Programming - help learning

[mblackwolf]

Hey everyone,

I am kinda new to robotics. I have actual built a few in school but all where rc and controllers were premade. I have limited electronics background I have built h-bridges soldered boards together etc. I am extremely lacking in the programming/microcontroller department. I have been reading stuff for weeks and have seen tons of different controllers. I was originally planning on getting an arduino meg 2560 due to the large number of i/o pins and the simple (from what I have seen) programming. I mean most of my prototyping work will be with hobby servos as I have a lot laying around because of old rc stuff and the arduino library seems to make it pretty simple. What I am wondering is how different is the arbotix controller to program and can anyone link me to a sort of how-to/start from the basics source on programming it. Thanks just want to be sure I am gonna like what I get before I buy something and end up getting something different a few weeks later.

[butchalline]

If you are ONLY wanting to control RC servos, check out the Pololu servo controllers. They are reasonably priced and have several ways to control servos.

[ROBOTMAN]

I assume one of your reasons for doing this is just to learn programing and for that I definitely recommend the arduino or other avr based micro-controller ie. the arbotix controller. Both the arduino and the arbotix controller can be programmed in the same ide "development environment" and same program language "a form of c and java". As for starting out programing the arduino has a huge community and tons of tutorials just check out the website and you should be able to find enough information to master the arduino http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage. Or check out what books amazon has on the arduino.

The first micro-controller I learned to program was the arduino and although it was difficult at times I was able to master it fairly quickly thanks to all the refined tutorials across the internet.