Hi All,
In my project I combine an Arduino UNO with the Polulo micro serial servo controller http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/207. I use the servo controller because I have more servo’s in my project than free available digital pins. I run into problems however at start up. Arduino comes up ok, but the servo controller jumps into error mode: amber led permanent on and red led flashing.
I found a few posts on the Internet. This one describes the same difficulties as I have http://forum.pololu.com/viewtopic.php?t=745 (search for led). I experimented with delays, but no success.
The servo controller is linked to the UNO via software serial. I think the problem lies here. Relevant part of my code.
#define Tx 2 // define digital pins to use as RX and TX for software serial connections
// Servo controller, Arduino pin connected to Pololu Servo Controller
#define Rx 100
SoftwareSerial SerialServoController (Rx,Tx); // create SoftwareSerial objects
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600); // Sets data rate in baud for serial data transmission.
delay(1000); // For StartUp timing issues?
SerialServoController.begin(9600); // begin communication on software serial channel
delay(1000); // For StartUp timing issues?
pinMode(Rx, INPUT); // setup the software serial pins
pinMode(Tx, OUTPUT);
} // End Setup
I noticed that when I attach the input port form the servo controller to digital pin 1 on the Arduino (hardware serial Tx) the problem is gone.
What am I missing?
Extra question. SotwareSerial is part of the Arduino core. Should there be a Softserial folder in the Arduino directory folder or not? My sketch compiles in both situations; no effect however on my “red led flash servo controller problem”.
Thanks in advance.
Best regards, Ko