Wireless RCX IR Tower

[Burf2000]

Anyone written the Hi-Technic IRLink to RCX yet?

[skaako]

I have a mindstorm kit missing the IR tower and am interested in your design. I f you could post the schematic and hex file I that would be great. Looks like you did a nice job on it.

Thanks Dondigital

Hi, i should be back home next week so i'll find the files and post them, i didnt get around to my full test as i have been at sea for the last few months, i know i changed the design a little bit before i went away so i'll have to get back into it.

[DLuders]

Anyone written the Hi-Technic IRLink to RCX yet?

Maybe this article is what you're looking for: http://mightor.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/control-the-world-with-the-hitechnic-ir-link/ .

Here is the HiTechnic IRLink Sensor: http://www.hitechnic.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=NIL1046

[Toastie]

Maybe this article is what you're looking for: http://mightor.wordp...echnic-ir-link/ .

Here is the HiTechnic IRLink Sensor: http://www.hitechnic...ion&key=NIL1046

Well, I guess you are looking more for this: http://mightor.wordp...s-well-that-is/ and yes, that was one of my RCX PBricks and I think if Xander can get this to work, it will be f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c. The thing is that the RCX can also be programmed using RobotC (2.02 ... they will stop support for the RCX soon, but) RobotC-programs along with the enhanced RCX firmware are blistering fast. It is worth to have a look. I use it to control my trains with the RCX from a host program ... here is a rather long video

(The only interesting thing here is that PID control overcomes the restrictions caused by the RCX PWM outputs not very well matching the 9V train motors characteristics, leading to virtually no torque at low power settings and freakingly fast speeds at higher power settings. PID control is accomplished by the RCX running RobotC firmware in real time.)

Should Xander really be successful, we will be able to control the RCX (Scout, Spybot - via messaging) as well as single pin PF outputs with the NXT and IRLink sensor. That would make it for me!!!

Regards,

Thorsten

[Toastie]

Anyone written the Hi-Technic IRLink to RCX yet?

Hi Burf,

I guess you have seen it already, just in case not (saw your comment on Xander's blog): Xander has released a first version of the HTIRLink for RCX/NXT communication: RobotC 3rd Party drivers. Works perfectly well for RCX/NXT message exchange - for me this would be the only one thing I am looking for - I don't want to treat the RCX as dumb motor driver. You can do standard messaging (1 byte payload, compatible to PBricks including Scout, Spybot, and all RCX versions running standard Lego firmware + RobotC firmware) or extended 2-byte payload messaging (RobotC only). There is currently an issue with the latest RobotC RCX firmware not correctly doing 6 byte messaging, but that might be fixed "soon".

Direct motor control does not (yet), but this is due to the RobotC developers screwing up the RCX firmware - it does not even work anymore within their own IDE (direct motor control) .

Rumors have it that there is going to be a final end-of-life firmware version along with a specifically taylored RobotC version. Would be brilliant - nothing compares to the performance of RCX programs written in RobotC.

Rock on,

Thorsten

[ssh]

Hi all,

After getting my first RCX 2.0 kit for a bargain due to the fact it was missing the IR tower and a few miscellaneous pieces, i went about building a serial port tower. This was due to the fact after looking locally online after a month i gave up, and my friend needed the USB Tower that i was borrowing back.

After looking for some plans online i didn't have much luck and nothing that i could build with the parts i had on hand. I realized with the help of some very informative sites that the IR tower is just basically a serial port at 2400 baud 8 data bits and odd parity. Also i found it uses a standard 38kHz as the carrier frequency.

So for the IR receiver is a simple circuit fed into an RX line of the RS233A IC. For the transmitter was a bit more tricky, so a small program on the PIC generates a 38kHz carrier frequency, then a TX line from the RS233A is fed into an input of the PIC, the program uses this to modulate the 38kHz carrier. The IR LED is driven directly from the PIC at about 15mA. Only 4 pins of this IC are used so a smaller chip would do the job.

Now.. many sites state that the RTS, CTS pins of the Tower are joined so that the program recognizes that the tower is present. I did join these pins at first and it worked perfectly, so i disconnected them and it still worked, even carrying out a firmware update in Robolab 2.5.4. So maybe only the earlier versions of the software checked for this.

So now i had made my IR Tower the next step which i had planned earlier was to make it wireless. I like using the remote in Bricx to control my robot but if i turned it around.... no more communications. So with a header added to the board a and a few extra wires i added an RF transceiver module. With one attached to the com port of the computer now i will be able to drive the robot all round the house without worry. I have only bench tested it as yet, but the next fine weekend we get i'll take it to the park for a trial. I'm expecting around a 300m LOS range, these modules i have managed to get 350m max at 9600 baud so 300m at 2400 shouldn't be too much to ask.

I can post a schematic/HEX file if anyone is interested.

Now the only thing is... my friend wants one too : )

Mike

Hi Mike,

I am very interested in a schematic and HEX file.

My son and I have started on trying to get the NXT communicate with spybots and your circuit can come in handy.

Best Regards

[japatricio]

Hello, can you send me the schematic and HEX file.

Maybe you have some upgrade to the dessign....

Just rescated my rcx bricks. My 7 years old son seems to be interested with my old Mindstorm set ;-) and I am happy.

japatricio@gmail.com

Thanks