EEPROM size

er9x is the best known firmware. It has a superb range of features and is well supported by the community. Well worth trying out.
Post Reply
McKenzie
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:47 am
Country: -

EEPROM size

Post by McKenzie »

Can anyone tell me how close to max memory usage can I go on a Turnigy 9X with ER9X installed?
A couple of times now I have had warnigs of low EEPROM memory when turning my radio on. It tells me to press any button to continue and when I do I go into the Model menu and it still has about 330 units of memory left. At the moment I have 11 models saved in the memory.
Is there a piont were the hole system crashes? I think it has shown the warning after I have been flying one of my Heli's which have the largest memory usage on my list.

User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

When er9x saves a model, it saves a new copy, then removes the old one. This means you need free space as large as your largest model.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
McKenzie
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:47 am
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by McKenzie »

Does it save a model every time you change things like trims? What does it do if there isn't enough memory to save into?
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

Yes it does save the model when you change the trims.
If there isn't enough memory, it puts an alert up on the display of "EEPROM OVERFLOW", unless the reason for saving is a trim change, then it just discards the trim change from the save.
Not much else it can do!

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
McKenzie
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:47 am
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by McKenzie »

Make sence. I'll have to look at getting back some space, maybe store the models I don't use much on my computer or split them into indoor - outdoor models.
Has anyone come up with a mod to add some ram or extend the memory in some way?

Thanks George.

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

Re: EEPROM size

Post by jhsa »

Not for the ram yet.. but some of us changed the cpu to an atmeega 128. It doubless the flash and the eeprom... ram is still the same unfortunately.. we are looking at an atmega 2561 also.. it gives more ram as well.. but it just started being tested..

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
McKenzie
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:47 am
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by McKenzie »

Not sure if my soldering skills would extend to changing the CPU, there are a lot of very small terminals.

Keep up the good work.
George.
PeterV
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:33 pm
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by PeterV »

When the "Low EEPROM memory" is displayed, what triggers this?
Does it compare the largest model memory to what is free - thus telling you it won't be able to do at least one model with saving?
Does it actually mean the system could crash (code) whilst in use (eg flying) because of a memory shortage occurring.... or is it ONLY an issue to that largest model it could not make a backup copy of to work with?
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

It is a test done on start up. It simply generates an alert if the free space is les than 200 bytes!

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
PeterV
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:33 pm
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by PeterV »

Does it matter to anything about 100% reliable operation of models?
Is it only a warning to suggest space is running out, or could it cause programming/operations issues?
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

It is a warning only. If there is not enough space to save any settings, you get an alert ("EEPROM overflow"), and you last changes cannot be saved. This alert will NOT stop normal control of models.
If it happens while flying, due to changing trims, there is no alert, but the trim changes are not saved.
Whenever a model, or the general settings, is saved, a new copy is saved, then this temporary 'file' is swapped with the original. The temporary 'file' is NOT deleted until a new temporary is needed. This tends to mean there is enough space to save models as you have the 'free' space plus the size of the temporary 'file' available.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: EEPROM size

Post by ShowMaster »

So if I wanted to upgrade the m64 what's the best replacement to use with the least issues? My 9x radios will eventually move on to to other flyers so I don't want them to be too special, just be able to load newer featured FW as it's provided. It could be er9x or opentx owners choice.
The idea if I did sell, trade, or give these away is to not offer lifetime support. Something only eBay can avoid but it'll probably be local flyers so I'm a marked person.
For many I fly with a nice modified 9x is such a step up for them.
My motto seems to end up, buy high, sell low, trade, or give away. Terrible businessman!
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

Currently I'd go for the M2561. It has maore flash, more EEPROM, and (unlike the M128) more RAM, one extra I/O signal (pin 1) and also more internal peripherals.
It seems to be working OK on er9x and openTx. I'm just doing the mods (like voice and telemetry) to a Tx with a M2561 in (courtesy of three forum members who donated the cost of another 9X to me).

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
User avatar
ShowMaster
Posts: 4327
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:44 am
Country: -
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

Re: EEPROM size

Post by ShowMaster »

Is there an eBay link for the processor I want? It's probably the best price since I'm in no big hurry.
Camboui
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:01 pm
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by Camboui »

Sorry, to disturb, I have a question about firmware size. Not directly related but I doesn't require a specific thread I guess ;)

So, I'm using er9x r780 whose hex file is about 133k. All previous firmwares were about 133k also (r744, r760). But now they seem to be about 150k (r788, R803, r804).
Can I flash them safely ? No space problem ?
Thanks.
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

er9x.hex r780 on the googlecode page is 154K, so I'm not sure where your 133K file is coming from, unless its a file you have read back out from the radio. If you have read the flash back out, the hex file may have a longer record size than the released ones resulting in a smaller size as there are less overhead bytes.

All releases will fit their relevant processors.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
Camboui
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:01 pm
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by Camboui »

The size are from the files on my computer.
But I know now why they're smaller: it happends when changing the splash screen.
The new r804 is now even smaller: 129k :D
So solved, thanks.
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17990
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: EEPROM size

Post by MikeB »

The .hex files are text, so you can open them in notepad (or similar) to look at them. The compiler generated fileshave 16 bytes in each record, you will probably find that eepe writes hex files with 32 bytes in each record.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
ReSt
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:34 pm
Country: -

Re: EEPROM size

Post by ReSt »

To find out if the code exceeds the 64kb limit, open the hex file with an editor e.g. write ore notepad and search for the string ":02"
If it is there, you know, that the code size is more than 64 kb.

Reason why:
every line represents a certain amount of data.
The lines usually start with ":10" or :20" (can be 'any' value). This represents the headecimal number of databytes in this line.
One databyte is represented by two characters
hex 10 = decimal 16, so a line starting with ":10" will contain 16 hexadecimal databytes (= 32 data characters)

the next four characters following the :10 represent the address, where in the flash rom the data will be placed.
The following 00 is some kind of separator between address and data bytes.
The last two characters are used as checksum.
In our case, as the code is to be loaded beginning at address 0000, the first dataline will start with
:10 0000 00 .... (showing the blanks only to easier separate the different fields, they are not in the real code)


For a 64Kb rom the highest address is hex"FFFF" that means the highest starting address of a full 16 bytes line will be FFF0. This line will start with :10 FFF0 00

If the code exceeds the 64k limit, another block of code is required.
This will be signalled with a line starting :02 0000 02 ....
The last "02" means datablock 02
The second 64 kb block will again start with :10 0000 00 ... so the addresses are repeated from 0000 up to a maximum of FFFx

Reinhard

Post Reply

Return to “er9x”