Comments on: RoombaDevTools RooStick

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:14:10 +0000

Sorry, but I should have noted that I’m using the USB cable with a Windows 7 PC.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:08:58 +0000

I don’t know how useful this is anymore, but the iRobot Create USB cable – http://store.irobot.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2818673 – works great with RoombaCommTest and my Roomba Discovery. It’s only $20 + shipping; the cheapest option unless you want to build your own.

Also, iRobot does still sell the OSMO//hacker modules, but they aren’t linked to on the site. These can enable the SCI on older Roombas.

OSMO//hacker 1: http://store.irobot.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2172890

OSMO//hacker 2: http://store.irobot.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2172891

Each product page tells how to identify which version you’ll need, though hacker 2 is for earlier Roombas than hacker 1. Also, if your Roomba was manufactured on/after October 24, 2005 it should already be SCI capable.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:22:38 +0000

You can use a 8 mini din cable if it is wired straight through. They say right in the description… a mac serial cable will NOT work. There you have it!

By: guiem

guiem — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:32:37 +0000

Hey, I was using a Debian. I’ve installed the last Ubuntu into an old computer I have, and it worked! :-)
Well, I still haven’t tried to use the RooStick with roomba, but at least with Ubuntu I can read from ports. So, I guess that everything will be okay with the roomba.

I have to say that I’m very impressed about your quick answers. Usually, posting on forums one has to wait for long time to receive an answer. So, thank you very much for your quick help Tod!

By: todbot

todbot — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:24:45 +0000

What distro and version of Linux are you running? On some version (I think I had this problem on a version of Ubuntu), the Braille package "brltty" conflicted with USB serial ports & RXTX. The solution was to remove it (I don't need Braille support) with the command "sudo apt-get remove brltty". Another thing to try: download Procesing and try its example Serial port sketch that just lists the ports. If that works, then you'll have at least one example of a Java + RXTX that works on your machine. :)

By: guiem

guiem — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:53:26 +0000

Hi Tod!

Thanks for your help. The out of date library thing made sense for me. I just did exactly what you said, but nothing happened and the message is still the same.

Anyway, thank you for your clear and detailed instructions. Don’t you know any Linux specific forum on that issue or something like that? I’m afraid I have the constrain of using it with that OS.

By: todbot

todbot — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:28:14 +0000

I suspect the problem is the RXTX library is out of date for the Linux on your PC. The fastest way I know of to get a latest version of RXTX is to download Arduino, unpack the tarball, and copy the two files:
- arduino-0013/lib/RXTXcomm.jar
- arduino-0013/lib/librxtxSerial.so
over the RXTX files in the ‘rxtxlib’ directory.

By: guiem

guiem — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:00:36 +0000

Hi Tod!

I’m using Linux and everything seems to run okay with the RooStick, when I plug it in /dev automatically appears the /dev/ttyUSB0 port.

I’m trying to run the SimpleTest.java example and that’s the console message:

“Experimental: JNI_OnLoad called.
Stable Library
=========================================
Native lib Version = RXTX-2.1-7
Java lib Version = RXTX-2.1-7
Available ports:
Couldn’t connect to /dev/ttyUSB0″

What is weird for me is that the roombacomm.listPorts() command returns an empty list. I don’t know if I’m missing something referring to how Linux ports work.

Any idea will be very welcome and thanks in advance!

By: todbot

todbot — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:31:22 +0000

Hi TSH,
That’s very weird, I’ve never heard of such a problem, but it does sound like the drivers aren’t getting installed somehow on the laptop. The USB chip in the RooStick is pretty standard, and the drivers needed for it are just the ones needed in the RooStick documentation (CP2103 drivers).

One thing to try: go into the Hardware Device Manager and look at the list of devices, see if there are any with a red ‘X’ or a yellow ‘?’. That might give you some hints. I’m not very experienced with Windows, unfortunately.

By: TSH

TSH — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:09:59 +0000

Dear todbot,

I’ve just bought a roostick, and it works well on my PC, but not on my laptop(or my friends’), it will be an “unrecognizable device” (I use Chinese Windows XP, so I’m not sure what it is in Engish). I’ve installed the drivers from irobot and VCP drivers in the article, but still can’t work. I wonder if you’ve had this question and I really need some advices. Thanks very much.