Diagnose EZ-B connection speed and reliability; benchmark ADC read rates (4-70/sec), reveal flood-control effects and optimize data throttle.
How to add the Benchmark robot skill
- Load the most recent release of ARC (Get ARC).
- Press the Project tab from the top menu bar in ARC.
- Press Add Robot Skill from the button ribbon bar in ARC.
- Choose the General category tab.
- Press the Benchmark icon to add the robot skill to your project.
Don't have a robot yet?
Follow the Getting Started Guide to build a robot and use the Benchmark robot skill.
How to use the Benchmark robot skill
The ARC Benchmark skill is a simple diagnostic tool you can run when you want to test your EZ-B connection. It helps you answer two beginner-friendly questions:
- How fast is my setup? (your computer + ARC + network link to the EZ-B)
- How reliable is my setup? (are commands being dropped, delayed, or interrupted?)
Run the benchmark anytime your robot feels “laggy,” commands seem delayed, servos respond late, sensors read slowly, or you suspect Wi-Fi/network issues.
What the benchmark is doing (in plain language)
The benchmark repeatedly sends a basic command to your EZ-B and measures how many successful responses it gets back each second. One common test is Read ADC, which means:
- ADC = Analog-to-Digital Converter
- It’s how the EZ-B reads an analog voltage on an analog input pin
- The test reads the value over and over to measure “reads per second”
Higher reads per second usually means your connection is faster and/or less delayed. Erratic results or very low results can indicate Wi-Fi congestion, weak signal, CPU load on the PC, or connection interruptions.
How to use the results
Use the benchmark to see how quickly ARC can send commands and get responses from the EZ-B. If the number is consistently high and stable, your setup is generally performing well.
Use the benchmark to confirm the connection is dependable. Sudden drops, inconsistent readings, or failures can help you diagnose intermittent Wi-Fi issues, interference, or power problems.
Data Channel Flood Protection
In ARC, open your Connection Control, then open the Settings screen. You may see an option named Data Channel Flood Protection for:
- EZ-B v4.x/0
- EZ-B v4.x/1
Important: This feature only applies to the first-generation EZ-B v4. On later hardware revisions, the setting is ignored.
What results to expect (first-generation EZ-B v4)
On a first-generation EZ-B v4, the benchmark may report Read ADC results anywhere from about:
- 4 reads/second (slow / heavily delayed)
- 70 reads/second (near the high end for first-generation EZ-B v4)
Around 70 reads per second is close to the highest expected performance for that hardware.
How to tune Flood Protection for best performance
If you have a first-generation EZ-B v4, you can “tune” this value for your particular project, computer, and network environment:
- Open Connection Control → Settings.
- Find Data Channel Flood Protection.
- Run the benchmark (for example, the Read ADC test) and note the reads/second.
- Increase the Flood Protection value by 1.
- Run the same test again and compare results.
- Repeat until you find the setting that gives the highest stable reads/second.
Beginner troubleshooting tips (if results are low or unstable)
- Reduce Wi-Fi interference: move closer to the router/EZ-B, avoid crowded channels if possible.
- Close heavy programs: video editing, games, or large downloads can slow command processing.
- Check power: undervoltage can cause resets or unstable behavior.
- Re-test after changes: run the same benchmark test again to confirm improvement.
