Ethos 1.3.0 Upgrade

[ernie.buenafe]

This was third upgrade of the ETHOS operating system on the X20. The first upgrade was done immediately after I received the transmitter last October. The second upgrade (3-4 months ago) was to take advantage of the first minor Ethos revision in the firmware. Prior to this 3rd upgrade, the X20 was at version 1.1.1.

---ETHOS Upgrading Made Easy---

1.3.0 is the latest version of Ethos. And, in terms of the upgrade process itself, things have changed. For the better I might add.

In version 1.2.11, a new tool was added called "Ethos Suite." Of course I wasn't aware of it, then, because It's only now that I've decided to do an upgrade.

Ethos Suite is a Windows application, but there is Mac version, too. Although I use a Macbook Pro, when doing anything with Ethos, I reboot into Windows 10. Prior to the introduction of Ethos Suite, all my Ethos upgrades were done manually. It wasn't hard. It required downloading three zip files from GitHub and copying them to the appropriate drives on the X20. Ethos Suite obsoletes all that.

Ethos Suite requires the bootloader on the X20 to be of version 1.2.10 or later. Mine wasn't. Fortunately, Ethos Suite can be used to upgrade the bootloader. 

---Upgrading The Bootloader And Upgrading Ethos---

1) Start the Ethos Suite application tool. With the transmitter off, connect to the computer with the supplied USB-C cable. If Ethos Suite can read the radio successfully, a DFU Flasher option will appear.

2) From the GitHub website, download the zip file for bootloader version 1.2.10. Point Ethos Suite to the extracted file. Click to flash the bootloader to radio. When flashing completes, disconnect radio from computer.

3) Put the radio into bootloader mode (hold down "Enter" button while pressing power button). Upper righthand corner of display should show "Version 1.2.10". The Ethos version on the radio can now be upgraded.

4) With the radio still in bootloader mode, reconnect to computer. The Ethos Suite app will display various attributes of the radio, e.g., Firmware Version, Bootloader Version, SD Card size, and Flash Drive size. For my X20, both firmware and bootloader versions were identified as "Out of date." The button to "UPDATE OUTDATED COMPONENTS" was shown. I clicked it. It took 2-3 minutes, but that was it. I've attached a screenshot of Ethos Suite after updating was completed.

5) I disconnected the radio, took it out of bootloader mode, and turned it back on. I checked the programming for one of my models to make sure it still worked. Everything was fine.

This is as easy as it gets. The next time there'll be no need to update the bootloader. I'll just do steps 3 & 4. Voila!

---Notes On Model Images---

 

The directory for model images has changed. It is no longer in "<SD Card Drive>:/bitmaps/user." It's moved to "<SD Card Drive>:/bitmaps/models." Actually, this folder needs to be created. The format of the image file also changed to type 'bmp'. Filenames must now be all in lowercase. Ethos Suite provides a tool to help in the creation of images files for Ethos. Image size is 800x480, 480x320, or has a max width of 800 and max height of 480. The tool works fine, I used it, nothing fancy, though.

[Dave Sieger]

Nice report Efrin!  I got mine done yesterday!  

I'm also using 2 Rxs in the Ultima, one 900mhz (weighs 4 g) and one 2.4mhz.  they compare the 2 signals and execute the best one!

Another happy x20 pilot!

Dave 

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[Dave Sieger]

Oops, sorry, I mean Ernie!!!!!!

[ernie.buenafe]

Dave, glad the update worked for you.

Two receivers, huh? You’ll have to show me that. There’s also the TD-R10 receiver. It simultaneously works on both 900mhz and 2.4ghz frequencies. It’s aTandem receiver.

Good luck,

Ernie 

[Dave Sieger]

I have a tandem Rx also and will deploy it in my next glider.  My current setup is a G-Rx8 (2.4) primary and a R9 mini (900) as the second Rx  It takes a primary Rx with sbuss in and secondary with sbus out.  Upgrade if needed and bind each Rx to the Tx.  The R9 is tiny and has no standard servo pigtails so I soldered one for sbus and one for upgrading the code to the R9.  when you plug in the R9 sbus out cable into the G-Rx8 sbus in, they shake hands and establish communications.  The intelligence is built into each Rx to compare incoming signals and send the best signal to the appropriate servo plugged into the primary Rx.  Super simple and works great!  I have both sets of antenna inside the Ultima 2 nose cone since it is kevlar and doesn't impact the Tx/Rx communications.  Below find links to the Rx and a photo of the R9 mini after I soldered a sbus cable and encased it in Kapton.

https://www.frsky-rc.com/product/g-rx8/

https://www.frsky-rc.com/product/r9-mini-ota/

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[Dave Sieger]

One more link for your Rx redundancy enjoyment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubc5f5gOV3s

On Sun, Aug 28, 2022 at 9:05 AM ernie.buenafe <ernie....@gmail.com> wrote:

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[ernie.buenafe]

Thanks for the info, Dave. That helps.

[Richard Shagam]

The discussion, as well as some observations at the BAM, has got me pondering dual freq redundant systems.  In researching this on YouTube, I did discover some really interesting stuff that the drone folks are doing, including up to 100km range--not that we need that for flying our toys.  

One of my conclusions is that, despite the controversy over the FAA mandate for Remote ID, and the apparent industry foot-dragging and pilot resistance in incorporating the magic module, RID may be currently more do-able than what has been thought--not that I'm looking forward to it.  (Besides, we as a club are planning on going the 'FRIA' route at the Balloon Park). 

I ended up ordering a FrSky 900MHz TX module (R9) and RX (R9-mm) which are supposed to be ACSST- compatible with my RadioMaster TX16S. I plan to test this all out before I stuff it into an actual glider (I ordered this from Banggood, so buyer beware!).   I'll let you know how that all works out.  

Regards, Richard 

Richard Shagam
Albuquerque, NM

RNSh...@rhizotech.net 

Check out local weather conditions at my residence at:
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/nm/albuquerque/KNMALBUQ4

and astrophotos from my driveway at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ikg6pMLQpeH44gxc8

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[Jan Ciesko]

I fly Crossfire on my quad. Following discussions on the internet, it seems that the 915MHz band (868 in EU) is not the ideal path forward. The band is too narrow. Due to the narrow band in the frequency range, hopping through the spread in the spread spectrum results in collisions between multiple radios. Some YouTubers report micro-failsafes from as little as >=4 pilots when flying concurrently.

Looking at where ExpressLRS [1] is heading and also seeing products such as the IRC’s Ghost or TBS’ Tracer, that next-gen LORA (long-range) control links are heading back to 2.4GHz. TBS claims up to 25km @ 100mW with the Tracer [2]. The novum here is the variable frame rate / latency. Spektrum and alikes are ages behind.

[1] https://www.expresslrs.org/2.0/

[2] https://www.team-blacksheep.com/tracer/

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[Richard Shagam]

Yes, I did gather that ExpressLRS is currently the 'hot' way to go.  However, apparently, those receivers currently available can't interface to the FrSky receivers through the S.BUS, but go the RX/TX transmission route. So even what I ordered is considered 'oldish' tech--but something to play with.  However, everything is fast evolving.  I'm sure that what most of us are currently using will soon be as obsolete as 27/72MHZ stuff is now. Even Ethos isn't considered to be that new by the drone community (Sorry, Dave and Ernie)

Richard Shagam
Albuquerque, NM

RNSh...@rhizotech.net 

Check out local weather conditions at my residence at:
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/nm/albuquerque/KNMALBUQ4

and astrophotos from my driveway at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ikg6pMLQpeH44gxc8

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/soarabq/A6F7CCB1-5F46-450B-8B20-2972C1A27F49%40gmail.com.