flashing latest er9x

[kaos]

Yes, that is a better approach. if Mike can put the spec on it and shematics.
I already did the switch and it is out of my scrap parts, just happen to have a small slider switch left over to do it. I can live with that. But no switch is definitely better, you never need to worry about forgetting set the switch right.

note: Jhsa, if you can, may be you want to move this whole thread from 7th post to a new one like: Hubsan DIY module compatibility.
After the 7th post it is all above this moudle and not related to flashing er9x.

[MikeB]

On further thinking I would suggest (and have on RCG) that the input uses a schottky diode, cathode to the input, anode to the mega328, with a pullup resistor to 3.3V. This makes any input into an open drain/collector driving low, and the high level voltage then doesn't matter.

I'll add a diagram to this post in a bit.

MultiInput.png (2.5 KiB) Viewed 4734 times

Mike.

[kaos]

Mike:
your diagram that 4K7 is connected to 3.3V Vcc, not GND right?

[jhsa]

That's correct..

[kaos]

OK, saved in my file. I get a chance to get the 85BAT I will convert the switch.
Thank you again Mike.

[kaos]

What a wonderful thing to be able to fly Hubsan FPV with your goggle plugged into Ersky9X Tx instead of the dinky stock Tx. Just flew a couple rounds in the house with just goggle, one Futaba plug to the back of Tx and flew. Yeah!
After all that trouble, finally enjoying this thing to the very best.
Thank you Mike again for your relentless effort and help!!!!!!!!!

[jhsa]

Good that is working now..

João

[Paulusdw]

Hi - dumb person here.

I am looking for a simple guide on how to flash er9x software.

I have the latest Smartieparts board in a FS-TH9X and I am trying to update the software on my Windows 10 system.

I have downloaded eePe but get a message 'avrdude.exe: error: could not find USB device "USBasp" with vid=0x16c0 pid=0x5dc'

I have searched Google and here for an answer but have only added confusion to my ignorance.

When I switch on my FS-TH9X holding both horizontal trim buttons into the middle my PC sees the transmitter and shows me two folders on my memory card but I cannot seem to get anywhere trying to install the latest software.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Paul

[MikeB]

Please confirm the "latest SmartieParts board" is the 9Xtreme. It sounds like it is from your reference to holding the trims inwards.

Mike.

[Paulusdw]

Sorry - yes the board is the latest one - with the colour screen and sound and everything.

[jhsa]

There are 2 latest boards
One is a programmer for the 9x board.
The other is the 9xtreme that has sound and an RGB backlight, etc, and it is bigger than the first one.
So, you need "eepskye" not eepe.
Please go to www.er9x.com and download the latest eepe from the link at the bottom of the page on the right hand side. Install it. Then go to the eepe installation folder and find a file called "eepskye.exe", right click on it and create a shortcut for it on the desktop.
Now turn your radio on by holding both horizontal trims towards the center of the radio. After that plug your USB cable to the radio and PC. Two drives should appear on your desktop.
Double click on the eepskye shortcut you've created to open the program. Go to file/Preferences/Version to Download, and select "9Xtreme". Click the download tab below. Save the file on your computer.
Then go to the "Burn" menu/Configure", and make sure "Use SAM-BA" is not checked, click Ok.
Go to "Burn/Flash Firmware to TX", navigate to the file you've just downloaded, and flash it to the radio.
Safely remove the drives from your PC by ejecting them as you do with all other drives.

Alternatively, you can start the radio in bootloader mode by doing the trims dance I explained above while turning the radio On, connect it to the PC with the USB cable, the drives will appear on your screen, find the SD Card (Memory Card) drive and create a folder called "firmware". Copy the firmware file you've downloaded before to that folder. Safely eject the drives and disconnect the cable. Now on the radio navigate to the file you just put there, Highlight it, press menu long, and menu again to confirm flashing the firmware. Done.
Press exit long (probably twice) to exit the bootloader and resume normal operation of the transmitter, or turn it OFF and then ON again.
Enjoy the power. I hope this is helpful.

I think me or someone else will have to put this somewhere cos I'm getting tired of writing all this every time someone doesn't know how to flash the firmware

João

[MikeB]

OK, first there is a sub-forum for this board: viewforum.php?f=126.
Second, the 9Xtreme runs ersky9x, not er9x.
Third, you therefore need to use eepskye, not eepe. This is installed in the same directory as eepe when you install eepe.

Go here: viewtopic.php?f=126&t=7751#p103194, and download "ersky9x9XT_rom.zip". Unzip ersky9x9XT_rom.bin from this.

Start the radio in bootloader mode using the two horizontal trims inwards. Run eepskye, click on the "Flash Firmware to Tx" button, select the file you unzipped above and confirm. The update only takes a few seconds.

Mike.

[jhsa]

I was faster than you this time
That's how good openRCforums is as far as helping people is concerned
João

[kaos]

OK, here is a quick stupid question.
Just got my new T9x, wanting to do a quick flash with latest er9x FW to check if the new T9x is working properly (it is in stock FW). Put my old smartiepart v2.1 board in and starting eepe r419.
and I got this:

I just used the usbasp not long ago to flash my ersky9x without any problem. Can't figure out why usbasp has the wrong 'path'?
the usbasp device is showing properly in win7 device manager.

[jhsa]

OK, here is a quick stupid question.
Just got my new T9x, wanting to do a quick flash with latest er9x FW to check if the new T9x is working properly (it is in stock FW). Put my old smartiepart v2.1 board in and starting eepe r419.

Your avrdude path in eepe configuration is wrong.. it is pointing to Samba.exe.
Point it to avrdude.exe that is in your eepe installation folder..

I just used the usbasp not long ago to flash my ersky9x without any problem.

I would really like to know how did you flash your ersky9x with UsbAsp

João

[kaos]

OK, now it becomes this:

I would really like to know how did you flash your ersky9x with UsbAsp

Yep, I was doing both er9x and ersky9x update from old version, I was doing so quickly already forgot which one I used for which. Not a surprise to me, judging from my recent short term memory.

[jhsa]

Try changing the com port to USB instead of Com1..

João

[kaos]

exactly the same message: avrdue error could not find usb device....
I will try to check other com port as well.
edit: just check from com1-12. same message. May be my smartie part is bad, been sitting there for 3 yrs I think
but I do hear window's tone when connecting the usb cable to smartie part.

[jhsa]

You still might have a driver issue. Go to the smartierparts webside and download the driver. Then unistall the driver you have and install the one you've downloaded..

João

[kaos]

well, I just updated my other Tx with latest er9x with eepe and usbasp driver without any problem.
and I check the smartie part web link for usbasp driver which is exactly what I have.

[jhsa]

which version of the smartieparts you have? The latest ones need the radio to be powered ON.

João

[kaos]

v2.1 old one I think this one does not need radio being turn on. ??
I just found out the new T9x has a 128 chip , so I changed from m64 to m128 still the same. the issue is avrdue can't find the usbasp device.
weird.

[jhsa]

well, I'm out of ideas at the moment

João

[kaos]

Let me check again, there seems to be a new version of usbasp driver. let me try and report back. Thx.

edit:
This new board is a m128 board for sure, the v2.1 smartieparts I have has 4 screw hole to clamp it down, but this new 128 board has only 3 holes in alignment. no 4th hole. I wonder the v2.1 smartieparts even work on 128 board? I'll send email to smartiepart to check.
with new/different version usbasp still won't commuincate now with a little different message:

[s_mack]

V2.1 did *not* require the 9X to be powered, however that has nothing at all to do with this error anyway. The error you're getting also can not be related to the M128 vs M64. In fact, for the purposes of getting past this error, you could have the SP board sitting on a desk completely outside your 9X because this error is 100% related to the relationship between your PC and your SP board, and nothing at all to do with the relationship between the SP board and the 9X.

The only possible causes are:

1) Drivers
2) USB cable (that you supply)
3) USB connector board/cable (that we supply)
4) USB port
5) Dead programmer

It can be difficult to figure out which one sitting at the same computer. The easiest test is to go to a different computer that you are certain has never had a USBasp device installed on, use a different USB cable that you are certain isn't a charge-only cable, install the drivers, and plug in the device. Go to Device Manager and see if it shows up. Finally, try to program.

[jhsa]

I would try to do a read before trying to program..

João

[kaos]

s_mack:
thx for the quick response. I installed the driver you attached. the same thing.
I rechecked the com port, it si com3, I flashed a promini using the same cable and port without any issue just now.

see green dot indicating working properly

I doubt the SP is bad. Cause it was good when I removed it from previous tx and sat in an antistatic bag for 2 yrs.
I wonder if the contacts be the issue. Because for the new t9x board there are only 3 hole for screw to go through unlike the older t9x m64 board had 4 holes where Sp board are anchored with 4 screws.
You did say go to a pc without any previous usbasp installed. If it had been installed with a version of usbasp, can it interfere with the new installation?

Jhsa:
it gets the same message.

[Kilrah]

The USBASP does NOT use a COM port, either nothing or "usb".
avrdude might ignore the COM port if specified, but not sure of it.

[kaos]

Thx, Kilrah
I will try it tomorrow morning. either usb or nothing and take the board out as s_mach suggest, may be the board needs to be unconnected from anything else for this newer T9x board.

[kaos]

yep, board is flashed with er9x r819 now.
I did two things today, one is to leave that port as blank, another thing is the SP board. This new T9x really is a little difference from previous T9X m64. the hole is bigger. So the screw from SP does not hold the sp board well. I was using my fingers to hold it down. Today I am prepared to get everything is a specific position so I can hold the board evenly down while the other hand doing the eepe thing. AND hold my breath for 45 second while it started flashing and read back so my finger won't move. It went through on the 1st run.
Can't say for sure port is the problem, may be both. But set it at nothing definitely works.

Joystick is arriving tomorrow. yeah!, AR9X is expected next wk. Had they already arrived I won't be fooling with this now.
But may be good experience/info for other people to follow.
Thx for every one's input.