[LukeZ]

That's true dedication! I hope they work well in your models, let us know.

[jhamm]

Hi Luke,
yes they work well.
I finish the Tankrace yesterday on second place.

[jhamm]

Hello,
here additional info for a build with the Arduino Mega...

[Lotuswins]

Hi Luke,

Well, I am now in need of one or two more TCBs, and have been reading up on using the Arduino Mega.  Having no experience with arduino's, could you suggest:

1) a vendor/manufacturer of preferred board with as many components which would make the transition minimal hassle?

2) a complete wiring diagram, which includes lights, sabertooth, etc. which the DIY firmware will work with? The latest one you posted is great, but missing the LED side, I think?
3) any other components which are needed IE: transistors/etc. for inverting the Sbus signal....I assume we need to make a small board to interface this? or any other components needed to emulate the TCB.
4) anyone to contact with success, willing to share pictures, etc?

Anyways, thanks for all the awesome help.  All my tanks are working well, so tackling a DIY seems to be the next step.....and I have this KT I'm assembling from bits which needs a brain.....

Jerry

[jhamm]

Hi,
i made a extended Drawing, see attached.
First step try a Arduino Mega, if you get it work do the next step an build a TCB by a Mega2560Core or Mega2560MiniPro.
There is no ready by build solution, you have to think and create the circuit.
All neccesary information you find here:
http://openpanzer.org/forum/index.php?topic=16.0

[LukeZ]

Hi Jerry,

First, I've merged your posts with the Arduino Mega thread as you can see, to keep all the discussion in one place

Having no experience with arduino's, could you suggest:
1) a vendor/manufacturer of preferred board with as many components which would make the transition minimal hassle?

All the commercially available Arduino Mega boards are functionally the same, they differ only in size/form factor. None of them will have any of the components that will make the transition hassle free, indeed all of them aren't really circuits so much as they are just "breakout boards" which simply bring the teensy-tiny pins of the processor out to headers where you can more easily access them.

2) a complete wiring diagram, which includes lights, sabertooth, etc. which the DIY firmware will work with? The latest one you posted is great, but missing the LED side, I think?
3) any other components which are needed IE: transistors/etc. for inverting the Sbus signal....I assume we need to make a small board to interface this? or any other components needed to emulate the TCB.

See this post earlier in this thread for a pinout document (updated to show the alternate DIY pins, of which there are only two). Of course a complete schematic as well as bill of materials is available on the Downloads page. The pins in the schematic refer to ATmega pin numbers, whereas your mega board will use Arduino pin numbers, which are not the same. However the document in the post I just linked will provide the crosswalk.

4) anyone to contact with success, willing to share pictures, etc?

This is the thread to be in! Start from the beginning and read through.

Making a DIY version is not entirely an easy process but start with the simple things (radio in and servo outputs), then go from there. Don't connect or bother with any functionality you won't be using to simplify the final result.

Comprehensive support for this undertaking is beyond the scope of the project but feel free to ask specific questions and I will try to assist.

[LukeZ]

See also this thread by Sergey from Russia who I think was the first to make a DIY version.

His Russian-language thread is also definitely worth checking out, it has more detail (he provides a link to it).

[Rebus]

Hello,

I'm  working on a new "piggy-back TCB" plugged on a standard ATMega board.
As said before I'm not very young and fitting a pcb with smd components smaller than 1206 size, is a pain for me.

I need to reduce the length because on the previous pcb, some pins connectors were in contact with USB plug on Mega board.
My new prototype board would use "big components", and because space available is not very wide, some functionalities will be sacrified.

I have seen that Luke add some possibilities for DIY boards, and I would like to clarify some details :

- Machine Gun mosfet drive was driven with PE2, non available on Mega board
   Now connected to PD1 (Pin 20  SDA of I2c port)   
   Correct ?

- Recoil switch was connected to PE6, non available on Mega board
  Now  connected to PD0 (Pin 21  SCL of I2c port) 
  Correct ?

So, I2c connector can be removed
L298 removed and replaced by 2 connectors for external drivers as like chinese Monster Moto shield
IR battle components removed and replaced with connector.
5V regulator is removed and Servos connectors, leds, and all accessories are powered by a BEC.

We can discuss about that, my Eagle files (and Gerber) would be available for everybody.

Have a nice day

[LukeZ]

I have seen that Luke add some possibilities for DIY boards, and I would like to clarify some details :

- Machine Gun mosfet drive was driven with PE2, non available on Mega board
   Now connected to PD1 (Pin 20  SDA of I2c port)   
   Correct ?

- Recoil switch was connected to PE6, non available on Mega board
  Now  connected to PD0 (Pin 21  SCL of I2c port) 
  Correct ?

So, I2c connector can be removed

That is all precisely correct. It requires us to give up the I2C port but we are not using that port in the TCB firmware anyway.

I will be interested to see the results of your DIY experiment and I'm sure they will be useful to others as well.

[Rebus]

Hi Luke,

Thanks for your double check.
My new board is ready, i will send Gerber file to China quickly.
When I wil got pcb, after testing, errors (!) correction ... i will publish Eagle files.

Best regards,

PS : Sorry Luke, but after your explanations, I2c connector was sacrified !

[LukeZ]

PS : Sorry Luke, but after your explanations, I2c connector was sacrified !

Yes, it's unnecessary. If I were producing the TCB today I would remove it.

[Lotuswins]

Okay, just getting started after vacation and the roofing contract from hell....

Simple question:  I tried to get registered on the St. Petersburg Tank Forum, and couldn't pass the 'non-robot' test:   What is the correct response for 'Tank Leningrad'? 

jerry

[LukeZ]

Hi Jerry, I can't remember now what I answered. But I've send a PM to a couple of the Russian guys and hopefully they will chime in shortly.

[Deny]

Hi! Writing kv-1

[Lotuswins]

Thank you Luke and Denis, that worked!!  Jerry