Can't restore IR functionality to Starter Robot kit

#21

I have just purchased this robot for my daughter and would like to start playing with programming it. I am keen to make sure I don’t “brick” it and wipe the pre-installed software without being able to re-install. I have followed most of the steps and have successfully accessed the IR_Ultrasonic code within the Arduino IDE software. I was trying to understand it, and an issue came up.

The code has a line case IR_BUTTON_TEST: which seems to start and stop the auto mode. My daughter’s robot is put in and out of auto mode by pressing the D key on the remote, not the Test key (there is no Test key)

I think we have the V1 model (bought off ebay) not the V2 model for which the code is written.

Can anyone help me understand the difference between V1 and V2, and whether the code for V2 will work OK in V1 (perhaps I need to change the line above to case IR_BUTTON_D:)

I’m really keen not to brick it, since my daughter enjoys playing with it just as a dumb remote controlled toy.

Thanks for any help.

#22

I don’t think ou can brick it as you can always upload new code via arduino software. As for the code version v1 or v2 they are the same just depends on the board you have. If you want to make sure what version you have. These are the improvements between the two versions:

• Me BaseBoard V1.0 instead of previous Meduino V1.0 and Me BaseShield V2.0
• 2 Base Brackets instead of previous Arduino Acrylic Box and battery bracket
• Micro USB cable instead of previous USB A-male to B-male cable.

So if you connect via micro usb you have v2. and u must upload using arduino uno board in arduino software if you us mblock you have Orion board. The old one was based on Leonardo board i beleive but not sure. im new to this aswell :slightly_smiling:

As for the test button that is the same as the d button so no need to change that. you can see an image of the previous remote on this page http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server2600/4r4weyxd/product_images/uploaded_images/electronic.4.jpg layout is the same just the names are different. Menu = C and power equals A Test equals D. So my D button has the fucntion of test in the script.

I got mine this morning and IR wasnt working so i upload new code so i can play around with it. When i upgrade the firmware in mblock ir stops working but i have an ino script for the arduino software with the IR_Ultrasonic code and when u upload it after your done testing its back to ir mode. so no problem just have fun programming and by the beleives of your remote button layout you have v2.

#23

Thank you. I have successfully tried a simple script and then reinstalled the original firmware. I feel much happier playing now.

One more question. I had previously been able to try some simple mblock programs without uploading them - just clicking on them made the changes to the robot state (e.g. running the motor).

For some reason this no longer works - I can upload block programmes to the robot and run them on the robot (overwriting the firmware), but I can’t try them out without uploading within the Mblock programme running on my Mac. This is particularly frustrating because I doubt that I will get any IR functionality working in Mblock scripts without a good deal of playing. It’s going to be very difficult to play if I can’t get any feedback from a running script (other than switching motors on and off).

Any ideas?

#24

MM i have no idea thats weird. How are you connected? serial bluetooth or 2.4ghz. I have no problems with serial connection but when connected via bluetooth it somehow stops working after a few minutes. First few tries it acts as normal then it just stops working and i have to restart everything. even when i switch boards and stuf it says bluetooth connected but it is infact disconnect when i switch over to different connection etc it doesn’t respond. i guess thats a bug in the software or something.

Anyway for me it is only a stable connection via serial. The problem is when testing out a moving script you have to make sure the wheels are in the air as it might run away connected with the cable :slightly_smiling: And when testing object avoid script you have to bring the object to the bot itself.

#25

Man… I am finally getting it… Very slowly.

Thanks for your posts on this thread!

#26

I also found out, when working in mblock i can click the code to test but when i select the main block at the top for example “mbot programming” and it is on the right along whit the rest. i can click on code and nothing happens. when i remove that block i can click again to test.

#27

Just another of a long series of database errors after reading your post and finding the same problems that so many of us are experiencing. No control via IR and no evidence that the ultrasonic sensor on the starter bot is picking up anything. I bought ten of these cute,sturdy little brutes and can’t use them to teach my classes with until these very, very serious problems are resolved. There is reason that experienced computer people, like so many posting on this site should be having the same frustrations. Come on guys, please get us a version that works! What is the default IR port anyway? I’ve tried all the ones that should work on various ports. No documentation on this at all!

#28

My biggest issue was that I was installing the mblock software which is bundled with Arduino, and then installing another (and different) version of Arduino afterwards. As @RAndyVee said, it was getting confused.

I am now using the Arduino instance installed with mblock to restore IR functionality (see above posts). When I want to mess it all up and try something new, I code in the mblock interface and upload there.

I also plugged in the code above and it worked… It probably would have worked better if my son had the motor polarity wired correctly.

#29

Sorry Nesio - hadn’t spotted this reply.

I’m connect via USB serial (I don’t have the bluetooth robot). It’s still not responding to commands when connected - but I can upload programmes. Your’re right, there’s only so much playing you can do when the bot is connected by cable to my Mac, but I could do some - especially getting mblock to tell me when the bot receives an IR command - which I’d like to be able to do for testing [quote=“Nesio, post:24, topic:2959, full:true”]
MM i have no idea thats weird. How are you connected? serial bluetooth or 2.4ghz. I have no problems with serial connection but when connected via bluetooth it somehow stops working after a few minutes. First few tries it acts as normal then it just stops working and i have to restart everything. even when i switch boards and stuf it says bluetooth connected but it is infact disconnect when i switch over to different connection etc it doesn’t respond. i guess thats a bug in the software or something.

Anyway for me it is only a stable connection via serial. The problem is when testing out a moving script you have to make sure the wheels are in the air as it might run away connected with the cable :slightly_smiling: And when testing object avoid script you have to bring the object to the bot itself.
[/quote]

purposes. Am away at the moment but will report any progress.

#30