Walkera DEVO 8S RF Module

[Micro Buzzer]

Walkera is selling upgrade telemetry modules for their TX's. You can get one for $9.99 from here:
http://www.ehirobo.com/shop/product_inf ... s_id=11530

If someone could figure out the protocol, we could fly all Walkera's stuff with our 9x's for $10.

[cre8tiveleo]

interesting.

[yovio]

If i'm not wrong, Walkera also use Cypress RF chip, this will be awesome.

[Daryoon]

This was on my wishlist. It would be awesome if it's possible.

I can fly the DSM2 stuff. But I don't want to get the Blade mCP X. I am more interested in the Walkera Mini CP. But having to purchase a new TX just to fly that is keeping me from purchasing the heli. Hacking the Walkera module into the 9x would be AWESOME!

Who can I donate money to to help make this happen?

[yovio]

Check out this page:
http://rch4x0r.com/rc_tx_2405.html

Someone had done his analysis on Walkera Tx, this might be usefull.

[rperkins]

This is interesting to me. I almost went with a Walkera 120D02 instead of a MCPX. Walkera also has some contra rotating helis utilizing a single motor, which I think are cool. @ $10 plus $4 shipping it is a good hedge bet now. I would imagine if it becomes possible to bypass the entire walkera TX ecosystem with this cheap upgrade module they will require validation of an existing product before purchase. Currently that isnt the case.

Between my noobiness, the general incompatibility between rc systems, multiplied by Walkera's overlapping array of products,
I was wondering if the information about a 2405 TX applies to the Devo/Devo(s) series ? The ARF versions of some walkera products on wowhobby.com are geared to either the 2xxx series or the Devo series TX. But that is a good detailed description of the process of the 2405. I love the logic analyzer screenshots.

[erazz]

You know....
This looks like a making of an awesome opensource, two way transmitter system....

Needs a deeper look.

[Hexperience]

Yep, for $13 it's worth the chance. It will be very interesting to see where this goes.
I like the Walkera telemetry system. The hub board has it's own tx.

http://www.walkera.com/en1/particular.jsp?pn=DEVO8S

[uphiearl]

I think I will get one to experiment with....
Yea ! I ordered one...$13.85 delivered ! Let's see what we get.
Earl

was shipped today 2/20/12 via Hong Kong air mail! let's see how long to get here.

[uphiearl]

3-1-12 It's here. Looks good. Small
Earl

[uphiearl]

Anyone got the pinouts for this board and the command structure? Is the telem RX on this board ?
Earl

[ReSt]

If the module is compatible to the Walkera 2405 then there is a link from one of the links above
http://rch4x0r.com/2405_init_scan.html
http://rch4x0r.com/2405_transmitting_data.html

Really interested in this module

Reinhard

[uphiearl]

I found mosi, msio, sck, and ss on the 2x5 header.

2x5 connector

MISO ?
MOSI ?
GND GND
SCK ?
SS +Vcc

This is my best GUESS. i have not hooked it up yet.
Just checked with ohm meter

Earl

[rperkins]

cool pic. I got one of these but havent messed with it. I've been making a workbench so I can get all my experimenting out of the living room and be organized. It's getting close. Doubt you guys have missed me though

Was it hard to get the rf shield off ?

You thinking those master/slave pins are used to operate the xmitter, or just to reprogram the cyprus chip ? I was hoping there is a serial or ppm input but dont have any research to firm that up.

I did have to sign for the package from Walkera. That is always a issue for me as the usps driver rarely makes an attempt to deliver. I have to make a trip to the post office to retrieve the package . Delivery was quicker than normal Asian timing.

[uphiearl]

The shiel came off easy. Just do one end at a time. Just 4 blobs , one at each corner.
I am getting close to powering it up. I'll try 3.3v then 5v and then 9v and 12 while measuring the voltage regulator output. I am pretty sure it is a 3.3vdc reg.
I hope it's just serial data on mosi and msio pins.too messy if ya need the spi select and the clock line. We will see. Let us know when your ready to go.
Earl

[yovio]

Uphiearl, are there anything else on the other side of the board? If there is nothing else, it means the Devo 8S mainboard directly controlling the CYRF6936 chip, unlike spektrum module who has uC that controlling CYRF6936.

If there is no uC, we can use to built custom DSM2 module, and its cheap
I'm in the process of reverse engineer DSM2 SPI protocol, we already knows serial protocol, I already sniff the SPI communication and in the process of understanding the communication. I know in RCGroups, there are few peoples already done this, but I couldn't find the details yet, if someone has the detail, will you please share with me?

Yovi

[uphiearl]

No, other side just ground plane. No uC. 8s must control cypres chip via spi. But that can be a plus for us !
I did find in the manual the power is adjustable from -5dbm to +20dbm via software. It also reads all kinds of telemetry.
We could even have this module do the spectrum stuff !
Heck, with this module, we can generate Walkera,Spectrum,PPX PCM OR ANY type we want ! just need to write software in the er9x
Earl

[donato.jun]

I was thinking to myself here. Perhaps Devo 8 would be a great radio to receive custom firmware: It have a powerfull Arm processor, quad-ball bearing sticks and a Cypress chip controled by main processor.

Think about this: A good quality radio, multi-protocol and flexibility of the Open Sources firmwares like ER9X.... Great !

[erazz]

Ahhhh... so many transmitters - so little time. You guys want to pay me/Mike a salary so we could do this full time?

[FDR]

Hi!
I have just found this thread and registered right away just because of this great idea:

I was thinking to myself here. Perhaps Devo 8 would be a great radio to receive custom firmware: It have a powerfull Arm processor, quad-ball bearing sticks and a Cypress chip controled by main processor.
Think about this: A good quality radio, multi-protocol and flexibility of the Open Sources firmwares like ER9X.... Great !

I don't have any Turnigy transmitters, but I have a DEVO 8 and the 8S module too. (Which I haven't installed yet...)
About the DEVO: it could be a decent transmitter, but I hate two things about the too much "consumer-like" UI.
First, the on/off beeps/tunes are quite annoying.
Second, the settings values are almost invisible because of the wrong design: they are written to 3D style light gray background boxes. Furthermore when one become active, the background change to darker grey and the text's forecolor will be red, so it barely visible at all!

I have started to look into the firmwares and the libraries. (I wrote a little program to create or edit the dfu files.) The goal: I want to change (dismiss) the on/off tunes, and replace the background of the edited values to increase the visibility.
It would only need editing of the library without disassambling the firmware!

But a whole new custom firmware would be even greater!

Ahhhh... so many transmitters - so little time. You guys want to pay me/Mike a salary so we could do this full time?

So, pleeeeeeease, help!

[MatCat]

I also own a Devo 8 and am very interested in the idea of a custom firmware... I am a programmer by trade so I can offer assistance, but I don't know how these firmwares are done...

[FDR]

I am a programmer too...
Not the C/C++ guru you need, but I would do my best to help.

[PhracturedBlue]

to look into the firmwares and the libraries. (I wrote a little program to create or edit the dfu files.) The goal: I want to change (dismiss) the on/off tunes, and replace the background of the edited values to increase the visibility.
It would only need editing of the library without disassambling the firmware!

I have some experience working with ARM disassembly (it has been a few years though). Do you know how to extract the firmware from the DEVO? Does it have a JTAG or equivalent port?
Rather than side-tracking this discussion, is there a better place to discuss reverse-engineering the DEVO? I don't have a DEVO8, but if I was confident I could get at the firmware and they haven't locked it down too much, I may pick one up to play with.

Back on topic, as for the Module, I ordered one but don't have it yet. But without an on-board controller, There probably isn't much I can help with without a DEVO Tx

[donato.jun]

The devo8 have a 5 pin port named NRESET, TMS, TCK, GND and VCC.

[FDR]

Yes we went off topic a little bit.
This stuff would earn an own thread, I guess...

About the DEVO's shortly:
They use STMicroelectronics Cortex9 ARM based microcontrollers (I have to look in exactly which one is in DEVO 8, but I guess they may use another in the DEVO 12)
They are simply updatable via USB with ST's own device firmware update (DFU) utility or with the Walkera modified version of it.
(The updater's source and documentation is available too...)
Yes, we can get the firmware out of the DEVO's, but they are available on Walkera's page as downloads (in DFU format, wich is documented on ST).
The memory contains three parts: the firmware, the library (i.e. resources) and the models' config data. They are all up and downloadable separately, they addresses are known too.

[Micro Buzzer]

How about porting ER9X/ERSKY9X to the DEVO8?

[Kilrah]

Woo, yet another radio with no pot...
I really wonder what goes in the mind of manufacuters these days! Even Spektrum only just added a pot in the latest version of the DX7, before that none of their radios below the $600 DX8 had one...
Love the fact the 9X has 3 of them!!

[FDR]

Oooops! The post which I answered has disappeared...

By the way the DEVO 12 has pots, but a bit pricey
The new (yet to announce) DEVO 10 has pots, cheep ($145), 10 channels, but the display isn't color touch screen but a simpler one:
http://www.walkera.com/cn1/devo10/devo_10_index.html
http://www.oomodel.com/walkera-devo-10- ... 62531.html

[cre8tiveleo]

Is it wrong just to order stuff cause it's cool and what you wanted?

http://www.oomodel.com/walkera-devo-8s- ... 62385.html
mmmmmm....

[yovio]

FYI guys, the upgrade module now only $9.99 at ehirobo.com

This is almost the same like CYRF6936 module from artaflex that sold more than $20.