Homebuilt ROVs Forum

Usual newbie intro blah blah blah

I'm prototyping a rov for personal use (something I've never done before). I've placed 16th in all of Ontario, Canada (yes, thats a province with a current population of 2.503 million people) for land robotics, but I've always used a traditional radio tx type controller (usually spektrum.....dicked around with VEX at OTSC last in march 2013, but just a little test drive).

So my question is? Can someone so me step by step how to make a tethered control set-up? Open to either laptop controlled (my laptop has intel i5 4200u and 12 gb ram, just if certain programs need certain specs), Arduino/Raspberry Pi, or a modified Spektrum/Futaba type controller. I've never done tethered controls before, but could I just use an ethernet cable to act as a really long servo lead for the ESC's?

Side notes:
This is going to be a larger home-built ROV. At least 1 meter in length.
Power: 4s Li-Po http://goo.gl/u6w1Bv
Motors: 350kv Brushless http://goo.gl/Rn4jVF
Esc's: 50 amp boat esc http://goo.gl/AMIFlA
Camera: Gopro Hero 2 (Already have one)
Frame: Not sure, probs PVC?
Lights: 200 Lumen tac light(4 qty)


Already started the CAD. Still lot's to be done, so changes to accommodate controls can be made. Budget is flexible up to 150 every two weeks for how-ever long the project takes.

Spektrum transmitters output a ppm signal from the trainer port that can be sent down a two wire tether (like an audio cable) to a ppm-to-pwm converter (check foxtechfpv.com) which then connects to your ESCs. It is a simple, easy to set up setup.
I have two rovs using this control type.

Thanks! I completely forgot about the trainers! With land robots everything is wireless, we even have multiple receivers on board just so we don't have to run wires all the way across the bot.....this whole tether thing is completely new to me.