Device Setup

In order to use the DYNAMIXEL SDK, you’ll need to set up your Controller and DYNAMIXEL.

Controller

Signal Interface

DYNAMIXEL servos communicate using one of the following digital serial interfaces:

TTL: TTL-based DYNAMIXEL’s have 3 pin connectors
RS485: RS485-based DYNAMIXEL’s have 4 pin connectors.

The SDK and its examples were written for compatibility with the ROBOTIS U2D2 USB to Serial converter, which is shown below. You can use any other converter as long as it generates TTL or RS485-level signals.

Since other signal ports, such as UART, I2C, etc., may differ based on your controller specification, advanced users may wish to modify the SDK themselves to optimize for their specific controllers.

The U2D2 requires the configuration of the following settings for communication with connected DYNAMIXEL servos:

DEVICENAME: /dev/ttyUSB0 for Linux, COM1 for Windows (for examples using MultiPort, + /dev/ttyUSB1 for Linux, + COM2 for Windows)
DYNAMIXEL ID: Each connected DYNAMIXEL must have a unique ID.

Controllers

The SDK was tested on desktop PC and some common SBCs such as Raspberry Pi and ODROID, with the following OS configurations:

	PC	Intel Joule	Up Board	Raspberry Pi	ODROID
Windows
10	✓
IoT
Ubuntu
14.04	✓		✓		✓
16.04	✓	✓	✓		✓
Ubuntu Mate
16.04	✓			✓	✓
Raspbian
Wheezy	✓			✓
Jessie	✓			✓
Stretch	✓			✓
macOS
Sierra	✓

✓: Test Successful
X: Test Failed
Blank: Not tested yet

The DYNAMIXEL SDK also supports various microcontroller boards through the Arduino IDE:

OpenRB-150
OpenCR
OpenCM9.04
Most other Arduino boards.

NOTE : The FTDI driver may not be compatible with some devices.

Installation in Windows

If you installed ROBOTIS’ R+ software - a suite of software that allows you to easily interface with all of ROBOTIS’ hardware, including ROBOTIS controllers, DYNAMIXEL’s, sensors, and other hardware components - the FTDI driver will be automatically installed.

If you don’t want to install R+, install the latest VCP driver from the FTDI Driver Download page.

Manually Installing the FTDI Driver

If the FTDI driver isn’t automatically installed, the Found New Hardware Wizard will pop up after connecting the U2D2 to your controller. Select Install from a list or specific location and click Next.
Choose your driver’s directory.
a. The driver must be in LN101 folder of the R+ installation folder.
b. If you don’t want to install R+, install the latest VCP driver from the FTDI Driver Download page.
Click Next to start the installation.
Click Finish to complete installation of the USB Serial Port driver.

Installation in Linux

Recent Linux releases include the kernel which contains the FT232RL driver for the FTDI driver used by the U2D2. Hence, most users won’t need to install the driver manually.

DYNAMIXEL

The SDK and SDK examples were developed based on the MX-28 and H54-200 PRO DYNAMIXEL’s.

SDK examples were tested with the following DYNAMIXEL’s:

	AX	EX	RX	MX	MX	X	X	PRO	P	Y
Protocol	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	1.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0

Series
12	✓	-	-	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-
18	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
24	-	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-
28	-	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-
64	-	-	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-
106	-	✓	-	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-
320	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	-	-	-
330	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-	-	-
430	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-	-	-
540	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-	-	-

42	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-
54	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓	✓	-

70	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓
80	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓

✓ : Compatible
X : Incompatible
– : Doesn’t exist
blank : Not tested yet

Power Requirements

12V for X Series (also for AX, EX, RX, and MX series)
24V for PRO

DYNAMIXEL Parameters

To run the SDK examples, the following DYNAMIXEL parameters need to be changed:

ID = 1 (and 2, when the example uses two DYNAMIXEL’s)
Baud Rate = 57600 bps (baud value = 34 for MX, 1 for PRO.)

To change DYNAMIXEL parameters, use DYNAMIXEL Wizard or RoboPlus Manager.