The Raspberry Pi Thread [4]

badrobot said:

What do you use the rovers for? Just playing around with it?

That's been a long haul. I have three on the go at the moment. I started with this, Mini Robot Rover Chassis Kit - 2WD with DC Motors ID: 2939 - $24.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique fun DIY electronics and kits A Pi Zero and an Explorer pHat.
I didn't like the caster at the front, it makes it easy to tip over so I bought two more of those same motors and wheels and made it 4 wheel drive. The chassis has mounting points for 4 motors. Then I ran into an issue where it didn't want to turn, and one or more of the motors stalling when trying to turn.
Pimoroni had a 4 wheeler in one of their Bilge Tank videos using the explorer pHat so I assume its doable. They thought it might be the motors? So I bought 4 of their micro metal gear motors. And 4 wheels to fit those shafts. The same ones used in the video. Cut my chassis all up mounting them and still had the same issue? Doesn't want to turn. Goes forward and backward no problem though.
Then came plan B. Go with rubber tracks. I want to use this outside, the caster ones will just tip over at the first uneven bump in the road. So I bought this, https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/p...t=933151014922 It fits the micro metal gear motors I already have. https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/m...ded-back-shaft I bought the same ratio as was used in the rover they sell, which I probably just should have bought, likely would have saved me some money. https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/c...wd-robot-rover Didn't like the chassis though and "thought" I could do better.
Anyway the tracked one is all built but I think I have one bad motor which may have been an issue all along? The track set only uses 2 motors so I'll swap the dud one out with one of the spares and see how it goes. Next day or two likely.
Not wanting to waist all the other motors and stuff I had already bought I ordered another two of those red chassis and another caster. I now have two of those rovers in the first link. They are basically all running and tested and work fine on a floor etc. Just have to find a decent inexpensive controller to control them with. I'm using a keyboard at the moment. I have a Bluetooth controller I want to use, just have to sit down and plug though the python required to do it.
Pictures of all three are here, Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online. Once I get my controller working I plan on letting my grand kids play with them. Might even just give them to them. They each have lipo batteries and an easy to plug in charger. I used barrel connectors as I knew the Micro USB would get mangled by the grand kids.

My original plan, way back when, was to have a camera on the front steaming video to a small hand held display / controller. And some sound effects come from the rover. R2D2 sounds etc. Something like that. Right now I just want a working rover that will run on grass etc. With all I've spent I could have just ponied up for a nice kit. That's the way things go some times.

I have a few odds and ends not being used, nothing I spent any great amount of money on though. Just set things up on my deck with my laptop and bread board Pi. Going to tinker with my LED shim for a while.
Clumsy me dropped by portable weather clock on the floor, The battery shifted out of position but everything else survived the fall. I have it wedged in with some of that pink packing foam. May have to find a better way. There isn't anything to tie rap it too though. I may use one or two of those 3M sticky pads or something.
Managed to sleep in a bit this morning. Took my dog for a later than usual walk and stopped at Tim's on the way home. Just sipping a nice big cup of Dark Roast.

I have a big custom made (I didn't make it ) set of shelves in the spare room that's my computer room. Almost all my Pi stuff is there in boxes and plastic storage boxes. Keeps it from cluttering up any other rooms in the house. We left out the bottom shelf and its a bed for my dog Ginger. A nice pad on the floor and just tall enough that she can walk in a lay down without hitting her head on anything. She's happy, and my wife's happy, so I'm happy.

I have 2 sets of big drawers for all my clutter with dividers for different stuffs.

And I have this Pacman ghost printed on custom size black tarpaulin to keep the clutter on my shelf out of sight. :)

Getting nowhere fast with my LED Shim. All the examples work, until I edit one of them to try and get what I want to happen. Then I get an error that doesn't make any sense at all to me. This time I'm pointing the finger at Pimoroni, the function list isn't up for the LED shim, which is what I need to get anywhere. I have no idea what is actually happening in the examples? I've been poking Phil on github and the forum to kindly "get at it". Its the weekend and a guy has to have some time off. Hopefully something shows up next week that I can work with.