Thread: Building a BS2/PIC 3 axis skull driver?

Tweet

hello all,

I am working on building a BSC2 or PIC based driver for my 3 axis skulls. I am already using the SSC-32 servo controller. My Plan is to capture the serial data from the PC that is running a VSA routine. Once I have the serial data from PC, I should be able to load the data into the extended memory of the BSC2SX. I could then create a couple of individual routines and make my skulls independent props.

I haven't yet pulled the data on the serial port from VSA. Has anybody played around with this data yet? I am curious to its format, does it follow the same format as Lynx-term?

If this hasn't been done in detail on this forum, I would gladly give the details/progress here, if people are interested.


Any help would be appreciated.

Joe

Here is a great link that describes the formatting of many types of controls.
Visual Show Automation - How Serial Servo Controllers Work - Mini-SSC, SV203, SMI, Parallax

Hi Joe,

I would be concerned that unless you are doing very basic routines I doubt you will be able to store all the data required onboard a PIC or Basic Stamp. You would have to store the serial commands but also the timing info as to when to send the commands. If you planning on making the skull 'talk' this would be an enormous amount of data. You would probably have to incorporate some kind of storage like an SD card or USB flashdrive. I have never used a Basic Stamp so they may provide something like this already.

If you do go that route, You can view the user's manual for the SSC-32 here which has a pretty good tutorial on how to send serial command strings to the board.

The people who make VSA also make a "stand alone" controller like you are describing called the RAPU. With this board you develop your routines using VSA and then download your routines to a compact flash card ont the board. I went this route last year and it worked very well but there are 2 downsides with the RAPU - the cost is about $300 and for some bizarre reason, they did not build in a simple way of triggering a routine. I ended up building a "trigger" board using a PIC which sends RS-232 commands to the RAPU to start the routines.

Whatever you decide to do please keep us updated as there are many others on the forum thinking of the same things you are and wanting to know what you come up with.

Hey guys thanks for the links. the link to how sscs work, is great. I have looked into the RAPU, however the cost is a concern, and I heard there were issues things like triggers. I am planning on using the BS2SX and a extended memory module, however I will have to see how much data I will need to store for a routine. I am trying to use the equipment I already have. I will keep everyone posted on my progress.

Joe

azdude

you are absolutely right, I have to capture that timing info somehow. I have the serial string coming from the pc. However the BS2 or pic will just send it all at once...

I could have the BSC2 sample a serial input from the PC and count micro seconds between the txd line going from idle(mark) to start bit. I would then merge that timing info with the date srting.

going to give it a try...



So no trying to get the from VSA also.


any other ideas... would be welcomed

Joe

Does anyone know what language the rapu export files are written in for v3.0/4.0?

Joe,

Another idea would be to export your VSA routine as a CSV file. Then you wouldn't have to store the routine live, but rather could 'download' it to the board. I imagine (but don't have direct knowledge) that the CSV shows each channel in 1/30 sec increments.

Did you need sound with this too? DMX support? What kind of input triggers do you think you'd add? I often thought about making something like the RAPU (before it existed). I agree, the price isn't trivial, but I'm pretty sure the development wasn't either. It seems to me, though, nowadays it's a better idea to pick up a netbook for the same price (or even lower).

Check out some of microchip and atmel's SPI EEPROMs. Those'll probably be useful.

- Hook

Hook,

I did look at the CSV export. There is no timing reference in that file. I am going to try and time it @ 1/30 sec and see what I get. I am also going to build a vsa routine to test this timing (1/30 sec) theory out.

I was planning on using the BSC2SX to trigger the VMusic2 for the audio and then have the BSC2SX send the serial data to the SSC-32. ther will be some sync issues to deal with.

As far as triggers, I have used motion detectors that will send +5vdc to the BSC2SX and start a routine. I plan on using a random number generator to select which routine it uses, if my eprom will have the room.

I use a laptop for my own display, but someone saw my skulls and I want to try and make them one that is easy to use and in a self contained prop.

Thanks for the eeprom idea's.

Let me get to timing this serial data...
will keep everyone posted.

Joe

Hook,

You were right the CSV is formatted to send serial data every 1/30 of a sec. I used a click track from audacity with 1 click per second. I then did a wave motion analysis of that wav file on a single channel (0). exported to csv file and here is what I got.

1600, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
1050, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
1600, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
1050, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
1600, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,

every 1/30 of second it updates the servos position. Then on the 31st string it moves channel 0 and on the 32nd string, 1/30th of second later it returns the servo to start position.

Great thanks for that timing info, I think I can work with that and a CSV export.
Gonna run with it.

Joe

How will you sync sound to the routine, once it's captured?