Tutorial Guide to setting up SimTools for use with the Kangaroo motion controller

Oh yea @jsmith2307 , it just dawned on me that you are using syren not sabertooth controllers with your kangaroos. If you use a dual controller (sabertooth) you can control two motors with one kangaroo and one delink (or other usb to serial converter). Since syrens are a single motor controller you will need two kangaroos and two usb to serial converters to control two motors. Then in simtools you will have to set up each kangaroo on its own serial interface and use 1,p<Axis> for the output on each one.

Greetings,
That is really good news to hear!! I will order another Delink today!! Two SyRens controllers two Kangaroo x2 and two Delinks should do it!
jsmith2307

Greetings,
A little video to help you visualize!! Also I get a large amount of vibration....every now and then!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M60Oo4SjdCE&list=UUvFMizrFfAKw-hf2JdYe_Hw&feature=share

jsmith2307

The only thing I can suggest right now is to experiment with different update rates out of simtools and see if it makes any difference. Try 20, 30 ms or more. I assume you did a new tune as I suggested? And does your rig follow good when you use DEScribe's livetest?

Greetings,

"The only thing I can suggest right now is to experiment with different update rates out of simtools and see if it makes any difference. Try 20, 30 ms or more. I assume you did a new tune as I suggested? And does your rig follow good when you use DEScribe's livetest?"

I retuned, and I test out using startup 5ms, interface 20ms - 50ms, shutdown 5ms.
Is this what I should be seeing, I thought it should be more in the middle of the scale!

jsmith2307

@jsmith2307 You provided little information to assist you! What you did provide I don’t understand. Simtools output has nothing to do with DEScribe software. And I don’t know what you should be seeing because you provided no reference information for me to determine what I should be seeing! But I can say your motor should be at center position @ 2048 units. But forget Simtools for now and get you’re motors working with live test correctly first. The slider to the right of the graph allows you to control the motors position so when you move it up and down, your motor should follow. I suggest more time reading up on how to use DEScribe software and/or on the phone with Charleen @ DE to get motors working with their software first before you attempt using them with Simtools again. If you can’t control your motors with DEScribe and my test program, you will never get control of them with Simtools!

btw 2048 units = 2.5 volts at the pot output. I also edited above where I had the wrong figures posted.

ps One difference between my program and DEScribe is mine uses the "simple serial" method of transmission where DEScribe uses "packet serial". The code for Simtools uses simple. If one method works the other should also but testing with my program after DEScribe assures this.

Greetings,
I apologize for the lack of information. What I was trying to show was the DEScribe LIVE TEST that you mentioned in the previous exchange
.
“I assume you did a new tune as I suggested? And does your rig follow good when you use
DEScribe's livetest?"


I did do a retune, and I needed to know if you knew, or any others knew, where the point on live test graph was supposed to be (lower, middle, or higher). I assumed it to be in the middle, since the POT is centered @ 2.5.
I’ll call DE.
jsmith2307

I believe the graphing function in DEScribe live test is dependent on what the “units” are set at. In Simtools we set the units to 4095 = 5000 meaning 4095 possible positions for 5000 max millivolts thru the pot with 2048 being the center. If units are not set in DEScribe under the “units” tab, I believe the default ratio is one to one. Therefore, 5000 positions for 5000 millivolts and 2500 would be the center. DE hopefully will clairify this when you speak to them.

Greetings BlazinH,
Success!! After playing around with DEScirbe, and your program, I got proper movement on the “Y” axis (pitch). Now I have to test the “X” axis (roll or bank)…. I just received the second Delink and have to link the two of them up to work on DEScirbe & Simtools 1.2.
jsmith2307

Hi
New Sabertooth 2x 32 with usb interface and updated DeScribe software tool.

See manual attached

regards Terry

Hi

Modifying a couple of my motors the accept these encoders AMT 103 kit

less than £16.00 each + £3.00 for connecting cable



dip switches for setting pulse counts, adapters to fit various diameter shafts, alignment tools for installation.

regards Terry

Hey Terry, could you start a new thread and show how those encoders would be able to replace a potentiometer? I would be very interested in learning more about them. I did read the spec sheet but most of it is over my head



Great find and thanks for sharing!

Great news to hear @jsmith ! Let us now how things go and if you need some further assistance.

Hi Terry! Let us know what you think of the new interface. It may be a little easier to hook up but I don't see that it will make much difference for how we use it otherwise. It does have 12bit speed control but that much precision is not really needed on a racing sim. 8bit does fine for me anyway. May make a little difference on a precision flight sim though. Other than monitoring feedback, a second output for motor brakes etc., a new plain text interface, a few extra amps, and the usb interface, it appears to be about the same as the non usb models. It does however have a custom interface that states you can use it with several modes at the same time which may be useful for some people.

@telfel , Are you planing on using these with the kangaroo? Did you ever use the kangaroo on a project with any success? Thanks again for you're input on the site too!

Hi @BlazinH

I have one motor modded, testing with the kangaroo at the moment, the encoder & limits work ok.

I have a problem not related which is I'm able to auto tune with limits ok, live test works ok, but when I change either the address or baud rate, in live test the option to home doesn't work, so no motor movement, change addr back to 128 and all works, describe shows in the top menu that Kangaroo is connected and the correct address. I have raised a ticket with DE help desk.

I have 3 units for 6dof so need to be able to set 3 different addresses.

regards Terry

Hmm, I don't know why you would have problems changing just the baud rate of the kangaroo. But why would you want to change the address? Simple serial mode can only work with one kangaroo on one serial channel and packet serial uses a channel name concept so you can run multiple kangaroos on the default 128 address. That said, from the manual of DEScribe it looks like you should be able to change the address of the kangaroo if you want to!

Hi All
New Sabertooth 2x32 with usb input, upto 8amp per channel to power extras, brakes etc, emergency stop facility,
$125.00 + Kangaroo $25.00
see link http://www.dimensionengineering.com/products/sabertooth2x32

@BlazinH : many thanks for your tutorial!
-> Kangaroo + Sabertooth appear to be one of the cheapest setup for 24V simulator!
I would appreciate very much if you could upload and share your Presets working along with Kangaroo
http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/game-engine-interface-presets.148/

Thanks
Mat

@RacingMat , RaceRay asked me about doing that also. But I don't use the kangaroo myself. I was just helping another member with their kangaroo and decided to see if I could come up with the proper coding to control it directly from SimTools. And a users comport and baud rate could be different than the present too. It's really quite simple to cut and paste the code provided in my opening post though! Then the user can put their correct figures needed into the serial settings.

btw I cannot recommend the kangaroo at this time though! Too many members have had too many problems trying to tune it and getting it to work properly; me included. Dimension Engineering swears it is will work though! But, while I'm not a member of any other simulator community, I have not seen any postings over there either stating great success and happiness with it!