Ascent "The Rock" rotatable climbing wall

[akostoth]

After more then ten years of patient waiting I got a chance to own a US made Ascent "The Rock" rotatable climbing wall.
I know some of you have, as well.
I hope here we can share our thoughts and knowledge about this beauty and maybe we can help each other to use it properly.

[akostoth]

Please, let me know if you have this wall around.
I am looking for the original software for programming different routes.

[schaefer]

Hi,
I've also got one. I'd be willing to help you if I can.
Can you tell me a little more about your specific unit? Are you connecting it to a PC with a serial cable? Do you have a controller box with an LCD?

A photo of your setup would help us understand each other.

I've never cloned the original software, so I don't know if it will be as easy as copying the files off an ancient windows 95 box, or if there are also registry entries we'd have to mess with.

I also play with writing custom code, to adjust speed of the unit based on live heart rate data. There are a few tricky bugs in the software, and I've also never known anyone to be interested. So I've never released it.

In the past, I've gotten some solid help with the funrock from some awesome folks right here on these very forums, but I'll let them speak for themselves if they choose to.

[jetjackson]

Jan 5, 2018 13:15:37 GMT -7 schaefer said:

I also play with writing custom code, to adjust speed of the unit based on live heart rate data.

That's awesome!

[Charlie S]

Doesn't Mike Anderson have one?

[schaefer]

Jan 6, 2018 11:09:51 GMT -7 Charlie S said:

Doesn't Mike Anderson have one?

I believe so. But the most recent info I have (one way or the other) is years old. That's why I prefer to let people speak for themselves.

[akostoth]

I am so happy to get some reply here.
Here are some pictures about the Ascent. I still have some mechanic problems, but this Spring I would love to use it.
I still don't know how good the electronics. The wall angle motor is not moving, but I tried just some lover voltage(around 12), but the wall roller motor moved slowly with the 12V.
The heart rate thing sounds amazing. What monitor do you use? Polar? Via Bluetooth?

[jetjackson]

That thing looks like something that Rocky would train on if he was a climber and going up against the Russians in the 2020 olympics.

[akostoth]

Jan 24, 2018 20:54:16 GMT -7 jetjackson said:

That thing looks like something that Rocky would train on if he was a climber and going up against the Russians in the 2020 olympics.

This made in USA, around 2000.

[schaefer]

Jan 24, 2018 20:54:16 GMT -7 jetjackson said:

That thing looks like something that Rocky would train on if he was a climber and going up against the Russians in the 2020 olympics.

with apologies: In Soviet Russia, wall treads you!

[schaefer]

Akostoth,

Thanks for uploading your photos, they helped clear up my primary question: What controller are you running? Turns out you are running the “Console”.

What mechanical issues are you facing? Anything more than just assembly (a chore in and of itself)? I can see from your photos, you have not drilled out additional holes in the slats. I’d recommend it before assembly, if it’s not already too late.

Before we go any further, I’d like to point out that Tyson has uploaded the User manual here [1]. I don’t know if you have a copy, but if you don’t, having a quick read will help with keeping terminology consistent. (Thanks again, Tyson!)

Okay, so each FunRock has a combination of two electronic systems that work together. There is the on-board electronics [2], and some kind of remote “controller” which sends programming to the FunRock in real time via serial cable.

The on-board electronics consist of both the sensor interface board (referred to in the manual as the “brains” of the unit) and the dual motor control board. The sensor interface board has some very limited capacity to drive the FunRock via three push-buttons (shown in both [2] and [3]). Our first order of business is to see if you can get your logic board to drive your FunRock. If pressing the buttons produces the expected behavior, then we’re in business, and I can actually help you. Given the wording of your original post – “looking for original software to program routes” – I assumed that you had already been able to test the sensor interface board, and you were on to questions about the controller.

Fingers crossed that this is true!

Anyhow, on to controllers. I know of two kinds of controllers that were originally sold with the FunRock. There’s the “Console”, which you’ve photographed above. And the “Kiosk”, which I’ll provide a photo of [4]. I have very limited experience with the Console, but I believe it’s built entirely in solid state electronics (microcontrollers), and does not run an Operating System or Software in the same sense as either a Personal Computer or the Kiosk. The Console runs Firmware, machine code burned directly onto the microcontroller. It will be impossible (or just really, really challenging) to update the firmware to your Console. As far as I’m concerned, it’s either working, or it is not. But, you can take comfort in knowing that of the two, the Console seems way more functional than the Kiosk (personal opinion). Everyone I’ve met with a Console is perfectly happy with it and has never expressed interest in bothering with custom software.

The Kiosk is a different story. At the heart, it is a commodity desktop computer circa 1999 running windows 95. It’s enclosed in a cabinet which includes the monitor, a joystick, an arcade style button wired to send the “enter” key, and finally a coin accepter (just like arcade machines, this thing is coin driven). The software has a super rad video attract mode featuring climbers in tights (that’s worth one quarter right there), and is built to pit two simultaneous climbers against each other in a duel-to-the-deck. The software is built to eat your coins, not allow you to get in a good workout. So sessions tend to be really hard and really short. About two mins. with an occasional bonus minute of run time.

Anyhow, I can theoretically attempt to clone *that* software. But you’d need a PC to run it on. Preferably an old one, with an industrial serial port. And to repeat myself, it’s completely incompatible with the Console.

Last but not least, there’s the option of running a home brew controller. I’ve put some work into this, and use it far more than the Kiosk. I’m running on a custom linux box[5]. The software design de-emphasizes user-friendliness, and emphasizes hackability. You can bring up sub systems at will, in a patchwork to suit today’s use. I have the core program that sends real time commands to the FunRock via serial. I have command line driven user interface programs that let you set the current speed or incline. I have a program which gathers heart rate info from a wireless polar sensor I wear. I have a program which can monitor heartrate and adjust either speed or incline until your heartrate matches some pre-determined set point (example logs [6][7]). I’ve had in the back of my mind to do voice control, but haven’t gotten to it (also, I’m often out of breath whilst climbing). There’s a lot of fun stuff you could eventually do. But my controller isn’t perfect, and occasionally drops communication during longer sessions (60 mins+). Which can be frustrating if you are endurance training.


[1] github.com/tysonanderson/infiniwall/tree/master/docs/
[2] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/logic_board.jpg
[3] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/diagram.jpg
[4] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/kiosk.jpg
[5] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/linux_controller.jpg
[6] slow.camp/training/2017/2017_06_28/2017_06_28_06-00-39_session.html
[7] slow.camp/training/2017/2017_07_08/2017_07_08_10-47-48_session.html

[akostoth]

Jan 25, 2018 14:31:29 GMT -7 schaefer said:

Akostoth,

Thanks for uploading your photos, they helped clear up my primary question: What controller are you running? Turns out you are running the “Console”.

What mechanical issues are you facing? Anything more than just assembly (a chore in and of itself)? I can see from your photos, you have not drilled out additional holes in the slats. I’d recommend it before assembly, if it’s not already too late.

Before we go any further, I’d like to point out that Tyson has uploaded the User manual here [1]. I don’t know if you have a copy, but if you don’t, having a quick read will help with keeping terminology consistent. (Thanks again, Tyson!)

Okay, so each FunRock has a combination of two electronic systems that work together. There is the on-board electronics [2], and some kind of remote “controller” which sends programming to the FunRock in real time via serial cable.

The on-board electronics consist of both the sensor interface board (referred to in the manual as the “brains” of the unit) and the dual motor control board. The sensor interface board has some very limited capacity to drive the FunRock via three push-buttons (shown in both [2] and [3]). Our first order of business is to see if you can get your logic board to drive your FunRock. If pressing the buttons produces the expected behavior, then we’re in business, and I can actually help you. Given the wording of your original post – “looking for original software to program routes” – I assumed that you had already been able to test the sensor interface board, and you were on to questions about the controller.

Fingers crossed that this is true!

Anyhow, on to controllers. I know of two kinds of controllers that were originally sold with the FunRock. There’s the “Console”, which you’ve photographed above. And the “Kiosk”, which I’ll provide a photo of [4]. I have very limited experience with the Console, but I believe it’s built entirely in solid state electronics (microcontrollers), and does not run an Operating System or Software in the same sense as either a Personal Computer or the Kiosk. The Console runs Firmware, machine code burned directly onto the microcontroller. It will be impossible (or just really, really challenging) to update the firmware to your Console. As far as I’m concerned, it’s either working, or it is not. But, you can take comfort in knowing that of the two, the Console seems way more functional than the Kiosk (personal opinion). Everyone I’ve met with a Console is perfectly happy with it and has never expressed interest in bothering with custom software.

The Kiosk is a different story. At the heart, it is a commodity desktop computer circa 1999 running windows 95. It’s enclosed in a cabinet which includes the monitor, a joystick, an arcade style button wired to send the “enter” key, and finally a coin accepter (just like arcade machines, this thing is coin driven). The software has a super rad video attract mode featuring climbers in tights (that’s worth one quarter right there), and is built to pit two simultaneous climbers against each other in a duel-to-the-deck. The software is built to eat your coins, not allow you to get in a good workout. So sessions tend to be really hard and really short. About two mins. with an occasional bonus minute of run time.

Anyhow, I can theoretically attempt to clone *that* software. But you’d need a PC to run it on. Preferably an old one, with an industrial serial port. And to repeat myself, it’s completely incompatible with the Console.

Last but not least, there’s the option of running a home brew controller. I’ve put some work into this, and use it far more than the Kiosk. I’m running on a custom linux box[5]. The software design de-emphasizes user-friendliness, and emphasizes hackability. You can bring up sub systems at will, in a patchwork to suit today’s use. I have the core program that sends real time commands to the FunRock via serial. I have command line driven user interface programs that let you set the current speed or incline. I have a program which gathers heart rate info from a wireless polar sensor I wear. I have a program which can monitor heartrate and adjust either speed or incline until your heartrate matches some pre-determined set point (example logs [6][7]). I’ve had in the back of my mind to do voice control, but haven’t gotten to it (also, I’m often out of breath whilst climbing). There’s a lot of fun stuff you could eventually do. But my controller isn’t perfect, and occasionally drops communication during longer sessions (60 mins+). Which can be frustrating if you are endurance training.


[1] github.com/tysonanderson/infiniwall/tree/master/docs/
[2] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/logic_board.jpg
[3] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/diagram.jpg
[4] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/kiosk.jpg
[5] slow.camp/rockprodigyforums/linux_controller.jpg
[6] slow.camp/training/2017/2017_06_28/2017_06_28_06-00-39_session.html
[7] slow.camp/training/2017/2017_07_08/2017_07_08_10-47-48_session.html

Thank you for your fast reply!

I have the installation manual.

Unfortunatelly, they pulled the Rock with a Bobcat, without screw to each other the legs, so the main shaft tear and I have to remake some parts to make statically strong the shaft and straigthen the danamid splint.
It's not easy because everything is inch size, not mm, or cm!

Sorry about my english, but this topic is quite complicated for me to write correctly everything, or understand everything from you immediately.

I can send some pictures about the electronics. Maybe you will recognize easily which things are possible for me.

[schaefer]

Hi Akostoth,

Your English is great.  I can understand you easily.  

It looks like repairs will be difficult.  Please: always be careful!  The damage to your FunRock looks serious.  I don't want you to be hurt in an accident.  

I am very worried that damage to the main shaft may cause collapse during use.

Please protect these electronics [1].  They are the most important.

[1] uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180125/79bb72badd4fad7d6b10efc2a79e99d4.jpg

Beyond the damage to your FunRock, you are missing some parts.  I will try to take a picture soon, and explain.

Good Luck!  

[Daniel Tirado]

Hello, i am interested in Buying one... If anyone is selling, or knows who is selling one in 2018, please write me: [e-mail]

Thanks guys...

[Frank]

I have one of the "Rock" in great shape, always kept indoors. Works perfect! What is the value,?