Okay, I love vex and I have just finished my third robot. I am going to wait a while, but when a holiday comes around, should I get Vexplorer, or should I buy another vexred microcontroller, the transmitter/reciever kit, some motors and some sensors?
I’m not very sure if I should even get another kit yet.
i wouldnt buy another vex kit unless you really want to i would buy more parts for my vex but its your choice if your looking for a transmitter check ebay you can get them real cheap
It really depends on what you want to do. If you want to build and design your own robots then more VEX Red is the way to go. However if you just want something to screw around with then VEX blue is what you want. I’m guessing you would be better suited with more VEX Red.
if you’ve already built quite a few robots with vex and like it i suggest vex red as the vexplorer is meant for beginners or people just looking for an RC toy
BTW why do you need another microcontroller?
Parallel Processing…
Wouldn’t that be amazing!
Technic-R-C
and yet simple, has anyone done this, if i had a second microcontroler i would definitly try this
I agree that is up to you and it just depends on what you really want to build, but I disagree with people who dismiss the Vexplorer. I have always liked building things, especially robots and although the Vexplorer is just Radio Controlled, I really like mine.
It’s true that you can’t program it or add sensors, but I think that it is a really neat VEX set. The painted metal parts and the color scheme they used play an important part of that. I have the Wrist Kit, the Tank Tread Kit, and the Flashlight Kit added to mine and I think that it really looks neat.
It is just something different and not for everyone, but it is fun trying to develope your skills at picking things up and even stacking them up. Plus, you can build different things out of the parts and you can use your other VEX metal parts with it too. You can also use the Camera, Claw, wheels, and metal parts with your regular VEX Starter Kit for more building possibilities.
There are really only 2 things that I had problems with: the Wrist Kit didn’t exactly go together as described in the instructions so I had to use a few regular VEX parts and you have to be careful because you can scratch the painted parts.
This is just my opinion and I hope that it will be of some help to you in making your decision. I have heard that there will be more expansion kits coming out for the Vexplorer too and they are supposed to be really neat.
I love my Vexplorer even though I already own Vex Starter Kits(red), since it comes with the robot arm and wireless video. I find it an excellent tele-robotic platform where I can be indoors while having it explore my backyard in the middle of winter. As for it being an RC toy, it is far more capable as an autonomous or semi-autonomous robot, which will soon be able to solve mazes, follow lines, follow walls, follow a flashlight and perform other autonomous tasks.
The Vexplorer’s RC control provides the operator very fast response but adding more sensors to it will allow the operator to determine just how far it is from a wall or object (obstacle detection) so as to avoid collisions when using it with the wireless video camera.
A Vexplorer Programmable Controller that I am currently developing will provide the means to control the Vexplorer’s DC motors using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). It can read analog sensors such as PING or Vex Sonar Rangers, line following sensors, temperature sensors, and potentiometers. It can also read digital sensors such as the bumper switches, pushbuttons, and the Quadrature Optical Encoders using the Quadrature Encoder Interface (QEI) to measure how many turns each motor has made (position) and also measure the motor’s speed (tachometer) and direction. You can see the progress that I have made so far by checking out the following links:
http://www.schmartdeveloper.org/tiki-index.php?page=SCHMART+SENSOR+CONTROLLER+MODULE&bl
http://www.schmartdeveloper.org/tiki-index.php?page=Projects&bl
Thankyou for your suggestions! I think that I will buy another micro controller in about a year. Even though vexplorer is cool, cheaper, and I want it, vexred can be programed. I have made a few complicated programs, and I think the two micro controllers could send data to eachother using servos and home-made switches.I’ll also try to think of another way of comunication between two microcontrollers.I could also build two robots for battles.
vex robots with circular saws and flamethrowers, why does that seem bad. also if u really want a flamethrower try a windshield wiper squirting lighter fluid:D
Whatever you do don’t buy the transmitter/receiver kit from vex, get it for $4.99 plus shipping on ebay. You can get them bran new for dirt cheap.
I may even buy another one soon.
As for the micro controller i think it is a cool idea and i would love to get another one but you should focus on your parts inventory, if you get another micro controller would you have enough parts to make 2 robots?
If you do then go ahead and make 2 robots.
Also do not buy the vex explorer from vex, get that off of ebay for like $120 plus shipping and save money.
Thanks for the suggestion!
I really need a microcontroller now, so i’ll get the transmitter/reciever kit from ebay.
…
Will we ever make nanobots that can identify the difference between its hosts DNA and that of the cancerous cells nearby if we’re working on weapons?
Sure, a rubber band shooter may be a fun experiment for sport and building your skills in building, but flamethrowers? robots with saws? I’ve made a rocket launching robot, but it wasn’t to be used as a weapon! It was just useful for being lazy and it even removed the hazard of being too close to the rocket while launching. I guess it may seem a little hypocritical, but weapons was not the original intent of the vex system.
As crazy as I may be, I have to agree with bloodsheddragon on this one.
I agree too. Bloodshedragon, do you have a video of your robot? It must be cool to have a rocket launching robot!
I agree with VEXBOT. I have several VEX Red sets and tons of parts. The VEX red robots get built, torn apart and rebuilt. The Vexplorer is constantly being upgraded, flashlights, tank treads, wrist kit etc. also many of the parts are interchangable.
I think ill get vexplorer later, after i get a microcontroller
Sadly, no. dragonflyer221 might have a pic of it (I built it at his house) but he decided to disassemble it without any videos after getting frustrated at the fact we lost 3 rockets with bad aiming
as an answer to the forum topic, I might buy some vexplorer parts like the claw or camera, and maybe some other parts because the color scheme is sweet, but vexred really is the way to go for improving your bot.
don’t get another kit just yet. sure, having 2 robots would be cool, but it also costs a lot. you should wait til you really get into robotics, cuz if you decide for another hobby you’ll think, ‘why did i blow all that money?’ not saying that you will, just hypothetically speaking…
I’ll NEVER stop vexing! It’s just too addictive and fun!!