Picloc 3x setting experience etc.

[Lanzar]

Tnx for anwser. I had a new picloc with 056 alredy instaled so it was fresh. And no luck with flasing it with previous version. Will try reset later on to see if i can do it.

The latest beta firmware is 56.72. I tried it and there was no change. All three axes twitched occasionally, but predominantly Tilt and Roll, and Roll kept gently moving around.

HOWEVER, following a suggestion from George, at one point the camera mount was powered up WITHOUT the Tx. This results in Picloc stabilising the mount using its saved parameters, although obviously the mount cannot be controlled. Under these circumstances there was no twitching and pretty much no hunting. But, as soon as the Tx was turned on ... Twitch'n'Hunt came back to town.

A total mystery, as this does not happen with any of the versions prior to v.56.

So, it was back to HD55. But even then a new issue arose in the form of the mount wandering off-centre and then freezing. This was whilst airborne. Switching PL off and back on again with the AUX1 switch jerked everything back to centre and all operated normally for a while until the same thing happened. Wander off and freeze.

This is new. I have not seen this behaviour before.


As to your request for a solution, if I understand your question correctly you are getting the Error Message about such and such parameter being too high? Don't forget that there are several FW v55 variants and that each has its own respective Toolz application, but this Error Message can appear if you go backwards and use an earlier firmware version without doing a Factory Reset. In such instances, open Toolz, deselect Continuous Updates, click Connect and wait for the blue or orange line to appear briefly, and then click Factory Reset/Restart.

It is always prudent to have settings noted down for quicker programming after a Factory Reset. Although, I have found that, after trying countless firmware versions with Factory Resets, I can run through the basics in less than two minutes from memory! It reminds me of the earlier Piclocs that were programmed using a single push-button. I became so fluent that I could zip through the sequences of push-button clicks in next to no time!

 

[MombasaFlash]

Tnx for anwser. I had a new picloc with 056 alredy instaled so it was fresh. And no luck with flasing it with previous version. Will try reset later on to see if i can do it.

You responded before I could edit my previous answer.

Just to be clear, and to avoid confusion or unnecessarily casting aspersions upon PL, all of issues related to a 3X on the Copterworks Heli Camera Mount. When PL was functioning it actually did a pretty good job of stabilising the mount. The drift/freeze could be related to vibration or something perhaps. Remember that this an On-Axis installation with the PL mounted such that it follows the camera plate itself.

Skysurf's photo of their Galaxy MR shows the PL mounted On-Axis (actually on the camera plate), with forward orientation even, and their latest video looks stable as can be. So it can work. Skysurf is using FW 0.55 but he does not say which variant.

Let's ask him. Erm ... Skysurf, which variant of FW 0.55 were you using?

My AV200 mount has FW v.E055 and on the bench it works effectively with proportional servo settings and Tx controls on ratchet pots. With this crappy weather it still has not been flown since the very first test flight where it was just a little bit too 'nervous' for smooth video. With FW v.56 my AV200 had exactly the same problem with the drifting and twitching but it now appears that this could possibly be down to some sort of incompatibility with the Futaba 12Z Tx or R6014FS Rx.

That said, the hunting and twitching only started with FW v.56 - on both the CW mount and the AV200. That narrows the possible radio incompatibility down to that particular FW release. All very mystifying.

 

[Remoteworks]

Hi George,

Thnx for posting the new firmware. But i'm having some data storing issues.
The accelerometer settings do not save with any of the 3 piclocs. setting it to none is my only way to deal with the roll drift.

Regards,
RW

 

[Skysurf]

Skysurf's photo of their Galaxy MR shows the PL mounted On-Axis (actually on the camera plate), with forward orientation even, and their latest video looks stable as can be. So it can work. Skysurf is using FW 0.55 but he does not say which variant.

Let's ask him. Erm ... Skysurf, which variant of FW 0.55 were you using?

Mombasa, sorry about my late reply, we are using the the old none HD version 0.55.

/Jesper

 

[GeorgeM]

@Remoteworks.... send me an email, and we'll resolve this with a quick Skype.

@Mombasa... Hope the issue with your Copterworks mount is resolved with the Settings I gave you. There should be no 'wondering' now.\
The 'Twitch' issue that you are having is due to the way the Receiver that you have outputs its Servo out Signals.
I have now revised the firmware to be able to accept the way that your RX delivers its data.
It is working well here, with not a single twitch over the last hour.

I will post it later on this evening... it will be called v56_75, and will be in the usual place.

For Spektrum DX8 (USA - ie - non EU firmware ) users, I am fixing the firmware to accept this radio as well.

No luck... till now.., for the high channel count, JR version radios with DSM2/X.. but will be challenging this again soon.

Thanks.... Laters//

 

[ssjheli]

Thanks George!

I upgraded from 56.70 to 56.75 today and what a difference the horizon stays level and no slow centering. I big step foreward for my. I will post a high wind video later.

Søren
RotorCam

 

[MombasaFlash]

What is the link for v56.75? 'The usual place' seems to have moved.

 

[MombasaFlash]

Ooops. Found it.

 

[GeorgeM]

Glad you like it Søren !!

 

[MombasaFlash]

Firmware v56_75 removes a jitter/twitch that was present on certain types of
receivers ... should therefore make Mombasa Happy...... finally

Ooo. My very own personalised firmware version...... finally!

La la la, YAY !

 

[GeorgeM]

!!lol!!!

 

[Elliott000]

Where the hell can i buy one... Let me spend some money lol

 

[DKTek]

For Spektrum DX8 (USA - ie - non EU firmware ) users, I am fixing the firmware to accept this radio as well.

No luck... till now.., for the high channel count, JR version radios with DSM2/X.. but will be challenging this again soon.

Thanks.... Laters//

Hey George, will this cover the JR11X? I tried mine with the i channels and a R1221 receiver and Toolz see's the radio but PicLoc doesn't do anything.

 

[luftaufnahmen ostsee]

Where is the usual place

Hallo,

I have been away a few weeks. Can anybody give me a hint where to find the last software update which has put mombasaflash in such a good mood.

Regards

Derek

 

[GeorgeM]

From the PiclocTooloz link HERE, you will find the link to the firmwares.


Attn: JetiBox users.... The JetiBox output may have a weak output with some JetiBox types.
A choice of Jetibox options will have to be added to PiclocToolz, in order for this to work correctly, and will be added in next release of PiclocToolz.

@DKtek... the 5R/C inputs are working properly here, and are able to sync to any refresh rate up to around 200Hz.
Therefore.. Attn MK FlightCtrl owners who set their servo output rate too high ( without stabilization from MK) for Picloc to lock on to.

 

[MombasaFlash]

** George for Vice-President **

v56.75 is working like a charm. Hunt'n'Twitch have left the building!

This is the On-Axis installation on the Copterworks heli mount and is only bench tested at this stage. The AV200 will be updated soon and I will send in my report, Sir.

My next request to my personal software engineer is for the magnetometer to be sorted out so that it can be activated to fulfill its purpose of eliminating the small Pan drift (much smaller now than it was). Mind you, the Pan axis is currently very useable - Christ knows how GM managed to include Pan in the RTH function - and the facility since FW v55 for the Pan axis to be switched to manual to freeze it while the helicopter is turned 180° and to then be re-enabled to resume stabilisation with the new heading is also a major achievement.

For short 8-12 minute MR flights the pan drift will barely be noticed, particularly as ATV's would normally be disabled for full 360° operation. But for the nearly one hour long flights of the bigger helicopter which DOES need ATV limits to avoid big close-ups of the motor, the pan drift starts to become an issue because you steadily lose access to one side as the centre point creeps round. The magnetometer is supposed to do away with all that and rely on the compass to lock the pan heading.

But at the moment, if the Mag. is enabled the Pan axis will slowly turn in endless circles. It can be stopped with the AUX 2 manual pan switch but will resume turning when the switch is returned to 'auto'. When the weather clears and the heli can be taken off the large stainless steel 'bed' that it sits on in my truck, perhaps the absence of such a large sheet of ferrous metal will make a difference.

The second area to be addressed is stabilisation ATV's - as opposed to stick ATV's. They work fine with a proportional setup and axis travel limits can be set independently of the stick command limits. But on the 360 mount the ATV limit parameters under SERVOS within Toolz do ... erm ... squat. Stick ATV's under FUNCTIONS work fine for all three axes.

So, when that is all sorted I will change my vote to ** George for President **.

 

[HeinzABF]

@ George
Please HELP!!!!

George, i´m using a MC 24 with Jeti an a brandnew AV 130.
When i start to set up the picloc for just tillt and roll, i can see that picloc is getting the ppm-sum signal in the right window. But it is not possible to operate the servos.

I have tried now hour for hours but dont get this thing to work.

Do you have any idea?

Regards Heinz

 

[tahoelight]

George,
Are you replying to PM and email? I have sent you about 5 messages in various forms over the last 6 weeks with no response. I am still having the old USB connection issues, I have tried soldering a few times. Please get back to me. Thanks.

 

[meme]

Hi from a new Picloc user,

I have an AV200 and a picloc 3x std and I've come to a pretty good setup, unfortunately I have a little skew in the roll axis but only in one direction and I have no idea how to correct this.
I'm using firmware 56.72

The problem is when I dry-test the mount and I turn the mount to the left it stays perfectly with the horizon, when I turn the mount then to the right however, there is a little skew and then it stabilizes it. So the picloc IS working, but unfortunately it keeps a little inclined. So when you move the mount left-right-left-right it flipps constantly between horizontal and little bit inclined Attached is a video which shows this behaviour. I've added a red line to highlight the problem.

Any ideas what I could change to get this better ?

 

[ssjheli]

a little video with my home build hexa with WKM in high wind and home build gimble: FW 56.75http://youtu.be/7L7D5ofHI7s

Søren
Rotorcam