@kudo, please read my response above. Specifically I say no it will not run on Windows RT.

Reason why: windows rt uses a compact .net framework and the OS does not include support for ARC features.

I doubt it since the only desktop applications which are supported by Windows RT are those which come with Windows RT itself.

OK well that all makes since now. So the laptop would act as a server that the I pad connects to to run the ARC software. Looks like I will have to talk the museum into purchasing a couple Windows Tablets. Any recommendations on which one is the best? Would a Google Chrome tablet work? I have not read the specs on it yet.

Thanks guys for all the help and I hope I an not too much of a pest with questions as this board is new to me and I am kinda under a deadline to get this robot working.

I do have a couple more questions though. Has anyone tried using a sound module called SD Card MP3 Player Board v2.0 from MDFly Electronics? I have a couple of these in the robot right now and using a RF remote to activate the 8 sound files I currently have on it. It has the capability of reading 99 files in Hex format using the RX,TX TTL Level at 3.3v.

I would like to be able to use these If I can other wise I will order one of the soundboards listed in the ARC.

Lastly I am using the Basic Micro RoboClaw 2x30 Motor controller to operate the drive wheels. This is basically the same thing as the Sabretooth controller and will use the Simple Serial interface. From the documentation I got with it, It looks like it is set up the same way as the sabretooth using the 3 wires. I/O going to S1 , VCC and GND with baud rate and 38400.

Dan S.

Kris: yes the one in the same Power distribution board maker. The latest run is under way. doing a 100 boards this time. If I can get this EZ-B to work on this robot for the museum. I am considering trying one in My R6 unit, but will need to get a tablet first as it would be easier than carrying around my laptop.

Dan S. Houston R6 Builder - The First R6 Unit.

You're not a pest, the community is here to help so ask and receive answers.

Google Chrome tablets? If you are referring to the Google Nexus it's Android, so ARC wouldn't run on it itself but would require a windows PC much like the iPad. If you mean the chrome book, as far as I am aware it's not Windows either.

What you'll need is a Windows 7 laptop (I say Windows 7 as it shows to be the best of the bunch however XP or 8 would do - XP has limitations with voice recognition though - i.e. there is none). The Acer One Netbook is a popular choice but any Windows Laptop with minimum of 2Gb RAM would do the job (2Gb Ram make sure it's running Windows 7 Starter and only the ARC software as it is right on the limit to what works well).

Edit: Or a Windows 7/Windows 8 Tablet. The Acer Iconia W7 (I think that's the model) I've heard good things about but my Acer B1 (android) kinda sucks so research first. Any Windows 7/8 tablet with bluetooth should run it but more power hungry features such as the camera may not be so smooth.

I believe there is a topic on the MdFly soundboard with a guide to getting it to work. Try this one

The motor controller should also work provided you know the serial commands. Using SendSerial() in a script, custom Movement Panel or joystick commands should do it. You may fall on your feet and be able to use the sabertooth Movement Panel if it's the same commands. Wiring would be Vcc to Vcc, Gnd to Gnd and Signal to S1.

Hey Dan,

I'm Lumpy on Astromech.

I have (2) of your boards. You actually added the USB port to your design when I had inquired about it way back when. Your boards work great!

I run the MDFLY boards in my smaller robots. They work fine with the EZ-B. If you need help or code examples, just let me know.

I use a Sparkfun MP3 trigger in my large R2.

If you need help with anything EZ-B related for R2 you can catch me here or at Astromech.

Kris

If you decide to use a netbook as a server, hidden somewhere within the museum by the robot - that would work also. If you go that route, we can help you setup public access in read-only mode so your guests can control the robot too! All we would need to do is create a very simple HTML page that sends commands to ARC. It's quite easy to do if you have HTML expderience, and I've been looking for a reason to do a tutorial on it.

As for the tablets. We use two kinds.. The newest one we purchased is a Sony tablet. They come in i3, i5 and i7 processors. The price of the i3 and i5 is less than an iPad - and the Sony has hundreds of gigabyte storage, where iPad has less.

The more affordable tablet we use is the Acer W500. It runs Windows 8 and is actually quite fast for the specifications. It's only an AMD-C50 processor - but ARC is pretty good on resources.

No matter what computer you chose, it's important to recognize that ARC prefers to have full CPU priority. So any additional software that is running in the background will affect performance of ARC.

We shut down every single systray app using either Task Manager (Windows 8) or MSCONFIG.EXE (Windows 7)

That's the one I was trying to think of, Acer W500 (not W7 - I knew it was W something lol). I've only heard good things about it and they aren't too expensive either.