Help connecting Taranis to Companion v2 on Mac

[strips]

Hi,

Is there an howto for Mac dummies somewhere? I just got my first Mac and am a bit lost trying to connect my Taranis to OpenTx Companion. I consider myself very proficient in Linux and Windows. I have used Companion on Windows up till now.

Just installed OpenTx Companion 2.0.8 and have 2.0.1 on the TX.
Have installed the DFU util and it works in terminal /opt/local/bin/dfu-util. Companion points to it.

Trying the following gives me "No Radio was found"
- Read Models and Setting from Radio
- Backup Radio to File
- Read Firmware from Radio

I have entered Bootloader mode as the message states. Holding trims together.

Regards
Stian

[MikeB]

You may need to be (very) patient. Start the radio in bootloader mode (trims together), then plug in the USB cable, then wait (and wait and wait...). The MAC seems to like to write all sorts of indexing data to the disc before it tells you there is a disc there! As the USB connection is only full speed (not high speed) the disc is quite slow, so all this writing takes a long time. You may need to wait several minutes before the two disc drives appear.
With the bootloader, you don't need to use DFU util.

The bootloader, as I wrote it, includes an option to toggle the SD card OFF, for use on the MAC, for those situations where you only need to access the firmware or the EEPROM. I'm not sure this is in the bootloader supplied with openTx. If it is, then switching SH on toggles the SD card availability. When disabled, there should be a flashing message on the second line indicating the SD card is off.

Mike.

[strips]

Thanks. I'll try being patient tomorrow

[strips]

Nothing at all happens on the Mac.

I hold the trims together and get this screen


Conmect USB and wait 15 minutes without anything happening. No disk. Nothing in system.log or dmesg (not sure if the log behaves as in Linux).

Tried two USB cables.

[dinamich]

Does the Tranis detect USB connection? The display should change.

[strips]

Does the Tranis detect USB connection? The display should change.

No. Nothing happens. I have to find a Windows machine to verify. And maybe a third cable.

[MikeB]

I assume you used DFU-util/Zadig to install the firmware. If so, this would suggest the USB is working.
I have ersky9x running on the Taranis, and the bootloader may be slightly different. You could, as a test, try flashing this and seeing if the bootloader works on the MAC. You can find it here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4582#p64580.
Download the file: x9d_rom.zip, then use DFU/Zadig to flash the file: x9d_rom.bin for ersky9x, or the file openTx.bin which is r2940 of openTx with the same bootloader.

Mike.

[andrewfl290]

Is Companion 2.0.8 compatible with the Mac? I am using 2.0.1 without any problem or delay recognising the Taranis. Looking at available downloads on Open TX it seems as though the latest Companion for the Mac is 2.0.2.

[Kilrah]

http://www.open-tx.org/2014/07/24/companion-2.0.8/

[WZ9V]

I've used all Companions from 2.0.2 on up on my Mac. Install the DFU utility fire up Companion and make sure it is set for Taranis and the path to the DFU until is correct. Plug in the TX with it turned off and the Companion will see the TX. The TX does not show up as drive on the desktop or in the finder, for that I have to pop the SD card and insert it directly into the Mac, as best I can tell the Taranis does not act like a USB drive on the Mac.

[strips]

I've used all Companions from 2.0.2 on up on my Mac. Install the DFU utility fire up Companion and make sure it is set for Taranis and the path to the DFU until is correct. Plug in the TX with it turned off and the Companion will see the TX. The TX does not show up as drive on the desktop or in the finder, for that I have to pop the SD card and insert it directly into the Mac, as best I can tell the Taranis does not act like a USB drive on the Mac.

Thanks. Will do more testing when time permits. Family life has not enabled me testing any more the last days.

[strips]

I just did a

Code: Select all

# system_profiler SPUSBDataType

and I get absolutely no new USB devices when connecting the USB cable when Taranis is off, started in bootloader mode or started normally.

I'm setting up virtual box now to test with windows. But not sure if that will help. If it doesn't I will try a old windows computer I have somewhere.

[strips]

I don't like it a bit!

I just tested on an old windows xp laptop i found in a drawer.

Tested connecting usb when off, in bootloader and after started fully. No known or unknown device in Device manager. Just like nothing is connected. Tested another cable too.

I tested the cable with a camera and it works.

Have a feeling the Taranis USB port is not working. Having done a few mods since I connected last time.

Is there a workaround? Can I flash fw and read write models only through SD card directly on computer?

[Kilrah]

Sounds like damaged USB port indeed. You might want to check the solder joints between the back PCB and the little carrier PCB the USB plug is on.

If you have already upgraded to 2.0 then yes everything can be done on the radio itself without the USB port (providing you take the card out and put it in a reader of course).

[strips]

I found the culprit. The cable to the transmitter inside the Taranis was loose.