s9-th open 9x adaption?

[ccfuchs]

Hi,

waiting for the FrSky d9x i accidentally found an interesting transmitter partially build by a German Company:

features:
STM 32 MCU (just figuring out which one)
Display 260*75

Price 89€ and in stock! I just ordered one to take a look inside.

I ´m wondering if it is possible to adapt the open 9xSW for this transmitter. The STM adaption should already be ongoing for the FrSky ,...

Regards

Christian

[bertrand35]

Looks promising! Larger screen than the X9D and a rotary encoder ...

It would be interesting to know the quality of the HW inside. The gimbals, pots and sticks.

Also is there an USB connector to easily flash it?


Bertrand.

[Kilrah]

Nice!! and this one has a rotary encoder! Not many other details though...

Direct link: http://www.acteurope.de/html/sender_s3d-9th.html

215€ -> 89€... This kind of looks like a clearance sale, wonder if it won't be discontinued... certainly more instesting at this price, doubt it would last...

[ccfuchs]

ACT claims the mechanics (gimbals, case,...) to be Chinese but electronics and SW to be their own development. ACT is a small german RC company, specialized on redundancy systems for scale models. The boss was involved in the Futaba FC28 SW development. i think thats the reason why they write "The menue structure is based on the well known FC28".
Im not yet convinced they really developed the pcb on their own, but i will have a look as soon as i get the transmitter.
The only facts i know up to now is the general MCU type (STM32) an the display size. I asked for more information by mail.
Up to now the transmitter looks like a good base,...
On the website is a link to a first test (the transmitter was marked as 12-th). Including the redundant 2G4 System the retail price was almost 500€.
Conclusion: The HW is captable of at least 12 channels (digital protocol to the tx module????) and the transmitter was positioned to the midrange market. The german midrange to high end market is still dominated by the Pult transmitters. In addition i suppose the case quality is just to bad for this price range,..
There is a futaba based replacement, so think the transmitter wont be continued,...

[Kilrah]

It's annoying me because I'm pretty sure I've already seen that radio somewhere. Probably a Chinese thing again, but I can't rememeber...

[ccfuchs]

Certainly a Chinese thing again. Its even marked on the homepage. unfortunately i didn´t find anything similar at the china buyers platforms.
It looks a little like the old JR stuff.

The question is if the hardware is able to run open9x with minor modifications (adc ports,...) based on the FrSky (STM) version? Unfortunately i am more the hardware guy,...

[bertrand35]

Even the screen size is not the same, so I am afraid that many modifications will be needed!
Bertrand.

[ccfuchs]

Hi Betrand,

thats whats worrying me a little. But if both displays are "stupid" enough I would have to change the HW control sets, but generally the column and row addresses for the content should not change. Off cause that would not use the full resolution range and perhaps a shifting is required,...
Or am i completely wrong? The last MCU i programmed myself was an ARM 7 7 years ago,.... Ill try to have a look in your Source file how the display "driver" is implemented.
Unfortunately i dont have any information about both display types yet and if my information is right the 9Th seems to use a quite uncommon display size.

Anyway, the first step is have a look at the transmitter and do a little "reverse engineering" if its not too crappy; else: return to dealer. Perhaps i can get more information from ACT. If the transmitter is really discontinued they are perhaps less bullheaded as the economic impact is low anyway.

Christian

[Rob Thomson]

Porting to new hardware is a huge job, and takes allot of time. Time that is already under pressure with the projects already on the go

[Kilrah]

Actually writing to the display may not be a huge issue if we can easily find the documentation for it. The more complicated thing is to adapt the UI to make use of the screen area, and redesign the user interface.
This has been (mostly) done now for the frsky radio with its 212x64 LCD, but starting over once again for 260x75 would require some sort of "guarantee" that this radio will be available in the longer run and we don't do it for just 2 people

I have written a detailed mail (not sent yet in case I think of something else in the meantime, will send tomorrow) to ACT explaining the situation and asking about their intentions and a possible collaboration. We never know. They are good guys, not there to make money above everything, but to offer something good that's hard to find - might fit the concept pretty well.

I do like the hardware. Looks like higher end case/sticks, has enough pots/sliders/switches, and it has the rotary encoder that's missing on the X9D

[jhsa]

sound/voice is missing??

[bertrand35]

Hi Betrand,

thats whats worrying me a little. But if both displays are "stupid" enough I would have to change the HW control sets, but generally the column and row addresses for the content should not change. Off cause that would not use the full resolution range and perhaps a shifting is required,...
Or am i completely wrong? The last MCU i programmed myself was an ARM 7 7 years ago,.... Ill try to have a look in your Source file how the display "driver" is implemented.
Unfortunately i dont have any information about both display types yet and if my information is right the 9Th seems to use a quite uncommon display size.

Anyway, the first step is have a look at the transmitter and do a little "reverse engineering" if its not too crappy; else: return to dealer. Perhaps i can get more information from ACT. If the transmitter is really discontinued they are perhaps less bullheaded as the economic impact is low anyway.

Christian

You could have a look in sky9x/lcd_driver.cpp and x9d/lcd_driver.cpp, the 2 important functions there are lcd_init() and refreshDisplay(). Those 2 functions are HW specific of course.

Bertrand.

PS: I will rename these 2 functions to lcdInit() and lcdRefresh() soon to improve the code coherency

[ccfuchs]

Sound and voice? I havent even seen the transmitter yet,...

@ Kilrah
I was thinking about asking them myself. I am already in contact because i ordered one and asked about controller and Display in advanance . I Think this transmitter is not their main interest, so we could be lucky and the (he) see a chance to sell at least a few more to the community,...
I hope i can tell more about stick and PCB Quality in the middle of next week.

[Kilrah]

Email sent

[ccfuchs]

i just called mr. westerteicher from act. he would be interested in a cooperation. mcu is an st32f103.schematics could be provided.
more detail when im back home

[Rob Thomson]

Now that would be interesting. I wonder if it can take a hack module 'upgrade' ?

[ccfuchs]

Hi together,

as i mentioned i called Mr. Westerteicher today. He seems to be very interested as he was thinking about doing some kind of Open source Project - caused by the difficult german market (pult transmitter prefered).
´The transmitter is manufactored in China (PCB and SW aswell) in a reasonable but variing Quality, therefore the transmitters he ships are quality checked. SW was a big issue,...
Sticks an switches schould be Chineese high end but not Futaba quality.
The Hardware is on sale, but not discontinued:if there is the demand he can deliver more for the same price (around 90€). Modifications are still possible, the schematics could be provided to the developers (I am in discussion, obout the detail).
Of course a possible cooperation is only constructive if he can see a little economic benefit by selling the Hardware (evl. incl. Sw?). One constraint will be that the HW and Sw has to support his ACT TX modules. PPM and digital TX modules are possible. Normal PPM modules are already supportet (li the ones he is selling ,...) About the SD support he was not yet sure. At least he designed it to the HW,...
Perhaps the new "open9x" transmitter . If there is a cooperation he would appreciate showing it at the Nürnberger Spielwarenmesse (The main toy fair in Germany),...

I hope i get the "sample" middle of the week (of course i paid for it)

Greetings

Christian

P.S.: sorry about the faults,

[bertrand35]

Would he send one transmitter for free to the developers? I really can't pay for all these Tx, the hours spent in FW development is already a high price ...

Bertrand.

[ccfuchs]

if you are really interested i could ask. perhaps we should check the technical constraints first. If everybody agrees its woth the work it schouldnt be a problem. further detail will be best per private message.

[th9xer]

Just wondering if anyone has got their hands on one of these transmitters yet, some pictures and comments would be great, thinking about getting one for a look see to.

Also for the none German speakers can someone German tell me the difference between:
http://www.acteurope.de/shop/product_in ... ts_id=3115
and
http://www.acteurope.de/shop/product_in ... ts_id=3039

Product listing according to Google translate suggests one with module and one without, description on both suggests without module.

English version of site has no info. Bamfoozled

Cam.

[Kilrah]

"S-9TH Einzelsender MIT HF-Modul S3D Uno" has a module, the other doesn't. The one that doesn't says "same characteristics as the one with module", that's what might confuse the translator.

[Rob Thomson]

Waiting for mine to be delivered

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[ccfuchs]

There used to be two offers, one with Module 149€ (without battery? Im not sure,...) and one without module 89€ (with battery). For his x-Mes special he is selling both with battery and module for 89€. So both offers are equal at the moment but you are right, its a little confusing even for native speakers The good news is: This offer will be hold if there is the demand,...

Sound is not supported out of he box, but a sound mod could certainly be done.

Hope your TXs arrive soon.

[KanishkaRC]

I think this is the same Tx from Art-Tech ( EFLY-9D 2.4GHz RADIO SYSTEM )
http://www.art-tech.cn/english/ArticleS ... icleID=269

Not so sure but may be KST, Kingmax 8 ch Tx is a clone of this too
http://www.rcmodelpart.com/kstkingmax-2 ... _p200.html

[Rob Thomson]

Believe it is the same one! The Art-Tech on that is!

[Kilrah]

Yep the Art-Tech is the same one. KST is different, it's quite a bit simpler, with only a segment LCD etc.

The FrSky X9D reuses the case of the KST radio though.

[th9xer]

Maybe the German speakers here can help me out. I ordered mine on the 3rd and the status is shown as:

Bestellnummer: 8627
03.01.2013 Preparing [PayPal IPN]
03.01.2013 Offen
06.01.2013 In Bearbeitung

Which Google translates as:

No.: 8627
01/03/2013 Preparing [PayPal IPN]
01/03/2013 Open
06.01.2013 In Progress

I have emailed them twice to find out when it might be dispatched, but no reply I guess his English is as good as my German.

[Rob Thomson]

I spoke to them today - looks like they have been closed for the past 2 weeks!

Apparently they are doing 'catch up'

[Rob Thomson]

Oh... His English is very good!

[th9xer]

OK, well that's good news then, maybe I'll just give him a ring tomorrow. Did you just use the telephone number on the website ?