Dead Taranis...not the plus

[Sean295]

I have a taranis...not the plus....I got used on RCG from someone that took the gimbals out due to thinking they bricked the firmware....


Wondering if you might be able to help me save a taranis...I purchased one on here that is missing the gimbals...the owner stated he bricked the unit so took them and sold it....here is what I have so far....power switch on....nothing...no noise no screen

It is a taranis..not plus....i used open tx 2.1 to flash the firmware...yes i chose the taranis firmware...not plus..it is ver 2.1.9 variant 217 dated 2016-09-15 3:5:42

I am able to write the firmware successfully according to the open tx...try the 3 finger boot...still nothing....I can not even see it in the my pc window (no sdcard or taranis)......i use open tx to read firmware..it reads it and saves to my desktop...try to connect via opentx....no unit found

i read some other posts and i am getting bat volt at C54 and 3.3 at R76

On the 8 pin connector by switch
Pin switch off switch on
1 .1 0
2 7.5 7.5
3 5.4 0
4 0 0
5 0 1.5
6 0 0
7 0 1.5
8 0 0

wondering if you can point me where to look next...or am i wasting time working on it without gimbals attached? just dont want to buy gimbals and not be able to save it

I have also removed the watch battery for a minute ...still nothing.

I am using WIN10 and it shows up under USB as stm bootloader


Hoping someone could chime in and suggest where to check for power...I think it is going to be a hardware issue.....no ribbon cables in this one...all pins and wires

[bob195558]

Hi Sean295,
Not sure I can help with if the Taranis-X9D would be able to power up with the Gimbals not being attached,
but in the photo of my Taranis-X9D, you can see the Gimbal plugs also have the trim switch plugs too.
So in your photo, your trim switch are not connected and so your trim switches can not work anyways.

Taranis Gimbals wiring

This will limit you from being able to use your trim switches, you need them working.
If this Taranis-X9D is only bricked then you should be able restore it back to working order.

I think having the Gimbals with its proper plugs would be a help with troubleshoot the problem.
(http://alofthobbies.com/frsky-taranis-r ... imbal.html)
I think you may need the SD Card with its proper files on it too.
Someone else will be able to help you more then I can, good luck.

Bob B.

[MikeB]

Quite, the horizontal trim switches are not connected, so you won't be able to get into the bootlaoder.
If the STM bootloader is working, which it seems to be since you can flash firmware, then the 3.3V regulator and the processor are OK.

For testing, I could build a copy of ersky9x that always starts in the bootloader to see if the display and buttons work OK.

Mike.

[bob195558]

Hi Sean295,
I use erSky9x on my Taranis-X9D, which you would use eePSkye on your PC
and you can find them here: (http://www.er9x.com/).
Micro SD Card list of folder Directories, see here: (viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9034#p116982).

Bob B.

[Sean295]

Dang...why didnt i think of the trim switches not being connected..Mike and Bob..your saying I should load a copy of the ersky9x to the SD card and try the simulator on opentx? But my pc does not see the SDcard when it is in the taranis.....not sure how to build a bootloader simulator......sorry..i see the eep proggy...opened it but not sure what to set it at..my com port USB...stmlbootloader is not available...guessing i have to load a different driver....have to hit youtube to figure out this progggy...thanks guys.....

[kalle123]

But my pc does not see the SDcard when it is in the taranis....

Take the SDcard out of your Taranis.

[jhsa]

Your PC doesn't see the SD Card because you don't have the trim switches to put the radio in bootloader mode. Follow Mike's advice. He can build you a version of the firmware that might help you diagnose the problem.
But he develops Ersky9x not openTX, so unless someone from openTX offers to do the same, his offer to help you is your best option, take it..

João

[bob195558]

Quite, the horizontal trim switches are not connected, so you won't be able to get into the bootloader.
If the STM bootloader is working, which it seems to be since you can flash firmware, then the 3.3V regulator and the processor are OK.

For testing, I could build a copy of ersky9x that always starts in the bootloader to see if the display and buttons work OK.

Mike.

Hi Sean295,
I think you can flash erSky9x (erSky9x for Taranis) on to your Taranis through your SD Card under folder directory "firmware", but you will need to use a special erSky9x test version firmware which Mike has offered to make which will by-past the need to have working trim switches needed for normal starting in bootloader mode.
You can add the needed folders and files onto your SD Card using your PC and then replace SD Card back into your Taranis.
I have not flashed my Taranis-X9D through the SD Card my self yet, as I have always flashed using eepSkye,
so I am a bit shaky knowing how to do it through the CD Card.

eepSkye for Taranis Preferences settings

eepSkye for Taranis Un-Check the Use SAM-BA Configuration

Bob B.

[Sean295]

Thanks Bob....I just placed the order with aloft hobbies for a pair of gimbals....Mike if you dont mind taking the time to build the bootloader/sim that would be great....if not...I'll put it on hold until the gimbals come in..

[MikeB]

I've put a file called "x9d_romBoot.zip" here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4676.
This ALWAYS starts in the bootloader.
Unzip the file to get a .bin file, then you need to flash it to your radio using zadig. You should be able to do this from Companion.

Mike.

[Sean295]

So...no luck.....I downloaded your file...clicked copy on it and placed a copy on my desktop...I left tx switch off...started companion 2.1....loaded the firmware and wrote it to the TX...all looks okay ...i added a copy of the download info on here.... i unplugged and plugged back in the tx with the SD card with the files that bob suggested loaded on it....tried it blank also and without the sd card.....plugged in the USB...made a new model...when I go to write the model...no radio detected... I look at my computer...still not showing the sd card or taranis...tried other usb cables as well..... Might just have to wait for aloft hobbies gimbals....I hear a faint "tick" noise from speaker when i slide the switch on......unless you have further suggestions.....

C:/Program Files (x86)/OpenTX/Companion 2.1/dfu-util.exe -a 0 --dfuse-address 0x08000000:524288 -d 0483:df11 -UC:/Users/Sean/AppData/Local/Temp/9856-flash-check.bin
=================================================================================
dfu-util 0.7

Copyright 2005-2008 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2012 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to [email protected]

Filter on vendor = 0x0483 product = 0xdf11
Opening DFU capable USB device... ID 0483:df11
Run-time device DFU version 011a
Found DFU: [0483:df11] devnum=0, cfg=1, intf=0, alt=0, name="@Internal Flash /0x08000000/04*016Kg,01*064Kg,07*128Kg"
Claiming USB DFU Interface...
Setting Alternate Setting #0 ...
Determining device status: state = dfuERROR, status = 10
dfuERROR, clearing status
Determining device status: state = dfuIDLE, status = 0
dfuIDLE, continuing
DFU mode device DFU version 011a
Device returned transfer size 2048
DfuSe interface name: "Internal Flash "
bytes_per_hash=2048
Starting upload: [###############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################] finished!

=================================================================================
C:/Program Files (x86)/OpenTX/Companion 2.1/dfu-util.exe -a 0 --dfuse-address 0x08000000 -d 0483:df11 -DC:/Users/Sean/Desktop/x9d_romBoot.bin
=================================================================================
dfu-util 0.7

Copyright 2005-2008 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2012 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to [email protected]

Filter on vendor = 0x0483 product = 0xdf11
Opening DFU capable USB device... ID 0483:df11
Run-time device DFU version 011a
Found DFU: [0483:df11] devnum=0, cfg=1, intf=0, alt=0, name="@Internal Flash /0x08000000/04*016Kg,01*064Kg,07*128Kg"
Claiming USB DFU Interface...
Setting Alternate Setting #0 ...
Determining device status: state = dfuUPLOAD-IDLE, status = 0
aborting previous incomplete transfer
Determining device status: state = dfuIDLE, status = 0
dfuIDLE, continuing
DFU mode device DFU version 011a
Device returned transfer size 2048
DfuSe interface name: "Internal Flash "
Downloading to address = 0x08000000, size = 259908
...............................................................................................................................
File downloaded successfully
No valid DFU suffix signature
Warning: File has no DFU suffix

=================================================================================

[jhsa]

You need to power the radio up for the drives to show up on the computer. Power the radio, and only then connect the USB cable.

João

[MikeB]

You could also try the following:
Power on, wait a few seconds, then press the EXIT button for 2-3 seconds. Do you hear another click from the speaker?

Mike.

[Sean295]

No it did not make a sound, Mike

[MikeB]

I'll get back to you with another test version, but it may be quite late today or sometime tomorrow.

Mike.

[Sean295]

Got the gimbals installed....still dead...no USB connection...no sd card found...nothing...so sad....any suggestions where to check on voltage?

[MikeB]

Find R76, one end of this should be 3.3V.

I should have a special test version of firmware for you later today.

Mike.

[Sean295]

R76 has 3.3 volt on it.....C54 has batt voltage
8 pin connector by switch
Pin switch off switch on
1 .1 0
2 7.5 7.5
3 5.4 0
4 0 0
5 0 1.5
6 0 0
7 0 1.5
8 0 0

[MikeB]

I've posted a test version, called x9d_romBlink.bin, on the test version page. This flashes the backlight 20 times at power up, before it does anything else.
Please flash this and see if the backlight flashes.

Mike.

[Sean295]

Flashed it....no blink

[MikeB]

OK, that test uses very little of the available hardware, so it seems the processor is not starting the flash program.
Please try the following:
Power on using the power switch, then connect the USB cable. Do you get the STM DFU Bootloader showing up on the PC?
If yes, then power off, find resistors R90 and R91. One side of R90 (a 7.5K resistor) should go to ground, the other is the BOOT0 signal that determines how the processor starts. It should connect to pin 94 of the processor, and R91.

If you power on normally, both sides of R90 should show 0V.

Mike.

[Sean295]

Soo...here is where I am at....R90 measures 5.6k (not 7.5k)...one side goes to R91 and R90 goes to pin 94

With power on (NO USB CONNECTED) i am getting 1.2v on R90 side closest to the processor and 0 on the other side


Both using Win10 when i plug the USB into my laptop it displays as under USB controllers "STM device in DFU mode" but I can not flash the firmware...states could not find usb device USBasp

When I plug it into my desktop it displays under USB devices (not controllers) as "STM32 BOOTLOADER" (no DFU mode) but I am able to flash the firmware

[MikeB]

On the laptop you probably have an incorrect setting in Companion. A usbasp is used for Atmel AVR processors, you need to select the radio type as Taranis.

1.2V on the processor side of R90 is not good, it really should be 0V or very close.
My conclusion is the BOOT0 pin of the processor is damaged, preventing R90 from pulling the pin low. This means the processor is always starting in the STM32 BOOTLOADER mode, as shown by you powering on and then plugging the USB cable in, and not running the test code I posted.
I think the only solutions are either to replace the processor, or the main board.
Aloft have the replacement main board (with LCD) for $75 (http://alofthobbies.com/frsky-taranis-m ... h-lcd.html).
Depending on your soldering skills it is possible to replace the processor (I've done it on a plus), but the replacement board just plugs in. Given you don't know how the Tx was "bricked", there may be something else on the main board that is also damaged.

Mike.

[Sean295]

Yea...I have the skills to change it but who knows if that is all......anyone want a dead taranis with new gimbal s?

Thanks for the help Mike