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Board type and info for joystick
  • Zeb
    I have the board with the 3 motor connections on the main board plus the 3rd axis board mounted on the main board.
    I have not seen any info or diagrams for these board types. I am trying to connect the joystick.
    Sorry, don't know how to post photos!
  • Garug
    Confused.

    if there would be 3 motor connectors on main board why would you need 3rd axis boar?

    The new Basecam board seems to have 3 motor connections on main board, but I do not think that is available yet. So I am confused what boar you have.

    I have not tried posting photos yet, but I was told they should be posted to some photo service an just add the link to the message and the image will appear.
  • Zeb
    I definitely have the board with the 3 motor connections on the main board however I still need the piggy back 3rd axis board which simply connects through onto the yaw motor connection.
  • dbeaty2dbeaty2
    It's Not AlexMos unless you are a beta tester, AFAIK these are two motor only at this point. Check basecam electronics for dealers. You can use 2 AlexMos boards for 3 axi or one board and the 3rd axis expansion board for the 3rd axis, which is pretty much assignable (although most people use it for YAW). The AlexMos and 3rd axis expansion board connect via a 12C connection shared with the IMU.
  • Zeb
    I got mine through RCTimer with the Legacy gimbal. I'm pretty sure it's just a different layout, the 3rd axis is still 'separate' but the motor connection is on the main board and the piggy back board just plugs in to the pin connector on the main board, so most likely still I2C but hard mounted. I still haven't heard of anyone with the same board. Don't know how to post photos.
  • dbeaty2dbeaty2
    Is it this one http://www.rctimer.com/product_963.html
  • Zeb
    Yep, that's the one. Haven't seen much info on it. The photo at the bottom of the page is a different board to the one in the top photo.
  • ea_
    SAme Board here asking the same question about plugging joystick.
  • pau1
    I wouldn't trust RCTimer to supply an official AlexMos board tbh. Looks like a copy to me.
  • howiem
    I haven't connected a joystick yet, so take this with a pinch of salt, but as I understand it:

    To connect a standalone analog joystick (ie you aren't using radio control):

    The RC_ROLL and RC_PITCH inputs on the board can take an analog input, from 0 to 5v. Despite the markings on the board, there is no 5v supply at the RC_xxx pins, so you'll need to use one of the other 5v supplies on the board - perhaps the UART one (ignore RX and TX, just use the GND and 5V pins).

    Your joystick will have two pots - potentiometers - one for each axis. Each of these pots has three connections. Connect a wire between 0v or GND on the controller board to the left-hand connection on each of the joystick pots, and connect the 5v supply you found on the board to the right-hand connection on each pot. The middle connection on the pots now give you a variable voltage between 0 and 5V depending on how you're moving the joystick, so connect one of them to the middle pin of RC_ROLL input on the board, and the middle connection on the other pot to the middle pin of the RC_PITCH input.

    That should be it. You'll need to use the GUI to tell the board what you've done - on the RC Settings page, RC_ROLL Pin mode should be set to Normal (PWM or analog), and beneath that, you can then choose which joystick input you want to use for which axis. Make sure you choose the analog, not PWM versions of the inputs.

    Let me know if this works - I'm going to be doing the same thing as soon as I get time to dig a joystick out of the junk box.
  • howiem
    I can confirm this works: my joystick turned up just now - it's just a PS3 style analog controller on a breakout board. Search eBay for "analog joystick arduino" and you'll find them - around £3 / $5.

    Wire the 5V and GND connections on the joystick board to any of the 5V and GND connections on the board (I used the ones next to the TX/RX connections), then wire the VRx and VRy connections on the joystick board to the RC_ROLL and RC_PITCH connections - if you're looking at the board with the RC and FC bank of pins at the bottom right, you'll want to connect to the top left pin and the one next to it.

    (You can use any 4-conductor wire for this; I just chopped the ends off a USB lead)

    In the GUI, do the settings as per previous post, turn the speeds right down on the RC Settings page (I found 3 works well), and on the Advanced page, whack the Expo curve up (gives you finer control when doing slow tilts/pans) and you'll probably be able to turn the deadband down a bit.

    Ta-da - you've got a pan/tilt remote head :)

    Because you're now in charge of the motor speed, it's easy to make the camera bounce or jerk, particularly if you try and get it to stop too fast. Playing with the PID settings may help, but ultimately you'll get the smoothest footage if you ramp the speed down smoothly with the joystick so you're not fighting the inertia too much.

    Good luck...
  • Zeb
    Got the joystick working perfectly, very smooth, board is great, no problems and balance is good. Very happy with the whole setup. Got a big convention to film soon so look forward to giving the footage to my editor at Pebble Coast Films
  • ea_
    FYI, RCTIMER official Store from Basecam, http://www.basecamelectronics.com/wheretobuy/
  • danallen
    Anyone have an update on using this 3-axis v3.0 board from RcTimer? I just got it myself and discovered the differences.

    - It seems the Yaw outputs can either be soldered on or plugged in from the main board.
    - The yaw controller doesn't seem to have battery input, maybe its already powered from the leads?
  • Zeb
    I just plugged in the yaw board and connect to the yaw motor output on the main board, no problems so far.
  • Doru
    Hello! It is possible to conect one axis of the joystick to yaw motor instead of roll one? Is the third axis board provided with an RC input connection point? Thanks.
  • 200sx
    Hi Doru,

    You can connect to the usual RC input and go to the software and change the settings under RC settings RC Input Mapping
  • Doru
    Thank you!
  • aloybasecam
    Hi Howiem,

    I'm having a problem to connect Analog Joystick to my 3-Axis Alexmos board.
    At 1st I thought maybe my Alexmos board got problem, but than I bought a new Alexmos board to test it again. But it still the same problem.
    I can't configure from GUI 2.35b software. Do you have any setup solution or guide line to show?
    I've tried & search online but don't have any info about this .... Can you help me up?
    Waiting for your reply asap. Thanks.
  • 200sx
    Hi aloybasecam,

    From my testing You shouldn't connect the 5V together with the row of RC inputs on the board. Use another 5V point and you should be able to use your joystick
  • aloybasecam
    It works fine, thanks 200sx.
  • wingbreaker
    can someone post a pic on how to wire a joystick with this board

    http://www.rctimer.com/syssite/home/shop/1/pictures/newsimg/1386222362.jpg

    i'm having a heck of a time figuring it out. nothing working.
  • 200sx
    wingbreaker can take a photo of the back too? Then i can help you circle.
  • soulpatchfilms
    you need to add some pins
  • jibeve
  • disneytoy
    I will try this when my joystick comes in. Regarding a switch to change profiles? Where would I wire that too? I'm guessing it is just a momentary switch correct? Does it require any more circuitry?

    Thanks!
  • 200sx
    your joystick push click can be your switch to change profile. if not the connection with the 10k Ohm resistor can be wired to a 2 pin switch.
  • kroll
    I've connected a joystick with the resistor, as shown above... and it seems to be working. Thanks for sharing that!
    However, it seems like I may be getting random "press" signals from the joystick, even when I do not touch it... is it possible? Have you seen that? Have you tried other resistors?
    Any help will be appreciated!
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