PINNED - Info on PROGRAMMING PGDT and others

[woodygb]

If anyone wishes to try out the homebrew scooter lead contact me and I can post.

[Jason12]

Tried all your leads Woody but still no active comms?? I can get all your leads working on my laptop with updated drivers but will not communicate with the VSI controller..?

Cheers

[woodygb]

Oh well ...without a VSI to test with I can't really suggest any alternatives.

[woodygb]

I'm assuming that the PGDT Software didn't complain at all ..."port not found" etc...and you had the controller/wheelchair turned on ?

[Jason12]

I'm assuming that the PGDT Software didn't complain at all ..."port not found" etc...and you had the controller/wheelchair turned on ?

Yes all the above, maybe I could send you the VSI controller to test your end?

[woodygb]

You can if you wish but I'd need the stick and controller.

[Jason12]

Oh well ...without a VSI to test with I can't really suggest any alternatives.

Will you be able to test if I send just the VSI controller? I have one on my wife's shoprider Vienna chair i think it's uses just one 12 volt battery.

[Jason12]

You can if you wish but I'd need the stick and controller.

There is only a controller with stick not separate units..? This is where the controller plugs in..

[woodygb]

My bad VSI .... V Super Integrated ...all in one.

[Mark]

Shoprider Vienna uses two 12 volt batteries, but they are both in the single battery box. It is a 24 volt system, as are all VSI controllers as far as I know. They are rated at 50 amp, and I also have one on my lightweight hacked-about cheap Chinese power chair, as well as the VSIs on both my Vienna and Pride Go-Chair. (All reprogrammed of course). I actually like the controls on the VSI better than the pilot plus because they have a "speed-down" button in addition to the "speed-up" button.

[lordk]

Hi, I want to hack the VR2 controller. I want to change vr2 joystick (the stick) for a thumb joystick. I cant find any datasheet of this pinout.
I tested all pins to ground but still cant find GND, and axis pins.

any help?

[Burgerman]

Look at the joystick pin out on the P & G joystick website. All pretty simple. Much the same as my APEM one used with the roboteq here:

http://www.wheelchairdriver.com/images-roboteq/3000.pdf

Just look at the one that relates to your specific joystick.

They all use a 0v, a 5v supply, and a voltage swing of various amounts.

[woodygb]

Hi, I want to hack the VR2 controller. I want to change vr2 joystick (the stick) for a thumb joystick. I cant find any datasheet of this pinout.
I tested all pins to ground but still cant find GND, and axis pins.

any help?

You do realise that GND = Negative of the battery ...NOT the wheelchair frame?

[ex-Gooserider]

Hi, I want to hack the VR2 controller. I want to change vr2 joystick (the stick) for a thumb joystick. I cant find any datasheet of this pinout.
I tested all pins to ground but still cant find GND, and axis pins.

any help?

Also note that the joystick wiring is strictly inside the pod - the signals or voltages coming out of the pod are NOT the same... You'll need to open up the pod and find the wires connecting the "can" of the joystick to the rest of the electronics - that is where you need to make any connections.

As mentioned a wheelchair frame is NOT ground - you want to use either the negative battery terminal, or (probably better) the wiring inside the pod.

ex-Gooserider

[lordk]

Im reading post here and in the net about how to hack this pod to change to another joystick , use arduino , etc. Unfortunately no one explain it clearly.
Joystick pod is PG D50800. Links to datasheets around there are all broken.

Comon joysticks works as you said with 5V, OV, and a voltage swing.
Testing this one seems to swing from 3.6 (backwards) to 4.4 (foward)

[Burgerman]

That's correct for many PG joysticks.

[lordk]

ok.
I test another joystick (from ARNET) and have 2.5V in axis pins when stand stills. I think that I cant solder this joystick directly to vr2 joystick because voltage are not the same and a error occur when I power the vr2.

How I can fix this? resistors?

[Burgerman]

It should have the same centre point. But end points will be wrong, so yes correct with resistor divider network.

[lordk]

Do you have D50800 datasheet?

[Burgerman]

Nope.

[woodygb]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/846109/mowstation/D50800-03.pdf

[Burgerman]

plus/minus 1.2v is what I see on most PG stuff used for mobility.

You can make any 5v, 4.5v, 3.5v swing joystick do this easily enough. Just use temperature stable high value resistors in a dividing network.

[lordk]

thanks for datasheet!!!!
Im still sensing voltage in GND pin of D50800

Tomorrow Im going to try R-2R DAC to match initial voltage and see If VR2 controller starts up...

SCH:
(Arduino + DAC) instead of joystick pod <-> VR2 (on board hack)

lets see if I can do it and document all this as it is a common hack but with info scatter al over the net.

[woodygb]

Have you read this thread?

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2648

[Burgerman]

Im still sensing voltage in GND pin of D50800

Compared to what?

[lordk]

Comparte to a GND "hole" from VR2 pcb controller.

[LROBBINS]

I'd suggest checking the ground pins and connectivity of the ground wires in the bus connectors on both modules. Some slight voltage difference between the internal grounds in different modules can be expected (every cable does have some impedance), but it should be very slight if the ground leads of the bus cables are intact.
Ciao,
Lenny

[Burgerman]

As far as the controller actual joystick is concerned only the voltage in comparison to the joystick 0v (ground) and the 5v (Supply) matters. The joystick output at neutral position 2.500v is in comparison to the 0 and 5v - nothing else is important.

Eg the ACTUAL supply voltage may be 0v and say 4.776v. The centre point is then half of 4.776 volts. Or 2.388v. This is what is important. Other "ground" voltages do not matter.

[lordk]

Yes, I understand that.
But, If I use a voltage divider between VDC and GND, and short all pins with VDC/2 VR2 dont start up, showing 7 flashing leds (calibration probrem)

On Monday I am going to connect 2 potenciometers and start playing till vr2 starts up.
When I get those voltages Im going to replicate them with 2 DAC per axis with arduino.

[woodygb]

You have noted that the joystick has a "duplex output" ...output 1 & output 2 ..?

I believe that the second output may just be a reference and is compared to input 1 as part of a safety check.