roomba? anyone got one?

[fran_joel]

I finally got the bluesmirf working. As it turns out, I couldn't access it with Hyperterminal and I don't have the foggiest idea why (so be warned!).

I ended up using Teraterm and I can now communicate with my SmiRF via bluetooth without problems.

So, the first thing I did was to set up the comm port setting to match Roomba's (57600, 8 bits, 1 stop bit and no parity.) and starting issuing commands...

Then Nothing happened, nada, zilch !

My roomba doesn't respond at all...

I did the mod exactly as described previously and I made extra double sure that every connection was made properly. I also hacked my firmware
with the OSMO hacker beforehand (because I have an older discovery model)

When I try to access it, the com port opens and closes without errors, so I'm pretty sure my SmiRF is not blame. It is the ROOMBA that doesn't respond...

Why me !!??

I'm at a loss here any ideas as to what may have gone wrong ???
Any ideas on how I coud try to debug this ???

Joel

[psampson]

Hi fran_joel,

the most common mishaps others have made are:

1. Not realizing the Serial port on the smirf needs to be seperately setup to 57600,8,N,1 with the ATSW20 cmd (see earlier posts) and setting the COM port on the host doesn't make any difference to the roomba/smirf connection port.

2. The other is reversing the tx/rx connections between the roomba/smirf. The tx and rx labels on the smirf etch are not intuitive (are we tx to the roomba or out of the smirf? for example).

3. Also you must link the CTS/RTS on the smirf pins (or solder pad).

4. Finally, your roomba must ohave the power light on to receive commands from smirf as the smirf does not "wake up" the roomba from power off.

A way to test is to disconnect tx/rx from the roomba and join them together on the smirf, run up your terminal program and start typing and see if the characters are echoed back to you, if yes then all is good right to the roomba port - So probably baud rate or reversed tx/rx so try that.

BTW, after you type +++ to the smirf, you need a particular command to go back to data txfer mode again something like ATDM or similar. Then you can type ctrl-g and roomba should start scrolling ascii lines about battery charge rate and state continuously.
You can get a command reference PDF for the radio module on the smirf from the web which is very comprehensive and may help you.


cheers,

Phil

[fran_joel]

Hi fran_joel,

the most common mishaps others have made are:

1. Not realizing the Serial port on the smirf needs to be seperately setup to 57600,8,N,1 with the ATSW20 cmd (see earlier posts) and setting the COM port on the host doesn't make any difference to the roomba/smirf connection port.

2. The other is reversing the tx/rx connections between the roomba/smirf. The tx and rx labels on the smirf etch are not intuitive (are we tx to the roomba or out of the smirf? for example).

3. Also you must link the CTS/RTS on the smirf pins (or solder pad).

4. Finally, your roomba must ohave the power light on to receive commands from smirf as the smirf does not "wake up" the roomba from power off.

A way to test is to disconnect tx/rx from the roomba and join them together on the smirf, run up your terminal program and start typing and see if the characters are echoed back to you, if yes then all is good right to the roomba port - So probably baud rate or reversed tx/rx so try that.

BTW, after you type +++ to the smirf, you need a particular command to go back to data txfer mode again something like ATDM or similar. Then you can type ctrl-g and roomba should start scrolling ascii lines about battery charge rate and state continuously.
You can get a command reference PDF for the radio module on the smirf from the web which is very comprehensive and may help you.


cheers,

Phil

You reassure me in that I did everything right then ie :

1) I used the ATSW20 command to set the com port in teraterm

2) I tried reversing the TX and RX (coz like you say, it can be confusing!)

3) I shorted the RTS and CTS at the pads on the back of the SMiRF card

4) I tested the communication with the ROOMBA in every conceivable mode and situation

5) I reverted the SMiRF to data handling using the ATDM command before exiting my teraterm session.

SO... I already tried everything you just mentioned except for one thing and that's tying the RX and TX of the SMiRF together to test if the RX and TX come out the SMiRF and to the ROOMBA connections OK.

I really fear that something is wrong with my Roomba and I wonder If I didn't accidentally damage the circuit somehow (even though I was very careful..)

What I'd like to do now is try my gizmo on another ROOMBA to see if it works
Then I would immediately know if the problem is with the ROOMBA or with my bluetooth interface...
However, I don't have one handy...

Thanks for the input Phil...

Joel

[drozwood90]

Joel,

I have 3 roombas...although I think shipping it both ways from CA to US then back would be inherantly cost INEFFECTIVE. It would probably be cheaper to buy a new Roomba to test with!

--Dan

[fran_joel]

Joel,

I have 3 roombas...although I think shipping it both ways from CA to US then back would be inherantly cost INEFFECTIVE. It would probably be cheaper to buy a new Roomba to test with!

--Dan

Yeah I kinda agree with you Dan !

However, buying another ROOMBA...hmmm
The cost of that is a little steep and I'm not
totally convinced I really need another one...

It sure would be nice to have one on each floor though but...
maybe later then...

I'm sure disappointed it didn't work the first time anyway...

Joel

[rbcaputo]

Reading through this thread has gotten me interested in the Roomba. Could someone mention what models of Roomba are available and which model most of you are using. I notic from a posting a little further up that Pete picked up a 4296 on woot for $139. Yet I notice others selling for $300-400.

I sense from reading the posts that some of you have made modifications to the units. Could someone summarize what the modifications are, why they are done and which model(s) the modifications are for.

Just what are the latest products and thinking on this.......

Thanks

[currid]

Roomba works great -- has own timer

Has anyone got one of the new roombas? the ones that take themselves back to the charging unit when the battery gets low automatically. ?

does it actually work? i mean the unit getting back to the charger and actually recharging itself.

i thought that since it has a remote control a simple ir connection to homeseer can start the unit cleaning say at 3am each night , it would clean then return to the charger ready for the next day.

Roomba 570 works great! It has its own timer to schedule cleaning times, but you could opt to use the IR to have HomeSeer set it off. If you have a large cleaning area, consider buying another Roomba (a 560 or 530) for other rooms.

[fran_joel]

The model I use is the discovery 4210...

Don't know much about the others.

[TrOjAn]

About to order a 560 Roomba.. my last one died so hpefully the newer models will be better

TrOjAn

[Rupp]

TrOjAn,
When you say "died" what exactly do you mean? All of the parts are replaceable. My Roomba is going on 3 I believe and I just had to replace the dust dragging attachment but other than that it vacuums 3 days a week for about an hour and a half.

[TrOjAn]

The wheels went mad, lost a track, replaced it but still was not too reliable... worked for about a year I suppose, used to take ages to charge so new ones much better, auto docking etc, cant wait to get the new one.

TrOjAn

[Rupp]

The wheels went mad, lost a track, replaced it but still was not too reliable... worked for about a year I suppose, used to take ages to charge so new ones much better, auto docking etc, cant wait to get the new one.

TrOjAn

Ah. Mine auto docks so I must have a relatively new model. My wheels are getting wobbly though.

[nsisman]

Mine too Rupp !

But once you hit sixty that's to be expected !

Neil

[fran_joel]

Just in case you wanna buy a roomba and have a pet with long fine hair, hold on to that thought.

I have a pet with long fine hair (Colley) which actually looses tons of it continuously.

Because of that, I bought the special hair kit brushes and accessories for my roomba.

The result however is not very good.

The hair still gets tangled. The main brush is not the problem, coz it can be cleaned rather easily; it's the front wheel and the side brush.

The hair gets wrapped around the axles and has to be removed very often. In my case, after each use .

If I don't remove it, it eventually pushes hard enough that it will stop the front wheel completely.

I like my roomba nevertheless but thought I would give a warning to other people in my situation.

Joel.

[Rupp]

Mine too Rupp !

But once you hit sixty that's to be expected !

Neil

That's funny Neil. I'm a few years away from 60 but man is it coming up fast.