Ordered me one yesterday. I never received a confirmation email of my order though...is this normal because its on backorder? Did anyone else get a confirmation?
@Bane: Yes, I did get a confirmation email immediately after ordering. Re-check your spam folder. Did you save your order ID number? You can confirm with Parallax.
ordered 4. My son was thinking of starting a robot club at school. I was about to fund a Stingray but decided to get a couple of these so they could run competitions with each other. Can't wait.
And now i have a hoard of refrigerator-cleaning HS students reading documentation.
Surprisingly, the Startup Guide for "New Red" looks exactly like "Old Blue"; same ten built-in demo routines. Disappointing, given S2's drastically improved capabilities.
At a minimum, I hope S2's "draw a figure 8" routine invokes the motor encoders to accurately measure distance, instead of S1's rough approximation. It's Christmas; gimme something I can use!
@Parallax & PhiPi: Some cool Christmas Spin code (given S2's encoders) would be to draw some various accurate Spirograph patterns. Ain't that what Scribblin' is all about?
Surely this sounds like an honest & earnest request for the kiddies, but I have far more selfish motivations in mind. Inasmuch as I'm still not too conversant on the Prop & writing or uploading files, it would be nice for a us Prop virgins to have a step-by step hand-holding primer on a getting starter Spin file up and running on the S2.
1. Install the Propeller Tool software on your computer.
2. Connect the S2 to your computer via Serial cable or a USB to Serial Adapter, and make sure it is powered on.
3. Run the Propeller Tool, and load the *.spin file that you want to run on the S2.
4. Press F10 to load into RAM, or F11 to load into EEPROM.
I just preordered one of these! I plan on using spin/pasm only and not the GUI to program mine and will share all of my exploits with the spin beginners here.
Motors | 2 DC motors provide 20-80 RPM wheel speed
What does this mean? I would have thought that the speed would be controllable from 0-80 RPM. Or does it mean that the top speed is anywhere from 20-80 RPM?
The speed range that I measured on my static test stand is more like 11 to 83 r.p.m. The speed of the faster wheel is controlled by an integer from 0 (stopped) to 15 (maximum speed). The speed of the slower wheel is coordinated to the faster one to produce the exact speed ratio selected by the programmer. Here's a chart obtained from my readings for the faster wheel:
You will notice that the speed for a setting of 1 is the same as that for 2. This is because the S2 object sets a minimum speed of 2 for the faster wheel, in order to guarantee smooth motion.
The actual top speed at the high settings is a function of battery voltage and motor load. On my chart, it tapers off a bit, probably because I'm using 1.2V NiMH batteries that haven't been charged recently. When this happens, the motor controller for the faster motor is PWMing at 100%.
BTW, if either wheel gets lugged down (e.g. from gripping it with your hand), the other one will slow accordingly.
Ingenious, PhiPi! So the encoders are always on duty behind the scenes to keep the wheels in sync and the bot going straight. Fabulous... now can they also be used to:
1) specify a certain straight travel distance, and
2) make calibrated turns?
@Parallax & PhiPi: Some cool Christmas Spin code (given S2's encoders) would be to draw some various accurate Spirograph patterns. Ain't that what Scribblin' is all about?
Surely this sounds like an honest & earnest request for the kiddies, but I have far more selfish motivations in mind. Inasmuch as I'm still not too conversant on the Prop & writing or uploading files, it would be nice for a us Prop virgins to have a step-by step hand-holding primer on a getting starter Spin file up and running on the S2.
Any possibility of that?
hey erco also you could use Chris's new servo + hackerport pen lift/lowering hack.
Comments
Can't wait to see them "in the flesh".
Bean
Now how about placing those reform-school Penguins in good homes by Christmas?
The Penguins were built by the Chimney with care,
In hopes the Parallax fix would soon be there...
Ken will have to let go of these sooner or later!
Jim
And now i have a hoard of refrigerator-cleaning HS students reading documentation.
Forgot the cable though. I'll need to add that.
It's bad when you start ordering your own Christmas presents...
At a minimum, I hope S2's "draw a figure 8" routine invokes the motor encoders to accurately measure distance, instead of S1's rough approximation. It's Christmas; gimme something I can use!
Surely this sounds like an honest & earnest request for the kiddies, but I have far more selfish motivations in mind. Inasmuch as I'm still not too conversant on the Prop & writing or uploading files, it would be nice for a us Prop virgins to have a step-by step hand-holding primer on a getting starter Spin file up and running on the S2.
Any possibility of that?
1. Install the Propeller Tool software on your computer.
2. Connect the S2 to your computer via Serial cable or a USB to Serial Adapter, and make sure it is powered on.
3. Run the Propeller Tool, and load the *.spin file that you want to run on the S2.
4. Press F10 to load into RAM, or F11 to load into EEPROM.
It's that simple.
What does this mean? I would have thought that the speed would be controllable from 0-80 RPM. Or does it mean that the top speed is anywhere from 20-80 RPM?
Rich H
The speed range that I measured on my static test stand is more like 11 to 83 r.p.m. The speed of the faster wheel is controlled by an integer from 0 (stopped) to 15 (maximum speed). The speed of the slower wheel is coordinated to the faster one to produce the exact speed ratio selected by the programmer. Here's a chart obtained from my readings for the faster wheel:
You will notice that the speed for a setting of 1 is the same as that for 2. This is because the S2 object sets a minimum speed of 2 for the faster wheel, in order to guarantee smooth motion.
The actual top speed at the high settings is a function of battery voltage and motor load. On my chart, it tapers off a bit, probably because I'm using 1.2V NiMH batteries that haven't been charged recently. When this happens, the motor controller for the faster motor is PWMing at 100%.
BTW, if either wheel gets lugged down (e.g. from gripping it with your hand), the other one will slow accordingly.
-Phil
1) specify a certain straight travel distance, and
2) make calibrated turns?
This is lookin' good, Friend!
Yes to both 1) and 2).
-Phil
hey erco also you could use Chris's new servo + hackerport pen lift/lowering hack.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?t=127511