Saturday, October 09, 2010

Propeller Servo Controller USB

The Propeller Servo Controller allows you to control up to 16 servos (32 using two Propeller Servo Controllers) by sending serial commands from a microcontroller or PC via its USB connection. The Propeller Servo Controller USB is Propeller-based and open-source. This means you can modify the existing code or develop your own code to make the Propeller Servo Controller do more and control more.

The Propeller Servo Controller USB is fully compatible with our previous servo controllers and will run with the beta PSCI software application. In addition the hardware and software were set up to take advantage of additional features that you can implement in custom software. Additional features that can be taken advantage of with custom software are an additional 32K EEPROM included for storing of custom settings and/or sequence data, CMOS switch capable of controlling downstream serial communication and a software controlled LED.

Outputs are set at 5V. The Propeller Servo Controller USB contains a superset of the original servo controller commands. Any output can be disabled on startup or set to a custom startup position. Outputs can also be disabled and enabled at any time. The Propeller Servo Controller USB can be powered from a PC USB port or by the host microcontroller.

Features:

* P8X32A-M44 Propeller chip on-board
* 80 MHz clock speed
* 64KB EEPROM (32KB available for user data)
* 16 channels using one PSCU, 32 channels using two
* Compatible with our previous servo controllers (and superset of instructions)
* Open-source firmware
* Servo Ramping
* Network ready - the Propeller Servo Controller USB can be linked to other units to expand the number of channels

Application Ideas:

* Fun-house prop control
* Animated art control
* Robotics

Key Specifications:

* Power requirements: 5 VDC @ ~60mA for logic, 4.8 - 7.5 VDC for servos
* Communication: Asynchronous Serial @ 2400ps or 38.4kbps (TTL or USB)
* Dimensions: 2.25 x 1.8 x 0.65 in (57.14 x 45.74 x 16.53 mm)
* Operating temp range: +32°F to +158°F (0°C to +70°C)