ERSKY9X Coding

[MikeB]

I've just posted a specifc test version for the Taranis (not Plus). It seems the watchdog was firing off, losing the hardware menu enable operation. Please flash the main firmware with this and test for software volume control availability.

Mike.

[ShowMaster]

Out at breakfast, will do ASAP.
Do I keep posting my results here.
Thanks

[MikeB]

Yes, here should be fine.

Mike.

[ShowMaster]

Success! It works and is pop free! I think P2 works in reverse but P1, SL & SR are correct.
I'm actually getting more level out at high pot then before. Another added feature!
I also don't seem to have a very big buzz anymore even with earbuds? Watch out there, a lot of audio level into the ears if not turned down!!
Maybe a trim option FW, or internal, external pad?
So far this is doing a great job with no pops or any major hardware mods others do for Opentx to stop the pops. When I asked about a FW option instead of a hardware mod I was told it doesn't work or was tried and didn't work?
Bravo Mike! You've done the impossible again!
Any more testing I can do? I'm staying with this FW now that I've loaded it to try the other features it offers to the Taranis.
You'll want to make a Plus version of this new FW.
Next I want to try the x6R bound in no telemetry mode as you've asked someone to try. Will this FW allow Sbus or cppm into pin 5 of the module bay for a wireless trainer?
I haven't followed all the posts.

[jhsa]

Does the taranis support trainer over bluetooth?

João

[ShowMaster]

Ask Mike, he'll know! For some reason the otx team seems to resist the great features Mikes come up with? The trim tab power on flash idea ( now it's added), the flashing of xjt and Sport devices using just the tx FW 2.1 Now I think) , no computer, this FW volume control that eliminates the Taranis pops ( I was told it can't work?) They do a great job, but I sometimes feel a little too focused on more new features instead of fixing or improving old ones.
Mike seems to be more focused on improving ersky9x for easier user operation and adding new features.
I do like his menus setup layout as I regularly praise.
Got to stop before he asks for a raise.

[MikeB]

SBUS or CPPM is supported, in to pin 2 (TWO, second from the top). Pin 5 is the SPort signal.
To configure, go to the TRAINER menu and select the source as JACK, CPPM or SBUS.
Note: You also have trainer profiles (João nagged me enough!). You should find there are 4 of these. At present the trainer source is not included, but all the other settings are. This means you may have settings for 4 different student radios. Each profile may have a name as well.

The Taranis doesn't support bluetooth. To handle the HC-05 we need a control signal, which is difficult to find/connect to on the standard Taranis. On the Plus, we could use the 'spare' analog input, set as a digital output, for this. The serial port is also inverted, so that will need hardware to invert it.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Note: You also have trainer profiles (João nagged me enough!). You should find there are 4 of these. At present the trainer source is not included, but all the other settings are.

Does that mean you will include the trainer source as well??

The Taranis doesn't support bluetooth. To handle the HC-05 we need a control signal, which is difficult to find/connect to on the standard Taranis. On the Plus, we could use the 'spare' analog input, set as a digital output, for this. The serial port is also inverted, so that will need hardware to invert it.

What is the advantage of having a Taranis then?? Bigger LCD?

João

[kaos]

What is the advantage of having a Taranis then?? Bigger LCD?

Better gimbals, two wipers, bigger screen, better design better material all the way around. and you know it is always Frsky compatible. There are people more interested in using than modding. Time and money wise, it is better to get a Taranis plus. But there are people like to do modding too. Just depends on what you are into.
when the Taranis came out, if I had not had 3 T9X already I would get one too.

[jhsa]

Good points. But a good 9x with the 9xtreme board or even with Ar9x board is much better. And nearly no mods needed. And if you mod it a little bit with other gimbals, encoder, more switches. bluetooth, then I think it is miles ahead..

I had a taranis on my hands a couple times, and it doesn't feel better.. Also not even better than my 9XR-PRO.
The 9x with any of the open source firmware is also frsky compatible..
I could have bought one, but didn't want to.. If someone asked me to choose between a taranis and a 9X, I would choose the 9x by far. Actually I have been trying to find a broken one on ebay, and I just can't believe for how much the 9x radio is selling. Couldn't afford one.. nearly as expensive as the taranis radio.

João

[tedbmoss]

Just checked the RTC on the 'PRO, all seems to be working fine, as does the setting of the FrSky Internal Alarm.
Did you flash ersky9x_rom instead of ersky9xr_rom to the 'PRO? This could explain your problems as the RTC is different, and a signal from the RTC is used to control hardware serial inversion on the 'PRO.

Mike.

I appreciate your help on this problem. I used the correct firmware as you stated, ersky9xr. The problem is apparently with the hardware. One unit works properly and the other one does not. With the older firmware, the RTC does work but when I program it with the new firmware, it does not work properly. You mentioned something about how the software configures itself for the hardware, But I do not know how it works. How would I erase the firmware and start over? Would this be the problem? I am going to change out the ROM chip and see if that has anything to do with the problem. For a while there I thought I had entered the Twilight Zone.

So I copied the ersky9x.bin file from one unit to the other and the problem went away. Technically not hardware, firmware. Until I wrote back my model settings, then it came back again, well that's an easy fix. The AR9x board is secretly set in hardware. I'll just turn it off in general settings in eepesky and resend the settings back to the Tx. Wala! I am a genius!
By the way, in ref. to the alarms; I have a bad DJT module as well, causing a problem. The others work.
Later I found a wiring problem it now works.

[MikeB]

I'll change the firmware so the Ar9x setting is forced OFF for the 'PRO.

Mike.

[ShowMaster]

Does the Taranis version or ersky9x have any other features I should be trying Mike?
So far everyone you have added are really nice additions. I'm sure you've read my honest post elsewhere on how you did in ersky9x, what I was told couldn't be done in Opentx.
That forum is about the Taranis and not dedicated to FW, but of course most are using Opentx in some version. I had to post my honest opinion to hopefully stop some from attempting to do all the cut trace and solder in parts hardware mod that many botch.
I'm not playing favorites, just reporting the facts in hopes that some will also question why they have to do a hardware mod.

I'm going to see Wayne from Aloft and the latest non try Horus at the AMA show Saturday. I'm curious to see and try the supplied FW it has?

So a few questions on eraky9x for the Taranis I'm now trying out.
I know you've added the rtc adjust to the sky and Pro FW and probably the 9XT if I look for it. Is that option in my Taranis menus somewhere I should try?
It's a minor option but if it's there I'll give it a try.
As for BT, I do have a current plus model that I think you posted could use BT. I have several BT modules so I could try BT and ersky9x on a plus if you've got that worked out. It's at your convenience with no pressing time frame. I've yet to install one in my 9XT 9x.

Ok, a little, probably redundant, about my interests. Anything that's new and affordable and works. After 40+ years of flying Rc, teaching Rc flying, building and DIY Rc, and contesting, I'm not so interested in what I fly, just that it does, and it and the Rc system is fun to fly. Fun being the focus now!

I've been asked for the new year, to give a presentation talk at 2 different clubs of Rc system options and technology I'm familiar with. Others do the same for the the more common well known brands. I do this every year for those that may want to think outside their comfort zone.
Wayne's sold a lot of Taranis systems locally I'm sure because of it.

In the past it was just a 9x with er9x and a djt module, or a JR with a djt module. That progressed every year with a SParts board, then various voice mod options,as well as the sky board.
Then the HK pro and finally the Taranis.

This year, the new one will be the 9x with a SParts 9XT and DJT or better yet, a XJT. Thanks to Steven I have a loaner 9XT kit to pass around as well as my purchased 9XT install 9x. The pro will also be passed around.
I'll also pass around my B Taranis with ersky9x and a new plus with Opentx. I want the members to try and program them without and prior knowledge. That will be interesting to see which the prefer?
Most in the past avoided and DIY mod install, but the 9XT is pretty much a no brainer and I'm a local for help if needed. Maybe it'll promote some sales?
I don't have the other drop in 9x board to show or try.

So I'll ask here. What are the ersky9x features I should point out?
My list. After the more common control and telemetry support for Frsky devices and dsm2/X with conditions.

Programming menus seem easier to use.

FW volume control, nice!

Able to support XJT modules, Sbus, and cppm.

Able to flash other Frsky devices FW from using the tx and not requiring a computer.

Good support forums.

I'll also do the same for Opentx, but in the past the zadig and honestly the samba thing, scared them away. Now that you created the trim at power up option, that can flash from a sd card file, it's so much easier. I'm so glad Opentx adopted it also. Thanks for that Mike.

[jhsa]

Trainer over bluetooth (obviously not the taranis yet)
Easy addition of more hardware (9XT, Ar9x, skyboard and PRO)
9XT has RGB backlight (I'm sure in the future Mike will allow us to do some more with it than just change the general backlight color )

João

EDIT: Ahh, nearly forgot, the 9XT doesn't need an RTC.. It already has one..

[KAL]

- save/restore single models to SDcard
- save/restore eeprom to SDcard (in development yet)

Klaus

[MikeB]

While there may well be more things to add/change, I have just released ersky9x r218. All the source files are up to date on the master branch on Github and the downloads are on www.er9x.com.
The plan for the future is not to take as long between releases and to just do a few changes between them so it is under better control.

Mike.

[kaos]

Mike:
the AR9X and Sky9x are using the same ersky9x right? just in the hardware menu to turn on AR9X for AR9X board?
when you say all are up to date, I assume for both sky9x and AR9X it has the inverted rs232 ability and multi subprotocol?

[ShowMaster]

Does the posted r218 have the Taranis watchdog timer fix?
I mentioned that the P2 pot works in reverse for the FW volume control. Is that by design.
I won't be using it for that, just asking.
Thanks

[MikeB]

Kaos: yes AR9X and the SKY board use the same firmware (ersky9x_rom.bin) and you turn AR9X on for the aR9X board!
Both should have inverted serial available on COM1, but not COM2 (yet). Almost certainly there will be a limitation of only being able to have one of them operating inverted as the software serial driver interrupts won't handle both together.

ShowMaster: Yes the watchdog fix is in. I've just discovered the prototype Plus I have, that I used for testing, has the P2 pot wired the wrong way round! I put code in to correct what I thought was a problem!
I just checked the P2 operation on a production Plus and a non-Plus, on both the P2 pot is operating reversed. I'll need to correct the firmware and re-wire the incorrect P2 pot.

Mike.

[kaos]

Thank you Mike for the clarification. Yes, as long as I /we know where the limitation is, it is not a problem. Possibly adding the choice for noninverted to go to com1 or com2 for Sky9x board. On the AR9X I/we can use the nonrs232 com2 pad for noninverted signal, and I already have a switch to do that just connect the switch to nonrs232 com2 pad or regular com2.
Time to update ALL 9x/eep(sky)e.

[ShowMaster]

Also thanks Mike.

[kaos]

Mike:
I just updated ersky9x r218 on both Skyboard and AR9X board.
I noticed on Skyboard, the whole screen display is off to the left by about 3 pixel and I can see 4 pixels on the right. Don't know this is my Tx or it is like that. Same FW on AR9X does not have that. I noticed this since the previous version of the FW.

[jhsa]

Check if you have the optrex display option on. If you have the stock display, turn the option OFF.

João

[kaos]

Thx, that did it.
I just don't know how did that get in there. Probably when I convert from r178 to r287 with a big jump and the eeprom conversion a couple months ago. Never thought about the display 'optrex' became on. Since I never have an optrex.

[jhsa]

You probably turned it on without noticing. While pressing down to scroll through the options, if you press right or left by mistake, some of the options will change and you don't even see it.
That is why I enabled a certain feature that make sure I press menu to edit a field with this option ON it is not possible to edit a field without pressing menu first. It's wonderful..

João

[kaos]

I guess that is possible.

Mike: I saw the change name of T-Trim to Thr- Trim and the Insta-Trim switch in the r218. That is much much better. I love it. Very clear and self explanatory. Great!

[MikeB]

Thanks to João for the voice pack, I've just added a download on http://www.er9x.com for the voice pack for ersky9x. This uses named files for most things. I've run some tests and it seems to all be working with r218.

I'll add some links to the manuals.
Any suggestions for links to modding information I can add?
Or any pdf files of mods I can add to the site?

Mike.

[jhsa]

Hi Mike, what about the file 0045 (inactivity alarm)? is it still needed in the system folder? and files 0000 to 0005?

Some links:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7640

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1084

viewtopic.php?f=122&t=5659

viewtopic.php?f=126&t=7987

This is what comes to mind at the moment
Thanks

João

[MikeB]

0045.wav is no longer needed, I just checked it sounds OK without.

The links are useful (and been added!). I'm hopeful we can pull some of the information together into pdf files to make it easier to find and follow. If anyone feels like creating any "how to"s please go ahead!

Mike.

[jhsa]

Ok,thanks Mike.. Will remove that file and upload the pack to the ersky9x voice pack thread..

João