2010.04.09, 10:46 AM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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New project, Flip Side ICS Software
I do not know if this will interest anyone other than me but I have been working on my own ICS software as a small side project. I upgraded my sons car to an ASF board and became interested in using the ICS port. Unfortunately the only software available is for Windows and all my systems are either Linux or Mac so I was stuck.
Obviously in such a case a person will write their own software and build their own hardware, right?
I am close to being finished with the software but my hardware has not arrived yet. My bluetooth parts should be in early next week and then I can finish up the software.
The software will work with the dNaNo, ASF and MR-03 ICS ports. I am not doing AD at this time because its communication is different than the other 3 and my bluetooth module will not be able to communicate with it.
In addition to the basic functionality the program will have an advanced tab to let you modify the various values directly. I am curious to see what we can get these cars to do when not limited to a few options in a drop down. It can allow finer tuning. It may not work but it will be interesting to find out.
Here are some screenshots of what I have so far.
Main screen
Advanced screen for directly modifying the values
Is this something that will interest other people?
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2010.04.09, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Jordan, Utah
Posts: 6,877
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I've never played with the settings on any of my 2.4 cars, but I am interested in seeing what you come up with and possibly giving it a shot.
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2010.04.09, 12:03 PM
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#3
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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if it means no longer being tied to expensive kyosho setting hardware, i think you will find many interested parties.
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2010.04.09, 02:21 PM
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arch2b
if it means no longer being tied to expensive kyosho setting hardware, i think you will find many interested parties.
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I was not really even thinking about the hardware side of it. I had initially posted this thinking people would only be interested in the software side of what I am doing since there is already hardware on the market but no software for us Linux/Mac people.
The adapter I am building would be expensive as well since it is communicating wirelessly via bluetooth. The one I am building cost me around $80 in parts. I guess if there is enough interest I could produce a batch of them and should be able to get the price at $60 for bluetooth.
USB is easier, I could probably do those for about $35.
Not sure there would be enough interest in the hardware based on the person on the marketplace selling the ICS serial port adapters much cheaper than the Kyosho stuff but does not appear to get very many sales. Without a quantity of sales I could not justify the investment in parts to bring prices down.
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2010.04.09, 03:52 PM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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understood.
i'm sure there are plenty of mac people that you would make very happy with your software.
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2010.04.11, 06:12 PM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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So I got a little impatient and built a quick USB ICS adapter this weekend and got the initial software working. I have done some basic testing with the Linux and Mac versions so far
Here are links to the various version:
Linux version 0.26
Mac version 0.24
Windows version 0.24
When you first open the program you will need to choose the correct COM port before you can do anything usefull.
For the Linux version you will need to make a symbolic link to /dev/ttyS followed by the next free number for the program to detect the USB adapter. If you are using a serial adapter this will not need to be done.
After choosing the correct COM port you will then be able to read or write settings. Make sure to set the car type correctly. When you do this on the main settings screen it will gray out any options not available for that car.
If you are interested in tweaking settings further you can use the Custom screen. For some of the cars settings the Kyosho program just gives you 4 or 5 options, this screen will let you tweak some of those further. I do not know if that will be usefull or not, the car may not recognize the other values.
For example in the gain menu you could only select minimum, medium and strong. These equate to the values 50, 100 and 255. If you go to the custom screen though you could put in a value of 75. Will this work and give you something in between 50 and 100, I do not know. If people find that the cars will let us customize the values like that please let us know. It will be interesting to hear what people discover.
This is Alpha software, the first build that I have produced. There will be bugs, let me know what you find so I can fix it. I also welcome any suggestions for improving the program.
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2010.04.13, 12:41 AM
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 236
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pinwc4
USB is easier, I could probably do those for about $35.
Not sure there would be enough interest in the hardware based on the person on the marketplace selling the ICS serial port adapters much cheaper than the Kyosho stuff but does not appear to get very many sales. Without a quantity of sales I could not justify the investment in parts to bring prices down.
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Interested? Definitely.
I'm not all that thrilled with the idea of a serial port cable from the marketplace for connecting the car (my laptop doesn't even have a serial port), so a USB version would be awesome. Kyosho's product is too much $$ for my meager budget, though I've been sorely tempted to dish out for it in the past. I've borrowed it before from a friend, but without having access to it on a regular basis it's pretty hard to try out different settings, so the temptation remains.
So yes - certainly, I'm raising my hand for an inexpensive USB version using your software. Sounds promising already and looks to be even more flexible than Kyosho's product.
Good work!! Looking forward to how this one turns out for you!
Kevin.
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2010.04.09, 12:35 PM
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#8
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Tire Crew
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SoCal - South Orange County
Posts: 98
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I'd like to try on on my MacBook with Snow Leopard 10.6.3 on an ASF MR-02.
__________________
Treadmule...
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2010.04.12, 11:21 AM
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Posts: 659
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pinwc4
I am curious to see what we can get these cars to do when not limited to a few options in a drop down. It can allow finer tuning.
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this the best point...fine tuning will give more choices , will try em out for sure good job pinwc4!
__________________
Mini-Z AWD 2.4Ghz 94mm
Mini-Z AWD DWS PN A-Arm 2.4Ghz MR03 board 98mm
Mini-Z MR-02 2.4Ghz
Mini-Z MR-03
FX-101 Dnano 360 Modena
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2010.04.12, 11:53 AM
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Posts: 659
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the windows version works ...
__________________
Mini-Z AWD 2.4Ghz 94mm
Mini-Z AWD DWS PN A-Arm 2.4Ghz MR03 board 98mm
Mini-Z MR-02 2.4Ghz
Mini-Z MR-03
FX-101 Dnano 360 Modena
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2010.04.12, 12:45 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ub0211042
this the best point...fine tuning will give more choices , will try em out for sure good job pinwc4!
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Since I do not have documentation done here are the values that the various dropdown menu options equal
GAIN: Min = 50, Mid = 100, Strong = 255
SPEED: Slow = 10, 2 = 20, 3 = 30, 4 = 40, Fast = 255
PUNCH: 1-10
DRIVE BAND: Narrow = 1, Mid = 2, Wide = 3
DUMP: Over = 1, Smooth =2
DRIVE FREQ: High = 64, Medium = 120, Low = 255
NEUTRAL: Narrow = 130;124, Mid = 136;120, Wide = 148;108
VERTICAL INERTIA: Strong = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, OFF = 255
BACK TIMING: 1 = 1, 2 = 5, 3 = 10, 4 = 20, 5 = 40
STEERING GAIN: 1-255
THROTTLE GAIN: 1-255
Last edited by pinwc4; 2010.04.12 at 03:24 PM.
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2010.04.12, 10:09 PM
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#12
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Tire Crew
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SoCal - South Orange County
Posts: 98
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It rained here today and I wasn't able to set up my track on the patio as I usually do, so no testing done. It'll be a few days till I can try again.
I noticed a couple minor cosmetic things in Mac version 0.24:
- Typos on a couple of the "Car" panel buttons (Neutral & Virtual Inertia)
- For Car Type - ASF a few items are grayed out on the "Car" panel, but they seem to be editable in the "Custom" panel.
But, those are just tiny glitches. The software seems very solid and easy to use and that's what counts.
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Treadmule...
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2010.04.12, 10:32 PM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Treadmule
It rained here today and I wasn't able to set up my track on the patio as I usually do, so no testing done. It'll be a few days till I can try again.
I noticed a couple minor cosmetic things in Mac version 0.24:
- Typos on a couple of the "Car" panel buttons (Neutral & Virtual Inertia)
- For Car Type - ASF a few items are grayed out on the "Car" panel, but they seem to be editable in the "Custom" panel.
But, those are just tiny glitches. The software seems very solid and easy to use and that's what counts.
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Thanks for the feedback, I will get those typos fixed. I had not payed close attention to the spelling yet.
As for the options in the Custom panel I did that on purpose. The custom panel is intended to let you change any of the values to anything you want without any enforced rules like the Car menu options. The values may not do anything but it lets us experiment some.
For example I would really like someone with an MR-03 to use the custom panel to set the Back Timing to 0. The main program only lets 1 be the lowest option but I am really curious if 0 would work. It would be awesome if we could get rid of the back timing altogether. It may not have any effect or it may cause erratic behavior, we do not know until someone tries.
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2010.04.17, 10:49 PM
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#14
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Tire Crew
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SoCal - South Orange County
Posts: 98
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I had a little test time yesterday afternoon, so I tried a couple variations with the ICS software.
Virtual Inertia set to zero caused my MR-02 to randomly run-away at full throttle, even with a neutral trigger. Hitting brakes stopped it. I tried a few other "in between" settings, but didn't encounter anything obvious. On the other hand, I don't have a timing system, nor am I that consistent in my driving to tell if the changes I made were having any impact. Maybe the changes are subtle and require a more refined driver than me to reveal their characteristics.
Have you had any more thoughts about the hardware? I'm also interested in a USB cable. Maybe you'd consider just showing the schematic with parts list rather than providing finished cables. Let us DIY?
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Treadmule...
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2010.04.20, 09:14 AM
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Treadmule
I had a little test time yesterday afternoon, so I tried a couple variations with the ICS software.
Virtual Inertia set to zero caused my MR-02 to randomly run-away at full throttle, even with a neutral trigger. Hitting brakes stopped it. I tried a few other "in between" settings, but didn't encounter anything obvious. On the other hand, I don't have a timing system, nor am I that consistent in my driving to tell if the changes I made were having any impact. Maybe the changes are subtle and require a more refined driver than me to reveal their characteristics.
Have you had any more thoughts about the hardware? I'm also interested in a USB cable. Maybe you'd consider just showing the schematic with parts list rather than providing finished cables. Let us DIY?
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Thanks for the feedback, that is interesting information. I figured 0 could be a problematic value for some of those settings. Still holding out hope that it will work for the Back Timing on the MR-03 though.
I have the same issue as you, I am not a consistent enough driver to be able to tell how small changes are impacting my car.
In regards to a USB cable I will come up with something. I would not base a schematic on what I have built as it was just using parts I already had sitting around.
Has anyone else tried this software and have feedback? Is this software useful for people? Is there any features that you would like to see?
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