How to connect the Ping to a BS2 Homework board?

MrFus

I have read some on the forum about the connection of the Ping on the BOE and problems adjusting the code to avoid get·situations on the readings due phantom echoes·and thing like... I read the fact that the power consumption is a important detail to check, so I have the question of how to connect the Ping to the Homework Board? I will use a pack of batteries to power it and be sure it·have power·to run fine?

Post Edited By Moderator (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 7/11/2007 12:18:23 AM GMT

MrFus

and what about the Emic Text-To-Speech Module?

I'm just guessing that i should connect it on the same way than the servos, the battery pack (6 volts) positive to the Vcc and the negative to the Vss and then to GND on the module...?

The·specification data say the minimun Vcc is 4.5 volts and the max is 5.5 volts, do I need a resistor between the positive from the battery pack and the Vcc input on the Module?

Post Edited By Moderator (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 7/11/2007 12:16:43 AM GMT

Chris Savage

Page 2 of the PING))) documentation illustrates the connections between the PING))) and a H/W Board or BOE. Page 17 of the Emic documentation illustrates the connections for it. Using Vin would not be a good idea and would almost certainly damage both modules. A resistor is not a substitute for a voltage regulator. Take care.

http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/acc/28015-PING-v1.3.pdf

http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/audiovis/EmicModules.pdf

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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support

Mike Green

Make sure you have a revision C or D Homework Board. The earlier revisions used a voltage regulator that could only supply 50ma which is not enough for the PING or the EMIC.

MrFus

Thanks,·I have a rev C and a B, I guess i still can use the B to power the servos due the fact that they use the battery pack, and the C to power the PING or the Emic module...
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Do you think I can power bouth at the same time, or well not at the same time, but for example make the Emic speach the values thet the ping read?

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Mr Fus

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Mike Green

Theoretically, you could power both so the EMIC could say the PING values. In practice, you might have problems with a 9V battery since these have limited capacity. If you use a 9V battery "eliminator" (AC supply) that has adequate current capacity, that would be better.

MrFus

Yea, I figure the ammount of power drain for the EMIC will be the main concern... Im thinking to maybe use a Battery pack connected to the board instead of the 9v to offer some extra power...

What I want to do is to have the 2 homework boards connected between and use the one that is Rev B to control the servos and some sensors (contact ones and a couple of QTI Sensors) <!-- unit price -->and the one that is Rev C to get the PING, IR remote and the EMIC (if i can run all at the same time on a coordinated way·...) my goal is to coordinate the two to work as one·BIG Homework Board (many I/O to work with).

Well one step at the time... I have already understand on a partial way how the·connection between the boards work, and I have made some·work on that, now I will start working on the PING and IR control and then on the EMIC.

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Mr Fus

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MrFus

I have already installed and tested the EMIC using the basic example, the ona that say "Hello world..." Im just a little bit confiused how to set the volume speed and the pitch... some one can help me?

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Mr Fus

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Panama City Beach, FL
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Mike Green

Read the documentation. There's a description of this on pages 6 and 7 complete with examples. There's also a complete demonstration program provided that allows you to set the volume, speed, and pitch using the debug window. What part is confusing?

Post Edited (Mike Green) : 7/12/2007 5:29:09 AM GMT

MrFus

thanks, finally I set the volumen and the text at my own will, I just have a tech question, if I set the reset to Low the led turn off until i set the pin en High again... When the Pin of the reset is set low that send to "sleep" the EMIC (saving Battery) ?

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Mr Fus

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http://microbots.mx.tripod.com/
Panama City Beach, FL
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Mike Green

Again, read the documentation. There is a description of the use of the reset pin on page 5. It only resets the firmware program in the EMIC. It doesn't put the EMIC into a sleep mode. Because the LED is off during the reset, it does reduce the current drawn by about 10ma.

Chris Savage

MrFus,

It is always recommended to review fully the documentation and example source code before posting questions covered by these. If the information is in the documentation or example code that is the response you’re going to get first. It would save some posting if you did this first. Take care.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support

MrFus

I have being thinking on the situation of the power consumption form the EMIC and the PING on constant use... The question that come to me is:

can I use a circuit of a DC to DC regulator to power the EMIC on a independent way from the Homework Board?

(This is Circuit diagram of the power supply, I m thinking to use a 9 volts battery pack to power it...)



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Mr Fus

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Panama City Beach, FL
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