PC to RC - via the web

[luckyfourleaf]

hello there everyone...

I have been a closet RC fan for years, and really have just not had the time to put in time with the toys I have... I am hoping to change that! Especially now that I am a web developer, my interest in R/C cars has come to a whole new level...

Anyway, I have been researching options for interfacing a PC with my RC car... search hits have been few and far between. Ideally, I am looking for:

- hardware that : connects with multiple controllers OR can work in multiples with or without an external radio transmitter

- software that has an API ... hopefully ActionScript, PHP, .NET or a combination... truly I WANT SOFTWARE I CAN CONTROL OVER THE INTERNET. .NET is really my last choice.

... anyway, hopefully this doesn't seem too out there... I am stoked at the idea I could control my car from work!

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.
Thanks!!

Sean Kelley
SuperStar Media

[Shazz1234]

So What yu're saying is you want a platform that allows you to controll your RC while you're at work over the internet?

Somthing almost slightly similar that I remember is a security camera that you can view over the net (say, at work) and move left and right to get a better view... Can't for the life of me remember the name or who makes it but the idea must involve the remote (meaning over the net) control of some servo/motor connected to the webcam...

Your biggest concern Would be the latency between moving the control at work and the car reciving the signal. There would almost certainly be a delay in the signal being recieved especialy if there is going to be video steaming (so you can see what your doing) at the same time...

I doubt your going to get an actionscript based program or PHP based for that matter, a .NET or Java API is going to be your best bet (if you know how to program in java/.NET?).

Seems like an intreaguing idea to say the least, may be a bit too far out to accomplish...

[Endurance]

I know just what you need.......a PCTx.

www.endurance-rc.com/pctx.html

There are control classes already written. You would need to write the web interface but it is totally possible and a lot easier than you might think.

I think your best bet would be to write an remote control clinet/server application rather than trying to control your car via a web page.

[notofast]

Mama mia.

I would have never think about some like this.

Technology papi technology. :wow:

[vroom vroom]

when they rescue people and they use the robots to find them if they are in like a tunnel, I think they use a computer with a camera :confused:

[Shazz1234]

Vroom Vroom: They do use robots to find them but most of them have dedicated cables that trail behind the robot, sorta like a really really long extension cord. For the ones that dont they usually use wireless technologies to transmit.

Depending on the speed of your internet connection at work, both viewing live pics of your truck and controlling it without latency may be a problem i dunno?

[suckfish]

sounds like a really cool idea.. i'd like one to control the wife or kids from work.. ;)

[HPI_freak]

i got EXACTLY what you need, an rc rover. Plantraco make a rover that has a camer and you can control it from your computer. you can even control it over the web, as you mensioned. you can even drive THEIR rover in their "mars" imvironmet. its really neat!!!

heres the Plantraco mini rover:
http://www.plantraco.com/product_dtr.html

and heres their rc rover that YOU CAN DRIVE!:
http://www.plantraco.com/telecommander.html

[Endurance]

I think he wants to control an r/c car he already has.

[kikcaffine]

There was a guy I was watching at Devry by me that was controlling his Tmaxx VIA his cell phone. He bounced the signal off the satellite to the car. It was pretty amazing.