Quick Question about parallax servo controller

jameskoo87

Hi,

Does the parallax servo controller (PSC) work with regular motor(like brush-less motor) and digital motor ?

My servo controller is connected to ESC(electronic speed control wire connected to the brush-less motor and battery) and steering motor (digital motor) and the steering seems to get lots of unknown noise.

I made a posting in another forum but I haven't found a solution to my problem yet.

Leon

It's intended for use with radio control servos.

StefanL38

the PSC creates signals like a R/C-receiver used for any kind of R/C-models (R/C-Cars, R/C-Aiplaines etc.)

this signal is a pulse-train of pulses pulselength between 1 milliscond and 2 milliseconds. these pules must be repeated every 20 milliseconds.
Whenever a devive is specified for this kind of signal it can be combined with the PSC.

Does the parallax servo controller (PSC) work with regular motor(like brush-less motor) and digital motor ?

a brushless motor is not a regular motor. A "regular" motor is a brushed DC-motor. Please explain in detail how the "digial motor" works.
"digial motor" is not a common expression. If you can't explain it attach a picture of it.

You described you have a problem. It is not very clear what exact the problem is. it is still unclear to me what results do you expect and what are you getting.
if the ESC is normally used with a R/C-receiver did you test the ESC with a standard R/C-receiver? What results did you get?

best regards

Stefan

schill

StefanL38 wrote: »

You described you have a problem. It is not very clear what exact the problem is. it is still unclear to me what results do you expect and what are you getting.
if the ESC is normally used with a R/C-receiver did you test the ESC with a standard R/C-receiver? What results did you get?

The original discussion is in this thread:

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?132290-Question-from-a-newbie-%28HELP!!-please%29

The issues jameskoo87 is having should probably be discussed there so that there is continuity in the discussion. The original post in this thread is ok because it is a different topic, but the other discussion shouldn't be split into two places.

jameskoo87

Hey schill,

I posted here because my new question would be more relevant here.
Anyway, I know my motors are digital. See them at http://www.servodatabase.com/servo/traxxas/2075

I got off the phone with Parallax Tech Support yesterday and they told me the parallax servo controller is not intended to work with digital motors,
by digital motors I'm not sure what they refer to, may the ones that do not accept simple PWM signals but instead need certain signal protocols?

Anyhow they told me to download and install PSC firmware, but I don't know how.
I was told that i could fix the firmware so that the controller can work with digital motors. But the problem for that case
is that my servo controller should work with 2 digital motors and 1 brush-less motor signal (ESC wire).

This is the email I sent to Tech Support just this morning:
...
I went here (http://www.parallax.com/tabid/832/Default.aspx)
and downloaded Propeller/Spin Tool Software v1.2.7 (R2)

and I downloaded PSC firmware here (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampModules/tabid/134/txtSearch/28830/List/1/ProductID/595/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName)

Now PSC firmware had a bunch of .spin files, I was able to open them up with Propeller/Spin Tool Software v1.2.7 (R2).
But .spin files are bunch of source codes it seems, how should I install them? Do they get compiled ?

---

I'm coming to the point where the issue might be with the controller (but I'm not certain).
We are going to be doing few testing today to see if the problem is really with the controller itself (not being compatible with some motors like what I have).

schill

jameskoo87 wrote: »

Hey schill,

I posted here because my new question would be more relevant here.

I replied to StefanL38 because I thought the discussion of your original problem should be continued in the original thread and not in a new thread. I think that's where the information you've just provided belongs as well.

Anyway, I know my motors are digital. See them at http://www.servodatabase.com/servo/traxxas/2075

I think you are confusing things by referring to what are normally called servos as digital motors. The Propeller Servo Controller (PSC) is designed to work with servos. The reason it works with the ESC is because the ESC is designed to look like a servo to the outside world. There are digital and analog servos, but as far as the PSC is concerned there shouldn't be a difference (they are both controlled by a variable-length pulse).

I don't know of anything called a "digital motor" but there is plenty of stuff out there I don't know about.

I'm coming to the point where the issue might be with the controller (but I'm not certain).
We are going to be doing few testing today to see if the problem is really with the controller itself (not being compatible with some motors like what I have).

As I mentioned in the other thread, I have also had problems with some servos and the PSC. I provided some information in that thread and may be able to provide more.

I suggest that the discussion continue in that thread rather than this one. I believe the question of whether it will work with a normal DC motor (brushed or brushless) instead of servos is an ok question and deserves its own thread. But, the discussion of problems using the PSC with the servos it's designed for belongs in the thread you started previously where all the other information is.

Publison

Try a 5K resistor in line with the servo signal (white wire on you servo). There have been problems running some Digital Servos with the new PSC board because of the on-board level translators.

Here are a couple threads about the problem:

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?118121-Digital-servo-s-on-USB-servocontroller&p=862005

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?119982-propeller-servo-controller-problem&p=881474