Hi guys, I have three Radians with 1.2 software that work great. I had to update two of these from 1.1 to 1.2 and had no issues. The two that are on my main helicopter I have no interest in updating. But, I would like to update the third. Here is the problem; I can get the radian in Bootloader mode no problem. I downloaded the Firmware, connected to the Target and clicked "Load Firmware File". I had previously extracted the files and when I click "Open" it takes me back to the Bootloader page, but it does not turn the "Program New Firmware" tab green. In the status window at the bottom I get the message; "Invalid data format on input line 1". At the top in the System window it reads; "Undefined", if that helps. All of the other windows appear to be normal. I even uninstalled the origional Bootloader program and theRadian Stabilizer Program and updated it with the 1.1 versions, but no help. The one issue that I noticed that is new is the Firmware file itself. It reads; RadianStabiliser-1.03(ToSer2699).fw The (ToSer2699) is new. The 1.02 version fw did not have this. Next issue. I just got two more Radians and they came with fw 1.03 When I plug one of them up to a 5v power source it flashes green fast and then flashes green slowly...forever. The other Radian flashes green fast then goes solid green, but flashes yellow fast...forever. The fw1.02 versions will flast green fast for a couple seconds and then go solid green. I have even tried to reflash these gyros, but I get the same error message as mentioned above. Any ideas? P.S. I have also tried this on two seperate machines, both on Windows 7 64 bit. Thanks in advance Wayne Mann
There are been reported problems if you machine happens to be using the Chinese Unicode version of Windows. It's a long shot, but I thought I'd check because you're reporting the exact symptoms of a Unicode file problem: "Invalid data format on input line 1." The name of the fw file (RadianStabiliser-1.03(ToSer2699)) is OK. The meaning of the various flashing LEDs is on the penultimate page of the Radian documentation. Can you tell me exactly how you have the Radian sensors connected? Please identify each sensor and the connections to each port on each sensor. For example: Roll Sensor: Port 1. GR-24 receiver and power. 2. 3. To Tilt sensor 4. To Roll Servo Than could you follow this procedure please: a. With the gimbal powered off, connect up the USB and adapter from your PC to the Radian sensor to which you have the receiver connected. b. Power on the gimbal and sensors with the transmitter set to the Off mode for the Radian sensors. c. Use the Radian software, connect the Radian cable to the Radian sensor connected to your receiver. d. Click on the Connect button to connect to the Radian sensor, and check you have a connection. e. Click on the Read button. f. Take a screen shot of the Diagnostic and Configuration windows and post it to this thread with your response to Question 1 above. g. Then connect up to the other two Radian sensors in turn, do a Read, and take a screen shot of the Diagnostic Window and Configuration Window and post those screen shots too. Thanks Andy.
Hi Andy, Thanks for the response. I have a US Corporate version of Windows 7 Professional. The radians are not installed on the camera mount. They are just hooked up to 5 volt power and through the programming cable so that I can assign them to the function that I want and to make sure that they are operating correctly. As I mentioned I have already updated two of my Radians from 1.01 to 1.02 so I am familiar with the system and how it works. The two new Radians are giving the flashing error lights with just 5 volts applied to them with nothing else attached. When you apply just power they should flash green fast for a couple seconds and then go steady green like the other Radians that I have do with fw 1.02 Yes, there is a page at the back of the manual that tells you what the flashing lights represents, but it doesn't tell you squat about how to solve any of those issues. I can communicate with the new Radians with fw 1.03 via the Radian Stabilizer program and I can change any of the parameters. I just can't get them to accept a fw update along with the one older Radian wtih 1.02 fw. These new Radians should power up sitting on the table with just power applied to them with the default settings, but they won't. Thanks again. Wayne Mann
Hi Wayne: Oh....sorry.....I didn't realize the fullness of the situation. So much for the perils of describing problems in text -- it's hard, isn't it? Could you try the attached version of Radian 1.03 please? I gather there are some serial number mis-matches and JohnC provided this to me. It's also apparently up on the web now, but I don't know where it is off-hand. See if this works and let me know. Andy.
Hi Andy, Well that worked. I updated the 1.02 fw in the older Radian and reflashed the two new Radians. BUT, I still have issues. Two of the Radians, one new one and the older one when you connect power will flash green fast for a while then start flashing yellow fast as the green led goes solid and the yellow flashing lasts for probably ten seconds and then the yellow led will go out. Those two units seem to be fairly stable as long as you don't move them quickly. One will blink yellow if moved fast ocasionally and then it will go to slow flashing green. Now, the third unit upon powering up will flash green fast for a few seconds and then flash green slowly for ever. All three units have been assigned as Roll 1 so that they have the same programming. I have to say that I am not impress so far with fw 1.03 I tried to reflash one of the units back to fw 1.02 but I got an error message. How do I reset these units to 1.03? And yes, it is very difficult to describe this stuff in text some times. Thanks for your help. Wayne Mann
So what you're seeing is: Fast flashing green: Initializaton (the module needs to be completely still, not hand-held). Fast flashing yellow: Trying to initialize the servo (of course, there is none, so this stops after a few seconds). Solid green: Sensor is enabled and ready for business. There is an upper bound on the rate of change that the Radians can handle -- it's around 500 degrees per second, I gather. If you exceed that, then the sensor gets very confused. Check out this video -- does this look like your situation, please? Depending on how fast you move it, you might be inducing a IMU failure. The slow flashing green suggests that the sensor is not seeing input on Port 2 (because it's not connected to anything) so is defaulting the Mode to Off. Again, it's defaulting to a Mode of OFF. I suspect the lack of any input on Ports 1 and 2 are causing the signal lines to "float" and the slow flashing green just means that the Radian sensors are OK, but assuming a Mode of OFF. Can you connect up each of the Radian's in turn to your copter's receiver (Port 1 for slew control, Port 2 for mode control) and enable the Mode to Stabilized Fixed or Stabilized Slew. (See Step 6 of the Radian documentation)? If you can, then connect up to each sensor in turn with the Radian software and then you'll be able to see the Diagnostic and Configuration windows and, hopefully, we can see what state the sensors are in. I don't know. Could we defer that question until we know what's wrong with 1.03, please? Andy.
Hi Andy, Thanks for taking the time on a Saturday evening. I will go ahead a hook up each sensor to the mount and run a full test. None on my other Radians on 1.02 act like this. The one that only flashes a slow green blink I have serious doubts abouts though. I will report back tomorrow morning after going through a series of tests with the units installed in the mount. Thanks again for your time. Wayne Mann
Just an afterthought -- which port are you providing power to the Radians on -- I've seen electrical noise problems occur if you feed it power on port 1 without any slew signal from the receiver.... All of the power and ground pins are ganged together so you can feed it power on, say, port 3 for testing. Andy.
Hi Andy, I tried ports 1, 2 and 3 on one of the Radians with no difference, but I will keep that in mind. Wayne
Hi Wayne, Just saw this thread: Slow flashing green is signifying that the Radian is in 'Off' mode. 1.03 has a feature in it now where the mode will be 'Off' unless the input is from the Spektrum Rx. This is intended to be used to single/dual operator setups where the Pan will be 'Off' until the second operator turns on the Spektrum radio and controls all 3-axis. I take it you are using the latest PC app which has the check-box for 'Axis Off unless using Spektrum'. Read the config and be sure it is not checked. If it seems OK, try reading the config from a radian which is working as you expect, then write that config into the problem radian and see if it clears it. This will tell us if it is simply something in the config which isn't initialised properly. On the yellow LED flashing, if it is flashing quickly then the module is trying to initialise the motor drive. If it is flashing slowly then it is an IMU self test error. Which is it ?. JohnC
Hi John, I just got up and going and I am fixing to start some testing. Two of the units are flashing green fast for a few seconds and as the green led goes to on steady the yellow light flashes fast for about ten seconds. According to Andy this is normal with no servo hooked up. The strange part is the second Radian that I just bought that was only flashing slow green last night, when I checked it this morning it now goes straight to Bootloader mode when you apply power to it. It has nothing else connected to it. I tried ports 1, 2 and three, when you plug power in it goes straight to Bootloader. I would feel pretty good about everything if the one Radian wasn't acting different. I refreshed the 1.03 fw into all three and I have them all set to "Roll 1" so they should all have the same settings. I am going to install the other two Radians in the mount and see how they act with everthing connected. Yes I have the latest PC App and the "Off Axis" box is not checked. Thanks for the help. Wayne
Hi Wayne, The yellow LED will flash quickly until the Radian thinks it has worked out the correct drive for the motor and if the module is on the bench, it will get stuck in this loop as it is waiting for the motor to move. Try the trick to read a 'well behaved' radian config into the PC app then write it directly to the 'naughty' radian (if you have one) and please let us know if it fixes things.
Hi John, Good news. The two Radians with the fast flashing yellow led are working great in the gimbol with everything hooked up. Now for the third Radian that is going straight to Bootloader mode. I will try to hook it up and see if I can get it to not act like a red headed step child. Thanks for the help and Happy Holidays to you and Andy. P.S. I apologize for being slow. On December 1st I had about a 100 pound Pit Bull run out of a buch of thick trees next to the side of the road and the front wheel on my BMW K1200 LT hit the dog in the ribs, which in turn locked the handlebars full left high siding me to the right. I was traveling around 45 mph and when the bike high sided it slamed my right shoulder into the pavement. I have a broken left ankle, three broken ribs on the right, a broken right collar bone and a broken scapula or shoulder. Everything is healing well, but the shoulder is very tough to move which makes using my right hand to work on stuff very difficult. Wayne
Glad to hear you're making forward progress -- both with the personal crash landing recovery and also the Radians. The former sounds painful, the latter hopeful. Andy.
Hey Wayne, Holy cow - I suppose we can forgive you for being slow just this once ;-). If a radian is going into bootloader mode every time, it needs reprogramming with the 1.03 firmware. The version on the Freefly website is good for all radians now.
Hi John, I reflashed the Radian with the fw and it stopped the constant Bootloader start up issue. I also read a good config file from one of the other Radians and wrote that to the problem child and that fixed the issues I was having. I now have that Radian installed on pan axis and it is working fine. Thank you both very much for the help on a weekend. Have a happy and safe New Years Eve. Wayne Mann
Glad you're all set, Wayne. Hope you're all healed up by the time the good weather comes and flying season starts.... Yeah, I know Josh. 75F and Sunny in Phoenix. (Well, it's sunny and 36F here....) Andy.