Comments on: RoombaDevTools RooStick http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/ Random experiments, circuits, code, rapid prototyping, sometimes things to buy, and the odd tune by Tod E. Kurt. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:00:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-78354 todbot Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:58:19 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-78354 Fatman, SparkFun appears to have a few RooSticks available: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/670 Fatman, SparkFun appears to have a few RooSticks available: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/670

]]> By: Fatman http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-78334 Fatman Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:25:23 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-78334 The website seems to be undergoing some changes. No RooStick for me. :( The website seems to be undergoing some changes. No RooStick for me. :(

]]> By: Maarten http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-4180 Maarten Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:59:22 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-4180 When you download the VCP drivers, and install them and then load them: $sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/SLAB_USBtoUART.kext Password: kextload: /System/Library/Extensions/SLAB_USBtoUART.kext loaded successfully How do they then appear under $ls -l /dev/* ? When you download the VCP drivers, and install them and then load them:
$sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/SLAB_USBtoUART.kext
Password:
kextload: /System/Library/Extensions/SLAB_USBtoUART.kext loaded successfully

How do they then appear under
$ls -l /dev/* ?

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3716 todbot Mon, 29 May 2006 15:56:08 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3716 soopergooman: there's actually two LEDs on the RooStick: one powered by USB and one powered by the Roomba's ~+16VDC Vpwr line. The USB LED is fine, it's the Vpwr LED that gets too hot. This is probably because the same value current limiting resistor was used for both LED circuits. With about three times the voltage across the same value resistor, you get 3 times the current. It may be a manufacturing defect on my particular RooStick: trying to see the values on those surface-mount resistor specks is hard. soopergooman: there’s actually two LEDs on the RooStick: one powered by USB and one powered by the Roomba’s ~+16VDC Vpwr line. The USB LED is fine, it’s the Vpwr LED that gets too hot. This is probably because the same value current limiting resistor was used for both LED circuits. With about three times the voltage across the same value resistor, you get 3 times the current. It may be a manufacturing defect on my particular RooStick: trying to see the values on those surface-mount resistor specks is hard.

]]> By: soopergooman http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3715 soopergooman Mon, 29 May 2006 15:40:34 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3715 I just saw this on Engadget.com and now I see that you have a "HOT LED" problem. The reason it's getting so hot is that it's probably drawing over 4 volts of juice from the usb port(any higher and you risk hot plastic explosions.) If you wanted to mod it yourself, then connect a 3.6v resistor to one end of the led contact and then to the pcb, this will dim it and make it not so hot to the touch. I just saw this on Engadget.com and now I see that you have a “HOT LED” problem. The reason it’s getting so hot is that it’s probably drawing over 4 volts of juice from the usb port(any higher and you risk hot plastic explosions.) If you wanted to mod it yourself, then connect a 3.6v resistor to one end of the led contact and then to the pcb, this will dim it and make it not so hot to the touch.

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3705 todbot Sun, 28 May 2006 16:52:29 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3705 dd: good point. I've changed the text to be a bit more explanatory. The post was originally written for other Roomba hackers. xSmurf: that's true, but the installer for the driver doesn't tell you that and the RooStick is targeted at folk less inclined to know how to load kernel modules. dd: good point. I’ve changed the text to be a bit more explanatory. The post was originally written for other Roomba hackers.

xSmurf: that’s true, but the installer for the driver doesn’t tell you that and the RooStick is targeted at folk less inclined to know how to load kernel modules.

]]> By: xSmurf http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3704 xSmurf Sun, 28 May 2006 15:09:07 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3704 Actually you don't need to reboot under Mac OS X; you can load any kernel extension like so: <code># sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/com.extension.kext</code> Obviously you'll need to replace "com.extension.kext" with the name of the extension you want to load. This works since 10.3, iirc. Actually you don’t need to reboot under Mac OS X; you can load any kernel extension like so:

# sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/com.extension.kext

Obviously you’ll need to replace “com.extension.kext” with the name of the extension you want to load. This works since 10.3, iirc.

]]> By: dd http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3703 dd Sun, 28 May 2006 13:46:17 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3703 Not enough description is given in this review to tell the reader actually WHAT the RooStick allows one to do. Control wirelessly? From the computer? Very poor write-up. Not enough description is given in this review to tell the reader actually WHAT the RooStick allows one to do. Control wirelessly? From the computer? Very poor write-up.

]]> By: MAKE: Blog http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/comment-page-1/#comment-3697 MAKE: Blog Sat, 27 May 2006 19:04:51 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/2006/05/26/roombadevtools-roostick/#comment-3697 <strong>RoombaDevTools RooStick review...</strong> Todbot has a review of the RooStick, a USB to serial device for controlling a Roomba - "The RooStick is a USB-to-Serial adapter with a Mini DIN 7-pin socket on it that matches the SCI connector on the Roomba....... RoombaDevTools RooStick review…

Todbot has a review of the RooStick, a USB to serial device for controlling a Roomba – “The RooStick is a USB-to-Serial adapter with a Mini DIN 7-pin socket on it that matches the SCI connector on the Roomba…….

]]>