Help me out : I have a few questions

Robin E.

Hi everybody! This is my first post here, so I might as well present myself too... I'm 14, in France in Junior Year (simple enough).

I have now had, for a month, the latest Boe-Bot (USB edition). I've finished the whole guide given with it and finished all the programming sequences there was to learn in the book given with my robot. I now have a few questions:

1)Regardless of price, what are my options for having a computer-remoted Boe-Bot?
2)Would it be possible to, again, regardless of price, have a camera display on my computer as I control my Boe Bot?
3)My PSP (Sony Playstation Portable) has an IR port. Could I control my Bot from there? (I could make the PSP program THAT I know how to do)

Again remember I'm starting in the PBASIC programming so I'm not too good...

And for theses questions I say "Regardless of the Price" because I've been baby-sitting for the past month like every WHOLE weekend so I've got some money saved up LOL...

Thanx a lot for your answers !

Ken Gracey

Hello Robin,

(1) I recommend getting some of the simple RF transmitter/receiver modules as sold by Parallax or anybody else. With these, you'll be able to "drive" the robot around from the BASIC Stamp's DEBUG terminal or Hyperterminal. The connection I use works like this:

· PC => BASIC Stamp => RF Transmitter ))) ~ ~ ~ ~ ((( RF Receiver => BASIC Stamp on robot

It could also be bi-directional, with a transceiver. SERIN/SEROUT commands would be used.

(2) I've done this with the X-10 cameras and an NTSC/PAL display (a TV) but you can also use a wireless webcam (are these available?).

(3) I don't know yet. I haven't worked with these yet - I suggest a Google expedition. I think we've published sample code for the wired PS2 controller, but not the IR version. I imagine the IR circuitry and modulation is a bit of a challenge. If you want an easy start, use a Universal Programmable Remote control and download "IR Control with the Boe-Bot" from our web site. This text and electronic interface makes a lot of sense to me.

Keep up the babysitting along with microcontrollers. Seems like a funny combination, but you're setting up an excellent future for yourself.

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

Robin E.

Thank you for your very precise answer.

So knowing that I only have A USB Boe-Bot and a computer, I would need to purchase this (?) :

RF Transmitter : http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=27996
RF Receiver : http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=27995

And then I would need another Basic Stamp, directly and always plugged into my computer. Would this [noparse][[/noparse] http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28850 ] do?

And again, I've only just started PBASIC, so would the documentation with all this be enough to program a computer-controlled Boe-Bot?

And for a two-way transmition, what would I have to use? ( this? http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=27997 )

And lastly, with the two way transmition, couldn't the robot send back camera data collected from an on board camera (eg : this one : http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=30051 )

Also, I live in France, as you may have read, and the shop where I got my Boe-Bot, as I have just witnessed, has raised its prices like HELL ! (eg : 300 $ for the Gripper Kit !!!! )

Do you know any shops that deal parallax products in France or any shops that ship in france, knowing that the given sites on the Parallax webwite either have only one Bot or are also extremely expensive... Does the Parallax Online Shop Ship in France??

Thank you again.

Post Edited (Robin E.) : 12/26/2005 1:13:39 PM GMT