ERSKY9X Coding

[jhsa]

Will post on the oXs thread then..
What about if serial telemetry is lost? broken wire, etc? This is much more important than the false alarms at power ON, as it can lead to some unsafe situation.. The radio should really alarm this situation, and it shouldn't be a user setting in my opinion..

Thanks

João

[MikeB]

Something like this needs careful thought. I recently added checking the validity of individual telemetry items depending on if they are being received (see the ticks in the logging menu where currently received values are flagged).
This should mean that if the "On No Telemetry" is not set to "mute", you get a "No telemetry" message on individual items.
I want to avoid too many voice messages due to a loss of telemetry.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Ok, then maybe just one single alarm saying that serial communication is lost.. At least people will know that the sensors are not working.
Another idea would be what you did with the TSSI, Force the cell voltage to zero, but then you need to do it with all the other sensors. Therefore a single alarm that says it all could probably be the best option..
I mean we can do it with the 2 second delay on a voice alarm, but this is really a general thing and as I sayd before (about 10 times ) I believe it should be a system alarm..

Mstrens said he will look at the oXs code.

Thank you to both of you..

João

[MikeB]

Remember there is more than one type of telemetry, not just FrSky 'D'. Such an alarm is, I think, specific to using FrSky 'D' telemetry, so I'm not sure it fits directly as a "system" alarm.
I don't know if you have noticed, but telemetry values now flash on the display if they are not being received.

Mike.

[Daedalus66]

How exactly do the two buttons on the Taranis Q X7 work (the Menu button on the left and the rotary encoder button on the right)?

For some purposes the Encoder button duplicates the function of the Menu. For example, long Enc or long Menu gets you Model Select, etc. and then either short Enc or short Menu gets the item you want, say Model Setup.

In other cases, the Enc button seems to be required.

Just trying to figure out the principles.

[jhsa]

Remember there is more than one type of telemetry, not just FrSky 'D'. Such an alarm is, I think, specific to using FrSky 'D' telemetry, so I'm not sure it fits directly as a "system" alarm.
I don't know if you have noticed, but telemetry values now flash on the display if they are not being received.

Mike.

I did, and that looks cool, but i can't HEAR the numbers flashing. I try to look at the models ONLY when i fly THEM..
That is the purpose of voice alarms right?
Numbers flashing are good when you program, but quite useless when you fly, or am I missing something?

This is not a model setup in my opinion thing Mike. This affect ALL the models in the D protocol. Does TmOK do something with the X protocol? If so, what? If it doesn't I can't see why you can't make an internal alarm based on TmOK ??
People will not know, or will forget to program a telemetry lost alarm on every model.. That can have bad consequences as they are trusting the voice output from the radio. If there is a problem could be dangerous in some cases..

João

[MikeB]

The menu button should operate almost exactly as the menu button does on transmitters without an encoder.
The encoder button is basically a short press to do the same operation as a short press of the menu button, while a long press performs the same function as the exit button.
This is so that nearly everything may be edited just with the encoder button.
On the main screens, since you are not editing anything, short and long presses of the menu and encoder buttons do the same thing.
On radios with left, right, up and down buttons, you navigate using these, and if there is only item on a line, then the left and right buttons change the value.
With the encoder, the default is to change which item is highlighted, and you need to press either menu or the encoder button (short press) to change to "value editing" mode.

Mike.

[MikeB]

João, we have DSM, AFHDS2A, and mavlink telemetry to handle as well, so any change nees to be carefully thought out to make sure it operates correctly with all these, as well as FrSky 'D' and 'X'. It is not something I can add quickly therefore.
TmOK, operates slightly differently in other telemetry protocols. I think, with some of them (I need to check), it will only have values of 0 and 2, and if it changes from 2 to 0, you should already get a system alarm, so you don't need another one.
The voice output you get is, of course, a matter of preference. For example, I usually have the pack voltage (and current if a sensor is fitted) spoken at regular intervals. In this case, if the telemetry stops arriving, I'll get a "No Telemetry" message instead of the pack voltage being announced, so I don't need another message telling me the telemetry has stopped.
I need to take all these sorts of things into account when considering a change.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Understood about all different types of telemetry.

The voice output you get is, of course, a matter of preference. For example, I usually have the pack voltage (and current if a sensor is fitted) spoken at regular intervals.

Yeas, i had that before but now I (and all my mates at the field) find it a bit annoying, and it is not really needed, so when i need to know a telemetry value, i hit a button on the back of the radio. Apart from that i only have the alarms set, and a few switches. I only need the alarms basically to warn me when something is not right.

In this case, if the telemetry stops arriving, I'll get a "No Telemetry" message instead of the pack voltage being announced, so I don't need another message telling me the telemetry has stopped.

Correct, that is when the telemetry stops arriving, BUT, with the oXs or the original frsky sensors, if you have a problem with the serial comm between the sensor and receiver, a broken wire, or something else, your radio will keep reporting a good battery voltage because you keep displaying the last good value, and you might only realize the problem when it is already too late. You are still receiving the RX telemetry, so, no alarm..
With electric models, you might get away with it because many modern ESCs cut the motor if the voltage is to low, still some stop the motor at such a lower voltage that if the LiPo is unbalanced it will be damaged.
With an IC powered model with NimH batteries powering RX and servos, if that happens, you could lose control with the engine at full throttle. as you can imagine that would be a complete disaster

If you can't use the TmOK, then the other possibility is to force the voltages to zero when the radio is not receiving any voltage. Of course, this will be needed on most of the other sensors too, I guess.
If not possible, then we finally found something that is impossible on Ersky9x
And this system cannot be used with anything bigger than a normal small foamie, which is a shame.
I am preparing some nice IC powered models, and will probably have to get some other affordable second hand telemetry system for them.. My current radios will be only good for toys unfortunately..

Yes, I don't play with safety. Couldn't live with myself if my model hit one of my friends, or any other person..

João

[MikeB]

Correct, that is when the telemetry stops arriving, BUT, with the oXs or the original frsky sensors, if you have a problem with the serial comm between the sensor and receiver, a broken wire, or something else, your radio will keep reporting a good battery voltage because you keep displaying the last good value, and you might only realize the problem when it is already too late. You are still receiving the RX telemetry, so, no alarm..

I'm not sure that is true any more. I need to check the functioning, but the new check on individual telemetry items being valid means that if you use a logical switch (or voice alarm) to test a telemetry value, it should return a value of 0 if it is no longer valid (i.e. not being received).

Every telemetry item now has an individual timer, set to a timeout value when a value is received, so each item is only valid as long as the timer is not 0. As long as I have the correct test in when the value is accessed for use, it returns 0 if its timer is 0.

Mike.

Edit: That bit of code wasn't being included, but it now will be. So, regardless of the source of telemetry, any individual telemetry value that has not been updated for a time (either 2.5 or 4 seconds at present depending on the item), will return a value of 0.

[jhsa]

Thanks, Can then the radio alarm automatically based on that? If possible it would increase safety by much..
Maybe if all the received values go to zero at the same time, the radio could generate just one alarm?? we just need to know that something is not right in the model.. That could save your day....and your wallet..

Mike

[jhsa]

Mike, Mstrens added a 1 second delay to the oXs and that seem to have worked to stop the false warnings at power ON.
If I use the TmOK as a workaround, I have to set a 2 second delay on the voice alarm because it will still play. Have also to set "On No telemetry" to "Mute". At least for the moment this is giving me an alarm.

Ok, false voltage alarms seem to be fixed Now only the real problem missing
Thanks
João

[Daedalus66]

The menu button should operate almost exactly as the menu button does on transmitters without an encoder.
The encoder button is basically a short press to do the same operation as a short press of the menu button, while a long press performs the same function as the exit button.
This is so that nearly everything may be edited just with the encoder button.
On the main screens, since you are not editing anything, short and long presses of the menu and encoder buttons do the same thing.
On radios with left, right, up and down buttons, you navigate using these, and if there is only item on a line, then the left and right buttons change the value.
With the encoder, the default is to change which item is highlighted, and you need to press either menu or the encoder button (short press) to change to "value editing" mode.

Mike.

Thanks very much for taking the time to explain that, Mike. I had figured out much of it but was missing some points.
Nigel

[jhsa]

Mike, last night while configuring the oXs I have just built, I had a low cell alarm. 2.04V
Checking the cells, I saw that was Cell8. I'm only sending 3 cells.
"#define MSEC_PER_BYTE" in oXs is set to 7 which sends data slower than the default 6. Just letting you know that the problem might still be there somewhere.

João

[MikeB]

I've posted the "b2" test version. This has a fix in for a bug where trims dodn't work when you had a Heli mode set (CYC1,2 and 3 in the mixes).
It also includes the code to force telemetry values to 0 when they are not being received. Each telemetry value has a timer that is triggered when a new value is received, If the timer runs out, then that telemetry value is no longer valid and will read as 0. You may check which telemetry values are being received on the logging menu (a tick down the right of the display).
The GPS values shown on the specific telemetry display do NOT go to 0, they just flash. This is so that a disaster resulting in loss of telemetry might help you locate the last known position of the model!

Mike.

[jhsa]

That's great Mike, thank you.. Another giant step towards an even safer system.. Will test a bit later.

Thank you so much.

João

[RCHH]

Oh man! The heli mix trim issue being fixed is a godsend! Make setup on my 3GX and FB helis so much easier!

Will check the heli-specific changes as soon as I can, but cannot air test.

Superb stuff Mike!

[AlessB]

Mike, is it realistic to do a second timer is not reset when turned off? I would like to know how much I was flying in the simulator. Assuming that I have installed RTC and board Ar9x.

[MikeB]

It depends on exactly what you want. I have a third timer, although it is not fully implemented yet. This is persistent, and is intended to record the total time any model is selected while the radio is powered on.
I'll finish that implemnentation anyway.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Thank you

João

[AlessB]

Thank you for excellent work.

[jhsa]

Mike, I'm testing the new test version of ersky9x,specially that problem where we wouldn't have a single alarm if the connection between the sensors and receiver is lost.

It seems to be working.. When i disconnect the oXs from the receiver, all voltages go to zero and i get the voice alarms for the cells and flight battery, plus the "No Telemetry" voice alarm. That is great, as we will be warned if such situation ever happen.
I have a question about the VoiceAudio programming/On no telemetry Play/Mute option.

For example, when the telemetry is gone I have the flight battery alarm, and the radio also says "No telemetry".
I would like it to say "No Telemetry" but Mute the Voltage alarm..
Is it not what this option does? It should MUTE the programmed alarm when there is no telemetry? The problem is that it mutes both..
I think it should play only the No Telemetry voice because the telemetry is lost?
And Mute the voltage alarm, because it is set to mute on "No Telemetry"?

I hope I explained well what I mean

Thanks

João

[jhsa]

Hmm, I see that the No telemetry is Added to each voice alarm we programmed?? I have never realized that

Maybe the radio should just say no telemetry when there is no telemetry, independently of all the other alarms?
Then we could mute the ones we don't need.. the radio saying "No Telemetry" in most cases already raises an eyebrow
If there is no telemetry, of course there is also no voltage, altitude, etc..

João

[Kilrah]

Didn't you or someone else precisely ask for the failure of any single sensor to be detected? That's what it would lead to.

[jhsa]

Yes, I did. Or better, I did ask for what was possible, that means, an alarm in case the telemetry is lost, OR, an alarm for the voltage (or other field) going to zero. It seems we got both.

Read my posts above, the most important is that we won't be left without alarm if the connection between sensor and receiver is broken, as it was happening before..
Of course now I'm playing with the alarms studying the possibilities and looking for eventual bugs.. That is what testing is, right??

João

EDIT: And I'm trying to find out if there is a problem in the VoiceAudio menu or not..

[MikeB]

For example, when the telemetry is gone I have the flight battery alarm, and the radio also says "No telemetry".
I would like it to say "No Telemetry" but Mute the Voltage alarm.

Is this all in one Voice Alert?
If so, please describe all the settings for the alert so I can better understand the 'problem'.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Mike, here is a short video of it, and also my model where you can see all voice configuration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOW3Upl0RA4

I'm not saying that there is a problem, just something that I don't understand. I kinda realized that the "No Telemetry" message spoken after the alarm itself doesn't...!!! ...!!
You know what?

I have just found out why the no telemetry message is playing.. Stupid me.. It's because I have the alarms set to play the source after the alarm itself.. So, if no value is being received, I get the "No Telemetry" message. It looks like it is working as it should then..
But, I am worried about the fact that by doing something stupid like muting the alarms on no telemetry received, I was left with no alarms at all I thought the No telemetry message was separate, which is not because of the source..
Maybe should there be a no telemetry alarm for the telemetry itself? But there was telemetry, so it wasn't a telemetry alarm It was a NO DATA RECEIVED alarm, I believe?
One idea is to create another voice file "No Data Received" for when trying to read a source that is not available..

Actually this wasn't an No telemetry alarm because the receiver was working and the radio was receiving RSSI and the telemetry link was up. So, these are two different situations that use the same voice file. Telemetry was there, but data wasn't, and i think that is the reason why i got confused..

Nevertheless, I feel that my stupid mistake was not in vain then I do apologize anyway..

Thanks

João

[rdeanchurch]

Stupid question.
I've been off using OpenTx for a couple of years. Now I want to switch over for another try at er9x.
But specifically I'm after stuff for the QX7.
Please give me links to the latest Pc version and Firmware version...test is fine.
I tried searching (HONEST) but apparently have the terminology wrong.
(The mind isn't as good as it should be after 80+ years.)
Sorry for the not quite cool question
Dean

[jhsa]

Here

http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4676

The latest test versions has a file for the QX7

João

[rdeanchurch]

Thanks, on it.
oops that looks like th firmware only. Companion or equiv. name to go with it?