Still digging for a complete set of step by step instructions (that work).

[Required]

So I get a Taranis X9D + 2019 and I have FrSky receivers RX8R and R-XSR.
I read manuals, but somehow, none of the instructions work!
So off I go searching the internets for more info.

There's plenty of "here's how ya do it" videos, but none of THEM seem to work either.
I'll find a new YouTube video (which I hate, much prefer a good clear set of written instructions.)
I'll get about three steps in and either get no result or a different result than the video.
But they plow right ahead, with no "if that didn't work, check A, B and xyz".

Some blog posts I've read reference different firmware files that FrSky doesn't publish in the relevant section of the download area.
I tried using FrSky's current FW file to flash the R-XSR but the X9D says "FAILED upload" with ZERO explanation what to do.
FrSky says nothing about hooking up the receiver directly to pins in the external module bay (oh and you have to switch pins on the connector?)
And what's the difference between .frk and .frsk firmware files?

I can't bind to either of Receivers OR flash their firmware.

On the store side, you folks say "...at Aloft we offer a wonderful professionally written series of manuals...
We do our best to keep these manuals up to date with any changes with OpenTX and FrSky.
We highly recommend these manuals for everyone, new or not."

I've read on other sites that your manuals are good, but where are they?
I read blog posts with links to them but they're all broken!
"404 page not found" here at alofthobbies.

I'd have commented sooner but first I had to discover unaided that I needed a separate account
(from the store account) to log in here at "help/forums".
Show me the manuals. PLEASE.

 

[Nigel]

They're on the main page, down and to the right. Here's a link: https://alofthobbies.com/radio/tx-gear/opentx-manuals.html

 

[Konrad]

Everything you should need down load wise.

Download - FrSky - Lets you set the limits

www.frsky-rc.com

The manuals!

OpenTX Manuals

alofthobbies.com

You tube videos are often dated. Make sure you are dealing with the same family of software/hardware as you have.

A Frsky gotcha is the ISRM and RX firmware and ACCST and ACCeSS and v1.x.xx vs V2.1.xx

VIDEO: FrSky ACCESS - How to Update your Transmitter Firmware

Just bought a FrSky transmitter and it wont talk to your new Archer receiver? Here is your solution: and how to bind: We are working with FrSky to make this video outdated ASAP. We hope to offer the transmitters with the current firmware in the near future. If you are buying a transmitter...

forum.alofthobbies.com

Reading your post I think you are confusing a lot of old generation videos and post with older tech. Please keep your searches to hardware you have.

I will say it does work.

 

[Konrad]

FrSky is so powerful and flexible that there are a lot of possible parallel paths to take. So there is no linear Step by Step process that addresses all possible avenues you might want to take.

Please tell us what you have both on the hardware side and firmware/software side, OS (OpenTX version) RF protocol (ACCST, ACCeSS).

 

[HENNY]

Go to the home page STORE and click on manuals. They are all there.

As Konrad asked what is it you need to achieve.

 

[Wayne]

Also - if you get stuck, feel free to ask your questions on this forum and we should all be able to help you, good group of folks here.

 

[Required]

It seems to me that FrSky likes it this way...customers scratching their heads,
flailing around and risking damage to their purchases.

FrSky's documentation on their products is pitiful. I guess it makes business sense.
"fry all you want, we'll sell you more".
Oh, and
"Let a bunch of strangers publish YouTube videos about how to set up our products.
That saves us a lot of time and expense."

I got my FrSky radio and receiver to work, but it took me two weeks of head scratching and endless
internet searches. And purchasing a second receiver because I thought I had bricked the first one.
All because the manufacturers didn't document their product well enough.

 

[Required]

And of course, let me say "thank you" for responses here. I did find the "manuals" but none of them are for my "new improved" hardware.
And WHY should I pay someone else for documentation FrSky should be providing customers?

Yes, I did realize I'd need to find a video of someone working specifically with my model Controller and my model Receiver.
That didn't happen, my X9D SE 2019 is too new. I did eventually find enough puzzle pieces to see the picture.

 

[Konrad]

Glad you got it to work. Was there a light bulb point?
Don't know how "NEW" your TX is, as it is listed as 2019 model!
This manual does cover your X9D+ 2019, and in rather good detail!

Not sure where you are coming from in your mind set?

All OEMs provide some level of documentation, some better than others. None provide a manual that cover very possible configuration. FrSky is deficient in providing enough material to use the products as delivered. That is they don't accurately mention the need to to have the firmware numbers agree in the pamphlet. (It is mentioned on the download page). We the customer shouldn't have to have a secret decoder ring to figure out how to get the TX and RX to talk to each other. That to my mind set is the minimum, and FrSky falls short.

Now as to higher levels of programing that is up to us to learn. Like most software packages this requires a lot of trial and error, as there are multiple way to address any one problem. Luckily we with OpenTX (Not a FrSky product) have a solid way to protect save what works as we experiment with the awesome power that is the combination of FrSky and OpenTX.

To that end please do yourself a great favor and get a dead tree copy of the best manual there is for your radio.

Please note that this is a hobby product and not a simple consumer product. So with the power come a lot of work (well up front work). If one isn't willing to put in the work then there are consumer grade products out there.

I move between the consumer level product with Spektrum's menu driven architecture and OpenTX mixer driven architecture. The only place I see where the menu driven OS is easier is in the set up of the expo and dual rates. Otherwise the constraint in the menu often cause me to make too many compromises.

 

[Required]

Riiiiight....I have to PAY a Third Party for a decent manual FrSky should be providing for free. And though YOU say it applies, the title clearly indicates it's for an OLDER version.
I have to go begging in every RC forum on the internet for instructions that work. Everyone who has posted "instructions" has proven they may be able to DO it but can't TEACH it.

What is WITH FrSky??? My experience has been a long repeated session of banging my head on confusing and inadequate instructions.
I'm to the point where I avoid my still-in-construction hexcopter because I associate it (NOW) with disappointment and frustration.

I know every time I try I'll get upset so I tend to avoid it. Months later, still can't fly it. I'm feeling the burn to the tune of about 1500 USD.

I am FAR FROM being stupid. I should be the very LAST person to be confused by electronics, telemetry, remote control, radio theory OR being able to read and follow written instructions. As my career of 30 years was based on exactly that. I also WROTE maintenance procedures for Nuclear Power industry, so I KNOW the difference between good and bad instructions.

 

[Required]

Finally got two FrSky RXs into redundancy mode.
STILL can't pass a preflight,
STILL can't calibrate my ESCs or even spin the motors!
QGroundControl AND the X9D constantly yakking at me Error! Error! Error!

The Punch List is down to that.
Passing a preflight, arming and calibrating.
At least, as far as I can tell. Which isn't very far.

I hope I can complete said Punch List without actually punching someone.

Even though I get green lights on all sensors,
when I try to Arm I get messages about

"High Accelerometer Bias",
AHRS (something or other)
Bad horizontal velocity ?estimate?
Low Battery warnings (even with a fully charged 4S LiPo)

There's some menu in QGC for "calibrating" the battery? Voltage Divider?
Left to guess how that works...again.

I really should write these error messages down, but after
doing the Compass Dance while QGC chants

"Manual Flight Lost" "Manual Flight regained"
"RSSI critical", "communication lost", "communication regained"
(remember all the while, the X9D is trying to shout down QGC with its OWN string of messages),

I am fit to be tied.

It's like the damned thing is tag-teaming me.
Every time I solve one issue another one emerges.

That tells me I don't have enough information.
Information FrSky seems unwilling or unable to provide.

 

[Konrad]

Riiiiight....I have to PAY a Third Party for a decent manual FrSky should be providing for free. And though YOU say it applies, the title clearly indicates it's for an OLDER version.
I have to go begging in every RC forum on the internet for instructions that work. Everyone who has posted "instructions" has proven they may be able to DO it but can't TEACH it.

What is WITH FrSky??? My experience has been a long repeated session of banging my head on confusing and inadequate instructions.
I'm to the point where I avoid my still-in-construction hexcopter because I associate it (NOW) with disappointment and frustration.

I know every time I try I'll get upset so I tend to avoid it. Months later, still can't fly it. I'm feeling the burn to the tune of about 1500 USD.

I am FAR FROM being stupid. I should be the very LAST person to be confused by electronics, telemetry, remote control, radio theory OR being able to read and follow written instructions. As my career of 30 years was based on exactly that. I also WROTE maintenance procedures for Nuclear Power industry, so I KNOW the difference between good and bad instructions.

The instruction to maintain the FrSky radio are on FrSky's site and are there for anybody to use for free.

The title of the Lothar Thole manual clearly state that it is for the Taranis X9D+ family. Page 1 specifically mentions the X9D Plus 2019 transmitter and legacy version running OpenTX 2.3.3. Obviously you haven't read the manual.

The Hexacopter leads me to think you has jumped into the deep end without giving yourself the benefit of starting from the beginning with simple programing changes and progressing to more and more complicated programs.

I too wrote manufacturing and repair manuals, for flight turbines. And like you had to omit "sensitive" information yet still allow for the repair of the components. The Lothar manuals are very good at getting the basic information across. It is full of gotcha notes and screen shots to guide one along.

But like all new things you will have to put in some effort and give up on many of your preconceived ideas as to how you think the program is working. 90% of the time when I have an issue with FrSky it is because I had made a false assumption. When I stepped back and actually read and understood the information it works.

Now you might have some outside issues. I had a driver issue with Windows 10 and a failed SD card. It drove me nuts to get this figured out. It was so bad that I went to Aloft and asked for help (customer service). They isolated the issue to the driver and used a MAC to service the X9D+, the second time the issue with my X9E was traced to a faulty SD card. Ten minutes with a tech that knew what he was doing and the failed software and hardware where replace and I was back flying in the great blue sky.

 

[Required]

It's on the STORE side and the price is listed as $14.95 Is that correct?

 

[Required]

It's on the STORE side and the price is listed as $14.50 Its X9D+ Mine's official designation is X9DSE2019 So nice to have three or four different transmitters with nearly the same name. It still isn't free like you mentioned.

 

[Konrad]

What? I never said Lothar's manual is free.
I said the information is on FrSky's site. All the information needed to maintain the radio (TX and RX) is there and free for anyone to use.

I think it is time to look real close at yourself. You have been all over the internet and can't find help. Here you asked for a complete set of Step by Step set of instruction that work. I as a guy who is totally inept at software, can now get my FrSky Tx and Rx to talk to each other based on the information in Lothar's manual. So I can say Lothar's manual works very well!

I and others have told you that these manuals are the best you will get for a set of step by step set of instruction.

You will not find a set of step by step set of instruction that limits the information to the equipment you are using for the application you are using. You must be able to identify and isolate the issue with the hardware and/or software. This is the power of the radio, it is very flexible and gives the user a lot of options. It is this flexibility that means exact instructions can't be found. Most instructions should allow you to pull out the relevant information you need. If you can't figure that out, that is when one asks for help.

I have not seen you actually show that you can identify/isolate an issue and ask for help. All I hear is that you are frustrated with FrSky. I feel your pain with FrSky but my pain is based on the poor management of the firmware introduction. To that end, getting the firmware to talk to each other, Aloft's tech video's are great and do show step by step how to get the RX and TX to communicate (Posted earlier).

I see that you are using a stabilized RX if you follow in exact detail what is written in the stabilizer RX thread on this site you will get it to work. Please note that this is the longest thread on this site. There was a lot of firmware updates with the hardware/firmware and a lot of folks made a lot of assumptions as to how the unit works. These assumption were not supported in the instruction sheet and often where in error.

It looks like you are long over due to step back and regroup.
If looking for help as opposed to a bitch fest. Please identify the specific problem. The hardware being used and the firmware and software if applicable. And post what efforts you have tried, in detail, to alleviate the issue.

 

[Kilrah]

"High Accelerometer Bias",
AHRS (something or other)
Bad horizontal velocity ?estimate?
Low Battery warnings (even with a fully charged 4S LiPo)

Information FrSky seems unwilling or unable to provide.

All of these come from your flight controller and are unrelated to FrSky...

Seems you bit a little more than you can chew.

 

[HENNY]

All your radio is doing is reporting issues related to your flight controller. Don't shoot the messenger. Euston we have a flight controller problem.

 

[Required]

Hello, since my last post here, I have learned a lot about FrSky transmitters and receivers.
I had to dig for every scrap of relevant information, put them all on the table
and try to make sense of them.

To respond to some of you, I didn't "bite off more than I could chew".
It just took WAY longer thank I expected to get it chewed and swallowed!

I am happy to report a breakthrough! It seems that my older PixHawk flight controller's
UARTs are receiving, but cannot understand FrSky's INVERTED signal. Only FrSky does this.

I found a tutorial about "picking off" the NON inverted signal upstream of the Receiver's inverting circuitry.
A hardware hack, involving finding the correct point on the circuit board to which, solder a wire, and use THAT as the SBus signal.

I'm going to go out on a limb and state that FrSky does NOT provide this information.
Those with newer autopilots probably never needed to know.
These newer units have circuitry to transparently handle the inverted signal.

Here is a link to an Oscar Liang tutorial on the subject. https://oscarliang.com/uninverted-sbus-smart-port-frsky-receivers

 

[Kilrah]

SBUS is standard, if you need an inverter you just have an old FC that doesn't natively support SBUS.

 

[Konrad]

Glad you figured it out.

Now I'm a bit lost. You never wanted a set of step by step instruction to get FrSky's products to talk to FrSky products. What you wanted was a set of instruction to use a antiquated FC.
Had you ask the proper question you would have gotten a fast concise answer, as those here that think a flight controller is something other than eye to hand coordination all know about the inverted-UART.

Did your FC state what kind of inputs it needed?

Now I'm sure to be showing my age, but active low states were thought to be good design practice as they are less prone to noise, particularly with TTL. With all the unshielded wiring and the close proximity to a transmitter (Telemetry). A low, active state sounds like a good design practice to me.

Now as to standards, I need warn you that there are few. For example Futaba used a negitive going pulse when all others use a positive pulse in their PWM pulse train. Futaba uses a bastad channel order. Also their high and low throttle state is reversed from the norm.

If using S-Bus (a Futaba serial protocol) why not use it in the native state from the FrSky supplied S-Bus out port?

I've used a lot of S-Bus servos with FrSky RX and have had no problems. I believe FrSky adheres to theFutaba S-Bus protocols. I never had to invert an S-Bus.

Now I see Kilrah is saying that your FC does NOT support S-Bus.

So from here it looks like your issue has been with the FC, and many of your assumptions, but NOT FrSky.