Control RC units from PC

[h3ro]

Hallo, I am looking for a device for controlling my RC car from the PC. I would like to try to develop a simple program which enables me to control it from my PC.

So far I have not had any luck finding such a device. I am also expecting it to be possible to make one by my self with out to much trouble as RC transition is based on FM technology, but I am not completely sure about that so any links/tutorials would be great as well as links to a place where I can by a pre-made one.

Also, a link to any project of related type would be interesting.

Thanks in advance.

[kryptkat]

Interesting project. A simple DAC with simple transmitter should do it. You would need to program the controls behavior to transmit to the dac from the pc. I assume two channels? left right and motor speed.

If you lisen to a scanner using a normal car rc control on the freq
you should be able to figure out how each control effects the output signal. ie starting freq and hi side freq needed. per control and how they mix.

Ps have alternate suggestion. Use your speakers. Not the speakers themselfs but the output jacks. One speaker output per channel. Only good for two channel. Raise or lower freq as control goes and output that signal to a speaker channel and do the same for the other channel. Then take both speaker outputs to one transmitter and mix signal as necessary.

Pc ==> channel 1 \
....................... Transmitter >> >>car
Pc ==> channel 2 /

[code2d]

I have a other solution.
You could use your printer port and use "parallel port" commandes to send a amounts of voltage to each "hole" in the port (I have done this is turing but not in c or c++). put small electrical wires in three of the many holes. Then attach them to some kind of freq output and then you could make either a command line program to move your rc. Or even a interface.
I think you could probably, with much more work your could make it work of a joystick and throttle.

Edit:Here are 3 links that may help you. I have not checked them out.
Main link: http://www.programmersheaven.com/zone3/cat412/index.htm
2 Sub links:http://www.programmersheaven.com/dow.../download.aspx
http://www.programmersheaven.com/dow.../download.aspx

[h3ro]

Cool, especially the last one. Looks like a cool project, but I guess I have to do some reading on basic wiring and electronics to make it work. Thanks for the links

[Kennedy]

What about getting a simple serial TTL, then jacking it to the controller of the car. . . use the TTL to activate the controller settings.

[marrk]

Me and my friend had a looong time ago similar project, we have found some very cheap RC transmitter, which was very simple. Transmitter joysticks(left,right,speed) were simple switches or better say buttons, so we took those switches out and replace it with relays. Opening and closing relays was made through the parallel port. Between port and relay we putted "amplifier" (transistor,diode,resistor), I think it was also optocopler between because we already destroyed a couple of motherboards

As I noticed LPT port is disappearing, so you may want to try serial port, and .net framework(system.io) is pretty library for doing that - bad side is you will probably have to play around with some buffers.

[Wraithan]

I may have to go an purchase an RC car now... or see if my brother still has a couple of his.

[h3ro]

I already have a bunch of cars and a helicopter