Re: Roomba 570 problems

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
news:1348098@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <ZsWdnSPgxY-9Y7_VnZ2dnUVZ_gmdnZ2d@xxxxxxx>,
ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx (Robert Green) writes:
>
> | The third-generation 5xx Roomba was introduced in 2007 and features an
> | infrared sensor to detect obstacles, a dock button, and improved
mechanical
> | components.
> [...]
> | Does your unit have "Intellibin" to warn you that the dust bin is
> | full?
>
> I see no obvious sensor that would tell it.  The manual, of course, is
> no help at all.

I couldn't find anything about how they implement the "bin full" sensor and
I really looked because it's such a problem.  Here's one comment of several
that might put a damper on doing the mod:

<<The "Intellibin", is only different in the dust bin.  The roomba is the
same.  There is a sensor(Which rarely works) in the dust bin that lets you
know when the dust bin is full via a LED. >>

It could be that the "dirt found" sensor does have a purpose and the
firmware sums up all the "dirt found" hits and compares it to some constant
they derived through testing to generate a "probable" bin full signal.

> | My guess would be that they're in the "reduce production cost" mode
>
> That would be my guess as well.  If what I'm seeing are "improved
mechanical
> components" the original versions must have been horrible (or better and
> expensive, depending on who is supposed to benefit from the
"improvement").

I think it's pretty typical, actually.  The relatively dependable Red 4300
and DirtDogs looks to be the very last of the 2G series whereas the 570 is
probably the first of more than a dozen new models.  If I understand modern
marketing, you're part of a customer-funded beta test.  Oh brave pioneer we
salute the many arrows in your back!  (-:  Today, I noticed my favorite
pudding cups now had a big indentation at the bottom of the cup.  I wonder
how many $ $ $ they save taking a 1/8 ounce of pudding from 100,000's of
them?  iRobot is probably going to benefit from the improvements more than
you or I.

--
Bobby G.