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Asked — Edited

Make Tutorials For Ez-Credit

Hello!

You may have seen the new tutorial section, and it looks like we already have a bunch of new tutorials. What we need is more tutorials, so I have created a list of tutorials below for anyone to take on. Just respond to this post with the tutorial you would like to create and get started. If you have any suggestions for other tutorials I can add them to the list as well. Upon completing the tutorial, you will be rewarded with the ez-credit value listed with each tutorial!

Some of these tutorials will be very simple, but keep in mind, it will be helpful for lots of new users.

EDIT: When you are done making the tutorials please make a post on this thread letting me know you are done. That way it will be a bit easier on me to keep things organized. Thanks!

IMPORTANT
Credit must be given to any information obtained from 3rd party sources


Tutorials:

Controlling a Neo-Pixel ring with the EZ-B v4 and an Arduino - $20 bhouston Completed

How to connect and use multiple EZ-B v4s - $25 thetechguru

Speech Recognition - $10 Steve G Completed

Setting servo speed, and initialization scripts (Using the connection established command) - $10 Steve G Completed

Serial (Explanation of what it is, EZ-Script functions, peripherals that would use it, etc...) - $15

UART (Explanation of what it is, EZ-Script functions, peripherals that would use it, etc...) - $20 Richard R

i2c (Explanation of what it is, EZ-Script functions, peripherals that would use it, etc...) - $15

ADC (Explanation of what it is, EZ-Script functions, peripherals that would use it, etc...) - $15 Steve G Completed

Looping (Using repeatuntil, repeatwhile, goto, etc...) - $10 Richard R

Files (read, write, etc...) - $15 JustinRatliff Completed

Arrrays (Explanation, functions) - $15 Ravdeep Steve G Completed

Pandorabot - $20 Steve G Completed

Using a LIDAR with the EZ-B v4 - $15

Amps and Volts (Current draw, voltages for different peripherals, voltage regulators, voltage on pins, etc...) - $15 Steve G Completed

Battery choices (Different types of batteries and what to use them for) - $20 Ravdeep Completed

Power supplies (I believe that @Technopro has a thread on this. Maybe he wants to create a tutorial for power supplies using that thread) - $20 Technopro Completed

Sabertooth/Kangaroo - $25

Tip120 & Tip122 Transistor Switching Circuit Steve G Completed


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#89  
@Steve That looks great! Just one thing

Quote:


[b9.)[/b] Save this script, and now you are ready to test it. Press "Start" on the "Play Music" control and your audio track will begin to play. To stop the track from playing, press "Start" on the "Stop Music" script.


You got something weird going on here with your bolding.
United Kingdom
#90  
Oops. Missed a bracket. Fixed it.

Thanks.:)
United Kingdom
#93  
Hi James.

Just wanted to let you and everyone else know that I put together another tutorial... well it's not really a tutorial.

I spent the day C/P-ing the EZ-Script manual so we can have an online version to reference. I reformatted it so it looks the same, and also broke it down and rearranged it in to alphabetical order to make it easier to look for something. There used to be a copy of the manual on the website but has since disappeared. I for one used to use that a lot when using my phone (I know others used it too), and was surprised to see it was gone. On thing I noticed, there are a few spelling errors for the word "shield" in the ARC manual for the MP3 commands and thought you and DJ may want to know.

I will keep my online one maintained and keep an eye on DJ's release notes for any changes, which I will add or edit in the manual where relevant. I've also reformatted the dates in all of my other ones. Justin picked it up and I think he made a good point.

Anyway, I'm taking the weekend off to get over my RSI :P, and get back to robot building next week.

The EZ-Script Online Manual.
#94  
If no one claimed it, I will to the power supply tutorial. Yes i made a thread about it.
#95  
@Steve, nice work!
@Technopro, I'll mark you down for that tutorial.
United Kingdom
#97  
@Technopro.

I had a read through your power supply tutorial and it's looking good, but if your open to some suggestions (and me not wanting to sound like I'm criticising your work, just want to help you), there are some elements that needs to be addressed.

Quote:

All Ez-robot heavy duty servos run at 7.4V.


They run at a recommended 7.4v maximum. The are actually rated from 4.8v to 7.4v so can run anywhere between that.


Quote:

Other servos often have a max of 6V. This will require you to regulate the power from the battery to the servo.


Or use a 6v power supply which would be more efficient and possibly less expensive.


Quote:

The EZ-b V4 does not regulate power to the pins, so whatever goes in comes out.


Not quite right. The EZ-B "Digital" power pins are not regulated. Analog, UART, i2c, camera power pins are regulated to 3.3v.


Quote:

The EZ-b has an operating range of 5V-16V.


Almost. 4.5v not 5v.


Quote:

The Ez-b V4 uses around 200mAh at idle. The camera, around 50mAH


Actually, the EZ-B draws 80mAa on its own, and 180 with a camera connected. Have a look at the spec sheet and here


Quote:

the heavy duty servos in the store, and used on all Ez-robots, pull a max of 2A.


You did say this a while back and you was corrected. This is speculation. There is no definitive and official answer for this yet as it is hard to measure with a dmm. There have been reports that the "inrush" can be more than 3 amps, (again, speculative). The no load "Running" current draw for the HD servo you referred to is 200mA. The more weight (load) the servo has to move, the more this, and the inrush current draw will be.

@Jeremie. Mate, did you ever get around to reading the no load HD servo inrush?



Quote:

Remember that 1 servo can use 2A? Well, most regulators only provide 2-3 Amps, which means you need one for each servo.


Again, this may not be true, and other even higher power servos will definitely draw more than 2 amps, so a 2 or 3 amp regulator would not be sufficient.


Quote:

Regulators are not connected to components via the ez-b.


Not true. For example, ping sensors found in the dev kits have inline regulators that connect directly to the EZ-B, and the 5v rgulators in the store themselves are designed to connect directly to the digital ports to use with other components.

I hope you don't think I'm being facetious or anything, far from it. You did great, but getting these issues sorted will see your work shine. You've got to think that someone new may come along and possibly use the incorrect info in the tutorial then run in to big problems, so getting the details correct, especially when it comes to power, is important. Have a look through my "amps & volts" one. There's a lot of info in there that has been well researched and confirmed, so please feel free to use any of it. You are more than welcome to do so.:) Anyway, I hope you write some more tutorials as I for one, like reading them.
PRO
Canada
#98  
@Technopro I also wanted to mention that you did a great job! I personally appreciate you're contributions to the community as you usually have unique was of solving hardware problems that I hadn't thought of before:)

I agree with @Steve G on the clarifications that he's made, but as he said it doesn't take away from what you've done, it just adds to it.

@Steve G I did attempt to take inrush measurements with my professional multimeter but the sample rate is just not fast enough to pick up the peak inrush value. I'm going to look into another ways to measure it.
#99  
Thanks for the heads up guys. Anything I wasn't hard set sure of I made sure to put at a safe number that I had used, or seen others use. Will get it changed.
United Kingdom
#100  
Okay Jez, no worries.

Absolutely no problem techno. keep up the good work.:)
#101  
@James,

Please remove me from the commitment of the Sabertooth/Kangaroo tutorial. I just don't have the time to get to this any time soon. With my name off of that one maybe someone else will get the ambition to tackle it. If when I get more time (may not be for months) no one else has done it I'll step back in. I really don't want any payment or EZ Credit if it gets back to me.

One thing I'll say about any Sabertooth/Kangaroo is that each in themselves each board is very versatile and can do many different tings. Where the Roo is only able to work with only 2 models of DE's motor drivers ( Any of the SaberTooths and also their SyRen controllers) the Sabertooth's can work by themselves and do most of what a robot maker needs except position control. There is so many different things these controllers can to with and without each other that any tutorial would need to be able to cover these differences with their limitations and abilities. At least a basic mention of models and differences would be needed to help someone choose the proper combination for their application. For example Some Sabertooth's offer speed ramping, one offers a way to use it with a power supply with no battery attached to capture the regeneration energy. You can use these with RC controllers, microcontrollers, pots. The list of ways to use these goes on and on. Also needed is what a Roo would add to the motor controller and how to set it up and command it. Lastly a section for the DeScribe software used to change settings in the Kangaroo and Sabertooth's would be needed along with how to hook it up to the boards through your laptop. Each model board will activate a different settings section in the Describe software. I'm not talking an in depth manual on how to use each function of each board. DE's manuals do all that (although sometimes they are not always user friendly). What's needed is a basic guide of each board, their functions and what they do. In depth descriptions would be needed for attaching these to your motors and the EZB along with how to command them using ARC.

Just my opinion but I think any useful tutorial on these amazing controllers would need most of what I mentioned above. No small task.

@Steve, If you are up to tackling the main authorship of this tutorial I would be more then happy to lend any advice or guidance I can. I'm no expert but I have been working with these board for a while now and have worked through many problems. @Richard R. seems to have a very good grasp of using a Sabertooth as a dual wheel driver (and perhaps other things). Maybe he could grace us with some of his wisdom if needed? You seem to be able to intuitively grasp difficult concepts you're not entirely familiar with and put them to words and action. Your tutorial are amazingly clear and understandable. Perhaps the complexity of this tutorial is just down your alley. :) Any thoughts? I hope I haven't put you on the hot seat here so feel free to back away. totally understandable if you do. ;)
United Kingdom
#102  
@Dave.

What I will do is take a look and do a lil research to see if it's something I could get my head around and knock something up. I've never used either device as you probably know, but I think I understand the concept of both. I won't commit just yet, but I'll leave a post in a couple of days either to say "yay" or "nay" unless someone else wants to take a crack at it.

Thanks Dave.:)
#103  
Alright, I think I got all of your points @Steve_G. Added a bit more too.
#104  
@Technopro, nice job!
@Dave Schulpius, I'll remove your name from the list.
United Kingdom
#105  
@Dave & James.

Just a quick post to say that I've decided against doing the saber/Roo tutorial for now, as this particular one would take me some time to do to make it detailed and meaningful. With the realisation that Novermber is only a week away, I really need to get back and finish building/programming my droid project before Xmas arrives, so I need to spend my free time doing that for now.

Steve.
#106  
No problem @Steve G. Can't wait to see the finished E4-B4:)