Computer-controlled RC car

[Sir Fredrick]

I've already posted something about this before, but I have some new ideas that I'd like to get some opinions on.

I'm going to build an RC car with tank treads. It must be able to go forwards, backwards and turn in place. And it must be controlled by a computer (the computer will be in the same room, but NOT on the RC car).

I'm trying to figure out how to control the car with the computer, and it seems like the easiest way would be to take an existing two channel remote control transmitter and receiver, which I can get complete with servos for well under $100, and interface the transmitter with the computer, possibly through the use of some BASIC stamp.

How feasible is something like that? Are the circuits on the transmitter so complex/small that I won't have a chance of modifying them to work with the computer? Has this ever been done before?

 

[blahblah99]

I thought you asked something similar to this a while back...

More than likely, you do not need a BASIC stamp to interface the computer to the transmitter. What you DO need is a MAXIM IC that does the voltage conversion of the serial port from +-15V down to 0 and 5V for the wireless data transmitter. On the receiving end, you WILL need a basic stamp to take that serial data and send the appropriate commands to the servos.

 

[PCMarine]

They had this EXACT concept on TechTV awhile back; it was on the show "The Screensavers."