The EV3 has four output ports for connecting motors and other devices (like LEDs). If you are trying to use something that plugs into one of the output ports, then you are in the right place. If you are working with a motor that connects to a motor controller which plugs into an input port, you will find information on the motor controller on the [sensors] page.
This page lists well-known devices, however any device that is rated for 9VDC, requires 500mA or less and can handle pulse width modulation is safe to connect directly to the output ports on the EV3.
.. lego-motor-list::
| [1] | Motors are only automatically detected on the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 platform. LEGO NXT Motors are detected as LEGO EV3 Large motors. 3rd party motors will not be correctly detected and must be manually specified. |
There are currently three basic types of classes of devices that are supported in ev3dev. Tacho motors, DC motors and LEDs.
Tacho motors get their name from the LMS2012 (official LEGO) source code. Tacho is short for tachometer. This is probably a bit of a misnomer because the motor itself does not have a tachometer. Instead, the EV3 brick acts as the tachometer. Technically speaking the motors have a incremental rotary encoder (also called quadrature encoder) that is used by the EV3 to determine the speed and direction of rotation.
DC motors are just "plain" motors. They do not have a quadrature encoder for feedback.
Any 9VDC rated (i.e. it has an appropriately sized resistor) LED can be used.
Currently, only NXT and EV3 motors can be automatically detected. To use other devices, see the [EV3 Output Port Driver] for information on how to set the mode of the output port.
RCX compatible (aka 9V) motors and LEDs can be connected to the EV3 using a LEGO 8528 cable.
Power Functions motors and LEDs can be connected using a LEGO 8528 cable plus a LEGO 8886 cable or LEGO 8871 cable.
.. kernel-doc:: motors/tacho_motor_class.c
:doc: userspace
.. kernel-doc:: motors/dc_motor_class.c
:doc: userspace
.. kernel-doc:: motors/servo_motor_class.c
:doc: userspace
.. kernel-doc:: ev3/legoev3_motor.c
:doc: userspace
.. kernel-doc:: motors/rcx_motor.c
:doc: userspace
.. kernel-doc:: motors/rcx_led.c
:doc: userspace