I just received a new arduino robot, having several problems and am wondering if I have a defective kit. I am new to Arduino, so perhaps I am doing something wrong as well. Please advise, I am trying to see if I should send my kit back and get another one.
Thanks for any help!
Here are my major issues thus far:
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Robot on button - tough to turn on, and have power be on so LCD module is on or shows anything, sometimes needs to be in middle spot, sometimes in far right, sometimes just wiggled. I first thought it wasn't powered. Then powered it, still didn't work. Then I wiggled the power button a bit then got the intro program to show up like in the video. Set it up and plugged it into a PC then downloaded some example sketches (I am thinking only the latest sketch works yes?, so one should only send one at a time. If so, would I need to keep deleting the old sketches to not run out of space on my micro sim?). I got funny behavior after 5-10 minutes (trouble with R02-Line Following sketch not working, and couldn't keep the device powered, so plugged the robot in for a second 3 hour charge (how long should the robot stay charged?). I checked and I had some files on the micro-sd card (but see 5. as I ran into trouble trying to verify the ones on it).
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When was on, and I was able to input the intro stuff like in the official YouTube Robot Kit video #1, I noticed that control pad enter button kept registering each 'enter' as two enters - should it be this sensitive? It didn't look like it was in the official YouTube Robot Kit video #1.
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Robot Example program - R02-Line Follow
When I created a black lines on white paper for it to follow, it quit within microseconds of starting. I couldn't get this one to work to got more than an inch or so. Is this normal? -
What type of floor surface does the robot work best on? I have been trying different surfaces, as I sometimes get one wheel to spin and the other not (or it slips). I have tried tile, hardwood, and a hardwood veneer floor.
File > Examples > Robot_Control > explore > R01_Logo does not, and keeps stopping with one of the wheels the slipping.
To troubleshoot, I tried the File > Examples > Robot_Control > learn > MotorTest, and that seemed to run fine (assuming nothing will show in the LCD module for this one)....
- Broken web links:
I know this is a new kit, and I am very excited to be able to get one so early, and I understand some things may still be in the process of setting up. In the accompanying 'Quick Start Guide' I have found the following paths to be incorrect, i.e. leading to nothing /404 pages/page not found. Are these not set up correctly, or are they typos in my booklet? Please give me the correct paths for the following, I sent the webmaster a notification a week ago on the flashcard files one, and have not heard back:
5.#1 On the 'This Kit Includes' page, next to 'Micro-SD 2GB Memory Card':
ARDUINO.CC/ROBOT/SDCONTENT - get the 404 broken link message
5.#2 So I went to following online guide's web page, http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Robot
and selected the link given to see the files, and it also gave me a 404 not found error:
https://github.com/arduino/Lottie_Lemon/tree/master/sdContent
This same online guide suggested find the files this way:
" If you ever accidentally remove files used by the explore sketches, you can copy them over from the SDcontent directory found in the robot library"
I did a search on my computer that had the IDE installed on it for SDcontent, and found nothing. I tried to look around to figure out where the files were on my computer, but it didn't look like they were there in human readable/browseable format - perhaps they are encrypted somehow, I don't know. On the MAC it is an app. I wasn't sure if I had the Robot library on my computer, so from the Arduino IDE I selected 'Sketch-> Import Library -> Robot_Control', and that only gave some include stuff in my sketch (OK I mentioned I was new, but seriously, I am trying everything and keep hitting walls, so I need help!).
5.#3 - Another non-working link:
On the 'Troubleshooting' page, under 'Forum':
ARDUINO.CC/ROBOT/FORUM - get the 404 broken link message
- What are the files that should be on the SDcard? See '5.#2.' , I have tried to figure this out myself and can't.
Thank you!