[APP] BrickController2

[gyenesvi]

25 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

Is BW3 can handle more current when use with BC2 than offical BW app? My BW3 keep turn off while use with 2 BW motor.

That is a firmware issue on the Buwizz, it will have the same problem with all apps unfortunately. The shutdowns typically happen when quickly accelerating or changing direction. In theory an app could try to add an acceleration curve to prevent some of these situations from happening, but the Buwizz has another firmware bug which makes that pretty hard to code as well.. Still, I find that with a joystick using BC2, it is easier to accelerate softly, and shutdown happens less often. Also, it seems to me that setting the motor curve to logarithmic in BC2 helped for me, speed control is smoother.

@imurvai, when we select 'normal' mode for a PU motor, what is it using in the background? Simple PWM control, or speed servo control (both for PU hub and Buwizz)? BTW, great that servo steering is implemented for Buwizz, thanks a lot! Will test it soon.

Edited January 10, 2023 by gyenesvi

[msk6003]

11 minutes ago, vergogneless said:

No, my BW3 shut down too even with 2 fake buggy motors, with the BW app or with BC2...

 

Don't have a way to fix this? I built tamiya hot shot lego version but with 1:1.47 gear reduction my BW3 keep turn off after just 1m of forward drive.

[vergogneless]

Sorry guys but BW3 sucks whenever you want to "play" with it.

Personally I am extremely disappointed with the BW3, and fortunately BC2 exists for control with a physical controller, otherwise I would have sold it on the first day.

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, msk6003 said:

Don't have a way to fix this? I built tamiya hot shot lego version but with 1:1.47 gear reduction my BW3 keep turn off after just 1m of forward drive.

1 hour ago, vergogneless said:

Sorry guys but BW3 sucks whenever you want to "play" with it.

Personally I am extremely disappointed with the BW3, and fortunately BC2 exists for control with a physical controller, otherwise I would have sold it on the first day.

Did you try to message them about it? I think the more of us does that, the more they get pressured, the more probable that they would do something about it..

 

[imurvai]

6 hours ago, msk6003 said:

Is BW3 can handle more current when use with BC2 than offical BW app? My BW3 keep turn off while use with 2 BW motor.

TBH no idea. I have no control over the current used by the motors (at least I'm not aware of any command that can control it).

6 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

 

@imurvai, when we select 'normal' mode for a PU motor, what is it using in the background? Simple PWM control, or speed servo control (both for PU hub and Buwizz)? BTW, great that servo steering is implemented for Buwizz, thanks a lot! Will test it soon.

Normal mode uses the PWM control.

Thanks for the testing ;)

[gyenesvi]

51 minutes ago, imurvai said:

Normal mode uses the PWM control.

In that case, any chance of adding speed servo mode as well? I guess it should not be that difficult given all the rest like steering servo mode is already there. I'd like to use that in a next build for rock crawler's precision climbing at slow speed.

BTW, is it like that for the technic hub as well? According to my testing, in the Control+ app, profiles use speed servo mode, I think that's why the Zetros for example is really good at slow speed movement. It would be good to be able to compare the performance of the two to show the advantage of the PU system.

[imurvai]

5 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

In that case, any chance of adding speed servo mode as well? I guess it should not be that difficult given all the rest like steering servo mode is already there. I'd like to use that in a next build for rock crawler's precision climbing at slow speed.

BTW, is it like that for the technic hub as well? According to my testing, in the Control+ app, profiles use speed servo mode, I think that's why the Zetros for example is really good at slow speed movement. It would be good to be able to compare the performance of the two to show the advantage of the PU system.

TBH I've never tried the speed servo mode, but you made me curious :) So I'll investigate it.

[gyenesvi]

8 minutes ago, imurvai said:

TBH I've never tried the speed servo mode, but you made me curious :) So I'll investigate it.

Sounds great, thanks! :) For me, one test to differentiate the two is this: start the motor without load (just free spinning) at slow speed, say 30-40%. Using your hand, try to stop it. In PWM mode, it would be relatively easy. In speed servo mode, much harder. Also, I think in PWM mode, it's not even possible to start the motor at really slow speed, like 10% (it starts moving around 20% as far as I remember). In speed servo mode, it should be possible.

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

Ok I'm kind of baffled by an issue I'm having with steering.  I built the BuWizz 3.0 conversion for the Ford Raptor, I was sad to see that BC2 didn't support Servo control with BuWizz, and then happy when someone pointed out the app had been updated a day before .  It works absolutely great!  So great in fact I wanted to compare it to the PU hubs.  I tried a City Hub as well as a Technic hub, calibrating several times.  The steering is very jerky.  I grabbed another RC model (4x4 X treme Off Roader 42099) and it doesn't have this issue.  Am I missing something?  I was just doing some tests but I'd like to know what is happening here in case I see it again.

PU steering

BuWizz Steering

 

[gyenesvi]

4 hours ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

Ok I'm kind of baffled by an issue I'm having with steering.  I built the BuWizz 3.0 conversion for the Ford Raptor, I was sad to see that BC2 didn't support Servo control with BuWizz, and then happy when someone pointed out the app had been updated a day before .  It works absolutely great!  So great in fact I wanted to compare it to the PU hubs.  I tried a City Hub as well as a Technic hub, calibrating several times.  The steering is very jerky.  I grabbed another RC model (4x4 X treme Off Roader 42099) and it doesn't have this issue.  Am I missing something?  I was just doing some tests but I'd like to know what is happening here in case I see it again.

Indeed, the steering with the Buwizz seems pretty smooth! Wonder how responsive that is if you start wiggling the steering wheel fast?

When you say the 4x4 Off-Roader did not have this issue, do you mean you tested it with BC2 as well, with the same settings as this one?

As a note, according to my experience with programming these PU motors (at the protocol level), the steering is nontrivial to get right, it needs some parameter adjustments or tricky ways of using the available commands of either firmware/protocol. What I found with both the Technic hub and Buwizz is basically you can either set the parameters to make it fast, powerful but jerky, or slower, (maybe weaker) but smoother. (The actual parameterization however is different in the two protocols). It seems to me that BC2 set them to slower but smoother here for Buwizz, which is better I think. However, what the parameters need to be may depend on the weight of the model as well..

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

4 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

Indeed, the steering with the Buwizz seems pretty smooth! Wonder how responsive that is if you start wiggling the steering wheel fast?

When you say the 4x4 Off-Roader did not have this issue, do you mean you tested it with BC2 as well, with the same settings as this one?

It's nowhere near as responsive as a real RC vehicle, where you can flick the wheel and the steering will bounce back and forth perfectly along with the wheel (with good enough components).  It's always going to have that bit of lag from the BT protocol.  I'm slowly getting used to it, I need to take some faster models outside and practice compensating for BT lag.  But using the Flysky controller makes it a LOT easier for me than a dual analog controller.

Yes, for steering I'm just using the default settings and auto-calibrating in BC2.  All my hubs "should" be running the latest firmware since I tested each model with the Control + app.

[gyenesvi]

11 minutes ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

But using the Flysky controller makes it a LOT easier for me than a dual analog controller.

Does that Flysky controller work with Bluetooth like a gamepad controller? What's the exact name of it? I have been wanting to try something like that..

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

Just now, gyenesvi said:

Does that Flysky controller work with Bluetooth like a gamepad controller? What's the exact name of it? I have been wanting to try something like that..

It's the Flysky G7P.  It has an onboard USB-C port which outputs like a gamepad.  I've made videos about it and posted the tutorial here on the forum (altough no one seemed to notice ).  The 5 additional buttons do not work with BC2 (I posted about it on the Github page a few weeks ago), so it only works for throttle and steering currently.  A USB-C to USB-C cable doesn't seem to work.  I used a USB-C to USB-A cable with an OTG adapter.

I'd love for the additional buttons to work for additional functions such as locking differentials or turning lights on and off.

I probably should have just posted about it here, I forgot this thread existed.

[gyenesvi]

6 minutes ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

It's the Flysky G7P.  It has an onboard USB-C port which outputs like a gamepad.  I've made videos about it and posted the tutorial here on the forum

Thanks, I think I have seen your video about it :) But maybe I have not realized it is usable with BC2 by connecting to the phone with a wire. I have been thinking in BT only..

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

37 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Thanks, I think I have seen your video about it :) But maybe I have not realized it is usable with BC2 by connecting to the phone with a wire. I have been thinking in BT only..

That was how the search started, looking for a transmitter with BT.  A friend reminded me that BC2 works with wired controllers so I went that route.  I was hoping that a wired connection would help some with the lag but in my testing it doesn't seem to help any.

There are some PC gamers using transmitters as controllers for an RC game.  I tried a DumboRC transmitter with the Flysky USB harness but the calibration was waaaay off.  Eventually landed with this controller which works perfectly besides the additional buttons.  It's a bit pricey (I paid $80) but it was well worth it for me.

Edited January 11, 2023 by BatteryPoweredBricks

[gyenesvi]

3 minutes ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

That was how the search started, looking for a transmitter with BT.  A friend reminded me that BC2 works with wired controllers so I went that route.  I was hoping that a wired connection would help some with the lag but in my testing it doesn't seem to help any.

There are some PC gamers using transmitters as controllers for an RC game.  I tried a DumboRC transmitter with the Flysky USB harness but the calibration was waaaay off.  Eventually landed with this controller which works perfectly besides the additional buttons.  It's a bit pricey (I paid $80) but it was well worth it for me.

I found some starting from about $100.. That's indeed pricey. And a pity that the other buttons don't work, I use them as well on my Xbox controller for additional things like gearbox.

[imurvai]

12 hours ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

Ok I'm kind of baffled by an issue I'm having with steering.  I built the BuWizz 3.0 conversion for the Ford Raptor, I was sad to see that BC2 didn't support Servo control with BuWizz, and then happy when someone pointed out the app had been updated a day before .  It works absolutely great!  So great in fact I wanted to compare it to the PU hubs.  I tried a City Hub as well as a Technic hub, calibrating several times.  The steering is very jerky.  I grabbed another RC model (4x4 X treme Off Roader 42099) and it doesn't have this issue.  Am I missing something?  I was just doing some tests but I'd like to know what is happening here in case I see it again.

Thanks for the videos. Yes, the PU hub servo is a harder issue as the PID should have been done in the app itself, but for the BW3 it is handled by the device so it's more accurate and faster.

 

1 hour ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

It's the Flysky G7P.  It has an onboard USB-C port which outputs like a gamepad.  I've made videos about it and posted the tutorial here on the forum (altough no one seemed to notice ).  The 5 additional buttons do not work with BC2 (I posted about it on the Github page a few weeks ago), so it only works for throttle and steering currently.

Ah, I saw your message on github but completly forgot about that. Sorry for that. I'll look into how I can add those buttons.

[gyenesvi]

57 minutes ago, imurvai said:

Yes, the PU hub servo is a harder issue as the PID should have been done in the app itself, but for the BW3 it is handled by the device so it's more accurate and faster.

You mean that the Technic hub firmware doesn't do it as in case of the Buwizz unit right? It may be doing something, but indeed I believe it is much more rough than the Buwizz with smoother settings. However, I found a simple trick while experimenting that you could apply in your app if you'd like (and maybe make it optional). What I did is that I set the speed of the steering command proportional to the angular distance to the target position, if the distance is within a certain range. A simple setup I used is that the upper threshold is 100 degrees. So if the movement is below 100 degrees, the speed will be the actual angular distance in degrees, and if the movement needs to be more than 100 degrees, the speed will remain 100 percent. Also, a minimum speed is useful, for example 25 percent. This way, for small adjustments, the motor will try to move slowly, so it won't overshoot, and there will be no need for corrections. Let me know if you'd like to try that and something is not clear.

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

11 hours ago, imurvai said:

Ah, I saw your message on github but completly forgot about that. Sorry for that. I'll look into how I can add those buttons.

No worries, I posted it during the holidays so I wasn't expecting anything right away.  If there's anything I can do to help let me know, I already have a few people waiting to hear from me if the buttons are implemented

[Stadamu]

@imurvai it still seems that when using BW3 with a PU L motor as a servo, its lacking power? Especially a problem when it has a pneumatic v3 valve stuck to it. Very slow movement, and very slow return to center. Is it an issue in the buwizz 3.0 maybe?

[imurvai]

On 1/11/2023 at 6:23 PM, gyenesvi said:

You mean that the Technic hub firmware doesn't do it as in case of the Buwizz unit right? It may be doing something, but indeed I believe it is much more rough than the Buwizz with smoother settings. However, I found a simple trick while experimenting that you could apply in your app if you'd like (and maybe make it optional). What I did is that I set the speed of the steering command proportional to the angular distance to the target position, if the distance is within a certain range. A simple setup I used is that the upper threshold is 100 degrees. So if the movement is below 100 degrees, the speed will be the actual angular distance in degrees, and if the movement needs to be more than 100 degrees, the speed will remain 100 percent. Also, a minimum speed is useful, for example 25 percent. This way, for small adjustments, the motor will try to move slowly, so it won't overshoot, and there will be no need for corrections. Let me know if you'd like to try that and something is not clear.

Hi, actually something similar is implemented in BC2, maybe not that accurate than your implementation.

On 1/12/2023 at 9:46 PM, Stadamu said:

@imurvai it still seems that when using BW3 with a PU L motor as a servo, its lacking power? Especially a problem when it has a pneumatic v3 valve stuck to it. Very slow movement, and very slow return to center. Is it an issue in the buwizz 3.0 maybe?

I see. It is up to the PID parameters set for the servo. Currently it is hardcoded and I tried to find a general setting. I'm planning to make it adjustable through the UI.

[Stadamu]

 

On 1/16/2023 at 9:51 AM, imurvai said:

Hi, actually something similar is implemented in BC2, maybe not that accurate than your implementation.

I see. It is up to the PID parameters set for the servo. Currently it is hardcoded and I tried to find a general setting. I'm planning to make it adjustable through the UI.

That would be great. Thank you. Cant get it to calibrate correctly with a pneumatic valve on it, as it is now.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Stadamu

[aFrInaTi0n]

Sorry for giving that kind of side-topic, but it may be interesting for people with a Stadia Controller:

Google finally decided to make an update available to offer regular BlueTooth functionality for the Stadia Controllers. Upgrade can be done from Desktop Browsers with the Controller being connected via USB.

Update can be done here: https://stadia.google.com/controller/

The whole process is good documentated and was working out for me well - finally I have a real good hardware device which cost me nothing, as Google did a payback after they decided to stop their platform.. :D

[nervousman]

Tell me please, am I only person who have problem with incorrect port numbering in aplication?  The numbers doesn't match with those on buwizz2. 

Besides the aplications works, prerfeclty, no problem with pairing, connection, range... I've been using it since 2018 when I bought my first srbrick, ps4 pad and then buwizz 2, so far it hasn't bothered me, but maybe can I do something to fix it?

[imurvai]

On 1/18/2023 at 3:52 PM, nervousman said:

Tell me please, am I only person who have problem with incorrect port numbering in aplication?  The numbers doesn't match with those on buwizz2. 

Besides the aplications works, prerfeclty, no problem with pairing, connection, range... I've been using it since 2018 when I bought my first srbrick, ps4 pad and then buwizz 2, so far it hasn't bothered me, but maybe can I do something to fix it?

Yes, it's a known issue. For some BW2s the ports are swapped. If I have time I'll add a config setting for it.