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 Robotics / Handy Board / 7833
7832  |  7834
Subject: 
Re: how many servos on handyboard?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.handyboard
Date: 
Wed, 17 May 2000 05:06:09 GMT
Original-From: 
Will Bain <{willb@selway.}antispam{umt.edu}>
Viewed: 
3344 times
  
Vic wrote:
> 
> I'd like to know how many servos the handy board can control. On the FAQ it
> says 2, in the documentation it says 4 DC motors. what's the deal? (am I
> stupid? I'm new at this)

The deal is this: Servos are different from plain old DC motors.  They have gearing and position control circuitry built in.

There are four DC motor ports on the basic HB, but no ready-made servo ports.  The dual servo routine described on the HB web site makes use of Port A bit 7 (aka digital port 9) and Port A bit 5 (on the expansion bus (back edge of board, under the LCD)).

> also, when you plug an expansion board, do you get 6 EXTRA servos? or those
> are the only ones you can still use? How about the rest? do all imputs
> remain free on the handyboard and everything on the expansion board is
> extra? than you.

I think you could in fact get six *extra* servos.  The expansion board doesn't affect the use of Port A bit 7 (aka digital port 9), and I saw instructions on the HB web site (Software Contributed section) on how to use the piezo beeper to control a servo, too.  The expansion board does occupy the expansion bus, though, precluding the use of Port A bit 5.  Still, I think you could run eight servos with the exp. board.  Should probably use a separate battery pack.

If you want to run a lot of servos, try using a serial servo controller (SSC).  Check out the offerings at http://www.seetron.com/.  Each SSC can run up to eight servos, and you can daisy chain a bunch of SSCs together to run up to 256 servos.  The SSCs can be plugged into Port A bit 7 (aka digital port 9).  Instructions are on the HB web site.  Best of luck!

-- Will

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Message is in Reply To:
  how many servos on handyboard?
 
I'd like to know how many servos the handy board can control. On the FAQ it says 2, in the documentation it says 4 DC motors. what's the deal? (am I stupid? I'm new at this) also, when you plug an expansion board, do you get 6 EXTRA servos? or those (...) (26 years ago, 16-May-00, to lugnet.robotics.handyboard)

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