I am currently in the process of designing and building an R/C car which I wanted to be able to simply drive around and maybe shoot a few things. Now I want the car to be wireless of course and I have spent many hours researching and deciding on what control method is best. I have looked at, wii remotes via Bluetooth, wireless via xBee, R/C controllers, mobile phones, IR controllers and PS3 controllers, all of which would work but some seem expensive or complicated.
Ok sorry if I am being a bit slow here but I am still a bit confused. I have just found this remote and receiver (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Core-RC-CODE-2-4GHz-FHSS-Sport-2-Channel-Stick-Transmitter-and-Receiver-/221117378083?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item337b9f6e23#ht_1248wt_962) which only has 2 channels, yet the controller has 2 sticks which are able to be in a total of four positions, up, down, left and right so surly it needs 4 channels to send the 4 different positions? Or does one stick send a range of numbers over a single channel, as in center is 0, up is 1-50 and down is -1 to -50? Meaning I can read off 2 channels then write an if statement to move forward or backward based on the number received?
SamuelCB:
Ok sorry if I am being a bit slow here but I am still a bit confused. I have just found this remote and receiver (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Core-RC-CODE-2-4GHz-FHSS-Sport-2-Channel-Stick-Transmitter-and-Receiver-/221117378083?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item337b9f6e23#ht_1248wt_962) which only has 2 channels, yet the controller has 2 sticks which are able to be in a total of four positions, up, down, left and right so surly it needs 4 channels to send the 4 different positions? Or does one stick send a range of numbers over a single channel, as in center is 0, up is 1-50 and down is -1 to -50? Meaning I can read off 2 channels then write an if statement to move forward or backward based on the number received?
Thanks again!
Yes it has two sticks, but being a 2 channel transmitter, both sticks don't move in two directions, just one direction for each. This seems to be a basic R/C link to control a car or boat. One channel (stick) moves left and right only and used for steering or rubber control, the other channel (stick) only moves up and down and is used for throttle control. The ability for the throttle control to be able to go reverse-stop-forward at variable speeds or just go stop-forward at variable speeds is determined by the ESC or motor controller used in the receiver end of the link not determined by the transmitter end.
Ok so my car will have 4 independent motors meaning that this can be used to control them? I just want it so when the up trigger is pressed, all wheels drive forward, stick back wheels all drive backwards, left stick left 2 wheel drive forward and 2 backwards and left stick right the same thing but in reverse?
Is there some example code/results that I would expect to see on the Arduino when the individual up, down, left and right options are pressed on the controller so that I can work out if I'm able to program them into my code?
SamuelCB:
Ok so my car will have 4 independent motors meaning that this can be used to control them? I just want it so when the up trigger is pressed, all wheels drive forward, stick back wheels all drive backwards, left stick left 2 wheel drive forward and 2 backwards and left stick right the same thing but in reverse?
Is there some example code/results that I would expect to see on the Arduino when the individual up, down, left and right options are pressed on the controller so that I can work out if I'm able to program them into my code?
Thanks again, sorry for being a noob haha!
Yes it is possible for the two channels of data received by the R/C receiver to be decoded and able to control four motors assuming there is four independent motor driver circuits that each drives an individual motor. This decoding of two channels of information to four independent output actions to control the four motors would have to be written in the arduino sketch. So yes it is possible, but maybe not easy for a beginner to arduino programming and electronics. I suspect you will not be able to find someones sketch that will do exactly what you require. You will have to have specific electrical documentation on the motor driver circuits so that you can wire it up correctly to an arduino board.
Ok thanks again, and I guess im not a complete noob but close enough! I have my arduino of course and I have 2 h-bridge chips which are capable of individually running 2 motors each using 6 pins of the arduino each, 2 for enabling the h-bridge and then 4 for turning the motors on and off in which ever direction you require, however they will work without the enable pins I believe.
And if this method is complicated, then what would you recommend I do, get a 4 channel sender and receiver or learn more about coding before hand?
Yes, that. And pick simpler projects at first that allow you to build up experiance and knowlege both on the software side and the electronics side. As you gain experience you will better be able to identify what is require to accomplish any given project you might think of, and if you have yet gained the knowledge needed to accomplish it. Learning to walk before running is a pretty good rule to follow.
I appreciate this walking before running, but surly the way to learn is by doing? And I have always believed this! Also where do you even begin learning the correct information required to link an R/C controller to an Arduino? The thing is that I will be making a robot and a remote control car for my major project at university as I am studying a degree in programming! Therefor I do have a year or so to learn, build and accomplish my goal but just don't know where to start.
Some of my simple projects in the past consist of, LED thermometers, simple motor control threw push buttons, led traffic lights, work with photo resistors and have built my own h-bridge using NPN and PNP transistors, but what's the next step for robotics? A book? Online research?
SamuelCB:
I appciate this walking before running, but surly the way to learn is by doing? And I have always believed this! Also where do you even begin learning the correct information required to link an R/C controller to an Arduino? The thing is that I will be making a robot and a remote control car for my major project at university as I am studying a degree in programming! Therefor I do have a year or so to learn, build and accomplish my goal but just don't know where to start.
Some of my simple projects in the past consist of, LED thermometers, simple motor control threw push buttons, led traffic lights, work with photo resistors and have built my own h-bridge using NPN and PNP transistors, but what's the next step for robotics? A book? Online research?
Cheers!
Ah grasshopper, the journey before you may indeed seem difficult, time consuming, and have some dead end branches. But all will be exposed to you in time, for it's your unique journey that only you can travel. All I can suggest is you get started without fear as even failed steps are a path to finding successful steps.
As poetic and insightful as your stament may be, it doesn't however leave me with many answers on where to go next, but thanks for all your help and information.
