PS2 controller communication with Robot Arm

[johnt-4]

Hi:

We have purchased a Robot Arm AL5D with a medium wrist rotate servo, for a Science Olympiads project.

We would like to use the robot with the wireless PS2 controller.
This is a partial list of what we have purchased:
Mini atom Bot Board II V2 (ABB-01)
Basic Atom Pro 28 Pin (BAP-02)
PS2 controller (RC-01)
Sony play station cable (PS2C-01)
Wall adapter (WP-04)

In the same box we received the PS2 controller there is a board called “PS2 level shifter”.
Do we need to connect this board, if yes how and where.
This might be my problem. No where in your tutorials I could find this answer.

All servos work when using a Lynx Terminal with the SSC-32 board.

We cannot control the robot with the wireless PS2 controller.
The receiver green light is solid green, and the red LED is always flashing.
No matter which buttons we push nothing happens, and the controller lights go off after 30 seconds.
What is the green light on the PS2 marked “NEGCON” do? I wish there was a tutorial on the PS2, we have never played with Sony PS2.
We purchased a second set of transmitter and receiver, and we have the same results, nothing works on the robot.

We borrowed a Sony Play station 2 wired controller, and we are able to control the servos, but not very well, (slow moving, moving on their own).

We have used the “PS2 Programming Tutorial-PS2 RC”.
We have loaded on the Atom Pro 28 pins the program indicated in your tutorial, “BB only PS2 control.bas” and the program was executed without errors.

The wiring on the PS2 controller cable does NOT match with any schematic color scheme, but we followed and traced with an ohmmeter the connections on your tutorial.

Blue to pin 12 (DATA) NOT to pin 15 as indicated in your color code schematic.
Orange to pin 13 (CMD) NOT to pin 14.
Yellow to pin 14 (ATT) NOT to pin 13
Purple to pin 15 (CLK) Not to pin 12
The four-pin connector had to be reversed 180 degrees.

We only use the Bot Board II with the Basic Atom Pro 28 (No SSC-32 board)

We doubled checked all the wiring and jumpers from your tutorial.
All the batteries are fresh, and the voltages are correct when measured with a voltmeter on the logic (VL) and servos (VS)

I have spent many hours on your Tech Support Website, and I was not able to resolve the problem.
Sorry for the long post, please help us resolve the issue. We can upload some pictures if you believe it will help you.
Thanks
John

[cbenson]

Hi John,

In the same box we received the PS2 controller there is a board called “PS2 level shifter”.
Do we need to connect this board, if yes how and where.

Lynxmotion initially carried a wireless PS2 remote control which worked well with all of our products. Several years in, the manufacturer made some “minor” modifications to the remote and when it was tested, it was found it did not work at all with the robots. The “level shifter” board was developed which solves that issue. The RC-01 V2 PS2 controllers we offer already come with the level shifter.
lynxmotion.com/p-869-ps2-rob … er-v2.aspx
robotshop.com/productinfo.as … lang=en-US
There are many PS2 controllers out there which may work, but in order to avoid confusion, we removed PS2C-01 from the Lynxmotion website.

If you have your own PS2 controller and it is not working, we suggest also purchasing the following adapter:
robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Cyt-70
This would be soldered to the level shifter board. You would not need PS2C-01.
We suggest also ordering a 6" servo cable and an 8" data dable:
robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Onl-02
robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Onl-09

Connect the wires based on name and not by color (use the PS2 cable functions which corresponds with the PS2 IO port connections).
lynxmotion.com/images/html/build151.htm

What is the green light on the PS2 marked “NEGCON” do? I wish there was a tutorial on the PS2, we have never played with Sony PS2.

The controllers are created to be almost identical to normal PS2 controllers - the “analog” light is really the only light you need to consider.

Hope this helps,

[johnt-4]

Hi:
Thanks for the reply, but I am confused, please help me to clarify the solution.
We have now two LynxMotion PS2 controller RC-01 and two wireless LynxMotion receivers PS2R-01 receivers, and two LynxMotion level shifters you indicated.
Do I need the level shifters, if yes where do I wire it?
I would like to use what we purchased based on recommendation from your Web site.
Everything we have is LynxMotion product.
We do not have a Sony PS2, we borrowed from a friend.
Please help me connect what I have so it works.
Thanks again.
John

[kurte]

It would help to see a picture of what you actually have. That is does your receiver look like:

And then they also sent a board that looks like:

OR does your receiver look like the pictures:
http://www.lynxmotion.com/images/product/large/rc-01%20v2.jpg

I will start with the later as it is easier to hook up… Take the two servo extension cables and remove the 3 pin Male/Male connectors from them. Then plug them into the male pins on the board coming out of the receiver. Have first one with Black going to pin labeled DAT. Plug the next one in with Black going to GND.

Now to connect to Bot Board 2: Plug the first extension in to three signal pins for IO pins 12, 13, 14. The IO pins the ones nearer the center of the board. Plug the 2nd one in to IO pin 15 with Black on ground… Make sure the Voltage selector for those pins is +5v… Although these can probably run on VS as well as they have their own voltage regulator…

If it is like the top two pictures, it sounds like Lynxmotion was in the state of a transition to the new controllers. Wonder if they would swap for the new ones that match… But if not or if you have some one that do the mods. What is needed is to connect the 9 IO pins that come out of the PS2 controller to the IO pins of the shifter board. Could do this with 3 servo extension wires. Simply take one end of each of them and use an exacto knife to help extract the pins from the black 3 pin connector housings. Best to put some heat shrink tubing over each one and then jamb them onto the pins that come out of the connector of the receiver… On the other ends cut off the connector and solder the wires into each of the holes… Note: you can obviously use one servo extension cable to make 2 of these connections by cutting it in half…

Alternatively you can open up the receiver by removing the 4 screws, and then remove the connector. My first attempt would be to cut the wires as close to the connector as I can, such that it leave the pins attached to the circuit board. I would then try to straighten those pins up some and see if I could get the new board such that I could get all those wires through the holes. Make sure the board is in the right order such that the labels match and then solder them in… Hopefully then can put it back in the case and screw the case shut… Then handle like option 1… At least that was the idea…

Good Luck
Kurt

[cbenson]

Correct. As Kurt indicated, can you describe or include an image of what you received?
From what I understand, you have a normal wireless PS2 transmitter and receiver, a level shifter (which is not connected to anything) and a PS2C cable.

[johnt-4]

Hi:
I will try to attach some pictures of what we have.I do not know if there is a limit on the numbers of picture I can attach.
Why cannot I use the PS2 cable that you removed from your Website? (PS2-01) We just purchase this cable a few weeks ago.
I like this cable because it plugs directly into the receiver and the Bot Board II.
Thanks a lot for helping me out.
John

[kurte]

Looks to me like you have a V1 and a V2 of the Lynxmotion receivers there. What I don’t know is if a V1 transmitter can talk to a V2 receiver or V2 to a V1… So in both cases you may need to try both transmitters to see if they will talk to one…

My first response hopefully properly described how to hook up the V2 version with the two servo extension cables.

As for the V1 one with the cable supplied. I don’t know that cable wire markings… I am used to most of the previous generation ones that the first wire in the 4 wire connector was brown and that connected to P12. But this one looks like it has Blue/Orange/Yellow/Purple. If it is not working with either receiver, I would be tempted to reverse that cable and have the blue wire go to P15. But that is just a guess…

As for why the pulled the cable? Good question, especially since they still sell V1 receivers. Maybe because it has different wire colors? If so they should update some of the users guides like: lynxmotion.com/images/html/b … tm#aglance with the updated information. Likewise these manuals should be updated to show how to connect up a V2 receiver.

Good Luck
Kurt

[cbenson]

What I don’t know is if a V1 transmitter can talk to a V2 receiver or V2 to a V1… So in both cases you may need to try both transmitters to see if they will talk to one…

You need to use a V2 transmitter with a V2 receiver.
V2 receiver has two red LEDs, and the Lynxmotion branding is more 3-dimensional on the transmitter.
V1 receiver has one red and one green LED and the Lynxmotion branding is flat on the transmitter.

The PS2C cable can only be used with the V1 receiver. The V2 receiver (which, as we see has the PCB already soldered) only needs standard servo cables.

Why can’t I use the PS2 cable that you removed from your Website?

It can only be used with the V1 PS2 controller (and some other brands), which we don’t sell anymore. It does not work at all with the V2.

So, we suggest you use the PS2C cable with the V1 receiver and V1 controller.

Alternatively, use the V2 transmitter with the V2 receiver + level shifter and servo wires.