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EZ-B v3

EZ-B V3 by EZ-Robot

EZ-B v3 works with Synthiam ARC via Bluetooth COM port to control servos, sensors, scripts and robot skills.
Connection Type
Bluetooth
Number of Servos
24
Audio Support
No
Camera Support
No
UARTs
None
I2C Support
Yes
ADC Ports
8
Digital Ports
24
Manufacturer's Page
A classic blue hobby robot controller board with a small radio module, paired over a short-range wireless link to a laptop dashboard that controls a small servo robot
EZ-B v3 + Synthiam ARC

The classic Bluetooth EZ-B

The EZ-B v3 was EZ-Robot's Bluetooth robot controller from 2011 to 2013, before the Wi-Fi EZ-B v4 replaced it. It is discontinued, but Synthiam ARC still supports it, so a v3 in a drawer can still move servos, read sensors and run scripts today.

ARC EZB Connection skill Synthiam ARC EZ-B v4

How the EZ-B v3 works with Synthiam: the board runs EZB firmware from the factory and needs no hardware programmer. A Windows computer pairs with it over Bluetooth, Windows gives the pairing a COM port, and ARC connects to that COM port with the EZB Connection skill. From then on you control the ports with ARC's robot skills and scripts. ARC is the proven path for the v3. ARCx on Windows may also work through the paired COM port, but this has not been tested.

Meet the controller

What is the EZ-B v3?

The EZ-B v3 is a compact microcontroller board for robotics: the connection between your computer running ARC and robot parts such as servos, sensors, LEDs and motors. Instead of writing firmware or uploading sketches, you connect ARC to it over Bluetooth and control the ports with ARC's tools and scripts.

EZ-Robot designed it as an all-in-one hardware and software robotics platform and as a reusable controller: many builders made several robots and moved the same EZ-B from one project to the next. It combines several robotics-friendly features in one place:

  • Voltage regulation for stable controller power (and, depending on wiring, for servos and sensors)
  • Bluetooth so ARC connects without a USB cable
  • Digital I/O for switches, LEDs and on/off signals
  • Analog inputs (ADC) for sensors with a varying voltage
  • Servo ports for RC servos
  • Serial ports for modules that talk TTL serial
  • TellyMate interface support, a legacy feature used by some older builds

EZ-B v3 at a glance

TypeBluetooth robot controller running EZB firmware
MakerEZ-Robot
Available2011–2013 (discontinued, replaced by the EZ-B v4)
ConnectionClass 2 Bluetooth, about 10 m (30 ft) typical range
Ports20 digital/servo, 8 ADC, serial TTL
Camera / audioNone on the board
SoftwareSynthiam ARC (Windows)
SuccessorEZ-B v4
The EZ-B v3: a blue circuit board with a Bluetooth module, a microcontroller, rows of pin headers and two voltage regulators with heat sinks
Specifications

EZ-B v3 features

FeatureEZ-B v3
Digital I/O20 input/output ports
Servo ports20
Analog inputs8 analog-to-digital converter (ADC) inputs
Serial TTL (standard)20 ports at 9600, 19200, 38400 or 57600 baud
Serial TTL (high speed)1 port at 115200 baud
WirelessClass 2 Bluetooth (2.5 mW, 4 dBm), about 10 m / 30 ft typical range
Long-range optionsOptional XBee, Synapse or Wi-Fi with the right add-on hardware
ExpansionArduino shield support for sensors and peripherals

Ready to use

Compact, shipped pre-assembled, and no hardware programmer needed.

Servos and sensors

Servo, ADC graph, digital and script skills in ARC drive every port.

iRobot Roomba

iRobot Roomba support was one of the v3's listed features.

Mind the power

Servos and motors can draw more current than a small battery or USB supply provides. Resets and erratic behavior are usually power.

Get started

Connect an EZ-B v3 to ARC

The exact steps vary a little with your Windows version and Bluetooth adapter, but the flow is always the same: power, pair, find the COM port, connect.

  1. Power the EZ-B v3 with a suitable battery or power source. Confirm it powers on (the LED indicators vary by revision), and keep it close to the computer for the first pairing.
  2. Pair it in Windows. Open Bluetooth settings, choose Add a device and select the EZ-B v3 when it appears. If you are asked for a PIN, try 1234 or 0000 (it depends on the module and firmware).
  3. Find the COM port. After pairing, Windows assigns a serial port. Open Device Manager, expand Ports (COM & LPT) and note the Bluetooth serial port for the EZ-B, for example: 
    Standard Serial over Bluetooth link (COM5)
  4. Connect from ARC. Open ARC, select that COM port (for example COM5) in the EZB Connection skill and press Connect.
  5. Add robot skills. Servo controls, ADC graphs, digital controls and scripts all work with the connected v3. The EZ-B v3 Configuration skill views and changes the board's built-in settings, such as its Bluetooth name; the changes are stored on the board.
An older tutorial, but still one of the closest demonstrations of connecting an EZ-B v3 to ARC.
ARC or ARCx?

ARC is the supported choice for the v3

Use ARC with the EZ-B v3. It supports the board directly through its Bluetooth COM port and includes the EZ-B v3 Configuration skill.

ARCx, Synthiam's browser-based platform, connects to EZB boards over USB/serial and the network with its Ezb Connection skill. Because a paired v3 appears in Windows as an ordinary COM port, ARCx on Windows may be able to connect to it the same way, but Synthiam has not tested the v3 with ARCx. If you try it, enter the COM port as the address.

Building something new? The EZ-B v4 and IoTiny add Wi-Fi, a camera port and a speaker, and are fully supported in ARCx, which runs on Windows, Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi and is used from any browser.

Troubleshooting

When something does not work

Check the EZ-B is powered, move it closer to the computer (Class 2 Bluetooth reaches about 10 m in good conditions), and turn the computer's Bluetooth off and on again.

Confirm you chose the right COM port (Bluetooth pairings sometimes create two; try the other). Close any other program that may have the port open, and remove and re-pair the device if needed.

Usually not enough power: the battery voltage sags when servos or motors move. Use a battery that can supply the current your robot needs, and keep within Bluetooth range.

Try 1234, then 0000. The PIN depends on the Bluetooth module and firmware revision.
Questions

Frequently asked questions

The hardware was discontinued in 2013, but ARC still supports it. Setup guides are harder to find because the product is older, which is why this page collects the essentials.

Not through the board: it has no camera port or speaker output. ARC can still use a USB camera and the computer's speakers alongside the v3. For a camera and speaker on the robot, use an EZ-B v4 or IoTiny.

ARC projects can connect to several EZBs at once, each with its own index, so a v3 can keep doing its job next to a newer board.

Put your EZ-B v3 back to work

Pair it, open ARC, and connect to the COM port. Ready for Wi-Fi, a camera and a browser interface? Step up to the EZ-B v4 and ARCx.

Synthiam ARC ARC EZB Connection EZ-B v4 Synthiam ARCx

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#10  

Thank you. I doubt the buy back program is still operative. If anybody happens across some material from some enthusiast or other, please let us know!

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#11  

I saw a couple of these on Ebay....

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#12  

Wow - people are really charing a lot for those old kits. Actually, those look like the original v3 not the v3.1! Thats ancient

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Canada
#13  

how do you code with it on the ARC ide/ ARC

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#14  

To code with the EZ-B v3 using the ARC (formerly known as EZ-Builder) IDE, you can follow these steps:

1. Install ARC Software

First, ensure you have the latest version of ARC installed on your computer. You can download it from the Synthiam website: Download ARC.

2. Connect EZ-B v3 to ARC

  1. Power On: Ensure your EZ-B v3 is powered on and ready to connect.
  2. Bluetooth Pairing: Pair the EZ-B v3 with your computer via Bluetooth. This process may vary slightly depending on your operating system, but generally, you can find the device in your Bluetooth settings and pair it.
  3. Open ARC: Launch the ARC software on your computer.
  4. Add Connection: In ARC, click on the "Project" tab, then "Add Control" and select "Connection" from the list of controls.
  5. Configure Connection: Click the gear icon on the Connection control to configure it. Select the COM port that corresponds to your EZ-B v3 Bluetooth connection and click "Connect".

3. Add and Configure Robot Skills

  1. Add Controls: Click on the "Project" tab and then "Add Control". Browse through the available robot skills and add the ones you need for your project. For example, you might add servo controls, camera controls, or movement panels.
  2. Configure Controls: Each control will have a gear icon that you can click to configure it. For example, if you add a servo control, you can specify which port the servo is connected to and set its range of motion.

4. Programming with JavaScript or Python

ARC supports multiple programming languages, but JavaScript or Python is recommended for more advanced scripting. Here’s a basic example of how to move a servo using JavaScript or Python:

Example: Moving a Servo

  1. Add a Script Control: Click on "Project" > "Add Control" > "Scripting" > "JavaScript or Python".
  2. Write Script: In the script editor, you can write code to control your robot. Here’s an example script to move a servo connected to port D0:
// Move servo on port D0 to position 90
Servo.setPosition(d0, 90);

// Wait for 1 second
sleep(1000);

// Move servo on port D0 to position 0
Servo.setPosition(d0, 0);
  1. Run Script: Click the "Start" button in the script control to run your script.

5. Using ControlCommand()

You can use the ControlCommand() function to interact with other controls in your project. For example, if you have a camera control and want to start face tracking when a button is pressed, you can use:

ControlCommand("Camera", "StartFaceTracking");

6. Testing and Debugging

  • Test Your Setup: Use the controls in ARC to test your setup. For example, use the servo control to manually move servos and ensure they are working correctly.
  • Debugging: Use the console output in the script editor to print debug information. For example:
print("Servo moved to position 90");

Additional Resources

Feel free to ask more questions if you need further assistance!

I am a customer support AI and still learning. Please verify important answers in our support documentation. For advanced AI features, use the AI Script Agent built into ARC.
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#15  

I ordered a V4 Nov,27th and finally received an email saying they are back logged, so i cancelled the order and am going to just use my V3.

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#16  
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