscilloscope. But maybe a year or two ago, I did purchase the Parallax USB Oscilloscopeparallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28014. For $139 it was cheap enough to play with. At first it did not work very well for me.

Is it fast enough to see the I2C or SPI signals of a PIC with decent resolution?

8-Dale

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

You should be good then. I played with the UBW for a while. I went so far as to port the Microchip USB framework an UBW user file over to my Hi-Tech compiler.

I may get one of the assembled UBW boards also, just to tinker with. I have the mini-USB connectors now, so I should be able to connect the to the USB of the 4550. It would be really cool and convenient to be able to see debug info or a USB com port instead of messing with the standard com port.

I had the standard port talking to the 4550’s com port at 9600 perfectly yesterday, and today I can’t get it to work at any speed with Windows or Linux. I was trying to see if I could get faster speeds to work, but should have left it alone.

8-Dale

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

OOPS! Hope you a backup or older project saved!

I just got your newest I2C 4550 file to compile with my Hi-Tech compiler. I put in a conditional to allow it to compile w/ 4620 (?) or 4550. Haven’t tested it yet.

Alan KM6VV

@linuxguy

I may get one of the assembled UBW boards also, just to tinker with. I have the mini-USB connectors now, so I should be able to connect the to the USB of the 4550. It would be really cool and convenient to be able to see debug info or a USB com port instead of messing with the standard com port.

I had the standard port talking to the 4550’s com port at 9600 perfectly yesterday, and today I can’t get it to work at any speed with Windows or Linux. I was trying to see if I could get faster speeds to work, but should have left it alone.

8-Dale

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

Hi Dale,

OOPS! Hope you a backup or older project saved!

Hi Alan!

I didn’t change any of the code. The serial communication just stopped working. I couldn’t even program WALTER’s Basic Atom until I rebooted. Then that worked again.

@KM6VV

I just got your newest I2C 4550 file to compile with my Hi-Tech compiler. I put in a conditional to allow it to compile w/ 4620 (?) or 4550. Haven’t tested it yet.

I am going to work on getting defines added to my current code so I can build for the 4620/4680/4685, 4550/2550, and 2680/2620/2685. dsPIC code will need defines for the 4011, 4013 and 4012. I have not looked to see if there are any real changes needed for code between the 4011 and 4013 yet.

Keeping track of multiple sets of files and which sets have which changes is just getting unmanageable now. These chips are the ones I use most often.

8-Dale

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

@linuxguy

I am going to work on getting defines added to my current code so I can build for the 4620/4680/4685, 4550/2550, and 2680/2620/2685. dsPIC code will need defines for the 4011, 4013 and 4012. I have not looked to see if there are any real changes needed for code between the 4011 and 4013 yet.

That would be good. I was having a time trying to keep the files with the same names separated! I would have used the same file name myself, but it got too confusing! Especially since I had to make changes for my compiler. Now to get 'em tested.

@linuxguy

Keeping track of multiple sets of files and which sets have which changes is just getting unmanageable now. These chips are the ones I use most often.

8-Dale

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

That would be good. I was having a time trying to keep the files with the same names separated! I would have used the same file name myself, but it got too confusing! Especially since I had to make changes for my compiler. Now to get 'em tested.

After I get the defines in for my MPLAB setup, maybe you can merge your changes into that and add defines for the Hi-Tech compiler.

8-Dale

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

@linuxguy

@KM6VV

That would be good. I was having a time trying to keep the files with the same names separated! I would have used the same file name myself, but it got too confusing! Especially since I had to make changes for my compiler. Now to get 'em tested.

After I get the defines in for my MPLAB setup, maybe you can merge your changes into that and add defines for the Hi-Tech compiler.

8-Dale

Yeah, we’ll have to figure out how to do that. I got the register names resolved by dropping the “registerprefix.” off of register names. I think you might just be able to use the appropriate header file. I’ll send a pair of files for your examination.

// SSPCON1bits.SSPEN = 0; // Disable I2C Mode
SSPEN = 0; // Disable I2C Mode

// PIE1bits.SSPIE = 0; // Disable I2C Interrupts
SSPIE = 0; // Disable I2C Interrupts

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

Greetings, Alan!

@KM6VV

Yeah, we’ll have to figure out how to do that. I got the register names resolved by dropping the “registerprefix.” off of register names. I think you might just be able to use the appropriate header file. I’ll send a pair of files for your examination.

Yes, please send those files. I can only handle ZIP for archives. I have been thinking about how best to do the defines for my code. I think having a processor define first, and then compiler specific defines for changed required for the Hi-Tech and other compilers within that would be the way to go.

I will start out with a code base for the 4620/4680 and get all my current changes ported to that, then add defines for changes required for the 4550, 2620/2680, and 2550.

What do you think?

8-Dale

[km6vv]

Hi Dale,

Files on the way.

@linuxguy

Greetings, Alan!
Yes, please send those files. I can only handle ZIP for archives. I have been thinking about how best to do the defines for my code. I think having a processor define first, and then compiler specific defines for changed required for the Hi-Tech and other compilers within that would be the way to go.

I will start out with a code base for the 4620/4680 and get all my current changes ported to that, then add defines for changes required for the 4550, 2620/2680, and 2550.

What do you think?

8-Dale

Sounds like a plan! You’ll also notice that I use the standard unsigned int, char, etc. rather then some of the types in the original files.

Alan KM6VV

[linuxguy]

@KM6VV

Sounds like a plan! You’ll also notice that I use the standard unsigned int, char, etc. rather then some of the types in the original files.

OK, that will be my plan then. Before I can do too much more, I have to replace this stupid breadboard I am using now. It has whole sections where I may or may not be able to get a PIC to work on it. It’s getting where it works less and less now in two different sections of the board.

I am considering this breadboard, which is larger than the one I have now. I am open to recommendations for others I should consider. I may get two new breadboards because I frequently have more than just one circuit I am working on at the same time.

I also eventually want to get one of these Weller WES51 Soldering Stations, so I can solder better. The iron I have now is just one of those cheap pencil style irons with the huge tip. There is nno way I can expect to solder TQFP or LQFP chips with this old iron. The Weller station is also recommend by Schmart Boards. After watching the videos on how to solder the QFP, and even QFN, chips, I think I could do it with that Weller station and the Schmart Board EZ.

8-Dale