Mindstorm IR tower

[Mark F]

According to the site, the setup of the tower is: 2400 baud, 1 start, 8 data, odd parity, 1 stop bit

You may need to change the handshaking state every so often to keep the thing awake. I didn't see an amount of time before the tower sleeps but the C++ wrapper takes RTS high, then low before every transmission (twice, actually).

What you might TRY (I haven't done this because I don't have one of these things) is build a multi-group that has two serial commands in it. One to take RTS high and the next to take RTS low. Set up the time server to send an event every 2 seconds and teach the multi-group this event.

Good luck!

[Mark F]

Use Handshaking=None. To set a handshaking line high, put a check (or X) in the box next to the line's name.

From the "readme.txt" file:

2b) Define a handshaking line change
Choose the "Change handshaking" radio button. Make one or both of the handshaking
lines high by placing an x in the box next to the name. Make one or both of the
handshaking lines low by NOT placing an x in the box next to the name.

NOTE: Handshaking commands are not supported when the device's handshaking is set
to "Hardware" or "DTR/RTS Power".

I hope this works! :smile:

[Mark F]

The Win32 API doesn't allow the setting of start bits. That is why it isn't choosable.

[bhoule]

What settings have you chosen to communicate with the tower? Go into the serial plugin settings and export your device into an .ini file and then post the contents of that .ini file here. I've got one of those towers as well and would like to play around with getting it to work.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bhoule on 2002-02-05 01:24 ]</font>

[bhoule]

Maybe the answer to keeping the tower alive lies in the DTR/RTS settings?

I found a c++ class which interfaces with the tower at http://www.generation5.org/aisolutions/rob09.shtml

Maybe the author of the serial plugin (Mark F I think) could have a look at the initialization routine and see if the serial plugin will work with the lego mindstorms tower?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bhoule on 2002-02-05 05:37 ]</font>

[bhoule]

When I set up the tower, what handshaking should I choose?

Also, I set up a multigroup to change the handshaking like you suggested, but I'm not sure how to get RTS high vs. RTS low. All I see is RTS on, is that what I should use?

[bhoule]

Thanks Mark, I've now got the RTS thing figured out.

I'm using the port properties you posted, except I didn't see a spot to specify start bits.

I'm still wondering what settings the original poster used because I can't even get the green light to turn on with my port settings. Therefore, I can't test whether the multi-group RTS thing works, but it looks promising.

[annon_]

Hi!

I want to use my old serial Mindstorms IR tower with Girder. When I use a standard serial driver the green LED turns on for a while and I can send commands to girder. But after that the complete tower turns off! That always happens when I avtivate the tower! So I need a plug-in that reactivates the tower every 2 or 3 seconds! Can anybody program a plugin like that? Since the tower only costs 30$ its also a cheap solution for someone how has no IR device at all!

annon_

[ltower]

Hello,
I also got a LEGO mindstorms tower. I use the seriel Driver from M.F..
I can't see any green light. Could anybody give a more detailed setup instruction?

Thanks in advance

Ltower

[Talonator]

speaking of which - I have all this with the RCX tower AOK except for whenever I zap it with a remote it throws up 2 COM errors: COM error on COM2 = 8 (hex). Twice. What's the deal? The RCX works fine with comsniffer and I have girder set up to refresh it to keep it alive. Any help would be appreciated... Mark especially!

[Mark F]

COM error = 8 means one or more of the setup parameters (baud rate, stop bits, word size, parity) is wrong.

[Talonator]

well nm, with the same settings the other general serial plugin (valery k) works fine. Thanks though!

[Mark F]

Or more accurately, it doesn't report an error. :)

[Wagner]

Has anyone successfully made this work. One plugin doesnt receive anything, and then gets an error when the tower shuts off. The other "works" and send commands, but it sends a different string every time I press the same button.