I have had a critical failure with my APM 2.5 and no longer wish to use it.
Looking at the Pixhawk. Looks neat. I need to be able to connect via PPM. I am having trouble finding the manual for the FRSKY D8R-II PLUS - 8 CHANNEL RECEIVER W/ TELEMETRY. There are 2 modes for it according to the listing. Nothing to do w the pin assignments is listed though.
Anyone able to help?
Thanks Todd
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Thanks for all your help gentlemen, Hope to c some of you out spinnin props! Anyone on Vancouver Island?
I received my 2014 Y6 with the Pixhawk today - yipee! I had waited since my November order for the Iris and when the new Y6 was announced, I jumped ship. Anyway, I can report that the D8R-II plus flashed with the XP firmware does appear to work fine (when jumpered across signals 3&4). It doesn't experience any response problems that @ItCanOnlyBeJared mentioned, but that's just from ground test observations. When I did flash it a couple of months ago (in preparation for the Iris), it did take a few plug/unplug cycles to get it to upload.
3DR did forget to include my extra battery and 3 screws/nuts, but with temps ranging from -26 to 10F over the next week with blizzard conditions here in Northern Wisconsin, I won't be putting it in the air anytime soon. I'm debating whether to try it out in a large garage. Concrete isn't very forgiving.
You need the receiver to output CPPM (aka PPM sum). It doesn't do it natively, but I used this guide to flash a new firmware that outputs CPPM on my D8R-II plus. Keep in mind that you're putting the -XP firmware on your -II plus.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1866014#post24625982
After the update, placing a jumper on signal pins 3 & 4 will cause it to output CPPM on CH1.
More info here:
http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/frsky-s-cppm-at-27msec-firmware...
I have yet to test the CPPM output - my Pixhawk should arrive later this week. With the jumper off, it essentially works as before.
Indeed, I used this firmware flashing method for my D8R-II Plus. Works great. Although with my PX4, it has a delay in both manual mode and in stabilize mode. Manual is still responsive enough to fly, but it's even slower in stabilize mode. I have not had the chance to use an APM board so I'm not sure how normal this is.
Is it necessary to have a Gnd connection at the serial inputs? I was assuming that to power via the FTDI: GND and +5V to the output pin section of the D8RII Plus that "earthing had been addressed and only hooked up the Tx and Rx respectively to the RxD and TxD port. Two Gnd connections needed? This is probably why I have produced zero results to date.
Nobody has yet mentioned that without the jumper, it behaves as before. This is good news, as it is, I have had no luck flashing the D8RiiPlus with anything as I tried to use the FTDI with the inverted Tx and Rx as outlined. and still no writing of code going on. I starte with the standard upgrade of FrSky hex code for it and then I was going to try to run the XP FW to get CPPM with the updated 27ms version to have one wire feeding the inputs of the APM2.5 and I guess I will try the FUC 1 cable for the task. Better order one right away :-) Good luck with it guys. Spring is right round the corner though you would hardly know it,... still -20C overnight!
Nobody has any info on this, me sad.....