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PB3 and 4 should be there as well.

Mike.

Mike would if be possible to find a free I/O pin on skyboard/ ar9x/PRO, configure it as output and control it by a logical switch? Or if there are no free pins, use that arduino you already have working over I2C?
Thanks..

João

SKY board, we should be able to use pins on the co-processor.
AR9X depends, I think, on what you might already be using like PB14/DAC1, AD8, AD10, encoder inputs.
PRO, we may have 1 pin available.

All three could, however, use a 23008 to provide 8 I/O signals over I2C, and the firmware would then be the same for them all.

What for?

Mike.

well, I was thinking on switching the power to the internal module at least. The external we can always remove (even if I don't like keep inserting and removing modules). With a logical switch I could have the module turn on when certain model is loaded but not others. I don't think ersky9x for the skyboard has support for turning module ON and OFF in protocol? Only the 9Xtreme? Why should we have both modules On when we need only one? Also the skyboard based radios all have 3 com ports, so no rain dance (Flaps 30 loved this expression) needed with the telemetry.
Thanks
João

MikeB wrote: All three could, however, use a 23008 to provide 8 I/O signals over I2C, and the firmware would then be the same for them all.
Mike.

that sounds like a better approach. keep the FW version to a minimum.

Of course Kaos, just until you need a couple analog inputs Then you will say the the arduino was a better approach because the IC has none Remember that joystick project of yours? It could need some more analog inputs, right?
As far as I'm concerned, at the moment, I have all the analog inputs I need, so either approach is good;) The IC has 8 digital pins. The arduino has, I think, 13 digital pins and 7 analog. Well 5, because analog pins 4 and 5 are used for I2C. You still have a serial port also.. Size? a little bit bigger than the IC.
The arduino is cheaper and more widely available than the IC.
The only disadvantage here is the amount of work needed to write the code for the arduino.

João

Joao
I have a couple of these PCBs left over from the Pro design...I never built them up as we went with a RTC chip.
It is the co-processor from the SKY design ...it can be used as a RTC / Analog / Switch input..it is 25mm x 25mm

Want one to play with?
I will install the SMT parts for you.

Woo....... if this thing can provide 4 extra analog and 4 digital input and the smd parts already placed, I don't mind to have one to play with on my coming AR9X board.
that looks like a good solution for additional inputs.

The really nice thing about that is it is 100% firmware compatible with the original SKY board, even down to being able to update the firmware on it using "maintenance mode". As an upgrade to the AR9X board it would be really good!

Mike.

I don't know what is the cost of making that. But if it is just a few dollars, I would think that is the way to go, instead of every one has their own need for x number of digital/analog input and different version of FW to maintain. and adding one more two more input when user needs to is much easier too. Each time the FW is changed there are minor conflicts expected in the beginning, though you have done an excellent job to sort them out quickly, but I think that is a waste of your time to do more important/useful thing. If the cost is not an issue, I think we should move toward this direction.
Exactly how many digital and analog input can be added by this little thing?

SkyNorth wrote:Joao
I have a couple of these PCBs left over from the Pro design...I never built them up as we went with a RTC chip.
It is the co-processor from the SKY design ...it can be used as a RTC / Analog / Switch input..it is 25mm x 25mm

Want one to play with?
I will install the SMT parts for you.

You bet I do, Thanks Brent.. Please PM me for details, price, etc.. I'm very happy to test one of those..

Thank you

João

Brent: You have a couple of signals labelled PB2-RXD3 and PB3-TXD3. Do these connect to anything other than pins on the two connectors?

Mike.

kaos wrote:Exactly how many digital and analog input can be added by this little thing?

There are a total of 11 available signals. 9 of these could be analog inputs.

Two of these signals could be a serial interface (logic level).

Mike.

The extra signals were added to make the board house think that it was part of the main circuit.
They wont make protos with more than one design on them...The design was tacked onto the RF PCB in the Pro.
I then cut the circuit out of the board.....

I will build up the boards for Joao and Kaos , Mike? to try .. you guys cover the postage.

Brent

Done. Please let me know how much and thanks..

João

MikeB wrote:
Two of these signals could be a serial interface (logic level).

Mike.

This could solve the lack of the 3rd serial on the 9Xtreme. Shame that the other (2nd) isn't also a RS232..
Question, this connects via i2c right??
João

11 port, 9 analog, 2 serial, you are kidding me. What the heck Brent hiding this under his pillow all this time for!
Looks like my joy sticks’ 10 buttons and two pots for pan and tilt are all accounted for now.
Brent, I will be more than glad to cover the postsge, just send me your paypal account.

Yes , it uses I2C to interface, 3.3V supply. The RTC needs a backup battery to keep time..
or you could get 2 more I/O but not fitting the 32Khz crystal
This was how the Skyboard did the RTC ...

I bought a bunch of RTC boards (enough for the rest of my life I guess, long story ), so I guess I would use the extra pins instead

João

Yes, if you have one spare for me please. Of course I'll cover postage.
Using a separate RTC, and NOT using the RTC on this board will need some firmware changes to both the code on this add on board and to ersky9x.

Mike.

I think in my case I would prefer to use the RTC chip for the clock and the extra inputs on Brent's board, if possible of course..

João

Jhsa: Can you remember all those buttons are for with so many buttons you arleady have? I surely can't.
I also have a RTC over the pacific now, may be i will just pull the back up battery out of it.

I don't have to remember.. The radio tells me

João

you still have to push it 1st before it tells you what that is.
I guess you could put another button above that button, when you push it, it will tell you what the button below it will do.
no wonder you need so many buttons.
hmm........I think we could replace all the on/off switch to 3 position switch: 1st position idle, 2nd position tells you what the switch for, 3rd position actually do the job. Especially with the way my memory is going.

Kaos: We have "Model Notes" available. You call them up from the main screen popup (last item).
You create a .txt file and put it on the SD card in the \TEXT directory. the filename should be the same as the model name.
So, if you have a model called "Easystar", you need a file \TEXT\Easystar.txt on the SD card.
You may have up to 21 characters on a line, and up to 16 lines that can be displayed.

Mike.

Yep, forgot about that one Now we just need to be able to create the notes on the radio itself
That is the only reason I haven't been using it much. Most of the time I can't be bothered as I'm not near a PC, and when I am, I already forgot it for example

João

Mike: you have a lot of hidden secrets there. thx for letting me know.
That is very good. It will be with Tx all the time. No need to bring a notepad with you.
this time I come back to RC picking up my Tx, when I turned it on, can't remember what the heck why I program those mixes for. When I was doing it 1+ yr ago, I thought I got every model down in my head like reflex, never bothered to make notes.
Can you call it up from the Tx screen? or still need a PC to read it?

jhsa: that is why you need to swap all the switches to 3 position switch.

See first line above! On the main screen, press and hold MENU to get the popup menu, "Model Notes" is the bottom item in the popup.
If you are on the telemetry screen, and press MENU for a short time you get a telemetry related popup.

Mike.

I guess next thing Mike is going to do is to make new note/ modify note right on the Tx.

That's not quick and easy to do.

Mike.