Arduino Reading signal from RC receiver

Projects General Guidance
1

Team

Just want to get some input from forum on the approach to capture servo signal using an Arduino.

We have a RC car with very old remote control equipment dated back to FM era. However, we dont think it matters as as signal to servos will always be the same (Measuring duty cycles).

Here are our concerns and questions:

  1. Is it okay to use a split and use 2 cables so that we have connection to servos as well as to the Arduino? Will this split create any signal lost? If so, is there anyway to retify or workaround? Suggestion?

  2. When connecting this receiver to an oscillospe on test bench, we noticed quite abit of noise from the receiver but installing the receiver to the car showed no problem. Any comment on this?

Cheers everyone! Team BTF

2

First of all, the servo signal is PPM and can drive more than one output (see TTL specs) . The arduino inputs will not load down the servo signal because the arduino inputs are high impedance. You could probably drive 10 servos with the same signal, so the Y splitter cable is not a problem. FYI, you can probably use the PulseIn(); function to measure the pulsewidth.

When connecting this receiver to an oscillospe on test bench, we noticed quite abit of noise from the receiver

This is too vague to answer. You'll have to be more specific with regard to your setup wiring and your scope setup and your signal (photo of the scope screen) and give the scope settings.

I don't know what you are measuring on the scope. (presumably it's the servo input signal (or receiver output signal) . Did you have the servo connected to the receiver ?

3

btfdev:

  1. Is it okay to use a split and use 2 cables so that we have connection to servos as well as to the Arduino? Will this split create any signal lost? If so, is there anyway to retify or workaround? Suggestion?

It is fairly common to use a Y-cable to drive two servos from a single receiver output. For example on larger planes you might put a servo on each wing for the elevator and have them connected in parallel so the two elevator halves work as one. Shouldn't be a problem.

btfdev:
2. When connecting this receiver to an oscillospe on test bench, we noticed quite abit of noise from the receiver but installing the receiver to the car showed no problem. Any comment on this?

No comment.