Photohigher RSGS Skyline Owners thread

[Aviator]

Par: By the way; Can you tell me what "slew mode" is, and do I need to be concerned about it? I am not sure what this means.

Slew mode moves the tilt with with stick or knob you are using to move tilt and stops when you stop, when it is turned off when you move the stick down the tilt moves down at a speed depending on how far you move the stick and stops when the stick is returned to center and vice versa if you move it up. Hope this makes some sense?

 

[DJIFlyer]

Thanks for this. I'll give it a try, if that is what I'm supposed to do . I am trying to work with it at this moment. What a mess this RSGS software is. I forgot how screwed up it was originally and it does not seem to be any better with this so called new version. I managed to get through the firmware upgrade but I cannot get it to save my "set new level" settings or anything else. Then, when I tried to power up just the gimbal and RSGS without the USB programmer cable in, and then waited while it went through its flashing LED sequence, it suddenly freaked out and the roll and tilt went all over the place. I had to quickly unplug it to keep it from destroying its own wiring harness. Now I'm afraid to plug it back in. Did this happen to you too?

 

[PairAir]

Copied from the setup guide, second page from the end

"Slew Mode
The slew mode check box allows you to change how the skyline interprets the transmitters stick position.
In slew mode the position of the transmitter stick represents the speed at which the gimbal will rotate. The further you move the stick from the neutral position, the faster the gimbal will rotate. This is a useful mode if you want the gimbal to hold its position when you release the stick.
When slew mode is not activated the servos behave more like the traditional potentiometer servo setup. The position of the stick represents the position of the gimbal. This is useful if you want to gimbal to return to a fixed location when you release the stick. For example on the roll where you want the roll to return to level if you release the stick on the transmitter controlling the roll. Another case where it is useful is when you want to control the tilt through an auxiliary transmitter output."

/Pär

 

[DJIFlyer]

Yes, I just found that. It is not like me to miss something like this as I always tend to read the instruction to the end first but I must admit that I missed it. I just visited the RSGS thread on MRF that you sent to me and it seems that everyone agrees; the 1.1.6 update is a huge step backwards and I would agree. This thing has spun so far out of control that I could not power it down fast enough to keep the servos form grinding on my brand new AV200 that I have yet to use! I am just sick about this. I cannot get it to power up and go though its sequence completely (to get the green light) therefore I cannot get it to save any setting that MIGHT keep it from spinning and grinding out of control. Its just endless with this thing. I don't believe that I will ever be able to rely on this thing so I think its time to start over, which is going to be expensive.

 

[PairAir]

Thanks for this. I'll give it a try, if that is what I'm supposed to do . I am trying to work with it at this moment. What a mess this RSGS software is. I forgot how screwed up it was originally and it does not seem to be any better with this so called new version. I managed to get through the firmware upgrade but I cannot get it to save my "set new level" settings or anything else. Then, when I tried to power up just the gimbal and RSGS without the USB programmer cable in, and then waited while it went through its flashing LED sequence, it suddenly freaked out and the roll and tilt went all over the place. I had to quickly unplug it to keep it from destroying its own wiring harness. Now I'm afraid to plug it back in. Did this happen to you too?

Yes, I think it's kind of unpredictable. As long as it's in "setup mode" (blue led) and "power" is off servos should not move. The sequence of connecting cable, starting software and applying power seems important, but I haven't quite figured it out. For the auto setup to work, the servos have to be engaged (timing pulleys, gears or whatever connected)
To be able to set level, or save any changes to flash, you must power the servos OFF (blue led, uncheck "Power On" in the drop down menu)

 

[jelte]

Clint, you have to do this:
1) With all power off, connect the Skyline with the USB to your computer. Set all gain sliders to zero, and servo's powered off (also in the software)
2) Open the software (to be prepared) and make sure that you have no (software) connection.
3) Power on your Skyline, wait until initialized
4) Once your gimbal starts rolling all over the place, connect (in the software) to the Skyline , The light on the Skyline should change from green to blue. You will see that the gimbal comes to rest,
5) Now it is safe to power your servo's (throughout the software).
5) Set gimbal level horizontal, as described in manual, then perform auto tune.
6) Start fiddling around with the gains until you are satisfied.
7) Uncheck servo power on, the gimbal will resume its idle position
8) Choose "save settings"
9) after that, choose 'servo power on' and than, 'disconnect'.
10) Remove USB-cable and fly ways...

Good luck!

 

[PairAir]

Jelte beat me to it

Yes, I just found that. It is not like me to miss something like this as I always tend to read the instruction to the end first but I must admit that I missed it. I just visited the RSGS thread on MRF that you sent to me and it seems that everyone agrees; the 1.1.6 update is a huge step backwards and I would agree. This thing has spun so far out of control that I could not power it down fast enough to keep the servos form grinding on my brand new AV200 that I have yet to use! I am just sick about this. I cannot get it to power up and go though its sequence completely (to get the green light) therefore I cannot get it to save any setting that MIGHT keep it from spinning and grinding out of control. Its just endless with this thing. I don't believe that I will ever be able to rely on this thing so I think its time to start over, which is going to be expensive.

What I did was, disengage servos (mechanically move them from gears or remove timing belts), start software, connect cable, open com port, power up Skyline, drop down menu "Power on", servos should start spinning, manually adjust "servo center tune) til servos stop spinning, uncheck "Power on" (servos will halt, blue led on), save settings.

Reassemble and follow the setup guide. The "auto setup" should now move the camera tray for a while and then settle...... maybe!

Then you can start tweaking the gains

 

[DJIFlyer]

Clint, you have to do this:
1) With all power off, connect the Skyline with the USB to your computer. Set all gain sliders to zero, and servo's powered off (also in the software)
2) Open the software (to be prepared) and make sure that you have no (software) connection.
3) Power on your Skyline, wait until initialized
4) Once your gimbal starts rolling all over the place, connect (in the software) to the Skyline , The light on the Skyline should change from green to blue. You will see that the gimbal comes to rest,
5) Now it is safe to power your servo's (throughout the software).
5) Set gimbal level horizontal, as described in manual, then perform auto tune.
6) Start fiddling around with the gains until you are satisfied.
7) Uncheck servo power on, the gimbal will resume its idle position
8) Choose "save settings"
9) after that, choose 'servo power on' and than, 'disconnect'.
10) Remove USB-cable and fly ways...

Good luck!

Many thanks for this but the problem is that I cannot execute step #3 because upon initialization the gimbal tries to self-destruct; the servo movements are too much for the design. One person who has been helping out suggested that I move the servos away from their respective gears so that they cannot tear the unit apart until I can adjust some basic settings, lock them in and then try again. I hope that between the both of you I can get somewhere with this. Thanks again for the instructions above, and to you too PairAir

 

[DJIFlyer]

Jelte beat me to it



What I did was, disengage servos (mechanically move them from gears or remove timing belts), start software, connect cable, open com port, power up Skyline, drop down menu "Power on", servos should start spinning, manually adjust "servo center tune) til servos stop spinning, uncheck "Power on" (servos will halt, blue led on), save settings.

Reassemble and follow the setup guide. The "auto setup" should now move the camera tray for a while and then settle...... maybe!

Then you can start tweaking the gains

PairAir: I have been trying this as you mentioned above. While I can get the tilt servo to stop moving by making an adjustment to the "Tilt tune" in the software (it is now at 760) I cannot get the Roll servo to stop spinning no mater what I do, other than clicking the servo on/off drop down. With the roll servo still spinning like this it suggests that if I reconnect the servo again to the "gear" it will just tear itself up like before, although probably not with the tilt movement so we are half of the way there.

 

[PairAir]

My tilt servo stopped spinning somewhere around a value of 550. Maybe you didn't go that low?

 

[jelte]

Hi Clint,

If you perform 'set level' and then 'auto tune' the servo's need to be engaged physically and in software. For setting level the Skyline measures the exact desired values of a level platform, and uses this for reference. With 'auto tune' a test is performed to calibrate the gimbal, and it will do so by going the the limits of the gimbal. The jitter seems to be generated big the dead point of the servo's. It seems that, even with the standard Servox servo's that there are differences in the dead band with per batch of servo's. Photohigher is working on a self-test in the firmware.

 

[DJIFlyer]

My tilt servo stopped spinning somewhere around a value of 550. Maybe you didn't go that low?

I finally realized that the reason I could not get the servo to stop spinning was because my cable from the servo to the "pot.' wire had come unplugged during one of the times that it went crazy and tried to self destruct. Unfortunately after getting both servos to come to a stop and then attempting to set it all up again it did the exact same thing (spinning all over the place and trying to tear itself apart). No matter what I do I cannot get this thing to seem to respond as it should. Even if I can get it to go though the basic setup it seems that once I get there I am still going the have issues with jitters, etc. and it will most likely never perform as it was advertised to do. It has been a very frustrating and time consuming experience right from day one. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[DJIFlyer]

Hi Clint,

If you perform 'set level' and then 'auto tune' the servo's need to be engaged physically and in software. For setting level the Skyline measures the exact desired values of a level platform, and uses this for reference. With 'auto tune' a test is performed to calibrate the gimbal, and it will do so by going the the limits of the gimbal. The jitter seems to be generated big the dead point of the servo's. It seems that, even with the standard Servox servo's that there are differences in the dead band with per batch of servo's. Photohigher is working on a self-test in the firmware.

Still no luck in not having the gimbal pitch try to wind itself up into a self distructive knot. I have read a few comments about the fact that if all of these things are not done in an EXACT order, in terms of what gets plugged in and what gets powered up at what exact point in time, saved, unplugged, etc., there can be problems like those that I am experiencing. If any one can give me an exact order by which these things are to be performed I can give it one more try. I feel that I have tried every conceivable combination of efforts with no success but I might be missing something and as an alternative to the trash can and moving over to 'Hoverfly Gimbal' I'll give it another try. I have literally never wasted so much time on any single device in my entire life as with this Skyline so if I sound a bit cynical I apologize. I appreciate all of your help.

 

[PairAir]

Well, I guess I shouldn't even be posting this, but...

Here's what I've got (hold on to your seat):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY-P773n35E

Here's what I would like to have, sort of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3IxalsVM-A

Some jitter from the Skyline can be seen in the first (raw) video, while sitting on the ground. Once in the air, shaking gets violent.
I think the gimbal is mostly to blame, maybe a bit high gain on tilt.
Second video has been stabilized in Sony Vegas. Not too much, 20 on a 100 scale. But we don't wanna have to do that, do we?

Wind was difficult, very turbulent.

For what it's worth......

/Pär

 

[DJIFlyer]

Well, I guess I shouldn't even be posting this, but...

Here's what I've got (hold on to your seat):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY-P773n35E

Here's what I would like to have, sort of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3IxalsVM-A

Some jitter from the Skyline can be seen in the first (raw) video, while sitting on the ground. Once in the air, shaking gets violent.
I think the gimbal is mostly to blame, maybe a bit high gain on tilt.
Second video has been stabilized in Sony Vegas. Not too much, 20 on a 100 scale. But we don't wanna have to do that, do we?

Wind was difficult, very turbulent.

For what it's worth......

/Pär

Strange Roll movement on yaw: Your first video is better than I expected. Looks pretty good actually, thanks for posting. I made some progress with Skyline finally and now I am trying to tweek this to be a bit more stable with my AV200 (plenty of jitters even with a VERY well balanced setup. Still have to try the magic loom. I notices a very odd phenomenon: When I hold the gimbal perfectly level and swing (or pivot) it to the right or left it induced ROLL movement int he gimbal. Wen I move to left it rolls to the left and vice versa. This actually defeats its own purpose if it is going to go into a roll movement when I yaw my multirotor. Any idea why it would do this? I am on a 2 axis gimbal only (no pan).

 

[PairAir]

As I understand it, the yaw/roll issue was a bug that was fixed in the new firmware?

From their website:
"This is the lates firmware for the Skyline. Roll drift when panning is fixed, jitter issues are greately improved."

/Pär

 

[DJIFlyer]

As I understand it, the yaw/roll issue was a bug that was fixed in the new firmware?

From their website:
"This is the lates firmware for the Skyline. Roll drift when panning is fixed, jitter issues are greately improved."

/Pär

With 1.1.6 I still have distinctive ROLL movement on YAW (pan): I have updated to 1.1.6 which I believe is the latest but I clearly have this issue. Do you have this problem? Do you think that there are any settings in the software that might eliminate this? I have not heard much mention of this with all that I have read so far.

 

[ATFlyer]

1.1.6 is a backwards step for my setup.

With 1.1.4 I'm getting almost perfection straight from my 5D on an AV200.

I tried the new firmware with the new software and the new firmware with the old software. Terrible results even when I unplugged one of the servos. Lots of jitter on both roll & tilt.

Once I re-loaded 1.1.4 it was silky smooth. Even gusting wind about 15+ mph I was getting results that with minor post stabilisation would be commercial.

PH have advised me not to use 1.1.4 however but hey - they said we'd get Rock Solid Gimbal Stabilisation so what do they know?

 

[PairAir]

It would be interesting to try the 1.1.4 fw, but I can't find it anywhere. Someone have a link to it, or maybe you could mail it to me? gardsjoteknik at gmail.com

Thanks!
/Pär

 

[DJIFlyer]

It would be interesting to try the 1.1.4 fw, but I can't find it anywhere. Someone have a link to it, or maybe you could mail it to me? gardsjoteknik at gmail.com

Thanks!
/Pär

PairAir, your lucky day: I just dug through the trash and found 1.1.4. Where would you like me to send it? PM me if you can.