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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@selwaySTOPSPAMMERS.umt.edu>
Viewed: 
623 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 (...) (24 years ago, 16-May-00, to lugnet.robotics.handyboard)

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