Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

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tomchaps
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Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 4:51 pm

Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by tomchaps »

I've been fighting insectweight robots with my kids for YEARS now, and have had a blast. But I've somehow never actually figured out how to set up my ESC/transmitters--I just iterate every possible combination of receiver plugs and motor leads, and try every transmitter mixing I can. But it often fails, and I can never figure out why. Also, I've started using some dual ESCs, and I don't really understand how those may or may not be set up differently.

It probably doesn't help that I have three different incompatible transmitters (old Dx6i, Flysky Fs-i6, and a Turnigy 9x).

Is there a best guide to this? It is a regular headache for me, but seems trivial for most people here! Elevon on, but mix off? Why does only one wheel move in reverse a lot of the time, while forward and back are even? etc etc etc arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

Any advice greatly appreciated.

(This was provoked by fighting with my Fs-6i and two different ESCs, and Endbots DESC that has great documentation, but nothing actually works right, and a weird 3-channel Chinese ESC I was planning on using for a Breaker-Box style lifter for my daughter. I've iterated the CH1 and CH2 drive setup every way I can think of for the brandless Chinese ESC (Elevon off and on, Mixing every which way, channels reversed, brushed motor wires switched...) and am about to eat an N20 in frustration...
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Kyro
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by Kyro »

i can help here with the fs-i6.

after using them for practically my whole time in combat robotics, i have learned a few things...

here is an easy mixing guide i made
https://youtu.be/eGvwfhlsc3o

i can go into more detail regarding mixing if required, as well as anything else you may need.
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by tomchaps »

That was useful--I didn't realize you could have the Elevon settings go negative to reverse direction. I had been adding Mixing into it...
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Kyro
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by Kyro »

well the elevon mix setting allows for setup in 1 menu, if you were to do your own mixing, you would need 3 mixes set to get the same results...
plus elevon mixing is easier to setup being 1 menu and 2 settings for adjustment as opposed to 3 menu's and 9 settings...
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tomchaps
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by tomchaps »

Okay, I've built a cardboard test robot for the weird 3-channel brushed ESC I bought. I can use breadboard wires to easily swap the motor leads, and am testing with the Flysky transmitter.

With it's current setup, with no mixing or Elevon or anything on, Ch1 (right stick up/down) moves both wheels forward and backwards correctly. Ch2 (right stick left/right) makes only the left wheel rotate (in the correct direction, at least). I'm not sure why both motors are moving on forward/back--perhaps the ESC has some built-in mixing? There's no mixing currently on in the transmitter.

Turning Elevon on (+100% for both) makes forward back only move the left wheel (????) and left/right move both wheels in opposite directions.

Hmm.
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Kyro
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by Kyro »

it sounds like you have mixing built into the esc... look for a switch as some allow for mixing to be switched on or off.

2 mixes would clash
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MarkR
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by MarkR »

tomchaps wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:52 pm Okay, I've built a cardboard test robot for the weird 3-channel brushed ESC I bought. I can use breadboard wires to easily swap the motor leads, and am testing with the Flysky transmitter.
It wasn't one of mine was it? Malenki-nano?

If so, the mixing is enabled by default but you can turn it off, it's in the docs. Enable mixing only on the transmitter or esc, not both, that would be very confusing.

Mark
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tomchaps
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by tomchaps »

No, it's somewhat like thise https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000429682908.html, but slightly bigger, claiming it will run on up to 6S!

I am always jealous that there's so many more options for the 150g weightclass in the UK--yours looks ideal! Do you ship to the US, by any chance?
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Kyro
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by Kyro »

according to that posting its 10v max... i wouldn't go hooking up anything more than a 2s unless you like a smoke show...
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Re: Can someone walk me through transmitter setup?

Post by tomchaps »

I couldn't find the link to what I actually got--mine is beefier, and claims 2S-6S. (I'd only ever try 2 or 3, of course).
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