Wishlist for a custom Transmitter board

Well I have 2 boards arriving, one the same as the 7e (RBT) - and the other same as ultimate 7e (RCT)
So when you say not for Devo7E µcu....Do you mean just not on a std 7e?

I already have an SSD1306 in another project and willing to pull it for testing to destruction as soon as the boards arrive

I can get hold of another SSD1306 inexpensively, locally too so not a problem if things don't work out and the 'borrowed' one becomes a sacrifice to testing



Regards
Rob

I created a mcu layout file in excel that actually puts labels on each pin of the mcu. I was doing a processor swap and pulled a couple of pads and needed to determine if I needed to solder from trace to pin to make it work. I think it is clearer than some of the other documentation on the mcu since it is visual.

The X in the upper right corner is the designator for pin 1. The image is the same as looking down on the 7e board after removing the back.

Handy thanks !

You could also add in yellow (PC12 use for DFplayer, Voice Output with U7E)
It works I use it with latest test builds.

I added the pin designation for the voice module and the Ultimate 7e

I have 2 boards ordered that /should/ work - same STM chip as the 7e (RBT6) and the other is the 256k version (RCT6)

robocog do you mind sharing a link to the boards that you purchased. I have been having trouble finding the RBT6 and RCT6 versions of the board, at least economically.

When I say "not for the 7E", I mean not for µcu's with only 128KB of flash. This will add a layer of indirection, which means more code, and last time I looked we were scraping for single bytes, I haven't checked the latest builds in a while, so we might be better off, but adding code to it really isn't an option.

Oddly enough, doing this for switches & buttons - which is easier - may actually shrink the 7E code, since all the extra code for dealing with extra switches could be taken out. It would also take the existing button/switch table out of flash and move it to RAM, but we're short on that as well.

MWM - if things are tight the other board I ordered has 256k of flash

The boards and flash I have ordered and will hopefully drop through my letter box ...eventually

RCT6 (256k) - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282308248979?_trksid=...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
RBT6 - (128k) - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172437327465?_trksid=...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Flash - SST25VF016B-75-4I-S2AF - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281365536783?_trksid=...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Regards
Rob

In my u7e I installed the 512k flash version of the CPU. However the current U7E bootloader only address 256k of it leave have of it unused, it will function and perform fine all the same as RCT6 256k. (see also the U7E topic)

@MWM

Can I test the 1306-version too?
I already have a stm32f103rct6 board, 1306 Display and 25vf016.

Thanks

If I do this, they'll be uploaded to the forums for testing. But I haven't even looked at it yet, so....

1st board arrived (the RBT6)
On the back it has an Atmel AT24 C08N 8K ( 1024 x 8 ) Two-wire Serial EEPROM

Bah!
Possibly no good then?

Regards
Rob

That EEPROM is pretty useless for deviation. I'd always figured I'd probably wind up adding storage to the low end boards. You can take that route. Check the 7E hardware writeup on the wiki to see what it uses and how it's connected.

STM32F103rct6 board arrived
flash is a winbond 25Q16dvsig

All looks very neat

Have flashed the 256 7e bootloader, got the DFU prompt on USB insertion, and have installed the driver

Going to flash it, although there is nothing plugged in at all, just a bare board.

Journey has not been easy so far...but uphill I go

Regards
Rob

It appears the 7e 256 ultimate Deviation Bootloader has gone on and is happy and the flash of deviation for 7e ultimate has worked

When I power the board with B8 and C9 shorted (button matrix for EXT) it goes into DFU mode !

However when shorting C7 B6 (ENT) it does not pick up as a USB drive - windows is showing unknown device
(could be the Winbond flash is incompatible?- or drivers?)

I could really do with a screen to be hooked up to it so I can "see" what is going on

The board has an OLED or TFT plug
pins are labelled left to right
NC A0 RST CS SCL SDI GND 3V

Still trying to find if there is a schematic or any info out there for the board
STM32F103RC
STM_32Mini V2 1503

Beyond this
wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php?title=File...6-07-02_12.24.49.jpg

I have not found much out about it
Will keep searching


Regards
Rob

Normal devo7e-256 DFUs are built for SST25VFxxxB flash chips. Winbond W25Q-series is supported in the code lately, but you will need to compile a build with different target defs (one line of code change only). If you are unable to do so by yourself I could help out.

edit: build for W25Q16 attached. No way for me to test this though...

I am unable to do it myself at this time and would dearly love to try and get this working and bringing impressive functionality to an otherwise junk TX

Is this why shorting C7 and B6 together to emulate me holding ENT whilst powering on the board is not resulting in seeing a USB drive?

As I say shorting B8/C9 to emulate holding EXT whilst powering the board on does get me into DFU mode
(so it /seems/ as if its working OK as far as I can tell without a screen)

I have had a look at what is required to build it myself and I am still not understanding it (to say a steep learning curve is a major understatement)

Is there any way a simple inexpensive OLED can be coded in as well?
SSD1306 or similar?

I would be really grateful if this could be done

Regards
Rob

I added the build in the post above.

Have downloaded and flashed the DFU...but again holding ent button (by linking C7 to B6 on powering up) does not bring up a drive
same as before, just an unknown usb device

USB\VID_0000&PID_0000\5&23991BE5&0&5

My deviated std 7e works fine on the same lead into the same port, so hopefully it rules that out
Shows up as USB mass storage device
( USB\VID_0483&PID_5720\8D7933684856 )

Regards
Rob

@robocog
I have the same boards, but no display.
rbt6 board: removed i2c-flash, soldered sst25vf016 to the right pins.
rct6 board: removed spi-flash, soldered sst 25vf016 to the right Pins (onboard flash ce is not connected to boot1)
Bootloader flashed with flashloader Demonstrator.

I was not able to flash the dfu with the Walkera Dfu Tool, after driver change (wouldn´t recognize it).
But with deviation uploader I could flash the 2 boards with zip files. In Deviation uploader I can see the filesystem.

The rbt board works in USB mode, the rct board does not.

Maybe its the connection of boot0 and boot1 (different resistors)

Whats your plan for the power switch?

Just flashing the zip now with the Java uploader....

My RBT board does not have serial (unlike the RCT) - so using a CP2102 to get the bootloader on is no go - does yours have one?

I have an STlinkV2 clone on its way - hopefully tomorrow and I can try and flash the RBT board with bootloader and try again flashing

Have emailed the seller of the RCT board and they replied - and said they have some info on the board (hoping to clear up where key1 and key2 goes to etc...
Unfortunately the attachment got stripped by eBay and it was playing up trying to let me give them my email address to send it to
I did manage to send an image with my email address on- so fingers crossed they will send me something of use rather than just an image of the board I have in front of me

Will edit this after it has done flashing......fingers crossed...

---

Edited to add using the Java uploader (complete zip file) it says complete - and has assigned it a com port and it seems no matter what I do - including erasing and re-flashing the bootloader again via the CP2102 can't get it out of DFU mode - regardless of button matrix
- like your own experience - walkera DFU now refuses to work with it as it can't see it- tried all the drivers on zdiag :/
Noticed the internal flash start address is 0x08003000 under deviation uploader
Under the STM flash utility I used with the CP2102 it was 0x080000000

and under the deviation uploader @SPI Flash:Library - it is blank

---

Edited /again/ - removed the comport assigned (66) dfu driver from device mangler - and gained back the std STM DFU driver - and have connected back using DfuSe and reflashed the provided deviation zip file a few posts above

I am at least back to being able to select DFU mode by using the button matrix at power on - and get unknown USB device if EXT is not held in on boot
(ENT does nothing as far as PC seeing a USB drive)

This behavior is the same as my std 7e - DFU mode by holding EXT on powerup does not assign a com port

- sorry I missed your earlier question ref what am I going to do about the power switch...its something I have asked on here on how to implement
The closest to a diagram I have found is www.deviationtx.com/downloads-new/catego...power-switch-circuit

Till I have a working board with a file system and screen and stuff happening fairly predictably I am not worrying about it just yet
I have no doubt there will be a few getchas from not looking too deeply into this

Regards
Rob