Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: bulkhead on November 29, 2008, 11:32:29 PM

Title: Compass w/Serial Port interface?
Post by: bulkhead on November 29, 2008, 11:32:29 PM

Is there one under $200?  The higher the resolution the better.

If there aren't any (at all or within that price range), I will probably use a dedicated microcontroller to make my own serial port interface.  Any recommendations on the most effective way to send data?  For example, should it send data 20 times per second (start_byte, data1, data2, stop_byte), or should it be polled by the host device (a computer in my case)?

Title: Re: Compass w/Serial Port interface?
Post by: airman00 on November 29, 2008, 11:55:41 PM

heres what I would do

get a regular ATmega with UART
have it sample the compass sensor
output data onto the serial port at a speed that allows the compass sensor to refresh between readings
TTL to RS232 or TTL to USB connection from microcontroller UART to computer


You only need a start byte , don't need a stop byte.

Title: Re: Compass w/Serial Port interface?
Post by: Admin on December 01, 2008, 11:07:35 PM

There are plenty . . . for example:
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R117-COMPASS.html

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=compass&x=0&y=0&search_section=products

Now lets not get started with google searches ;)