9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Hardware Support for the 9XR Pro
Post Reply
User avatar
Mutchy
Posts: 475
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:26 am
Country: -
Location: Wollongong, Australia

9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Post by Mutchy »

I could not find anything specific for FreeRider and Mac other than some references here viewtopic.php?f=122&t=6652 which were very useful, especially some notes from Daedalus66. So I have written the following and hope that it is helpful.
Steve

Free Rider Setup Notes
9XR Pro version 218 using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Update your 9XR Pro Firmware
First download and unzip ersky9x latest version. Copy the new firmware to the Firmware folder on the SD card. Install the SD card on the transmitter and flash it using the Ail and Rud trims towards the centre as you turn on the Tx. You can also use Eepskye to do the flashing.
Calibrate the sticks on your 9XR Pro. (long left to Radio Set Up menu then select Calibration page)

Create a New Model
Next step is to create a new model called “FreeRider”. The default mixes cover the first four channels and should be in the channel order AETR. If you don’t normally use this channel order it can be changed for this model in the Mixer page of the Model Set Up Menu. The new firmware provides a selection on the Protocol page of POS or NEG trainer polarity. Either should work for most simulators. Older versions of the firmware had to be set to NEG. (see note below re Protocol)

Transmitter Settings
The transmitter works in Slave mode. In the Radio Set Up menu select Trainer page and then in the first line select ‘Slave’.
In the Model Set Up menu choose the General page and then select Trainer ‘OFF’. In the Mixer page the order of channels is AETR, all channels are 100 weight with no offset and no curve.

Note: My aileron stick did not work until I used the following set up. The transmission protocol may be important otherwise one or more of the sticks may not work. In the Model Setup menu select the Protocol page. Select PPM ‘ON’, Start Channel ‘1’, PPM channels ‘8’, Module ‘ON’, Proto PPM 6CH 400usec’, PPM Frame length 27.5usec, PPM Drive ‘OpenDrain’, First Channel 1, Polarity ’NEG’.
I have since then, on the Protocol page, turned PPM ‘OFF’ and Module ‘OFF’ and FreeRider continues to work. I have no idea now exactly what it was that allowed my aileron stick to work.

Launch FreeRider and Connect Transmitter
FreeRider documentation says that there are two methods to connect your transmitter to the computer; using a mono audio cable and using a USB cable (link below). For modern Mac computers the audio cable does not work because the combined audio (headphone/microphone) port is stereo only.

With the USB cable plugged into the computer USB port launch Free Rider in the computer. I expect plugging the USB cable into the port allows the software to know which port is in use and which USB driver to use.
With your transmitter turned OFF, plug the 3.5 mm phono jack end of the USB cable into the JR trainer port. The transmitter turns on and the FeeRider model loads (assuming you have not changed the model between now and when you set up the FreeRider model above)
Click on the rectangle “Calibrate Controller”.
The first screen asks you to centre the sticks and press OK. Before doing so notice that there is a line of small circles. If the Transmitter is talking to the computer the first four circles should each move when one of the sticks is moved.
After calibrating the centre points of the stick travel the circles should change to the name of the channel. Click OK. Free Rider should next respond with a screen where the travel and centre of each stick may be adjusted. Sliders control the stick travel and stick centre position. Adjust each until sticks are centred and the circles move to the outside edges of the calibration box.

Go Flying
You are now set to use the Demo software. On the Home page click on the small square box to set the throttle travel to the bottom of stick travel. Double click on the Desert scenario to start flying. Use low rates by clicking on the box at top left of screen. You may find that some exponential setting in the Transmitter Model Set Up menu Expo/Dual Rates page helps by making the controls less sensitive around the stick mid positions.

Links
My USB cable:
<http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RC-Flight-Si ... 41a2120c21>

ErSky9x Firmware:
<http://www.er9x.com>
Last edited by Mutchy on Sun Jun 19, 2016 3:44 am, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
jhsa
Posts: 19480
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:13 pm
Country: Germany

Re: 9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Post by jhsa »

Hi Steve.. First question. I never seen any USB cable with a 3.5 jack plug on it? :o Or do you mean one of those USB simulator adapters that receceive PPM and connect to the computer via USB? That makes sense. And many of them do not support more that 6 channels, some even only 4. If set to more than a certain number of channels, it could explain why channel 1 didn't work.


Second, the radio is not powered by the computer? How do you do that? ;)
If you insert a jack plug in the trainer port, the radio powers ON without turning its power switch ON, but using its own battery, not the computer.. Try removing the radio's battery and you will see it won't work :)

Thanks
João
My er9x/Ersky9x/eepskye Video Tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uJhoD7sAKidZmkhMpYpp_qcuIqJXhb9

Donate to Er9x/Ersky9x:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YHX43JR3J7XGW
User avatar
Mutchy
Posts: 475
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:26 am
Country: -
Location: Wollongong, Australia

Re: 9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Post by Mutchy »

Hi Joao.
The cable I refer to is the one for which I gave the link at the bottom of the page. It's a USB cable with a 3.5 mm mono jack at one end and a USB dongle at the other.
Thanks for the "heads up" on the power from the computer. I see from the circuit diagram that the cable only conduct the PPM signal and Ground. I have edited the post.
Now to find out why my computer died when using Free Rider. Maybe I got carried away and did not realise how much time had elapsed:)
Thanks again.
Steve
User avatar
jhsa
Posts: 19480
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:13 pm
Country: Germany

Re: 9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Post by jhsa »

My last computer literally exploded when I was flying simulator with my Son.

João
My er9x/Ersky9x/eepskye Video Tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uJhoD7sAKidZmkhMpYpp_qcuIqJXhb9

Donate to Er9x/Ersky9x:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YHX43JR3J7XGW
User avatar
Mutchy
Posts: 475
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:26 am
Country: -
Location: Wollongong, Australia

Re: 9XR Pro using FreeRider Demo on Mac OSx.

Post by Mutchy »

:(

Post Reply

Return to “Turnigy 9XR PRO radio”