Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sensors

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tilmanb
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Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sensors

Post by tilmanb »

I bought the FrSky Lipo cell monitor and assumed that I can just plug it into my receiver, since it's already a digital sensor.
I always, quite naively, assumed that the sensor hub is only used to attach more analog sensors and expand digital outputs.

I'm pretty sure I know the anwser, but just to be sure. The sensor digital protocol is not the same as the sensor-hub--receiver protocol? There is no way connecting the Frsky FLVS-01 sensor directly?

Those sensor hubs are huge (3x3cm), I don't want to put all this junk into a glider. I do actually have the space, but it gets messy.

Just out of interest, how is the sensor stuff organized? I always just assumed some daisy chained serial. But it does not seem so straight forward. I suppose the sensor hub actually talks whatever protocol is required to whatever sensor it has (Serial, i2c, pwm whatever)? Because sensors seem to have all sorts of connectors.

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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by MikeB »

From what I can see, the FLVS-01 must connect to the Hub. Make sure the Hub is a V2 hub as well.

Some newer devices, such as the impending new Vario can plug straight into the receiver.

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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by tilmanb »

I think I will get one of those varios as well. When the dust has settled around my current projects. Too many ideas too little time.
Will I be able to use the vario together with the sensor hub?
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by MikeB »

Yes.

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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by ReSt »

tilmanb wrote: The sensor digital protocol is not the same as the sensor-hub--receiver protocol?
This is correct.

But it does not seem so straight forward. I suppose the sensor hub actually talks whatever protocol is required to whatever sensor it has (Serial, i2c, pwm whatever)? Because sensors seem to have all sorts of connectors.
I think so
It accepts straight ASCII NMEA data stream on the GPS port and converts this data to the receiver protocol. And for the temperature ports it measures either the resistance or the voltage drop over the temperature dependant resistor.
The other ports I don't know, but would be interested to get the information.


Reinhard

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tilmanb
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by tilmanb »

Maybe I get to borrow my friends logic analyser...
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by Rob Thomson »

Pretty sure there are some projects out there that already provide a full opensource hub. This added to the fact that frsky publish their protocols means that you could pretty much make anything work.

Regarding your vario post earlier. Dont waist your time on the 'current' frsky vario.

They have a new one out soon that is much better, and of courser the openxvario is superb!!
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by Flaps 30 »

Rob Thomson wrote:and of courser the openxvario is superb!!
And if we could say feed into it the flight pack battery voltage and current sensor hall effect device output. Then for us glider (electric) guiders it would be perfect. :)
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by Kilrah »

ReSt wrote:The other ports I don't know, but would be interested to get the information.
Yes pretty much every port on the hub is a different interface. They initially designed "dumb" sensors, i.e. the sensor is connected to the hub using whatever interface the component is using, and the hub is always required. So there's some analog, some async serial, some i2c, some simple digital pulse...

They since realised it wasn't very practical and started with the data in/out chain. Still not perfect, so the upcoming sensors and receivers are designed to use a chained serial bus.

So to answer your question about the FLVS, you need either the hub or one of the current sensors as a "bridge" between the optocoupled Data Out port and the receiver's serial.
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by MikeB »

Flaps 30 wrote:And if we could say feed into it the flight pack battery voltage and current sensor hall effect device output. Then for us glider (electric) guiders it would be perfect. :)
The FAS-100 (and the FAS-40 I think) have a direct serial output that connects to the receiver. If the openxvario could accept this serial data, and forward it, together with its own data, that would do the job.

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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

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Rob Thomson wrote: Regarding your vario post earlier. Dont waist your time on the 'current' frsky vario.

They have a new one out soon that is much better, and of courser the openxvario is superb!!
Openxvario of course. I love the idea.
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by jhsa »

A bit off topic here, but if the openXvario could accept also an analogic input from a current sensor and forward it would be wonderfull :D ;)
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by rainer »

jhsa wrote:A bit off topic here, but if the openXvario could accept also an analogic input from a current sensor and forward it would be wonderfull :D ;)
technical not a problem. i received my sensors as well, i just didn't get to try them out yet.
build your own vario ==> https://github.com/openXsensor/openXsensor/wiki (Formerly https://code.google.com/p/openxsensor/ and https://code.google.com/p/openxvario/)
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by jhsa »

I have 2 Allegro 100A unidirectional on their way to me.. I think they are the same used on the FAS-100??
But obviously I will use the the sensor as analog. So if the vario could also send it digital, we could save the A1 and A2 ports for other things.. The sensors were quite cheap, so it would be a cheap way of having a current sensor.. or 10 of them :D :p
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Re: Naive question, do I need the sensor hub for digital sen

Post by Flaps 30 »

This is all probably more in place in the Important Projects related to the Opensource Firmwares/openxvario forum.
jhsa wrote:So if the vario could also send it digital, we could save the A1 and A2 ports for other things.. The sensors were quite cheap, so it would be a cheap way of having a current sensor.. or 10 of them :D :p
If you include a voltage divider to measure the flight pack into the vario system. Then you would have virtually all (Apart from dual sensors) you would need for an electric glider. :)

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