Submitted by disneytoy on Tue, 10/05/2010 - 07:09
Posted in
I'm sure everone has looked at the videos showing the features of the Kessler Oracle controller for their slider. The joystick. the pots for dampening, deadband, max speed. Plus the ability to record moves and store I believe 3 moves.
Being new at this. Programming wise, can an Arduino based controller, eventually have the same features? Does the arduino, have the memory or power, to acomplish the same tasks?
I definitely can imagine that the Inputs the oracle has, can be built for the Arduino.
Not being a programmer, how difficult for someone experienced to get the same functions?
As far as I can tell, the Arduino is a pretty amazing piece of hardware.
Thanks!
:-)
Yes, it can do all of
Yes, it can do all of that.
It can do whatever you want to make it do.
It can do it for a lot less than $1000 in cash, but you have to invest sweat equity (do some work =).
Take a look at the timelapse engine features, it runs 4 motors, and provides the ground work for adding things like joysticks and such, but it can also be controlled by a computer, and has other capabilities not included in the Oracle: http://openmoco.org/node/9
Now, look at the MX2, which is a lower-cost alternative that can be used with DC motors, more simple: http://openmoco.org/node/204
The real difference between open source arduino projects and the oracle? You don't have to convince the company making it to build new features, you can work with others to add them yourself, you can adapt it to new purposes, and you have the option to trade effort instead of cash. You can then, if you're an enterprising individual, make your own controller off the same code base and go sell it to other people to solve the same problems you've solved. (Just like Motiontimer sells a system based on openmoco, and another company in Germany will be doing so soon.) Our goal with open hardware and open software is like the rest of the community's: to enable experimentation, adaptation, and reduce how many wheels need to be re-invented. To drive the technology for these niche markets faster.
The Oracle's a fine controller for the guys who have the money, and just want something that works. And, from what I hear, many people are happy with it. There's a market for closed-source stuff, and they're meeting it.
!chris