Let's say I have two servos which I want to move at the same time, the same distance. Can I simply wire the signal pins in parallel to one of my Arduino pins to make them both move, or are there going to be some losses in voltage/current which will prevent this from working?
(I'd simply test it out, but I've only got one servo at the moment.)
So you're saying I could run an entire army of robots off a single Arduino as long as I connect all the servos in parallel?
No, I said command not run. You can parallel all the grounds and control signals together and CONTROL them with a single Arduino digital output pin.
What you can't do is power several servos from the Arduino +5vdc pin, there is just not enough current capacity. There have been people that couldn't even run one servo with an Arduino without reset problems as the servo just required more current then the Arduino could supply reliably.
I always recommend powering any servos from external +5vdc source using a external regulated power supply or batteries with sufficient current capacity. Be sure to wire the external supply's ground to the Arduino ground.
You might see problems with long wire runs to the servos; IIRC, they make "inline signal booster" modules for this kind of thing in large-scale R/C aircraft, where multiple servos are used to control certain things (generally large flaps, elevators, and rudders).
Software written in C using free development tools
I2C/TWI bootloader and GUI programmer
As many servos as you want over I2C and you have more control over the positioning and speed of operation.
Ive got one in the drawer to play with as soon as I get round to it.
As I have an idea for a Hexapod and thought these would be a better way of handling 18 servos for the legs.
and a basic Hi-tek servo with the open servo controller will turn into the equivelent of a high end digital servo.
Heh. After all this I just realized I can't control the servos from a single pin because the servos have to operate in opposite directions. (And requiring customers to find 'reverse' seervos isn't an option.) Oops.
After all this I just realized I can't control the servos from a single pin because the servos have to operate in opposite directions. (And requiring customers to find 'reverse' seervos isn't an option.)
From this comment it sounds like he's designing something for others to build so the 'creative solutions' don't seem like they'll help.