FrSky Taranis - user chat

[Tim Ballinger]

Peter,

I think I have only ever seen 2.0.1 listed since this first went public on 14 Jan .

Tim

[Mike Blandford]

I did check D8 receiver telemetry and concluded they may not be legal. D8 operates differently to D16.

The Tx sends control data 3 times at 9mS intervals, then the Rx uses the 4th 9mS interval to send the telemetry data, and uses quite a few mS to do so. I believe the Rx transmits at the same power level as the Tx, so the MUF did, very likely, exceed 10%.

Mike

[Bob Cotsford]

Gonzo, if you only update Opentx then you should be fine. This is just the operating system and doesn't touch the RF firmware side of things so doesn't need any receiver updates. I don't use external models so I can't swear there are no bugs but I haven't seen any reported!

The comments about version 2.0.1 are referring to a new RF protocol update for the XJT modules and receivers which is a totally separate thing from OpenTX 2.3.5.

 

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 26/01/2020 19:25:22

[GONZO]

Thanks Bob, yes I realise the OpenTx is the Tx operating system and does not alter the RF firmware. But, it could limit what you could access/get the RF board to do. Anyway' I've decided that tomorrow I'll bite the bullet and update the Taranis to 2.3.5. I've got a shiny new Jumper T16 Pro Hall with an internal multi module all updated to the latest firmware and with the JR module slot available for any unsupported protocols(FASST etc). I'm going to drag it from the dark ages into the bright light of the present day! I'll report back.

[Peter Christy]

Gonzo:Be careful! I notice you are upgrading from 2.0.13 to 2.3.5.

Whilst OpenTx will upgrade fine, any model settings you have stored are unlikely to survive such a huge jump! The way the model files are stored has changed quite a bit since 2.0.xx.

Make sure that all your models are backed up to your PC before you upgrade! I've only just got home, and its too late to give any advice now, but if you have backed all your models up to a PC, you should be able to recover them if anything goes wrong!

Also note that the SD card format is different for 2.3! You will need to use the new SD card version as well, so back up your SD card before you reformat it to the new version - just in case!

I don't know anyone that has attempted to go straight from 2.0 to 2.3, maybe Mike can offer advice, but in the meantime back up all your models and the SD card first!

--

Pete

[MattyB]

Hmpppff, switch issues...

I went out to fly last w/e and for the third session running had issues getting my motor armed. On investigation at home it appears the two position non-momentary switch at the top left of my (first batch in the UK) Taranis non-plus  is dicky.

I see T9 have replacements available, but are they the same quality or better now? I have already replaced one 3 pos switch earlier in it's life. Not complaining, would just rather do this once only (have never had switch issues on my previous TXs). Thoughts?

Edited By MattyB on 27/01/2020 13:29:27

[Gary Manuel]

I bought a momentary switch and a 3 position long switch for a HORUS 12S from t9 about 2 months ago. Both look identical to the originals. I see no reason why switches for a Taranis would be any different.

[MattyB]

OK cool. Just thought they may have improved the quality as things went along, as I know a number of owners with early model TXs who have had switch failures.

[Steve Balaam]

Has anybody taken the plunge and updated the RF Firware to ACCST V2 yet ?

Would be interested if it worked or caused any issues/ problems.

Steve B

[Mike Blandford]

There are a number of reported problems after updating to V2 firmware, equally others have updated and all is working OK.

Currently, I've update the module in my prototype Taranis, my prototype Taranis+ and a X9E, together with a X8R receiver.

The X9E seems fine, the X9D+ works on some RxNums, but not others, the X9D binds but doesn't work.

My personal opinion is FrSky will soon post a further update, but they won't have been at work for a couple of weeks due to the extended Chinese New Year.

I have sent them my findings, together with detailed technical data, for example, I know why the X9D doesn't work.

Mike

[Steve Balaam]

Thank you Mike for your response, just what I was looking for. I shall hold off updating until the whole issue around this update is clarified and a stable update released.

Am I correct in assuming that a Horus X10/ X12 running OpenTx can have it's RF board updated as long as OpenTx V 2.3.X is installed ?

[Peter Christy]

I believe there is an updated board for the X10, but having looked at what is required to install it, I'm not going to bother! It doesn't appear to be a simple board swap.

And at the moment, no-one seems to have the receivers in stock, so the whole thing is probably a pointless exercise at present!

Mike: Thanks for all your hard work on this!

Personally, I haven't had any issues with the standard D16 protocol to date, and I suspect that the issues in Germany, Austria and Switzerland may have as much to do with local issues as anything else. I accept that there may be a bug in the system, but it only appears to manifest itself under very specific circumstances, possibly due to the local issues mentioned above.

I'm certainly not going to be upgrading anytime soon. Maybe when a revised version comes along I'll consider it, but my gut feeling is to stick with what has proven to be very reliable for the present!

--

Pete

[Bob Cotsford]

Posted by Steve Balaam on 02/02/2020 11:00:37:

Thank you Mike for your response, just what I was looking for. I shall hold off updating until the whole issue around this update is clarified and a stable update released.

Am I correct in assuming that a Horus X10/ X12 running OpenTx can have it's RF board updated as long as OpenTx V 2.3.X is installed ?

Updating the Horus is possible but you need the RF firmeware for iXJT only, not the full version as that includes their operating system firmware as well as the RF side. Luckily a Dutch chap has extracted the old versions in case you need to roll back and put them in his repository here.

 

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 02/02/2020 16:00:35

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

As I'm more and more prone to "senior moments" (I think) can I just clarify what we're talking about here? If I'm wrong, please correct me.

 

1. Recent chat has been about the ACCST D16 2.X.X RF module update that FrSky have recently released to fix a pretty rare bug.
2. Most people who have, have installed this without issues but some have had problems. In particular with early (none plus). Taranis X9D.
3. The RF firmware is available from FrSky and can be installed from OpenTx if you have latest OpenTx.
4. Bob's link above is to a version of the RF code that you'd need should you wish to revert back to the original ACCST V1.
5. ACCESS is a completely different new system that's appearing on new transmitters. There's also a Horus X10 hardware upgrade for ACCESS.

Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 02/02/2020 17:00:26

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Also -

1. Upgradingto ACCST V2 needs doing on TX and Rx before they will work together so once Tx is done, all Rx will need doing.
2. Upgrading appears to remove the D8 protocol.
3. Upgrading stops any compatibility with clone equipment. Cynics might suggest that this is FrSky's motivation all along.

[John Muir]

Hi Chris,

I've updated my QX7 and I still have D8. I don't think that's affected at all. Which is just as well as most of my models are on D8. The X8R receiver loses D8 capability if upgraded, but I think that's the only one that does. I actually reset my only X8R to D8 before I upgraded the transmitter and left the X8R firmware alone. I used to use it with a module before and D8 works perfectly. I'll upgrade it once I'm happy everything is working properly.

As far as I'm aware the new firmware can be hacked and will, no doubt, be pirated by the likes of Jumper to use free of charge in due course. It will just take time. Mike Blandford seemed to be on the road to reverse engineering it for his own use so he'll maybe know more.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Thanks John yes, now you mention it, that had registered with me before.

Tx keeps D8. X Series Rxs lose it.

I guess if you really needed an X8R to do D8 you could flash it back in seconds.

[Mike Blandford]

I've been doing some testing. I'm using a X8R with FCC, 172010 firmware.
On the Tx, I'm using a specially modified copy of the multi-protocol firmware, where I deliberately corrupt a specific frame with an incorrect "channel skip" value, but also change a couple of bytes near the end of the frame so the CRC doesn't change. This frame is only corrupted every 10th transmission. I've locked all channels at the centre, no mixes or channel overrides.
The green LED on the Rx shows occasional dropouts, and by looking at the SPI bus to the RF chip, I can see loss of synchronisation. So far, my captures show a duration of between 150 and 270mS. This time is very likely to be related to how I've modified the "channel skip" value, I've changed it from 15 to 11.

The point of this test is it is not really an artificial test by creating lots of interference. It is simply showing that some interference that corrupts a packet such that the "channel skip" value is wrong, but the software CRC value is correct, causes a lockout in one version of the V1, FCC firmware on the X8R (the one I'm testing with.
I may do some more testing with other versions of the X8R firmware, and other changes to the "channel skip" value, but this test is enough for me to confirm the existence of a problem.

Mike

[John Muir]

I updated my D16 receivers because I recently bought a G-RX8 and used it for the first time while it was still on the V1 firmware. While the plane was on the ground, waiting for me to get my act together, I heard, on a couple of occasions, very short servo movements or twitches. Nothing visible, just audible. When the glider was in the air, I'd come in low and opened the throttle to climb out and the motor shut down very briefly, then immediately picked up again. The other controls didn't centre so I don't think it was a failsafe. This all worried me somewhat and I was concerned that I was seeing the early signs of the problem. I've now re-flashed the transmitter and receivers but the weather isn't playing ball so haven't flown with them yet, but I can say that the firmware change has certainly done something odd to the G-RX8 telemetry and I can't get the vario to shut up now, the 'centre silent' setting isn't working. However, I'd rather have a secure control link in the meantime and hopefully get the telemetry sorted later on. I did range test a couple of X4r receivers on V2 and got to something like 90 paces in range test mode with full control, which is far as I can get in my garden, and the basic RSSI and voltage telemetry was working. Be interested to know if anybody else has updated and how they got on.

John.