Arduino Due add on to 9X

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by andrewju »

Well, that's what I would prefer, too!
But Mike could have some other thoughts about it. :)

BTW, Do you know which MCU is in Taranis, exactly? Is it different for the "old" one and the "Plus" version?


P.S. There's also the STM32F205RG with 1024k of FLASH! I guess this is the most powerful one amongst these MCUs.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

andrewju wrote:

P.S. There's also the STM32F205RG with 1024k of FLASH! I guess this is the most powerful one amongst these MCUs.
Rocket powered 9x :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by MikeB »

The Taranis (and Plus) have the 100 pin version (STM32F205) with 512K flash and 128K RAM.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

We should go for the 1024K version.. it would be able to run Saturn instead of Lua ( means Moon in Portuguese) :mrgreen:

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by andrewju »

LOL! :)

BTW, the 1024K chip (STM32F205RG) costs about $7 here. So I would vote for it too, unless there are some reasons not to use it.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by MikeB »

I bought a STM32F205RET6 for this, 512K flask and 128K RAM.
I am also talking to Brent (SKY board designer) about all this, he has some good ideas for a general purpose board we could use.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by andrewju »

At a risk of raising another crazy idea, may I suggest to consider a TDA7052 instead of LM386 for the audio amplifier? What I noticed on the current audio module is that the volume level is sometimes a bit low in a noisy environment, even when the "right" speaker is used. TDA7052 is more powerful, yet seem to be very simple to use (needing less external components to run than an LM386). So it should simplify the circuit and provide some extra volume (if needed).

There's also the 'TDA7052A' with a volume control pin - but I understood there are no plans to use volume control in the amplifier chip itself.
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by MikeB »

What Brent (SKYNORTH) is looking at is a small, slightly general purpose, board that would directly provide the core features needed for a 9X upgrade. Being general purpose it should also have other applications for him to use in his work.

The board is currently around 3" by 2", (76mm by 51mm) and has the following features:
STM32F205, 100-pin processor.
Soft Power Switch
Audio Amplifier with volume control
EEPROM (512K bytes)
3.3V regulator
RTC with external battery
USB
SD card
Trainer I/O
SPort I/F
Inverted serial port (transistors)

3 - 26-pin I/O connectors:
1. Signals for LCD
2. Analog inputs and trim switch inputs
3. Other digital I/O

Signals brought out to the connectors include:
SPI port
2 I2C ports, 1 used by volume control internally)
Logic level serial port

The plan would be to fit pins to these headers, and if some specific extra functionally or connectivity is required a 'shield' would be made that would solder to these pins thus keeping the overall height of the two boards to a minimum.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

So, this could actually act as a radio on it's own?

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by MikeB »

Probably!

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

Aha.. :)
Hmmm, such a small board.. could some easy to find LCDs be used or it would have to be more specific like for the 9x or the pro? I can see a lot of potential on this board. But with the 100 pin processor I don't think it would be very DIY?

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

Why would it not be DIY?
It contains the core functions for a 9X style radio , but I'm trying to keep it as a general purpose Project board..

The idea is you make a Shield board to provide your exact requirements...
There is no dedicated LCD interface, the connection provides for a 8 bit parallel , I2C or SPI.
So it can handle what you want to use with it...
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by MikeB »

You would be able to purchase this board ready assembled, it is the shield and connecting up that would be DIY.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

It would look something like this ...
SKY9X_CORE-3D.pdf
(440.07 KiB) Downloaded 358 times
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

Thanks Mike and Brent.. I just mentioned the DIY because some of the guys were also hoping to built it completely. Well, I confess, I was one of them ;) But not with that 100 legs thing :)
Still, it would probably be a nice idea if we could buy a kit as an option, so we could build it ;) and the shield..

By general purpose board, you mean something like an arduino?
Sorry about my ignorance guys..
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

Yes, it would make a great project board....for just about any use...

This ARM part has USB OTG ...which means that it can act as a USB HOST , so It would be possible to plug in a Joystick or Mouse for flight
control....I think the DRONE guys will like that...

With a PCB this small , you can easily get a low cost shield made for it ....that would have the LCD connections and proper plugs for your app.
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

Thanks for the ezplanation Brent. Yeah, I can see the power of it.

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by magnetus »

take my money.... I want one... or two.... lol
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

Shhh!!! Don't say that or he will make it too expensive ;) :mrgreen:

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by ShowMaster »

Brent's back! Hi Brent.
SM
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by flybabo »

SkyNorth wrote:It would look something like this ...
The attachment SKY9X_CORE-3D.pdf is no longer available
This board may attract those who want to computerize vintage metal box transmitters.

Single most popular conversion platform is MicroStar2000 but IMHO it's little bit outdated.
http://mstar2k.com/
http://50.62.233.209/pictures

I've also converted several vintage transmitters by hacking & fitting 9XR boards but 9XR board is no longer available from HK.

Metal box transmitter is a perfect project box as it's made of heavy duty vinyl clad aluminum - you can drill the holes very easily.
ProLine transmitter is my preferred choice as it has one of the best gimbals ever made - this open metal gimbals has a very "substantial" feeling nothing like "cheap" feeling of plastic gimbals. It has an excellent centering capability if you use the right pots (within -0.1% to +0.1%).

I'm using "retro-fitted" 1971 ProLine transmitter (it now talks!) as the main transmitter even though I have many other fancy radios.
I put Taranis digital trims, 6-pos switch to this transmitter. It also has room for the sliders - I can put two Taranis sliders.
This radio set was around $500 in early 70's. At that time, average monthly rental in US was around $100!
Now, you can get one around $100 in eBay. What a bargain! :lol:
You guys should have one of those - it's like owning an antique car.

Brent, it would be great if you can reduce the height of the PCB to 45mm since the thickness of typical metal box transmitter is 2" measured from outside. If you do so, it will definitely give more options for custom fitting work.
To reduce the footprint of the PCB, you may consider placing a MicroSD card socket at the solder side by positioning it right under the USB connector.
Attachments
1971 ProLine Competition Six 7CH Tx with er9x, 1.6" LCD
1971 ProLine Competition Six 7CH Tx with er9x, 1.6" LCD
Hacked 9XR board(it's too wide!), FrSky DHT, voice card, MicroSD card slot on back cover.
Hacked 9XR board(it's too wide!), FrSky DHT, voice card, MicroSD card slot on back cover.
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

The board could be shaved down to 1.9" but no smaller .. you just cant fan out the pins of the 100 pin ARM chip any smaller.
Putting parts on the other side will not change the width , and those parts have to be glued in place to pass through the oven..
-Brent
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by ShowMaster »

I do have several Kraft radios with Dht's installed but it would be fun to make them more modern. One S stick and 1 open metal gimbal and one closed stick. Also the Heath S stick that was palm sized and tall and thin. 5 ch I think. It's not converted yet.
SM
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by flybabo »

SkyNorth wrote:The board could be shaved down to 1.9" but no smaller .. you just cant fan out the pins of the 100 pin ARM chip any smaller.
Putting parts on the other side will not change the width , and those parts have to be glued in place to pass through the oven..
-Brent
The thickness of the aluminum sheet is about 1/16". So, internal measurement of the box depth must be (2" - (1/16" * 2)) = 1.875".
If you can make it 1.9", what I need is filing off the PCB by 0.025" and I think it's doable unless any thin PCB traces touch top and bottom edges of the PCB.
Great, thanks!
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jprikkel »

Would the board design be released as open source hardware? If so count me in as a backer. How much do you think it would cost for a small run?

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

The schematic and board info would be released along with the Shield Pcb patterns.
I cant release the pcb file , if I'm trying to get someone to Mfg a large run of boards (say 1000)

There is roughly $25 CDN worth of parts on each board.. (strong US dollar ...puts up prices)
Larger runs , would drop the parts price.
Getting boards made locally ..is just too expensive for this market...
These would need to be made offshore , to get them to a price point that would make it worth while.
Even the assembly would need to be offshore...

The costs I have doing things locally , was fine for the xray machines I design , but not for Hobby products...
I learned the hard way .....

The first "concept" run will be a few boards (<10) to work out the bugs , and be hand soldered by João :mrgreen:

The next chapter in the book is not written yet ...
I think we could have a nice platform for projects...and having a RC radio core , makes it stand out from the other project boards out there.

Here is what the board is looking like:
SKY9X_CORE_4_pcb.pdf
(479.96 KiB) Downloaded 290 times
I welcome some input here...on what people think about the project , or how to proceed.


-Brent
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

SkyNorth wrote:
The first "concept" run will be a few boards (<10) to work out the bugs , and be hand soldered by João :mrgreen:
Oh didn't know about that ;) Thanks for asking :mrgreen:

I would gladly do it, but am not sure about that 100 leg CPU.. :shock: :?

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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by flybabo »

Yeah.. it's a tough business to produce a hobby product in NA.
Even more, making a working board is one thing and developing a firmware for this new platform is another thing unless we make a radio based on this board compatible with Ersky9x or 9XR-PRO.
Practically speaking, Mike is the only one working on the software side and I guess he already has too many projects.
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by SkyNorth »

The first shield developed would be for a 9X radio...
SKY9x_Shield_Rev_1.JPG
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Re: Arduino Due add on to 9X

Post by jhsa »

flybabo wrote:Yeah.. it's a tough business to produce a hobby product in NA.
Even more, making a working board is one thing and developing a firmware for this new platform is another thing unless we make a radio based on this board compatible with Ersky9x or 9XR-PRO.
Practically speaking, Mike is the only one working on the software side and I guess he already has too many projects.
The 9XR-PRO radio runs ersky9x which is the firmware ;) and will also run on this board..

As far as I know this was Mike's idea ;) :mrgreen:

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