Use the CM5 as USB2Dynamixel

Without a €60 USB2Dynamixel you'd have to control the AX12 via the CM5. Luckely it has a "TossMode" that makes it behave much like a USB2Dynamixel. This saved my day while my USB2Dynamixel is on order.

How to enable TossMode:

• Connect the CM5 to power and serial PC cable.
• Launch "Robot Terminal". (part of the Bioloid software supplied by Robotis)
  
• On the CM5, select mode "Manage" and press start.
• The robot terminal should display some text the CM5 send, and you might want to type "help". But we won't.
  In the terminal, pres "t" and hit enter. The CM5 responds with "tossmode", and you're good to go.
• Free the serial port on your PC by closing the "Robot Terminal".

You may now use the CM5 as if it is a USB2Dynamixel. For example start "Dynamixel Commander" and connect on the same COM port and BAUD. (default is COM1 and 57600kbps)

Please share your experiences!

Note that some USB2Dynamixel software (including those using the supplied API and libraries) won't work due its builtin FTDI (the USB>serial chip) driver thats pretty useless here. Only stuff that directly adresses the AX12 on a serial port will. See the AX12 manual on how to construct these raw-byte packages.