Change in plans...
Lindsay
(http://groups.google.com/groups/BalfourRobotics). The original plan
called for using a parallel port for communication between robot and
the driver. But for some reason, we designed the whole thing, before
actually checking to see if the computer being used to control the
robot really had a parallel port... It doesn't. So, the question is,
would it be easy enough to redesign the system to use USB instead? I'm
not sure EXACTLY what we need in total for inputs and outputs, as the
first real meeting to discuss the whole thing with a teacher advisor
isn't until tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon. When I get home, I will update
the BalfourRobotics group to outline the details, instead of flooding
groups with the full post.
But if anybody can give me a rough estimate of how much more (or less
as the case may be) work it would be to use USB, that would be
fantastic! As you have probably guessed, I only just started
programming hardware, although I have done software for a few years
now.
Thanks in advance
Lindsay & Balfour Collegiate Senior Robotics Team
Homer J Simpson
"Lindsay" <barto.i...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1158641011.3...@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> But if anybody can give me a rough estimate of how much more (or less
> as the case may be) work it would be to use USB, that would be
> fantastic! As you have probably guessed, I only just started
> programming hardware, although I have done software for a few years
> now.
Is that your real email address?
sleb...@gmail.com
> Okay, there has been a change in plans for out 2007 Robot
> (http://groups.google.com/groups/BalfourRobotics). The original plan
> called for using a parallel port for communication between robot and
> the driver. But for some reason, we designed the whole thing, before
> actually checking to see if the computer being used to control the
> robot really had a parallel port... It doesn't. So, the question is,
> would it be easy enough to redesign the system to use USB instead?
Check out FTDI USB chips at http://www.ftdichip.com/ . They make
interfacing with USB easy. In particular check their FIFO chip. You get
8 parallel, bidirectional data pins. Best of all the generic device
driver they give you emulates a virtual serial port so interfacing to
it on the software side is as easy as opening COM3.
Donkey D...
news:1158641011.3...@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
If you've already done all the other groundwork, it might be easiest, (and
less costly), to add a parallel port PCI card, if you have a spare PCI slot.
... DD
linnix
> If you've already done all the other groundwork, it might be easiest, (and
> less costly), to add a parallel port PCI card, if you have a spare PCI slot.
Great, just tell the professor to change the requirements, as requested
by someone in a newsgroup.
John Larkin
wrote:
Why has engineering education become robots, robots, and robots? They
are mostly goofy toys, and none of them do anything useful.
John
Donkey D...
news:1158675936.6...@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Lindsay said that the plans for parallel port comms are already completed.
If you have nothing useful to add, you'd be better off keeping quiet.
... DD
Ben Wheare
> But if anybody can give me a rough estimate of how much more (or less
> as the case may be) work it would be to use USB, that would be
> fantastic! As you have probably guessed, I only just started
> programming hardware, although I have done software for a few years
> now.
>
The easiest by-far way would be to get a USB-Serial cable, and change
the USB plug for a socket to plug a USB cable into. That would give you
USB for the PC and a serial interface to the robot. Probably easier
than designing a new circuit including the chips...