Thread: I got some servos

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I bought some servos for a project since this year I want to try a prop with some;My question is what stuff do I need now to run the servos. I.E. how is it powered,I'm guessing I need a prop 1 or something like that for control but what else for the servo it self not the prop stuff just what makes the prop run the you have to have ....and any searchable names so I can find these things helps to.I'm a newbie to servos but have always wanted to do props with them.

How about mini ssc from medonis.com for a controller and VSA from brookshire software for a program to run it!

Hope this helps
Skullwerks

Servos normally run on 4.8 - 6 VDC and need some type of controller board to operate them. Most users connect the board to a PC through either a USB or serial port. One of the least expensive boards that I've used is only $20 Pololu - Pololu Micro Serial Servo Controller (assembled)
Another popular unit I've seen mentioned on this board is from Parallex - $40 for either a USB or serial model Parallax Servo Controller (USB)
As the previous user mentioned, VSA is typically used for props requiring synchonizing audio with the movements. It's around $60 - Visual Show Automation - Overview
There are numerous threads on this forum discussing this in much more detail, so I would suggest using the search function.

Mark

so are the servos powered off the board?which would be powered of the?usb or serial?is the serial port powered?

The Parallax board is powered from the computer's USB port. However, the servos require more current, therefor a separate power supply is required. Many users utilize old PC power supplies which can provide upwards of 20 Amps at 5 VDC. But for less than 4 standard servos, you can usually get away with a wal-wart type in the 5-6 VDC, 1.5 to 2 amp range. Please note, these current requirements can increase substantially depedning on servo type and the load.
The main advantage of using a serial port is the distance between the controlling PC and servo board can be 50 to 100 feet while USB has a theoretical limit of around 16 feet. If you use a serial port servo board, a separate supply is needed for this in addition to the servo power since the PC serial port does not supply any power. The specs vary depending on the board, but 7-15 VDC seems to be typical. However the current requirements are much lower - usually less than 50 mA. Some boards allow the servo supply voltage to be used to power the board as well, but this can lead to problems with increased noise on the line. This is another advantage if using a separate PC power supply since it can provide 12 VDC as well.
These are just my observations from the past month or so since I started experimenting with servo control. There are many users on this board with much more experience and knowledge. So as I stated in my previous post, you will find a plethora of more detailed info by searching and reading previous threads.

Mark