Questions for Mike Green or Anyone who might be able to help Protoboard on Boeb

MovieMaker

OK, Mike!

·· I have the following:· BoeBot Chasis Kit, Propeller on Protoboard, Ping and Bracket, SD card from SparkFun,Soundpal, heartbeat monitor, VGA,Mouse,Keyboard kit, Line following kit, IR emitter and REC., Pinouts are as follows:

P0
P1
P2
P3·· all go to SDcard from SparkFun
P4·· Ping Servo Out
P5·· Servo Motor Right Wheel
P6·· Servo Motor Left Wheel
P7·· IR Detector Left
P8·· Microphone input
P9·· IR Emitter Left
P10 Ping Signal In
P11 SoundPal output
P12 IR Emitter Right
P13 HeartBeat Monitor
P14 IR Detector Right
P15 Microphone other input


I tried various objects and I downloaded them. I used SPIN. I changed the pins to the right numbers as above and compiled and sent to RAM and to EEPROM.· So far I got the schroll demo to work and the HeartBeat Monitor. Everything else does not work. When the programs run, I hear the motors start to spin just a little split second and then stop.


I need some direction.



·

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

I'm no expert, but I did build my own homebrew version of the Propeller Boe-Bot.

Grab a copy of BoeBotBASIC from the obex. Look at the configuration.
It has settings for many of the items you've listed. This will give you a good
starting point.

OBC

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
New to the Propeller?

Getting started with a Propeller Protoboard?
Check out: Introduction to the Proboard & Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS

Mike Green

You need 1K resistors in many of these lines.· All 3 servo lines should have them (to cut down on noise).· The PING signal line and the IR detector will need them.· The IR emitters will need current limiting resistors, probably something like 100 Ohms.

BoeBotBasic has provisions for the 3 servos, 2 IR emitters, and 1 IR detector (mounted on the PING bracket).· It also will use an SD card.· One of the files should have most if not all of the I/O pin definitions in it.· Change them there and recompile and everything else should adjust.

You can directly access the I/O pins from Basic for simple input and output.· Later, you might be able to add some specialized statements to Basic for some of your other I/O using existing statements as models.

MovieMaker

Actually, I did. I changed the ports to match mine. But, when I power it up, one motor tries to start for a split second and then nothing.

:-(

I take it back. It was the propeller code that I ran. I am trying to understand. I load basic into the prop and it says READY. But, how do I load boebat basic into the Interpreter?

???

MovieMaker

Mike, if I can just get it running doing simple stuff, I can always add things. I used to program a long time ago. I read somewhere that I needed the resistors only on the INPUT pins. The OUTPUT pins are hooked directly up to whatever. This may be my problem.

Keep the info comming please, I am trying to fix this.

Thanks to you both.

Mike Green

You can compile BoeBotBasic to use the programming port and your PC for a console. If you see the Basic prompt, you can just type Basic statements, either for direct execution or with line numbers in front to store them for later execution. Read the documentation for details.

You can also compile BoeBotBasic to use an xBee transceiver for wireless control of the BoeBot. You'd need another xBee transceiver for your PC, but that's not hard to set up using an extra USB to serial adapter.

You'll need to give up two I/O pins for the xBee transmit and receive to use wireless.

MovieMaker

I don't have an Xbee.

MovieMaker

If you look at the top, I have listed what I have on this unit. I used the program in spin that had everything the same except I did not have an LCD monitor. This caused problems. I do have a VGA, KEYBOARD, and MOUSE port on the protoboard. But, I just use the terminal. I load the basic and I see READY. Now, how do I load the code into it. I have did the for 1=1 to 100, print i,NEXT i just to see if it would work and it did. But, some of these routines are already written. How do I load them into the protoboard once I have the interpreter loaded?

MovieMaker

The resistors that you are talking about. They ARE in serial with the item, right? Not going from that point to ground.

I feel like a Dumby. I was an engineer in a TV studio for many years. But, this is making me ignorant.

Whit

MovieMaker said...
I feel like a Dumby. I was an engineer in a TV studio for many years. But, this is making me ignorant.

Welcome to Robotics!

I just PM'd you some stuff. Take a look.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Whit+


"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

MovieMaker

Thanks, Whit!

MovieMaker

My email is: yhmmc@yahoo.com

Thanks!

MovieMaker

that little video is what I had hoped to start off with. BUT nothing is working too well. I can load up basic and get READY. I can load and execute the demo.spin program. I have changed the numbers to match the ones in the schematics. But, it just sits there thinking of what it wants to do.

:-(

MovieMaker

whit, this is the exact code that I have been trying to use.

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

Don't take it personally.. [noparse]:)[/noparse] I think there are only a handful of us here who have done this
modification to the Boebot, and as such you are charting fresh ground.
(Happens all the time here)

I'm buried in Expo prep myself and my Propellers are already packed or I'd set mine up
and see if I can replicate the issue. Sorry.

Keep plugging away at it, someone will jump in sooner or later. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

OBC

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
New to the Propeller?

Getting started with a Propeller Protoboard?
Check out: Introduction to the Proboard & Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS

MovieMaker

Maybe I will BUMP it up AFTER the TradeShow is over.· Thanks for the reply.· I will probably still be trying to figure it out.



Thanks Again.

Whit

MovieMaker said...
·I can load and execute the demo.spin program. I have changed the numbers to match the ones in the schematics. But, it just sits there thinking of what it wants to do.

:-(

Some folks have struggled with the pin numbering moving between the 40 pin chip and the 44 pin chip configuration.

Since we know the code works (at least for somebody), I'd re-check wiring and pin hook ups. Hope the article helps (thought it is written around the PE Kit as well).

Do you have power to the servos via the shorting block jumper at the header adjacent to the 3.3 voltregulator? The header should be between the center pin and the +5 volt pin. The Propeller Proto Board documentation pdf might help you see this. I guess you do if the servos are jumping (even if just a bit).

How about taking a photo of you set-up so we can have a look.

Good luck!
·

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Whit+


"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

Post Edited (Whit) : 8/22/2008 6:35:21 PM GMT

Mike Green

Please read the documentation for BoeBotBasic. There's also a sample program included (a version of Roaming with the BoeBot). Basic programs are entered by typing them on your PC into the BoeBotBasic interpreter or by using a simple text editor to enter them into a text file and copying that file to an SD card. BoeBotBasic will load the program from the SD card using the LOAD command. The partially compiled program can be SAVE'd to the 2nd half of the EEPROM. See the documentation for a description of how to automatically start a Basic program on an SD card file or in the EEPROM.

It's really important to get things working bit by bit. You've gotten a simple program to work using BoeBotBasic. Now make sure that the servos work as expected, then the PING, then the IR Emitters and the one detector that BoeBotBasic supports. Make sure the SD card works as expected.

Post Edited (Mike Green) : 8/22/2008 6:35:25 PM GMT

MovieMaker

Thank You guys, I can't wait to get home from work and try this.

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

If it helps, I had to remark the IR sensor code in the .BAS example that comes with BoeBotBasic.
I didn't have IR. It might help to remark sections to narrow things down.

OBC

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
New to the Propeller?

Getting started with a Propeller Protoboard?
Check out: Introduction to the Proboard & Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS

MovieMaker

Thanks

Chris Savage

MovieMaker said...
Maybe I will BUMP it up AFTER the TradeShow is over.· Thanks for the reply.· I will probably still be trying to figure it out.
Thanks Again

MovieMaker,

·· Additional BUMP messages will be deleted just as the other two posted today were.· Following up on your post with new information is one thing.· But posting a message that offers no new information just to keep your thread on top violates the forum guidelines.· To me a post with the word BUMP is SPAM and will be treated as such.· You are likely to get more help if you simply post as much information about your issue, what you are doing to try and resolve it and any relevant code.· Prompting members for answers isn't going to change anything.· If they have an answer they will post it.· Please, no more BUMP messages.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Chris Savage
Parallax Engineering

MovieMaker

I had no idea it was against regulations. I will always observe your rules. Sorry. I just did not want the questions to disappear and not get answered. Thanks for letting me know.

MovieMaker

Update: I tried to run drive.spin. My right motor simply did "Umph" just a tad.

then, I tried to run PING.Spin and the Servo for ping went from all the way to the right to all the way to the left. Maybe I need to center my servos. ???

MovieMaker

I would send you a pix, but it is just a mess of wires now. I plan to shorten them once they are working.

MovieMaker

I would send you a pix, but it is just a mess of wires now. I plan to shorten them once they are working.

MovieMaker

OK, I took most of the extras (SoundPal, Microphone,IRDETLeft,IRDetR,IRemittL,IRemittR,Ping, PingServo, LeftServ,RightServo and everything else but the SD card because it is soldered in. I ran the heartmonitor TEST and it came on! First TEST complete.
But, I do not know if it is working correctly or not. It comes on and stays on a while and then goes off for 46 seconds, then comes back on, etc. I don't know if the speed is correct. But, for all practical purposes it is working.

Now, next test the drive motors. They were NOT working the last time I tested them.

Wish me luck.

MovieMaker

OK, now I tried the drive.spin program and nothing happens.

???

Mike Green

If you want help, you're really going to have to communicate better. You will get empathy like "I'm really sorry it doesn't work for you and that you seem to be getting frustrated", but, without more information, it's hard to offer help. You also need to follow suggestions and report on what happened when you did. For example, did you read the BoeBotBasic documentation? Did you try to control the servos using it? What happened? Did you try the IR sensors? Were you able to use the IR sensors with BoeBotBasic's statements to measure distance? Did the PING))) work with BoeBotBasic? All of those are known to work with several people's Propeller BoeBot. You should be able to get them to work with yours.

Mike Huselton

You probably need to "buzz out" or check continuity step by step in your circuit as implemented on the Protoboard. Please take the time to use an ohmmeter to check, step by step, what you think is going on in your mind with what is actually going on in reality. Then you you can proceed to suspect the computer program.

Just a thought to help you out. I know the frustration of suspecting hardware AND software when something isn't working as you imagine.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
JMH

MovieMaker

OK, Mike. I did a report several times, but they got erased by the moderator. Here is my report again:

I took almost all of the attachment off of the robot. It left me with my SD card soldered in. P0-P1-P2 and P3. It also left me with the heartbeat monitor. It was soldered in also. I have the VGA and mouse and Keyboard connected physically to the motherboard, but I am not using them. I hooked up the usb connectors and turned the switch to servo with the ac adapter on. I read somewhere that I should use batteries, so I plugged the batteries in and set the block jumper switch to 5volts. Next, I loaded the Heart beat monitor and executed the program. Worked like a champ. I then tried the Drive Motors and they just gave me an "UPMTH." just jerked a little bit. When I hooked up the PING it moved from Right all the way left and stopped. The schematic says that I have to have pins going through a 100 ohm resistor one side to an LED each and then to ground on pins 3,5 and 7. Well, those pins are tied up with my SD card (4 gig).

If you read my first post, you will see what I have hooked up to what. Or at least my plans for them. I have so many unaswered questions at this point. I am trying to start from scratch and do one thing at a time. I should've done this to begin with. But, I figured that it would do simple stuff if I simply changed the pin numbers in the program.

When I ran the heartbeat object, I tried to vary the beat by changing the numbers. It worked as written , but any fluctuation from the orginal code would not light the LED up at all.

The moderater doesn't seem to like me posting too frequently, so I am trying to cram all of this into one post. Please forgive me.