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[on:]

Since the other thread was getting a lot off topic with folks playing with it (it is awfully fun), here's a fresh thread.

Below is the link to my Rovio, which has now been at least partially fixed.  The Rovio is a mobile webcam, it drives around using a web-control interface.  I picked this up at a junk shop, broken, for $5.  I've put in some AA NIMH's, some solder, and a few bits of wire to fix a circuit trace fault.  What an awesome toy.. fun, but I sure don't think I'd pay the $250 the thing actually sells for!

The battery capacity is rough, and I have to tweak some of the other stuff (Navigation beacons still not operating right), but it's mostly functional.

Take her for a drive!

http://24.60.232.215:9000

[Reply #1 on:]

FYI, in the finding of the API level controls for brightness and contrast, I discovered the required function:

"write_i2c"

With the appropriate information.  Yes, that said I2C.

Houston, we have an interface.

[Reply #2 on:]

Time to throw some offroad wheels on it, a tracking beacon (for when we get it lost down the block) and let 'er outside

[Reply #3 on:]

If this has I2C, then it's a master device to be sure.  I've not done any I2C interfacing, but it does seem fairly straightforward... it's just another name for Dallas two wire, right?  I assume that the Arduino can be set as a slave device and that way I should be able to assign it a bus endpoint number and be able to "talk" to it, right?

Here's where you hardcore guys may have some insight..

[Reply #4 on:]

I was driving it and got attacked by a monkey!

[Reply #5 on:]

That's awesome.. My daughter is a bit of a ham... hehhe

BTW guys- I'm tweaking the video settings with an external program at the moment, so plz don't adjust anything under the Video tab... thanks!

[Reply #6 on:]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I turned it around and... And.... IT WAS RIGHT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it was a hand


IM BEING TAKEN HOSTAGE!!!

[Reply #7 on:]

I said in the other topic, there is a chance I may possibly have attacked your dog and you.
 


I may also possibly have been the one spinning a second ago.

[Reply #8 on:]

hehehe.. giving it a little downtime to charge up a bit.. and to get kids to stop being pests.. but I'll bring it back online for a while again later...

[Reply #9 on:]

Back online for about the next two hours... have fun if you wanna!

[Reply #10 on:]

She's back online and ready... we're getting snowed in here, just doing some house work and then might actually get to some more amusing stuff later... 

I have to admit, it's cool knowing that who is driving it is somewhere halfway across the planet, potentially...

http://24.60.232.215:9000

[Reply #11 on:]

bah, your dog got used to it already... Not interested in flashing lights or moving camera any longer...

[Reply #12 on:]

heheh.. she freaks out at it when nobody is around, she must think whatever human is present must be controlling it otherwise

[Reply #13 on:]

A bit like my cat when i had my wifitank running...

Kept poking it when it was standing still, then ran away when it was moving... Until he discovered it had sensors on, and wouldn't run into him, even when the people controlling it kept trying

[Reply #14 on:]

Personally, I think the auto-docking is the coolest thing to watch.  Nice bit of automation there.

Other than the standard Rovio battery (which apparently have problems from the word go) I'm going to research what I can fit into the battery compartment.  Right now, it's just seven (two 1200MAH's are in parallel, the rest are 2200MAH in series, but these are used/older NIMH's.) AA NIMH rechargables.  The battery bay I will need to measure, but I'm pretty sure I can cobble or find something better than the 3000MaH pack that's standard for the Rovio.  The compartment I would speculate could hold 10-12 AA's easily, at worst.

Since the Rovio has I2C, I'll now be looking into interfacing to that.. which will mean I'll probably tap the power pack for Arduino power also.  A little extra capacity will always be good.

I figure an RC shop is a good idea as to where to look for a good (cheap) NIMH pack.. got any other brilliant ideas I haven't thought of?