servo test help

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scarecrow
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servo test help

Post by scarecrow »

i am new using servos and was wondering if you can connect a servo to a power supply (the correct volts) to test it with out hurting it.
dyarker
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Post by dyarker »

The right supply voltage, with the correct polarity, won't hurt it.

The thing is, it won't do anything (maybe go to center, maybe one end of travel) without a control signal. If I remember right, a 1 to 2 mS pulse every 20mS. 1mS for all the way one way, 2mS for all the way the other direction. In between pulse widths for positions in between.

Cheers,
Dale Y
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jaem
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Post by jaem »

sounds right... just look up the pinout first - I think they're usually standard, but the one I got (Radioshack Vex addon) was different, if my memory serves me right.
dyarker
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Post by dyarker »

Don't know. but that's probably a standard servo too. I'd bet they changed the pins so you have to buy from them.
Dale Y
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jaem
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Post by jaem »

most likely... everything else was standard.

I just mentioned that in case someone picks up something like that - it was pretty cheap at The 'Shack in Oregon - that's why I got it. (I wish the neo-Radioshack/The Source stores in Canada were as cool as in the US)
Droidwerkz
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Post by Droidwerkz »

typically radio shack is one of the worst electronics stores in this area, all they sell is overpriced crap anymore. i went to RS looking for a cat 5 patch cable. last week , and they wanted 7.99 for a 6 footer!!! OMG i went to our local industrial electronics store, and picked them up for 2.99 a piece

the thing that really pisses me off about radioshack is that the employees aren't knowledgable about ANYTHING electronic at all , the extent of their training is in cell phone activations, and how to run the register.

ocasionally you will run across an RS where there is a kid working who is a hacker or hobbyist and he/she will know what you you are talking about, but usually they are clueless.

I remember a few years ago i went into a radio shack here in town , and asked the kid for an RCA Y adaptor, he looked at me with the deer in the headlights glare like i was asking for parts for the mars rover. And told me he would need a catalog number. that was the last time I've ever asked for assistance at the sales counter of a radio shack.
Try walking into one of those places and see what happens when you ask for a 741 op-amp or 555 timer ...you are on your own. but they always ask you if you want to get a new cell phone.. Radio shack should just change their name to "consumer electronics shack" as they stock nowhere near the inventory of electonics components they did in the 80's and 90's . I know this is in part due to miniaturization , and the fact that hardly anyone repairs their own electronics anymore, but i would love to see radio shack carry more products like the schmartboard, basic stamps, motor speed controllers etc. I mean the rush was one a few years ago for building combat robots, you would think radio shack would have jumped on this, as thousands of $200.00+ speed controllers and servo motors would have been flying out the doors. Bad marketing on their part i suppose. I am wokring on starting my own retail store specifically selling hobbyist robots / components/ metals/ gearing / wheels etc. (droidwerkz is the name of the store too) but alas i a victim of my own poor use of credit, (well , not really since i was starting a business, and the risks are inherent when you do so) and I am having to start again from the ground up!!!! With every mistake though ,you learn!!! so here i go again!!!!!
Bigglez
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Post by Bigglez »

Droidwerkz wrote:i would love to see radio shack carry more products like the schmartboard, basic stamps, motor speed controllers etc. I mean the rush was one a few years ago for building combat robots, you would think radio shack would have jumped on this, as thousands of $200.00+ speed controllers and servo motors would have been flying out the doors. Bad marketing on their part i suppose.
Greetings (No Name Supplied),

I'm not sure if you knew this already, Parallax has
a co-marketing agreement with Radio Shack to put
the Basic Stamp and some of the Parallax robot
components on the shelf of every Radio Shack.

Learn more here.

Comments Welcome!
Droidwerkz
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Post by Droidwerkz »

great , I already knew about that , but more goes into a robot than a microcontroller.
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