UART related questions

[norwenkel]

Dear all,
maybe my brain is blogged today or I´m to old:That is the setup

F3FC on V3 and MiniTri
sbus receiver (UART1)
smartport (UART2 TX)
GPS (UART3)
HMC 5883l on I2C (working quite well)
triflight 0.5 or iNAV 1.2 (depending if it´s the V3 with F3FC or the MiniTri)

The question:
is it possible or how to add an additional OSD (Mini Minim) to the setup (smartport is used to get the OSD data)?

If I´m using the GPS it is easy to use UART3 for the OSD. From what I have read, Softserial is not available.
Any thoughts are welcome

Happy flying

Norbert

[Marlon]

Hi @Norwinkel,

This is a question within a question. You want another GPS? Or additional to what you already have? If not I think I’m having the kind of issues that you have. I had my MininOSD Micro on UART1 but… you have to disconnect the OSD in order for Cleanfight to communicate. If you remember I’m the GPS on a Tricopter guy hehehe. On UART1 I could get the Horizon and elevation ladder to work on the OSD. But no GPS or battery info (telemetry) was displayed. No matter how I configured the OSD thru MWOSD software. Now I have my OSD on UART2 but again NO telemetry feedback or arming. OSD stays DISARMED whether ARMED or DISARMED.

Another thing… this is an idea from the past but after your question I’m thinking on replacing the SONAR “project” with a bottom camera. And a second GPS would be nice here… Or better yet, are able to use 2 cameras on a GPS? That’s it I’m ordering a second camera and a FPV switcher I already have a blank frame. Crashing is not an option for this experiment and folding capabilities are also lost. I never fold my Tricopter so… MEH.

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   FPV-Hole.jpg
   

[norwenkel]

Hi @Marlon,

Telemetry is drone by smartport, and everything including GPS, voltage and current is already shown on the Taranis screen. The point is now to get it on the OSD. Therefore an additional way the connect the OSD via serial port is needed.
One way, as far as I know would be to exchange the sbus RX with a ppm smartport RX. Not really sure if a frsky firmware upgrade for the x4rsb (providing cppm for the RX) for the RX could be a solution.
To stick with the existing combination the question to be answered is still how to connect the OSD? Other flight controller or e.g. could handle softserial with Clean- or betaflight.
By the way your project sounds quite interesting and ambitious. Good luck and keep in contact.

Norbert

[Marlon]

Thanks Norbet,

The 8J doesn’t support Telemetry MEH, but I like to have all that info on my FPV goggle. I’m using the Delta 8 PPM on PWM6.

So if I understand, only enable smartport on the UART line that the OSD is on?

The picture below was not intended for this discussion sorry.

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   OSD-micro.jpg
   

[norwenkel]

To use smartport you need to have serial TX (UART) of the f3fc connected to the smart port of the receiver. Take a look at davids f3fc setup video. Sure a receiver with smart- or s.port telemetrie is necessary :).

[neoxio]

Well i have the same problem i got OSD connected to UART1, GPS UART2, Compass I2C, Blackbox UART3 and missing one more UART TX for radio telemetry but im using D4R-II over PPM 🙂

[norwenkel]

Hey @neoxio, wellcome on Board. By the way, have you connected the OSD inputs directly to get VBAT, curr etc. informations. Just asking because s.port telemetry has no UART tx in your setup yet.

[neoxio]

Hey norwenkel 🙂 No i didant all the informations about battery, current ect are comming over MSP UART1 in my case from the F3FC to OSD, u can setup this all over MWGUI, and the RSSI is comming over a custom channel created on mine Taranis – channel 8. So bassicly u dont need any extra wiring apart from TX,RX, Video IN OUT, +5V and GND.

[norwenkel]

Sure that’s one way to do @neoxio. It just came to my mind that it should be possible to use the TX RX direcly at the USB connector of the f3fc Board and use this Connection when USB is not connected. That would be in theory a possible MSP Connection for the OSD without blocking a UART. Or is UART 1 blocking that. What do you think?

[neoxio]

Yes! thats indeed an good idea but do we know if it can fully act as normal UART MSP. Then again if u connect 2 different sources to one UART and both are powered thinks can go wrong 😛 u would allways to remember to disconnect from power source one of the devices u trying to send data to the STM32.

[norwenkel]

Using a mini usb plug wired to the OSD and detach and attach it before starting the Tri could help. The question is, if this solution does not blog any other UART 1 to 3 functionality.

[neoxio]

Im mine opinion not becouse they are seperated UART channnels. I try it today leater and u let know 🙂 That could be a solution.

[norwenkel]

I just got a “no quad or Tri work today” motto for today from my wife. There no chance for me to test. But I’m definitely sure that this could be a way to go.

[neoxio]

hehe 🙂 i understand. I will let u know if it works or mine F3FC did got toasted 😛

[Marlon]

Hi @neoxio,

You DID it you just help me figure out what I did wrong! When trying to get the Vbat and GPS data to show up in my FPV goggles… In order for the OSD to work it has to be powered, meaning my battery was connected. Now I remember when I saved the UART1 settings in Cleanflight… PUF smoke. So the conclusion is… always to remember to disconnect from power source of the devices u trying to send data to the STM32. If only I knew this before hehehe. Thanks @neoxio and another thing Norbert the MinimOSD Micro has a •+5V 500mA regulator for up to +12V supply input ( this info is from where I got mine http://www.readytoflyquads.com/micro-minimosd ). So in a 3SLipo configuration you could power it up directly. This way you do not exceed the UART’s 200/500mA limitations. You can’t use a 5V poulu cause they have a 500mA max draw, and the MinimOSD draws 500mA. so you’ll be maxing out the poulu. And you’ll find the OSD not powering up most of the time. Not to forget the poulu could fry in the air, leaving you at the mercy of our beloved GPS RTH hehehe (GPS Tricopter joke).

With this being said I’m going to hook mine on the RAW output, cause I had mine on the UART1 +/-.
Remember I have 3 of there so let do a test, and I’ll post back my results. But now let me watch a few movies first, it’s lazy Saturday!!!!

Norbert what you think of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10Pcs-Set-12x12x9mm-Latching-Tactile-Push-Button-Switch-Tact-SMD-PCB-2-pin-DIP-/401032093183?hash=item5d5f601dff:g:BCUAAOSw7FRWVSbm

Just push a button when you need connect to Cleanflight, you can neatly glue one of these on the frame after soldering. Just remember to isolate connections from frame contact.

And the I’m using the same 4 connections illustrated below connected to my Arduino Nano, to upload the firmware and MWOSD settings on the MiniOSD Micro.

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   Minim-OSD.png
   

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