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Kit or not to kit? — Parallax Forums

Kit or not to kit?

joe from NYjoe from NY Posts: 22
edited 2005-12-21 17:19 in Robotics
HI ,
Looking to get into a quadcrawler. They are out of stock at the moment. Is it true that they can only be purchased via Parallax and not through Crustcrawler?

I am asking as I would like to get started for Christmas with the BOE board and then add on the hardware later..

Can this be done? Or does Parallax only sell the complete Kit?


Hope you get my gist of what I hope to accomplish.
Thanks Joe

Comments

  • Kenny GardnerKenny Gardner Posts: 169
    edited 2005-12-20 20:00
    Why not go for the QuadRod HD instead? Much cooler looking, anyway!

    That way, you can purchase just a hardware kit or a hardware kit and servos.

    Kenny
  • joe from NYjoe from NY Posts: 22
    edited 2005-12-20 23:06
    How is the quadrod HD? Can you mount a base on it so other electronics may be added?
    Anyone have a review on it?
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2005-12-21 01:20
    Joe,

    It sounds like you want to get started with a BoE now, and add quadcrawler hardware later when you are ready. I can't give you details for the quadcrawler, but I can offer a suggestion.

    If you haven't yet purchased a BoE and Stamp, consider getting the BoE-Bot kit from Radio Shack. You can probably find it at your local RS store for $150, which gives you the whole kit for about $35 more than a BoE + BS2 module alone would cost.

    The two Parallax kits that RadioShack sells are an excellent value.
  • joe from NYjoe from NY Posts: 22
    edited 2005-12-21 16:05
    Kevin, that was i was thinking. Radioshack has the BOE for 75$. Gona pickup it up this week. Then add on the H h/w and servo controllers later. Thinking of going with the QUADROD HD after looking at it..
    Thanks for the ideas
  • Steve RennellsSteve Rennells Posts: 40
    edited 2005-12-21 16:58
    joe from NY said...
    Radioshack has the BOE for 75$

    Radioshack sells the "What's a Microcontroller" kit (excellent value) for $75, which includes the Homework Board, not the BOE. RS also sells the serial version of the Boe-Bot kit, which does include a BOE, for around $150. Again, a good value. But for an extra $30, you can order the serial version of the Boe-Bot kit directly from Parallax AND receive a FREE Scribbler robot!! SUPER value (IMHO)

    This is what I did and they're under the tree right now . . . . MASSIVE will power to still have them under the tree . . .

    Whichever way you decide to go, you're getting a good deal and you'll have a ton of fun.

    Cheers,

    Steve
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-12-21 17:19
    I try not to recommend non-Parallax products on these forums (unless there is no comperable Parallax product), but seeing as how you are already thinking of going with a non-Parallax product, how about going with a quadrapod that is less than half the price of the ones you've been looking at?

    Lynxmotion offers robot platforms at a price cheaper than anywhere else I can find (I think there is one other company that has them around the same price).

    Their 2-DOF quadrapods are $116 with no servos or electronics, and $219.95 with servos: http://www.lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=28·(it is slightly cheaper to buy your servos from Parallax with thier 5% discount for quantities over 5), and thier 3-DOF quadrapods are $136 with no servos or electronics and $351.95 w/ servos: http://www.lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=34·(again it would be cheaper to buy the servos from Parallax ($136 + $136.80 = $272.80). The difference between the 2-DOF and 3-DOF quadrapods are that 3-DOF legs stay perpendicular to the ground whereas 2-DOF legs swing out, 3-DOF legs have an easier time walking across carpeted areas (it doesnt attempt to overcome lateral friction when walking).

    The Lynxmotion robots don't have any electronics, but you are already intending on purchasing that seperately (so not much sense in buying it twice). Also you will have to get a seperate servo controller to control all of the servos such as Parallax's Servo Controller board. Getting the 2-DOF lynxmotion quadrapod, with Parallax's servos and Servo controller board (serial) would be $116 + $91.20 + $39 = $246.20 + the cost of the BOE, still a couple hundred less than the QUADROD.

    Also Lynxmotion has a build-your-own erector-set-style system where you can buy the components over time when you have the money: http://www.lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=73

    They provide instructions on building a few variations of 2 and 3 DOF quadrapods.
    ·
    I hate doing this, but lynxmotion also has a 32 channel servo controller board (for $39) here: http://www.lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=395&CategoryID=52, the reason I mention it is you can buy·the SSC-32 Sequencer·for another $40 which ·helps you sequence the servos to obtain the proper servo movement, Parallax has similar software (for free), but the SSC-32 can spit out Basic Stamp code to get your board to do the same movements (I don't think the Parallax software has a code generating feature). It depends on whether you want to spend an extra $40 for the code generating feature.

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    ·1+1=10

    Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 12/21/2005 6:13:33 PM GMT
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