Wowwee Elvis controlled by SSC-32

Lynxmotion Electronics & Software
1

Hi guys.
I’m trying to control the Wowwee Elvis android by SSC-32 controller and having some issues.
The animatronics in the android is controlled by “5 wire” servos that consist of large gear motors with 10K pots on top and internal proprietary board which moves them.
So I disassembled HS-645MG servo and took its internal circuit and wired it the pot and motor of the android. But when I tried to use Lynx SSC-32 Terminal to move the servo it only worked in two opposite positions, i.e. when I move the slider control down nothing happens until somewhere at P1940 when the motor snaps and turns to the end-right position. The same is with the opposite sliding. It will only start at 2250 and turn the motor to the end-left position.
I suspect that the internal servo circuit I used doesn’t work with this type of gear-box motors. Should I use Single H-Bridge - HS-5745 Servo Amp?
lynxmotion.com/p-648-single- … o-amp.aspx

Or it’s something different?
Thank you!

2

Perhaps you could provide some images of the motors/character. Hard to recommend a motor controller with -0- information about the motor.

3

Thanks for the quick reply Jim
Here are the links to the article where the guy explains how to disassemble the Elvis. There you can see the pictures of the motors and the board. He is using Basic Stamps to control them:

robocommunity.com/article/12 … —Part-1/
robocommunity.com/article/12 … he-Brain-/
robocommunity.com/article/12 … he-Boards/

This guy used external controller
robocommunity.com/article/14 … ternal-PC/

The motors run at 9V, but I tested them with 6V and they worked fine. They look bigger than the one in HS-645MG so I suspect there is not enough current supplied by internal circuit of HS-645MG.

4

Prolly right. Might try the 5745 amps, but not sure…

5

Thanks!
I ordered one. I’ll let you know how it goes.

6

Ok guys.
For those who are interested:
The lower neck gear motors are not standard servos and cannot be controlled by SSC-32.
The upper neck motor is the servo, but requires the HS-5745 Servo Amp since it draws higher amperage. The face control motors are the lower power servos and CAN be controlled by the internal circuit of HS-485HB and SSC-32 controller! Even though the operating voltage of the motors in Elvis board is 9V they’ll work fine with 6V!
So it’s possible to control the Elvis mimicry by joystick through SSC-32 and record the sequence of commands for re-usage later!
I’ll try to post some pictures when it’s done.