irobot_create_2_1: /odom (z and w) and /sensorPacket (distance and angle) returning nonsense

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Hello,

I'm trying to get the irobot_create_2_1 working "out of the box" with my iRobot 
Create.  I've hooked up the iRobot to a serial port (/dev/ttyUSB0) via a 
serial-to-USB converter.  I'm able to start the irobot_create_2_1 package 
successfully with the .launch file.  (Incidentally, the test .launch file was 
missing a name attribute for the node; accordingly, I updated that line to 
reflect:  <node pkg="irobot_create" type="driver" output="screen"/>.)

When I listen on the /odom and /sensorPacket topics, they are publishing 
successfully but the /odom messages' position x, position y, orientation z, 
orientation w, and linear x are returning seemingly random numbers on every 
publication.  Likewise, the /sensorPacket messages' distance and angle are also 
returning random numbers and the bumpers, cliffs and other sensors don't appear 
to be changing at all to any resulting physical interaction with the Create.

Finally, the /tank and other services are returning true as a confirmation, but 
aren't making the Create do anything.  The /reset service is the only thing 
which seems to do anything for me; it simply makes /odom and /sensorPacket stop 
publishing.

Any tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks very much!!
Billy McCafferty
http://www.sharprobotica.com

Original issue reported on code.google.com by [email protected] on 26 Oct 2010 at 5:35