Hacking 620 - adding scheduling

[raez]

Hi Robot review community!

I'm new in this robotic world, however - I've done my research regarding hacking roombas. I've built myself a serial tether which does the trick - i can control, see sensors working and send commands to my roomba.

To my problem: When i try to add scheduling with sending commands to my roomba i get no response - which leads me to believe that this might not be applicable on my model - but through this community I've read that it should be able to interpret the commands. I've tried sending "beep/sound" commands to make sure sending commands work, i've reset the roomba with "7" command line, which gives me a positive response. I've tried with both the roomba status program and Realterm and can send commands with both softwares.

Is there anything I'm doing wrong? The code I'm sending is the following - which i have acquired both from the “handbook” http://pdftoolsonline.com/en/viewer/iRobotRoomba600OpenInterfaceSpec/0000021903 and through this community:


128 (To open the OIS for commands)

168,3,12,0 (To set the time to 12 am on Wednesday)

167,127,12,05,12,05,12,05,12,05,12,05,12,05,12,05 (to start cleaning every day at 12:05 am - to try the scheduling)

Any ideas?
It should be a piece of cake - but with no success. Is there anybody that have encountered this problem be4?

[vic7767]

You might consider just trying a single day and time to test with. Once that is accomplished then you can add the other day and time schedules. Also this is a 24 hour clock so midnight is 00 and noon is 12.

[raez]

Thanks for the quick response vic!

Yeah, now I've tried just scheduling for today instead of all week. My mistake about the clock, I'm based in europe so I'm familiar with the 24 hour clock - however, not that familiar with the 12 hour clock it seems!

My roomba wouldn't wake up, the following was sent through roomba status (while roomba was in full-mode):
7: Got a response
128: Got a beep
168,4,12,15
167,16,12,20,12,20,12,20,12,20,12,20,12,20,12,20
- "disconnect"
Then i plugged out my cable from my roomba, after approximatly 3 min it entered standby-mode where the LED:s was turned off. 10 min later - no response.

I tried another variant that looked like this:
128
168,4,12,15
167,16,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,12,17,0,0,0,0

The two minute difference was to try if the roomba would start cleaning on schedule if the roomba didn't enter standby mode. But with no success. I tried again after reseting the roomba with "7".

Do I need to have the roomba in the charging dock after entering schedule so it doesn't enter standby mode?
Is there anyting in the roomba status program that needs to be turned on before sending the codes? I'm in full control in the "Full mode" which I'm entering through the "Start" button in roomba status interface. After pressing that button I'm currently sending the codes.

I've tried sending spot/clean/dock start codes, which all function as expected.
What else can i try? I'll try realterm now to see if I have any luck there.

[raez]

I've found another thread from 2014 in which a 620 is hacked with schedule. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17448&start=20
So the schedule hack might begin starting from the day after the time is entered. We'll se about that tomorrow!

[mfortuna]

The older roombas will start a schedule on or off the dock. My 400 series are in standby mode on the dock and will start a schedule.

You are only sending a 128 code which is passive mode. You could try safe or full mode but I don't think that should matter.

Older roombas like my 400 series can't be scheduled over SCI. It is possible Irobot is using a version of SCI in the 620 that does not support scheduling.

[mfortuna]

Looks like I posted a second too soon. Wait a day and let us know how it goes.

[raez]

Hi MIke, thanks for responding. Unfortunally the roomba didn´t start on schedule today. Hell, I even waited 2 more hours just to make sure I hadn´t entered the wrong time.

This time i didn´t do a reset before entering the scheduling commands, do you guys think that matters? As I understand it a new type-in overwrites the old ones. Maybe i should try to reset the bot and then go again.

Well in roomba status, if you click "Start" your roomba always enters full mode right? Because that is what i'm doing. Before entering the command codes i always start by clicking "Start" in roomba status to make sure that the functions are available and the connection is solid. After this I'm sending the commands.

The hypothesis you had about the SCI not supporting scheduling, can I comfirm that somehow, maybe contact Irobot? To me it seems quite wierd since other (a bit older though) models of the 620 do support scheduling. But if it's true - Irobot had to have made these changes during 2015.

I tried playing jingle bells song through roomba yesterday (http://www.robotappstore.com/Knowledge- ... ng/21.html), with realterm - which worked perfectly.

[a1robotrepair]

Try [128][168][5][14][0]. Set time to Friday @ 2pm
[128][167][40][14][30][14][30][14][30][14][30][14][30][14][30][14][30]
Set schedule 40 Wednesday and Friday @ 2:30pm 0101000, I forgot binary to decimal, just remembered it was days, 28Hex
Wait for bot to time out, CLEAN LED OFF, before unplugging SCI. Not needed, just turn bot off.
Place on charger. Not needed either.
I'll try it tonight. Lunch over, gotta make the donuts.
I believe if all the commands are entered on the same line at the same time it would work the way you were doing it before.

[mfortuna]

So if you are using roomba status I believe it starts in full mode but when you send the 128 command that puts it in passive mode. I think that should be fine. You can try not sending the 128 to see if it makes a difference.

I wish I could help you more but I never moved on from 400 series (including my create). Their SCIs don't support scheduling.

Based on past experience from many forum users Don't expect much help from Irobot. I suppose you could try asking them.

[a1robotrepair]

Clearly 40 is Wednesday and Friday. Worked either way for me in 610, 540 and 650.
What worked, 128 168 5 16 30 167 127 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 then send, used RealTerm
Port set B115200 Pn DB8 SB1 FCn
Don't have to wait a day, it will operate that day if schedule is set later than time.
On a s second command line it worked with or without sending the start io 128.

[raez]

Allright, thanks fellow bot dudes. I'll try this first thing tomorrow, europan time. So robotrepair, it basically worked if the whole command is sent on one line?

And if i understand you correctly I do not need to do anything special after adding the time and schedule? The bot should just start right up when scheduled time is reached.

Thanks a lot for the support, I will report the results tomorrow.

[a1robotrepair]

Verified with 630 PCA. You should verify your port settings with the ones above. Also half duplex. Make sure you have 7 sets of scheduled times, 16 40 16 40 ..... Typed in exactly, times of your choosing [0-23][0-59], as in above post.

[raez]

Allright, now i think i have tried everything. If it works with 630 it should work with 620 - since these models are the same right? only difference is applicable accessories?

I tried sending the codes in one command line like you suggested robotrepair, just to se if it would work:
7 - to reset the roomba
128 168 5 16 30 167 127 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 16 40 - I get a "beep"
But without any luck with awakening the roomba.

I even tried reset the roomba and then inputing the one line code, followed by 173 to stop stream and also 133 to stop the roomba. But with no success.

I also tried as two command lines with 128 in front of both lines. Not luck there either. What do you guys say about these pictures?


Port settings computer:

Display settings RealTerm:

Realterm ports:

Reset in realterm:

[a1robotrepair]

My 650 is also 2015-04-03-1826-L firmware.
No problem sending schedule thru SCI.
Try robot off and SCI unplugged from bot.
SCI plugged into computer, start RealTerm.
Verify port settings, the pics look correct.
Plug in SCI to bot, bot turns on.
"Send Numbers" code with a couple of minutes between clock and schedule...[6][22][0]...[22][03] X7
No [] {} , . Just spaces between numbers...looks like you already know.

[mfortuna]

Maybe your 620 has problems keeping time. I did not look at the SCI manual but you could try reading the time if there is a command for that.

[a1robotrepair]

Hi Mike, is it as hot in NH as it is here in NC?
If there is a way to look at the time it isn't in the manual, memory locations, bet iRobot won't divulge that info.
FYI, 880 takes the OI just fine. All the 500 commands work including scheduling.
Each time you open RealTerm and change port settings you must press the CHANGE soft button.

[billyjmcdonald]

I am in the same boat as raez. I have two 620's. I am using Roomba Status... however when I click connect... it just says "connecting..." and never changes. I've got my port open and set.

This is the cable I am using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0079 ... UTF8&psc=1

Am I using the wrong cable? I tried looking for cables, but they seem hard to come by?

[vic7767]

Head over here to the iRobot store and look in the Create 2 accessories:

http://store.irobot.com/communication-c ... age=family

[a1robotrepair]

There are still Mizu FXs still alive out there? Buy a 6 pack, your going to need them.
Short answer, Yes, wrong cable. Long answer, you will have to get the FX programming port specs and compare them to the R3 programming port specs and reconfigure your cable. Since time is money, $30 for proper cable from iRobot.

[vic7767]

A quick note: The Create 2 is a stripped down Roomba 650 and the cable I posted from above is what is used and included when you order the Create 2. It works great but is a tethered solution. You can also go wireless using a WiFi solution similar to this example: