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Pololu Maestro 6 servo controller and small rc servos

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by thomasant, Feb 10, 2010.

  1. thomasant

    thomasant New Member

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    Hi everyone,
    I am trying to make a simple model motion platform using the Pololu Maestro 6 servo controller and small rc servos to run with FSX. Is it possible to interface this controller with X-sim software? If so, any help on how to interface the software with the controller will be highly appreciated. The controller defaults to Command Port on COM3 and TTL Port on COM4 in device manager Windows XP. I have no experience in software programming. Thanks in advance.

    http://www.pololu.com/docs/0J40

    I apologize if this post is not in the correct thread, and it may be moved to the right one.
  2. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Re: Pololu Mestro 6 servo controller and small rc servos

    Use this tutorial for example to get it working on hardware side:

    http://www.x-simulator.de/wiki/Servo_Ta ... _mboRacing

    The tutorial uses just 4 axis, but you simply have to add 2 more axis in the command string.

    regards
  3. thomasant

    thomasant New Member

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    Re: Pololu Mestro 6 servo controller and small rc servos

    Thank you very much.
  4. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Re: Pololu Mestro 6 servo controller and small rc servos

    MboRacing has some experience with Polulu hardware and 6DOF btw...

    post16889.html#p16889
  5. adbgg

    adbgg Member

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    Hi Thomasant,

    I've bought exactly the same card (micro maestro 6 servo controller USB), but I can't see the card into the list of interfaces found by X-SIM profiler 2.0 (only LPT1).
    I know that the card works perfectly with the software provided by pololu, and I'm able to move the servo.

    But does X-sim support this card ? I'm not sure for the moment.

    Did you succeed to do something ?

    Thanks a lot.

    Adbgg
  6. adbgg

    adbgg Member

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    Hi again,

    In fact, I can see my card on COM3 and COM4 in the control panel of windows 7.

    But I can't see anything in the list of the output setup of X-sim profiler.
    There is only Port de communication (COM1) into the list. Nothing about COM3 or COM4.
    So, I believe that X-sim is not able to detect the card micro maestro 6 servo controller USB.

    Maybe it needs a kind of plugin. I don't know exactly what to do.

    Bye

    Adbgg
  7. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Afaik the connection to the Polulu servo interfaces is unidirectional.
    There is not direct XSim support for them.
    So you wont see them listed in the XSim Profiler at all.

    Simply send the command string via the correct com port, and the servos will move.
  8. adbgg

    adbgg Member

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    Thanks for your advice Egoexpress.
    I tried to move the servo following explanations given in http://www.x-simulator.de/wiki/Servo_Ta ... _mboRacing
    But nothing. Maybe I don't fill in the good sentence or expression.
    PLease just confirm it is possible to do something with this card, connected to X-sim profiler ?
    Do you think it is possible ?
    Thanks
  9. adbgg

    adbgg Member

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    What do you mean with Simply send the command string via the correct com port, and the servos will move ?

    I've got in my control panel :

    - pololu micro maestro 6-sevo controller command port (COM4)
    - pololu micro maestro 6-sevo controller TLL port (COM3)
    - port de communication (COM1)
    - port imprimante (LPT1)


    In X-sim profiler, I have only :

    - port de communication (COM1)

    So my question is how to send the command string via the correct com port ?. Thanks
  10. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    X-Sim will send the command string via the COM port you select. It does not need nor is able to recognise the Polulu interface. But it sends the data anyway.

    Select the correct com-port (like shown in mboracing' tutorial),
    and compose a command (parser command):

    For 6DOF with 90° servos:
    ~255~~0~~a01~~255~~1~~a02~~255~~2~~a03~~255~~3~~a04~~255~~4~~a05~~255~~5~~a06~

    For 6DOF with 180° servos:
    ~255~~8~~a01~~255~~9~~a02~~255~~10~~a03~~255~~11~~a04~~255~~12~~a05~~255~~13~~a06~

    Please study the pictures mboracing provided in his tutorial to be able to ask more specific questions.
  11. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Afais, you are able to connect your Polulu USB servo interfaces via COM port as well. There are RX/TX pins on the pcb.

    So decide for yourself, if you rather want to use your interfaces immediately via com port, or if you want to send/lend an interface to Sirnoname, in order to make a plugin for the use with USB.

    Regards
  12. adbgg

    adbgg Member

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    GREAT ! Very important information you gave me. That's right, the card has also other connections than USB, but...

    1) My pololu card propose pins like this : RST / TX / RX / VIN / GND
    And I have to find the configuration to connect pins to a DB9 / RS-232 plug (pins from n°1 to n°9)


    2) If I refer to the mboracing picture and his card, he has connected like this :
    a) Serial input RS-232 (card) -> pin n°3
    b) Ground (card) -> pin n°5


    Do you think that the here under solution is the good one for me ?

    RST
    TX -> pin n°3 (if TX represents RS232-input, but I’m not sure)
    RX
    VIN
    GND -> pin n°5

    Thanks
    Adbgg
  13. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    In case you want to try to connect your USB Polulu servo interfaces via the COM port:

    Connect a serial cable to the com port of your computer, and connect your interface to the cable as follows:

    Pin 3 to RX
    Pin 5 to GND

    rs232 female.gif
  14. thomasant

    thomasant New Member

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    Hi everyone,

    I threw the question to the Pololu forum and this is the response I got from Paul, the Administrator:

    Hello,

    The instructions you link to show how to use the Micro Serial Servo Controller in Mini-SSC mode, so the same configuration should work without change on the Micro Maestro, using servo numbers 0-5 only. You should configure your Micro Maestro in USB Chained mode and experiment with the Mini SSC offset and scaling parameters to get the best range for your servos.

    If any of the X-sim people are interested in writing a real plugin for the Maestro, you can refer them to me - I would be interested in helping out. It looks like a cool project! I am going to copy this post to your thread over on x-simulator.de as well.

    -Paul


    Hope this helps. Regards,

    Tony
  15. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Btw, check your serial cable. The picture above shows a female connector. Sometimes serial cables have male connectors on each side. The wiring diagram for male connector differs.

    Btw...

    Rx = receive data
    Tx = transfer data
  16. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Ok, then forget the parser code for 180° servos. Use the parser string for 90° servos.
    For offset and scaling parameters a plugin is needed. This wont work via the COM-port solution for now.

    What servos are you guys using anyway? 90 or 180 degrees?

    Regarding the plugin. As said before: If you'd lend Sirnoname your interface for a few days, he'd write a plugin for it.

    Tony, did you show Paul mboracing' 6DOF servo model as well? :)
  17. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Well, the parser string does not allow to set these paramters. But you might be able to programm those parameters externally with some software piece from Polulu I guess.
  18. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Drop me a line as soon as you guys have done the cableing. Because there wont be any servo moving at all without sending a signal to the interface.
  19. thomasant

    thomasant New Member

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    Hi,
    No I did not link Paul with the 6 DOF project.

    I live near Houston, and I am not sure where I could ship the microcontroller to. If you PM me the whereabouts, I can surely try and ship it overseas to sirnoname. I can always get another one here. Or I can mail him a check, it cost me $25.

    For now, I am trying my project with small RC servos. Once I get them to work, I think I may be able to amplify the output from the servo controller to drive H-Bridges for geared electric dc scooter motors, which are very cheap compared to the SCN5.

    http://tncscooters.com/partsdb.php?type=ES

    Thank you again for your help and input.

    Tony
  20. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

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    Well, in case you want to send him an interface, send him a PM to ask for his adress.

    But in the meantime you could try to get it working via COM port.