Controlling a Radio Controlled Model Car over the internet?

[John]

Hello.

Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?

Thanks

John

[Thor]

"John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
> Hello.
>
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?

It would take specialized software to emulate the vehicle controls, then
that software would also have to interface with software on a remote client
PC on the other end where the vehicle was located. Then, that client PC
would also have to have a hardware interfaced with the necessary radio
transmitter to relay the remotely fed input commands to the vehicle. In
other words, it would be a real challenge to set something like that up.
It's not something that you can casually do. It would take a lot of time and
effort as well as programming and electronics knowledge, in the abscence of
some ready-made product designed to do it. I am unaware of the existence of
such a product.

[George Williams]

John wrote:

> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?


Sounds interesting. It is probably somewhat difficult to set up,
and rather expensive. What is your motivation?

[jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk]

i've seen computer controlled robots. You plug them in and can control
them via the keyboard. Thus, if you can find a computer controlled
car, then you can control it over the internet using VNC or Radmin
which lets you view the screen of the other computer remotely. You
would then need software running on the remote computer / the screen
you see that does keypresses when you click keys. A simple VB program
would do that, there is a sendkeys function.
You gotta find a remote control computer controlled car though

This cool dude has done it the cool - hard - way
http://www.drivemeinsane.com/howtos/rccar/rccar.shtml?theme=0

[jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk]

sorry, that dude hasn't done it. The title of the page on that link
mislead me.

I don't know much about electronics but
open up the remote control of the car, you'll see contacts that you can
join together with a wire or screwdriver, to see what they do.
Connecting the right contacts together will cause the car to move
around.

Now i'm guessing you've got to figure out how to connect that to the
serial or parallel port. I have no idea. Try an electronics newsgroup

There is an interesting post

From: dejachris60614@my-deja.com (dejachris60614@my-deja.com)
Subject: Re: Serial Port Interface questions
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc.land
Date: 2000-09-08 17:10:06 PST

but the link within that post is broken


This page is has a bit about the programming related to controlling the
parallel port
http://www.control.com/1026186588/index_html
you may want to use the serial port - the programming principles should
be the same.

relevant newsgroups to poke around in may be
comp.robotics.misc, alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt, sci.electronics.*

[Ross Durie]

Yes, maybe you would like to teach yourself how to do it or be lazy and do
an electrical engineering degree in your spare time.

--
Ross
"John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
> Hello.
>
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>
> Thanks
>
> John
>
>

[The Raven]

"Thor" <man@arms.com> wrote in message
news:10resocd0u1npfb@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
> news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
>> Hello.
>>
>> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
>> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>
> It would take specialized software to emulate the vehicle controls, then
> that software would also have to interface with software on a remote
> client PC on the other end where the vehicle was located.

An interesting challenge.

> Then, that client PC would also have to have a hardware interfaced with
> the necessary radio transmitter to relay the remotely fed input commands
> to the vehicle.

PPJOY a free piece of software allowing standard "stick" radios to connect
to a PC's LPT port. If wheel radios have trainer ports (which I doubt) it
should be just as easy.

Oh, to make the trainer cord is a snap. Cost me less than $6 locally for the
parts.

> In other words, it would be a real challenge to set something like that
> up. It's not something that you can casually do. It would take a lot of
> time and effort as well as programming and electronics knowledge, in the
> abscence of some ready-made product designed to do it. I am unaware of the
> existence of such a product.

I'm not an expert on this but wouldn't it be easier to use the local PC to
operate a local TX to the car? Then it's just a matter of using a remote
hosting application to control that PC. Of course, the remote driver needs a
feedback system which could be nothing more complex than a web cam.

Of course, you won't be able to race a car like this as lag would inevitably
lead to a crash. Input...100ms delay...car reacts....100ms delay....whatever
feedback you're given is displayed. So you'd lose at least 1/5th of a second
(assuming a 100ms ping) between reacting and seeing the result.

--
The Raven
http://www.80scartoons.co.uk/batfinkquote.mp3
** Now I will bring chaos to the world!

[Chris Dugan]

"John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
> Hello.
>
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>
> Thanks
>
> John
>
>
The long and the short of it is: difficult to do as there is no over the
counter product available that I am aware of.
If you want to go the DIY method then start by adapting this system:

http://autopilot.sourceforge.net

It's a free DIY computer controlled autopilot for a model helicopter, so
that will give you the control interface to the R/C systems and from that
you can add on a communications link and modify the rest of the system to
suit.

Like I said not straight forward.

Chris

[iocat25]

John wrote:
> Hello.
>
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>
> Thanks
>
> John

Here is a link that describes how you can build a PC to transmitter
interface.
Here you will find VB code samples, article, etc.
http://www.welwyn.demon.co.uk/PC_RC/PC_to_RC.htm

This will allow you to actually control a RC vehicle from your PC (you
are sitting at the PC).
You <---> PC <-->Interface <---> transmitter <............> RC
vehicle

The next part of your question: controlling via the internet requires
some programming to get it done. It essentially comes down to setting
up a server
on the machine controlling the RC device. Now, the server can be a web
server or a server program of your own creation (investigate
client/server programming). Both directions have their advantages and
disadvantages.

You <---> PC [Client software] <--> Internet <-->

Server PC [server software] <--> Interface --> trans <........> RC
vehicle
<--> camara


Of course you will need to have a camara attached to the server
machine, otherwise how can you control what you can't see?
Hopefully this helps.

[Steve & Chris Clark]

they drove an electric remote controlled buggy on mars, from here on earth.
--
Steve
"John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
> Hello.
>
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>
> Thanks
>
> John
>
>

[Justin Mahn]

Steve & Chris Clark wrote:
> they drove an electric remote controlled buggy on mars, from here on earth.
> --
> Steve
> "John" <anu@bis.com> wrote in message
> news:k7per0120024ovgpadl1iasb6q2ib3kgn4@4ax.com...
>
>>Hello.
>>
>>Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
>>internet? If so how do I go about setting it up?
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>John
>>
>>
>
>
>
I believe the question was not "Is it possible?", but "_How_ is it
possible?"

Setting up a computer driven transmitter about the same difficulty as
university level electronics projects. I don't understand it all,
either, but rest assured that any master's student could tell you
offhand, and any bachelors student could tell you with some research.

[Frater Mus]

On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 at 21:12 GMT, <anu@bis.com> wrote:
> Is it possible to control a radio controlled car remotely over the
> internet?

Back in 1995 you could control rc bots in a chicago university via a
CGi script on their webpage.

> If so how do I go about setting it up?

First, you figure out how CGI programming is done.
Second, you figure out how RC radio systems work.
Third, you figure out how to build an interface.

--
http://cbsrmt.mousetrap.net/RMTdb/ CBS Radio Mystery Theater database
CBSRMT uploads each day in <news:alt.binaries.sounds.radio.cbsrmt>
http://greyhound.mousetrap.net/altus/ our ex-racer greyhound
http://www.mousetrap.net/~mouse/cs.html How to get good phone support

[javadog@gmail.com]

In the sence of controlling it via VNC/Radmin or anything like that
would make it so the car it's self would have to be a computer,
therefore meaning it'd have to consist of all the things a regular
computer would have to run, meaning it wouldn't fit into a 1/10th scale
car now if you were to make a simple program that could emit out waves
(In this case, the ones used by a remote control to control the car)
out USB/SCUSI Or something of that sort to an antenna.. but that's a
whole other thing, and in the sence wouldn't be so... pricey. It'd also
mean easier home theft. For simply altering the program to emit Garage
Door frequencies and so on... which is probably why the software isin't
already made.