Update 10/22/2012 - For those few who may be interested, I'm now using this software on my personal quad with ACM 2.7.3 and 2.8. This software now compiles with Arduino 1.0.1 and works with Mavlink 1.0 or 0.9. The wiring and hardware requirements has not changed. You can download the software from my personal website at this link.
Original Post:
Since I purchased my Arducopter last November, I've wanted to use my NTSC video camera, Remzibi OSD, and 1.280 Ghz video transmitter with my quad and experimented with different ways to do it. It was easier with Arucopter NG RC2 since Mavlink was not in use and I could generate my own serial stream to the OSD. With the release of Arducopter 2.0.x and Mavlink it was a little harder. I really wanted to have Mavlink up and running to my Ardustation tilt/pan antenna and notebook while using the on board OSD.
My solution was to add an Arduino Pro mini to my quad configuration and modify some Mavlink Ardustation software from phillip.anthony.smith to create the serial stream that the Remzibi OSD likes. The details of this mod and link to the my Mavlink to Remzi converter software is available here:
Comments
Yes the Arduino Pro Mini is flying on my quad decoding the Mavlink and converting it to Remzibi style serial commands for OSD symbology. The feed was one way though - the uplink to the APM is coming from my XBEE and the downlink is tee'd off to the Arduino Pro Mini and Xbee. You can feed the APM Mavlink only if it is the only source. If you still had telemetry to the ground and back, you would need to process the ground stuff in the Arduino and provide a combined Mavlink feed to the APM for manual commands.
Heino
Hi Bryan,
The Remzibi OSD's require a version of their firmware that supports sending arbitrary characters to the OSD display. The converter software I wrote takes Mavlink data coming from the APM, and sends it to the OSD as if it is coming from a GPS (using NMEA messages). I added the additional command to send my callsign as arbitrary characters in the bottom left corner.
Heino
Yes it will work with Ardupilot also. I just haven't tested it lately - but there have been users of it.
73's
Thanks Monroe
You can use the 8mhz 3.3 Volt Arduino Pro mini if you add a voltage divider to the cabling. The APM puts out a 5 volt serial transmit signal and the Arduino Pro mini can tolerate a max of 3.3 volts. Therefore using a 4.7k and 10k resistor will do the trick:
APM Serial TX -> 4.7K -> 10K -> GND
You would wire the Arduino Pro mini serial input at the connection between the 4.7K and 10K resistors. The Remzibi OSD should read the Arduino Pro mini's output at 3.3 volts correctly without anything special.
I've updated my blog to reflect my new understanding of the use of port 1 on the APM when USB is not plugged in. I still think processing Mavlink to update an OSD is better than modifying ACM/APM code to output a second serial stream of OSD data on top of the Mavlink output. However it is indeed possible to use port 1 for an OSD while using port 3 for Mavlink.
Fly now or wait for a really opensource solution easily hackable and modifiable... to be or not be :)
I have 2 Remzibi OSDs lying around from my Easystar work and the pro mini was a quick and dirty way to do it since the Remzibi firmware's source is not available. I wanted a clean serial interface to the Remzibi - since I didn't know all the details of how the processor parses the serial interface.
I didn't know about the arducam-osd project, but it sounds awesome and I'll likely buy one since I can mess with the Maxim OSD character generator directly. However, Remzibi and Happy Killmore put together a nice setup with the Windows setup software. If you already have a Remzibi its a small delta to add the pro mini. But the arducam-osd will be more compact. Thanks.
I would like to add an OSD to my arducopter, but I'm not sure what is the best option:
1) Go with remzibi hardware and implement what it is explained in this post
2) Wait for Sandro/Jani project arducamosd
http://code.google.com/p/arducam-osd/wiki/arducam_official_board
I suppose that main difference is one is working now and the other is a future product..... but also I would like to listen to Chris for an official update on OSD roadmap inside diydrones.
In any case, great Job Heino!
I have updated Heino's OSDMAVLINK code to support Fixed Wing (APM). The major change is displaying AIRSPEED in the speed ladder, and ground speed below it. Pitch and roll values are also displayed.
http://code.google.com/p/ardustation-ii/downloads/detail?name=osdma...
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