Hey guys. This is my first post so please forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere. I couldnt find any info on it so here goes.
I’m wondering if any of you know of an electronic device that will allow me to program (record) servo movements and/or commands from my transmitter. I have a modified servo (360° continuous operation with stick input) and I would like to be able to have the servo automatically (once initiated) move a specified amount, pause, then move the same amount, pause, etc. During the pause, I would like to activate another channel on my receiver.
Am I way off base here by posting this on this forum? If so, do any of you know where I could find something like this? It doesn’t have to be elaborate–just do the basic processes that I described above.
Thanks in advance!
Though I’ve never used any of them, I think that there are several “servo recorder” type devices made specifically for recording and playing back a series of motions over time, often used for making automated hallowe’en props and the like. I thought that the Prop-1 controller from Parallax might fit the bill, but since it looks more like it’s set up to run a sequence programmed as data, rather than using a transmitter’s output as a sort of “teaching pendant”, you’re probably just as well using a straight microcontroller to produce the pulse chain. Heck - for all I know, one of the electronic modules available at your friendly local Lynxmotion website might be a pretty good match for your purposes.
From the sound of it, you’ve removed the position feedback in converting the servo to full rotation, and are trying to move to specific positions based on the time it would take to get from point to point. Since the speed of the servo’s motor would vary with the voltage being applied to it, the load on it, power consumption of other items sharing the same power bus, and any number of other factors, getting a specific amount of motion per burst with anything resembling precision is going to be an interesting problem at best. Since any outside forces (including inertia from the move) would tend to cause your servo to stray from where you want it, you might experience problems with drift, depending on what it is that you’re positioning. An encoder or physical interlock or brake might help with that aspect.
Hey, thanks Seamus! I’m no electronics expert but most of what you said made sense. 
I have a rotating camera mount in which I can control the panning, tilting, and shutter release. I would like to “automate” a complete 360° pan while snapping a picture every so many degrees so I get some overlap for stitching later. It would be nice to be able to choose between 360s and 180s. I wouldnt think the precision would be all that important yet it would have to be somewhat precise.
Hope this makes some sense. 
Hey you should check out this website. On it you will find a java based software that is used for the KHR robots, but I am about to see if it will work with my bot board and ssc-32.
Make sure you check out the video, I think this is what you are looking for.
hyperkhr.sourceforge.net/
