Rev Hub Interface

[Z8695]

I am a mentor with FTC Team 8695. We are trying to get the Rev Hub Interface program to recognize either the Expansion Hub or Control Hub.

We have downloaded the latest drivers as well as the latest Rev Hub Interface.

1. When plugging the mini usb connection on the Control Hub into our computer(s), the computer DOES NOT detect any new USB devices (looking at the windows device manager). When we attempt to connect using the Rev Hub interface, there is no response on the program. I guess that's not surprising since no new USB devices were detected by the computer.

2. When plugging the mini usb connection on the Expansion Hub into our computer(s), the computer DOES detect a new USB device (looking at the windows device manager). When we attempt to connect using the Rev Hub interface, there is no response on the program. We did use the Rev Hub Interface to detect and control devices on last year's robot, so I'm not sure why it wouldn't work this year.

Prior to these attempts to use the REV Hub Interface, we used the REV Hardware Client to successfully update both our control hub and expansion hub firmware, OS, and robot controller software.

Any thoughts on what I'm missing here?

Thanks,
Team 8695

[RevRobotics]

The REV Hub Interface software does not work with the Control Hub. We are working on having similar functionality rolled into the REV Hardware Client for use with the Control Hub.

Are you able to deploy firmware onto the Expansion Hub via the firmware tab (even if the device is not connecting to the Hub Interface)?
What version of the Hub Interface software are you running?
Is the REV Hardware Client running at the same time as the Hub Interface Software?
What is the status LED of the Expansion Hub when connected to the PC?

[Z8695]

The REV Hub Interface software does not work with the Control Hub. We are working on having similar functionality rolled into the REV Hardware Client for use with the Control Hub.

Are you able to deploy firmware onto the Expansion Hub via the firmware tab (even if the device is not connecting to the Hub Interface)?
What version of the Hub Interface software are you running?
Is the REV Hardware Client running at the same time as the Hub Interface Software?
What is the status LED of the Expansion Hub when connected to the PC?

- We were able to deploy Firmware onto the expansion hub through the REV Hardware Client. I didn't attempt to install firmware via the REV Hub Interface. I can attempt to try that when we have our next meeting. (We downloaded the latest updates as of September 30. Hub FW 1.8.2, Robot Controller 6.0, Control Hub OS 1.1.1. onto the Control Hub/Expansion Hub)
- I believe we are running REV Hub Interface Version 1.2.0.
- We probably had both programs running at the same time, but also tried with only the REV Hub Interface running.
- I will have to check on the LED status when we have our next meeting.

Regarding the Control hub, do you expect to have support for the REV Hub Interface introduced soon? It's kind of inconvenient to NOT have that functionality as we work on integrating motors, servos, etc onto our robot for this year. I suppose once we figure out how to get the expansion hub to work again that we'll be able to use an expansion hub to test out motor speeds, servos positions, etc before we install them on our robot.

Regards,
Team 8695

[RevRobotics]

Regarding the Control hub, do you expect to have support for the REV Hub Interface introduced soon?

We are no longer working on the REV Hub Interface Software. Having the functionality of driving motors, servos, and getting feedback from devices, like sensors, is in the works for the REV Hardware Client. There is not a timetable for when those improvements to the Hub Interface will be rolled out but we do have it on our roadmap for the software package.

Feel free to zip us an email as you are going through the troubleshooting for the Hub Interface. It was a beta project to add some functionality to the Expansion Hub.

[Z8695]

We are no longer working on the REV Hub Interface Software. Having the functionality of driving motors, servos, and getting feedback from devices, like sensors, is in the works for the REV Hardware Client. There is not a timetable for when those improvements to the Hub Interface will be rolled out but we do have it on our roadmap for the software package.

Feel free to zip us an email as you are going through the troubleshooting for the Hub Interface. It was a beta project to add some functionality to the Expansion Hub.

It would be great to have all that functionality in the REV Hardware Client. In fact, I was kind of expecting that to be in there when I started to use it, but soon realized that was missing. I'm guessing we're not the only team that came to rely on the old Modern Robotics Core Device Discovery tool and then the REV Hub Interface software to prototype motor, servo, and sensors in our designs. So hopefully that update will be available soon!

I will have our students perform a couple of your suggested diagnostics at our next meeting and get back to you on some of your original questions.

Thanks,
Team 8695

[alan_16072]

We also use the REV Hub Interface for prototyping. If I could have anything, it would be for the Control Hub to expose a web page that allowed you to set motors, servos, and see sensors (like the REV Hub Interface). - then students could use it on the phone.

[4634 Programmer]

We also use the REV Hub Interface for prototyping. If I could have anything, it would be for the Control Hub to expose a web page that allowed you to set motors, servos, and see sensors (like the REV Hub Interface). - then students could use it on the phone.

I was working on a "Hub Toolkit" feature for OpModeTuner some time ago. The idea being you'd run a special OpMode which would communicate with the Toolkit page on the app, which would provide Hub Interface / CoreDeviceDiscovery type functionality. Never got around to finishing it though......

[RevRobotics]

We also use the REV Hub Interface for prototyping. If I could have anything, it would be for the Control Hub to expose a web page that allowed you to set motors, servos, and see sensors (like the REV Hub Interface). - then students could use it on the phone.

We use it frequently here at REV as well and with the teams we all mentor. Definitely something we are looking at implementing as the REV Hardware Client will be the tool that unites a number of our current and future products together.

[Z8695]

- We were able to deploy Firmware onto the expansion hub through the REV Hardware Client. I didn't attempt to install firmware via the REV Hub Interface. I can attempt to try that when we have our next meeting. (We downloaded the latest updates as of September 30. Hub FW 1.8.2, Robot Controller 6.0, Control Hub OS 1.1.1. onto the Control Hub/Expansion Hub)
- I believe we are running REV Hub Interface Version 1.2.0.
- We probably had both programs running at the same time, but also tried with only the REV Hub Interface running.
- I will have to check on the LED status when we have our next meeting.

Regarding the Control hub, do you expect to have support for the REV Hub Interface introduced soon? It's kind of inconvenient to NOT have that functionality as we work on integrating motors, servos, etc onto our robot for this year. I suppose once we figure out how to get the expansion hub to work again that we'll be able to use an expansion hub to test out motor speeds, servos positions, etc before we install them on our robot.

Regards,
Team 8695

I wanted to provide an update on the REV Hub Interface tool investigation.
First of all, we are now successfully communicating from a PC to the REV Expansion Hub. There are definitely some things that one needs to do to make it work, especially now that the Control Hub has come into the system.

1. Before powering up the Expansion Hub AND connecting the USB to your computer, you MUST NOT be connected to a powered REV Control Hub through the RS485 interface. If the RS485 is connected when the Control Hub/Expansion Hub are powered on, it appears to disable the USB control (just my guess). (The computer still recognizes the USB connection, but you cannot connect to the Expansion HUB.) Also, if the R485 was previously connected, it must be disconnected, and you need to cycle power to the Expansion hub.

2. Then you can connect the USB to the Expansion Hub and optionally power up the Expansion Hub.

3. Next, start up the REV Hub Interface and hit the connect icon. The motors and all other control ports should show up at this point.

Anyway, I hope I got this right. If someone has a better explanation and/or necessary startup sequence, please chime in.

Regards,
Team 8695