Help with upgrade for Devo 8S

RoGuE_StreaK wrote: The power glitch shouldn't be software related; going back to the original software is likely to not result in anything "safer". Unless you've discovered a bug that hasn't shown itself before. HAven't heard of a power glitch in a long time, and can't remember what the resolution was in the past, whether it was a hardware issue or not. Which build (software) are you using?
Did you calibrate your sticks? Even so, there shouldn't be any glitchy movements.

The only bit that sounds normal is the toggle icons; I've noticed them flicker onscreen when starting up. Interestingly, I just noticed on one model where I don't use any toggle icons at all that there is a residual blank space through the middle of the model name, where a toggle icon flashed up then disappeared on booting.

I installed 4.0.1 dfu for devo 8 and I did calibrate my sticks. Also noticed the range test function is not showing up, unless I'm not looking in the right place for it.

Arnold wrote:

nascar1929 wrote: ...
I installed the bind plug in the BATT slot of RX
With ESC plugged into THROTTLE position on RX, I connected the battery and got a slow flashing red light on RX
I removed the bind plug and red light flashed faster
Removed battery
This clears the ID as far as I understand ...

Right, the receiver is cleared.
But, you still have to clear the tx.

I then reconnected the battery and pressed the bind button on TX under this particular aircraft and it wouldn't bind. I'm guessing I need to do something with the fixed ID, but not sure. I don't know my previous fixed ID cause it would automatically bind under the Walkera firmware. Never had to assign a fixed ID to any of my aircraft for that matter. Now that he RX has been cleared, how do I assign a fixed ID?

On the tx, be sure there are no numbers in the fixed ID field. If there are numbers, delete them. Then, power off the tx, and power on again, even if there were no fixed ID numbers. You cannot apply a fixed ID until you first successfully do an automatic binding to the model with Deviation, which you should be able to do now, since you've cleared previous fixed ID info on both ends - receiver and tx. Once you've accomplished the auto binding, you'll be able to set up a fixed ID number and bind with that. First, remove power from the receiver. Don't restore power until you've entered the ID numbers for the model. Power on the receiver and bind. Done. You will not have to manually bind these two again and they will bind very quickly from here on.

Thank you. I'll try this on the weekend and see if it works.

nascar1929 wrote: I installed 4.0.1 dfu for devo 8 and I did calibrate my sticks. Also noticed the range test function is not showing up, unless I'm not looking in the right place for it.

You might want to try one of the latest nightlies then; 4.0.1 was released quite some time ago (hence the debate going on regarding a new official release), I don't think it had the range test function (though you can just reduce TX power to 100uW)

I'll try that as well. Thanks.

Ok....installed the nightly build and things seem to be running smoother. I also see the Range Test feature now. I found another feature, not sure what it's for though, "Scanner" Turn on and Peak. Any ideas. Didn't see it in the manual.

Also figured out how to get my aircraft icons converted to 16 bit using Gimp program and have loaded them on the TX. Having a hard time finding clear step by step instructions how to get them on transparent backgrounds though. Anyone have good detailed instructions how to do it?

Haven't tried to bind the RX802 again yet, but will work on that next.

One other thing I wanted to clarify. I saw where some #'s needed to be converted for things like curves and gyro gains based on if the manual for a particular aircraft had a 0-100 or a -100 -+100 scale. Is that only if your using the DSMX protocol or Devo as well? I'm asking because on the old Wlakera firmware setup, one of my 450 heli's had Gyro Gain (Heading Hold) set to 67% for Pos 0 on the GEAR SW and (Rate Mode) set to 34% for Pos 1. The scale I see in the TX with the Deviation firmware is 0-100 as well using Devo protocol. Do I set them to the same values?

nascar1929 wrote: transparent backgrounds though

Main thing is in the Layers window, right-click the image and see if you need to Add Alpha Channel; if there's no alpha channel (transparancy), you won't get anything transparent. If you select an area and hit delete you should get a transparent checkerboard pattern, if this doesn't happen and it just goes white then you don't have alpha turned on.

RoGuE_StreaK wrote:

nascar1929 wrote: transparent backgrounds though

Main thing is in the Layers window, right-click the image and see if you need to Add Alpha Channel; if there's no alpha channel (transparancy), you won't get anything transparent. If you select an area and hit delete you should get a transparent checkerboard pattern, if this doesn't happen and it just goes white then you don't have alpha turned on.

I got that far and was able to see the checkerboard background. When I go to save it, it tells me I have to save it as a (.xcf) file and won't let me change it to to a (.bmp) which is what it needs to be from what I understand.

... oops ...

nascar1929 wrote: ... When I go to save it, it tells me I have to save it as a (.xcf) file and won't let me change it to to a (.bmp) which is what it needs to be from what I understand.

Using GIMP ... Under File, use "Export As ... ". At the bottom of the dialog box that opens, use the option to "Select File Type (By Extension)". Locate the BMP file type near the bottom of the list that appears, then hit the "Export" button. When you do that, you'll be presented with a small window showing more options. Click "Advanced Options" and click on "R5 G6 B5", [correction] - "A1 R5 G5 B5" then "Export".
Done (after you put it in the tx...).

nascar1929 wrote: One other thing I wanted to clarify. I saw where some #'s needed to be converted for things like curves and gyro gains based on if the manual for a particular aircraft had a 0-100 or a -100 -+100 scale. Is that only if your using the DSMX protocol or Devo as well? I'm asking because on the old Wlakera firmware setup, one of my 450 heli's had Gyro Gain (Heading Hold) set to 67% for Pos 0 on the GEAR SW and (Rate Mode) set to 34% for Pos 1. The scale I see in the TX with the Deviation firmware is 0-100 as well using Devo protocol. Do I set them to the same values?

It looks like the standard GUI uses 0-100, so you shouldn't need to convert those. The advanced GUI uses -100-100, so you'd need to convert those. But I never use the standard GUI, so can't be sure. The standard GUI doesn't get a lot of love around here, so you may have to test it and see.

Ok. I set everything up in the TX using the Standard GUI just like I had it when using the Walkera settings. Haven't had a chance to try and bind it yet, but will work on that later in the week. Why does the Standard GUI not get much love?

Before I attempt to bind my (2) 450 heli's, do I need to recalibrate the throttle on the ESC's or should they remain the same as they were when using them with the old Walkera firmware? Just asking cause on Walkera firmware, the TX throttle range was 0-100 vs now on Deviation -100 - +100.

Arnold wrote:

nascar1929 wrote: ... When I go to save it, it tells me I have to save it as a (.xcf) file and won't let me change it to to a (.bmp) which is what it needs to be from what I understand.

Using GIMP ... Under File, use "Export As ... ". At the bottom of the dialog box that opens, use the option to "Select File Type (By Extension)". Locate the BMP file type near the bottom of the list that appears, then hit the "Export" button. When you do that, you'll be presented with a small window showing more options. Click "Advanced Options" and click on "R5 G6 B5", then "Export".
Done (after you put it in the tx...).

Did this step by step and image doesn't stay transparent. I'm able to take an image and make it transparent but only if I save it as .png and 32bit. followed your steps and it exports it as .bmp 16 bit, but loses it's transparency.

In Gimp don't you need to save as "AR5, G6, B5"? I believe the A is an Alpha channel.

nascar1929 wrote: Why does the Standard GUI not get much love?

'Cause the Advanced GUI is so much more powerful and flexible. Yeah it's a bigger initial hurdle to get over, getting your head around it (we probably need some good "simple" intro-to-advanced-gui turotials), but once you start you'll never go back to the Simple GUI.

nascar1929 wrote: Click "Advanced Options" and click on "R5 G6 B5"

Actually that should read A1 R5 G5 B5, maybe that's where the issues are arising. The "A1" part is the 1bit (on/off) alpha channel.
Note that it's 1bit, being only "on" or "off"; there is no partial transparancy.

[EDIT] Pipped by Deal57

nascar1929 wrote: Click "Advanced Options" and click on "R5 G6 B5"

Actually that should read A1 R5 G5 B5, maybe that's where the issues are arising. The "A1" part is the 1bit (on/off) alpha channel.
Note that it's 1bit, being only "on" or "off"; there is no partial transparancy.

[EDIT] Pipped by Deal57

Yeah, sorry, my mistake - A1 R5 G5 B5 is the right way to go. The "A1" does represent the alpha channel.
Sheesh! That's twice this week...

I've edited my earlier remark to correct my error.

nascar1929 wrote: Ok. I set everything up in the TX using the Standard GUI just like I had it when using the Walkera settings. Haven't had a chance to try and bind it yet, but will work on that later in the week. Why does the Standard GUI not get much love?

To add to RS's comment, the advanced GUI was designed by programmers, so the people most able to do things to improve the standard GUI are also the ones who have the least problem with the advanced GUI.

Before I attempt to bind my (2) 450 heli's, do I need to recalibrate the throttle on the ESC's or should they remain the same as they were when using them with the old Walkera firmware? Just asking cause on Walkera firmware, the TX throttle range was 0-100 vs now on Deviation -100 - +100.

I'd recalibrate the ESCs just to be safe, as the end points probably moved a little in the software change. Probably not enough to make a difference, but why take chances?

I'll recalibrate as suggested just to be sure.

As far as the transparent aircraft icons, I tried the A1 R5 G5 B5 as mentioned and that didn't work either. I'll give a step by step of what I'm doing to see if anyone can point out a step I'm missing or just doing it wrong all together. I'm using GIMP 2.8.14

1. Use Google for search and select images.
2. Click on image and Save Picture As xxxxxxxx.jpeg to my desktop
3. Click on image saved to desktop and opens in Windows Photo Viewer
4. At top left of Windows Photo Viewer, click Open and select Paint
5. Once the image is opened in paint, I click on resize and change the image to 96x96 pixels
6. Close out of paint and save image
7. Open GIMP and click File, Open and select image saved to desktop
8. Go to Toolbox and choose Fuzzy Select Tool
9. Click on white background of image and the image is then outlined
10. Go to Layer, Transparency, click Add Alpha Channel
11. Go to Edit and click Clear (image now has a checkerboard background)
12. Go to File and click Export As
13. At top of Export window, image is xxxxxxx.jpg
14. At bottom of Export window, click Select File Type (By Extension), click bmp and then Export
15. Export Image as bmp window appears and select Advance Options
16. Select A1 R5 G5 B5 and then click Export
Image is saved to desktop, but background is not transparent. Under Properties of image, it shows it's a 96x96 16-bit bmp.

If I do it the following way, the image background is transparent, but won't work because it's a 32-bit .png image:
Steps 1 - 12 are the same as above
13. At top of Export window, image is xxxxxxx.jpg and I manually change it to xxxxxxx.png
14. Click Export and Export Image as PNG window appears
15. Uncheck Save Background Color and leave the other 3 checked boxes as they are
16. Click Export and image is saved to desktop with a transparent background

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've been playing with this for a week trying to figure it out with no luck yet.

That should have worked.
I used your steps myself in GIMP 2.8.14 on Mac (except the resizing steps, which I also did in GIMP) and put the resulting icon file in my 6S-modelicon folder and it appeared with the transparency, as it should. Dunno what's the deal. Everything looks OK.

I'll try it again. Mine weren't transparent on the PC after all the steps and when I loaded it into TX it also wasn't transparent.

Try doing your steps 3, 4, and 5 in GIMP. I do all of the steps in GIMP and it works every time.

To be honest, I don't always use transparent icons because some just don't look very good. But when it works it is sweet!