Devo F4 additional channels

Hi,
I've only just stumbled across this project and I have a stupid question. I'm thinking of getting an F4 as I like the fact it has a built in screen for FPV, the main reason i'm holding off is you really need 5 channels for a quadcopter, the 5th being the flight mode. If I bought an F4 and installed deviation, can i use a DSM2 based PPM rx and get an 5 or more channels from the F4? There are shoulder buttons i believe on the F4 so is it possible to use these as extra channels? Apologies for the noob question.
Thanks

The F4 has no switches at all, none on the shoulders either, sorry to say. If you can install Deviation, yes, you can fly DSM2 equipment. DSM2 and DSMX protocols are included as part of the installation, nothing else needed. I believe 6 channels is the minimum number of channels Deviation provides, depending on the protocol you are using. For example, the Eachine E010 drone protocol from Deviation developers has 12 channels.
But, note: Installing Deviation on the F series Devo controllers is different from installation on all other Devos. Installing the firmware is the same, but installing (and maintaining) the filesystem is substantially different, due to the limited space available in the Devo F series radios. In post #45888 , PhracturedBlue outlines the installation procedure and provides some useful tools. There's lots of other good info about the F4 in that thread as well.

As an aside, note that unlike the old days there is nothing tying a physical input to a specific channel, so you can have more channels than physical inputs, or more physical inputs than channels if you so desire. I believe by default you can go up to 12 channels for many protocols, you just have to figure out what you are going to use to drive those channels.

Without hardware mods the F4 is going to be limited, but you should be able to use the trims as virtual switches, and possibly the nav buttons (haven't been following the F4 developments). But pretty sure there are some "simple" mods to add at least a couple of physcial switches; I'd suggest thoroughly checking the F4 thread before making a decision.

From photos I'd guess that the should bits are placeholders for switches on the more expensive TXs, eg. the F7. Which at least means you've got ready-made spots to put switches...

Attached some schemes.
This is the clue I did by reading what Epitaph has posted.
www.deviationtx.com/forum/7-development/...or-devo-f4?start=300

These are schemes that have NOT been confirmed.

On HOLD0 / HOLD1 and MIX0 / MIX1 / MIX2 switches I'm looking for information! Can someone help me?

I ask anyone to confirm or comment! Thank you