USB support on Linux for brickOS-0.9.0

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USB support for IR Towers is now working for Linux and

Windows (using the Cygwin tool suite.)

This file describes the Linux environment setup

Recognition of the LEGO USB Infrared Tower is now built into the

2.6.x Linux Kernels.

When you plug the USB IR Tower into a USB port the device will

automatically be connected.

I have usbutils installed which provides 'lsusb'. In my case

lsusb shows the following when I have the IR Tower connected:

$ lsusb

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0694:0001 Lego Group Mindstorms Tower

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

I had to create my device file with something like:

sudo mknod /dev/usb/legotower0 c 180 160

sudo chmod 666 /dev/usb/legotower0

To use the Tower then, I set RCXTTY to point to it:

export RCXTTY=/dev/usb/legotower0

And then I use firmdl3 and dll just as before.

- to load brickos

- reset RCX removing prior brickOS firmware

(press and hold [Prgm] and simultaneously press [On-Off] to

turn the power off and then press [On-Off] to turn the

power back on. You should hear the two startup beeps

indicating that you are now running original firmware, not

brickOS.)

- run the OS downloader

$ firmdl3 /usr/local/lib/brickos/brickOS.srec

- to load a program into slot 2

- assuming you build the demos in the current directory, run

$ dll -p2 sound.lx

you should see the standing-man and 2 indicating that the

download was successful.

Now press [Run] to play the song...

I hope this works for you. Please report issues with the USB support

per the instructions found at http://brickos.sourceforge.net/rptrvwbugs.htm

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Stephen M Moraco (stephen@debian.org) - Mon, 17 Jan 2005 20:18:52 -0700