AstroCore Quick-Start Guide
Get your AstroCore board connected and running with the stock software. No prior electronics experience required.
What's Included
- AstroCore board (Standard or Pro) with DFPlayer Mini pre-mounted
- Micro SD card with sounds pre-loaded
- Jumper wires
What You'll Need to Provide
- A dome servo motor
- An RC receiver and transmitter (at least 5 channels)
- A 5V power supply (capable of at least 2A)
How It Works
Once connected, the AstroCore gives you RC control over R2's dome and sounds:
- CH3 — triggers sounds, adjusts volume, and switches between personality modes
- CH5 + CH6 mixed — controls dome rotation left and right
The Pro board also exposes CH4 as an available input for custom use, though it has no preset function in the stock software.
Connections
The PCB takes care of all the internal wiring. There are just four things to connect:
01 RC Receiver
Run jumper wires from your RC receiver to the corresponding channel pins on the AstroCore PCB:
| PCB Pin | RC Channel | Function |
|---|---|---|
| CH3 | Receiver CH3 | Sounds / volume / personality mode |
| CH5 | Receiver CH5 | Dome control (mixed with CH6) |
| CH6 | Receiver CH6 | Dome control (mixed with CH5) |
| CH4 | Receiver CH4 | Pro board only — no preset function |
02 Servo
Plug the servo's signal wire into the servo pin on the PCB. Connect the servo's power (red) and ground (black/brown) wires directly to your RC receiver.
03 Speaker
Connect your speaker to the speaker output pins on the PCB.
04 Power
Connect your 5V power supply to the board's power input.
Power On and Test
- 01 Disconnect USB and connect your 5V power supply.
- 02 The board will play a startup sound and the servo will move to its center position.
- 03 The LED on the board will light up solid if everything initialized correctly. If it stays off, check that the SD card is fully seated in the DFPlayer and all connections are secure.
Testing the Controls
| Action | Expected Behavior |
|---|---|
| Move the CH5/CH6 stick | Dome rotates left or right |
| Press/toggle CH3 | Triggers a sound, adjusts volume, or switches personality mode |
Troubleshooting
The LED is off after startup.
The DFPlayer didn't initialize. Check that the SD card is fully seated and all power connections are secure.
No sound plays.
Confirm the SD card is seated firmly in the DFPlayer. The card comes pre-loaded with all required sounds — if it has been removed or reformatted, it will need to be restored.
The dome doesn't move or moves erratically.
Check that the servo signal wire is plugged into the correct pin on the PCB, and that the servo's power and ground are connected to the RC receiver.
The dome doesn't respond to the RC transmitter.
Confirm your receiver is bound to your transmitter and receiving power. Check that the CH5 and CH6 jumper wires are connected to the correct pins on both the receiver and the PCB.
CH3 doesn't trigger sounds or volume changes.
Verify the CH3 jumper wire is connected correctly on both ends, and that your transmitter is assigning the expected switch or slider to CH3.
Controls aren't responding as expected.
Check your transmitter settings and make sure any buttons or switches assigned to CH3, CH4, CH5, or CH6 are set to Normal or Momentary mode.
Motion Sensor Build
The stock software uses your RC transmitter to control R2. If you'd prefer R2 to react autonomously — moving and making sounds whenever someone walks by — the Motion Sensor Build is an optional alternative firmware that replaces RC control with R2's built-in PIR sensor. Installation instructions are available separately.