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 Robotics / 19705
19704  |  19706
Subject: 
Re: Using RIS and USB Tower on a Macintosh
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Tue, 3 Dec 2002 01:33:48 GMT
Original-From: 
Liz B <liz@bookwyrmz.%AvoidSpam%com>
Reply-To: 
LIZ@BOOKWYRMZ.COMnospam
Viewed: 
893 times
  
Hi, Dave,

Thanks for the info; I shall pass it on.  I have 8 or so serial towers
we aren't using for class as we've switched to USB towers.  So I can
see if they can get that working under Virtual PC.

Just as an aside and to answer the question someone else posed on why
don't we just go ahead and just use ROBOLAB... I teach LEGO robotics
and coach two rookie FLL teams.  I started with RIS because it came
with the RIS sets I bought.  I looked into ROBOLAB, but didn't find out
lately that we could get a site license (I thought we would have to
fork over $60/computer and I didn't feel like paying that much for
something I didn't know enough about).

We'll be looking at ROBOLAB, but statistically, RIS and ROBOLAB seem
equal as far as the percentage of teams winning FLL tournaments.  I do
like the fact the ROBOLAB has better datalogging capabilities and RIS
definitely has some bugs I could live without.

However, my current plan is to stick with RIS until after our state
tournament in January, and then get the kids going on more advanced
robotics and using NQC.  When next year's challenge comes around, we
may look at switching from RIS to ROBOLAB, if NQC is not allowed.

Being a rookie coach with a rookie team and basically learning
everything on the fly has been interesting, to say the least.  Luckily,
we have a technical mentor who has been building Mindstorms for a few
years who has really helped us in the programming area.  Plus your
book, the Ferrari book, Dean Hystad's book, Sweeney's coaching manual,
and a bunch of resources from Minnesota's FLL site have all been
invaluable.  I just need more hours in a day to read and build!

Plus, I read your book first before I knew enough to comprehend and
digest it all fully.  Now that I know just enough to be dangerous, I
need to go read it again.

Well, thanks again for the info on the serial tower.

Liz Bilbro (who needs to use a spell checker)
CyberStorm Robotics Class and FIRST LEGO League Teams
Sports for the Mind for Lubbock Homeschoolers
www.cyberstorm.us

In article <E18IyoY-00051W-00@internet.mywwwserver.com>,
lego-robotics@crynwr.com (Liz B) wrote:

I have a student who is trying to use RIS 2.0 with Virtual PC on a
Macintosh.  LEGO says the drivers should be on the CDROM; the guy • that
sold them Virtual PC says it probably won't run the RIS 2.0.

Can they run RIS 2.0 on a Mac?  Can they use the USB tower on a Mac
(the error they are getting is that the USB tower does not have the
drivers installed to run it and it isn't recognizing the device -- • says
the IR tower is not connected when it is).

I have run the RIS 2.0 software under virtual PC (VPC 5.0, Windows • 98)
with the older serial tower via a Keyspan USB/serial adapter.  I was
never able to get the USB tower to work with VPC/RIS.

If you *really* want to run the RIS software, then I think you can • buy a
serial tower from www.pitsco.com.  If your Mac has USB ports (and no
serial ports), then you'll also need to buy a USB/serial adapter
(Keyspan is my brand of choice, but others probably work just as • well).

Dave



Teacher/Coach
CyberStorm Robotics Class and FIRST LEGO League Team
Sports for the Mind for Lubbock Homeschoolers
www.cyberstorm.us



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