Help! Can't work anything out!

Help with any software/desktop related issues. e.g. companion9x, eePe, etc
Post Reply
JNSD
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:18 am
Country: -

Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by JNSD »

Hi guys, well it feels like I've spent about two weeks trying to learn how to update my Turnigy 9x V2 (ATMEGA128) transmitter to OpenTX and I just can not do it. :oops:

This is the video that I followed: Turnigy 9x Firmware upgrade the easy way

I started with purchasing a USBtiny44 from eBay wired it up and nothing happened. The red light comes on but the fundamental issue was that I could not see it in my ports (in Arduino software) so I assumed that it was a good old Mac OSX issue (Catalina 10.15.4 on Macbook pro 16" 2019).

After scouring the web and trying everything I could, I gave up and went a purchased an Arduino UNO r3 and an ISP Programmer from Jaycar here in Melbourne, Australia.

Well when I inserted the ISP Programmer into the USB port it didn't recognise it either, then when I plugged in the UNO r3 with a cable I could see it in the ports! (One VERY small win for me thus far).

So then I decided to see if I could do the OpenTX update with the UNO r3 - but again, I can't even read the Transmitters software.

Being a TOTAL Newb (to programming stuff, not RC... 30 years of RC!) I just have given up and need some basic help to see if I'm a total idiot or not.

So first things first if you can help:

#1 - When you purchase a USBtiny44 like I did, should it be plug and play e.g. does it need any software put onto it first before it can be used to program the Turnigy 9x, or is it just solder to the transmitter like in the video, plug into computer through USB and update software?
#2 - The ISP Programmer I got from Jaycar, does that require software to be put on it as well? Or should that just be plug and play as well?
#3 - What is a bootloader and is that what is on both the USBtiny44 and the ISP Programmer?
#4 - Considering so far that only thing my computer seems to be able to see is the Arduino UNO r3, can I use it to update the software? If yes, do I upload the Ardunio ISP sketch to it first, (File/Examples/ArduinoISP/ArduinoISP) then I use it as the ISP Programmer?
#5 - If I can not read the Firmware from the radio in OpenTX, I assume that means that something is totally wrong and I can not upload the OpenTX software?

Any help would be SO appreciated from anyone!
Attachments
Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 6.01.53 pm.png
Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 5.55.13 pm.png
Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 5.27.17 pm.png
ATMEGA128A-Chip.jpg
IMG_2468-2.jpg
IMG_2502.jpg

User avatar
Kilrah
Posts: 11108
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:56 pm
Country: Switzerland

Re: Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by Kilrah »

The programmers typically do not appear as virtual serial ports. They're just found automatically by their USB ID, you don't need to specify anything.
JNSD
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:18 am
Country: -

Re: Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by JNSD »

Thanks for the response! But still there are clearly issues as I can not read the firmware from the TX or upload new software. Any thoughts on the other issues?
User avatar
Kilrah
Posts: 11108
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:56 pm
Country: Switzerland

Re: Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by Kilrah »

Maybe show the error you get when you try to do so.
Are you providing power to the radio? It typically won't get enough through the programmer, a battery should be installed and power on.
JNSD
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:18 am
Country: -

Re: Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by JNSD »

Kilrah wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:01 am Maybe show the error you get when you try to do so.
Are you providing power to the radio? It typically won't get enough through the programmer, a battery should be installed and power on.
I've tried both, it's the same result, nothing!

As for error messages, sadly I don't get ANY messages as when in OpenTX companion trying to "Read firmware from radio" or "Write firmware to radio" the box comes up but nothing happens. Screenshots attached.

Does it make any difference connecting the Transmitter to the Arduino ICSP pins at the back or to the side connections (11, 12, 13, GND, Reset, 5V)?

I guess if anyone can help with the original questions that would be amazing:

#1 - When you purchase a USBtiny44 as I did, should it be plug and play e.g. does it need any software put onto it first before it can be used to program the Turnigy 9x, or is it just solder to the transmitter like in the video, plug into the computer through USB and update software?
#2 - The ISP Programmer I got from Jaycar, does that require software to be put on it as well? Or should that just be plug and play as well?
#3 - What is a bootloader and is that what is on both the USBtiny44 and the ISP Programmer?
#4 - Considering so far that only thing my computer seems to be able to see is the Arduino UNO r3, can I use it to update the software? If yes, do I upload the Arduino ISP sketch to it first, (File/Examples/ArduinoISP/ArduinoISP) then I use it as the ISP Programmer?
#5 - If I can not read the Firmware from the radio in OpenTX, I assume that means that something is totally wrong and I can not upload the OpenTX software?

User avatar
Kilrah
Posts: 11108
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:56 pm
Country: Switzerland

Re: Help! Can't work anything out!

Post by Kilrah »

Companion should have a "show details" checkbox to get the output from. No screenshots are attached..

No driver or software should be needed for the programmers on mac I believe, and they should be working out of the box.

The output from companion would allow to see if the system sees the programmer or not.

Post Reply

Return to “Software”