Control Questions

Thank you for the information you posted to my last question. After reading it, I origionally planned to use pots with a joystick, but after reading the documentation more carefully, it appears there are only 2 analog inputs, meaning I could not hook up 2 pots and a 2 axis joystick. Is this true?

So, after looking into it more, I found the 3500, which is still capable of supplying the current I need for my motors and has encoders input built in, correct? It is also more cost effective. That seems like an easy solution, just use encoders, which are more reliable anyway, and use the analog inputs for the joystick (hardwired by the way, not remote). But, I noticed one more potential problem. The software allows the user to tune the joystick deadband and response curves, as well as limits, but apparently only for the R/C mode. Why won't it work for the analog mode? Is it possible to convert analog to R/C cheaply and easily if necessary? Also, is it possible to set the max limits of position to prevent "crashing" what the actators I am controlling?

Sorry for all of the questions, i will most likely call next week during business hours, but I thought I would go ahead and get these questions out there if someone happened to be watching the board.

Thanks.

It will not be easy for you to use the encoders.

As explained earlier, ecoders give a relative position unless they are reset to a home position whenever you turn the controller on.

You can find professional joysticks that output a RC-type pulse. See <A href="www.hydraforce.com/News/EleVeCon/Joystk.pdf" target=_blank>www.hydraforce.com/News/EleVeCon/Joystk.pdf

You can also relatively easily build a small circuit using a 555 timer that can generate the pulses based on your potentiometer position. You can find a schematic at <A href="dev.roboteq.com/dev1/download/joystick-555-converter.pdf" target=_blank>www.roboteq.com/download/joystick-555-converter.pdf
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This schematic has been simulated with the shown resistor and capacitor values and will produce timing pulses that are quite close to the 1ms min, 1.5ms centered, 2ms max of RC radios. You can also calibrate the controller to learn the min max and center values generated by this circuit. Note: 5V should come from the 5V out on the controller's connector. The Out pin goes to the RC input. The pot goes where R3 is.