A basic question about channel limits

I have Devo 7e with a 4-in-1 module communicating with OrangeRX R615X 6 channel receiver. I find 6 channels too limiting. I've got gps, ods, LEDs, arming switch and flight modes on the quadcopter.

I've been reading all that I can find but I still don't have a clear understanding. Is there a strict limit to the receiver's 6 channels or does the Deviationtx virtual channel capability allow the expansion to additional channels?

Thank you.

EDIT: Is this a good approach?
To keep this example as simple as possible, can 2 switches share the same channel. For example, if channel 6 ranges was from 1000 to 2000, could switch #1 own from 1000 to 1500 and switch #2 own from 1501 to 2000? If so, the "Off" position for switch #1 would be 1 and the "On" position would be 1500. For switch #2 "Off" is 1501 and "On" is 2000.

If this is a reasonable solution, I'll be using trim switches and trying to figure out if virtual switches have a role in this scenario.

I'd appreciate any advice.

You are on the right track. Multiple switches can be used in the mixer to control a single channel. Have you looked at the tutorial for writing model files on this page .

Thank you hexfet. I'm using Librepilot and see that i can assign the same channel (6) to multiple accessory bands in Librepilot. Each of these accessories bands would have a unique Devo 7e trim or switch assigned. For example:

Arm , Accesory0 , HOLD , Channel 6 , Range 1000-1225
Buzzer , Accesory1 , FMODE , Channel 6 , Range 1226-1250
LEDs , Accesory2 , TRIMRV , Channel 6 , Range 1251-1275
Osd , Accesory3 , TRIMLV , Channel 6 , Range 1276-2000

As you suggested I have read the tutorial and others that I'm struggling to comprehend. Most of the tutorials seem to deal with having a shortage of switches therefore a single switch is assigned multiple tasks. Because of the incredible capability of DeviationTX, I find that converting trims to switches eliminates the switch shortage concern. The problem I'm trying n to solve is the shortage of channels.

Do you still feel that I'm on the right track? Once I become more proficient programming the Mixes, is the above a reasonable expectation?

Once again, thank you.

Not exactly, if I understand your example correctly. One way to think of a channel is as a way to send a value from tx to rx. At any point in time there is one value per channel. So for your example, if channel 6 is sending 1250 the buzzer will be on but nothing else.

The ability to control multiple accessories with the same channel is used to turn multiple accessories on/off with the same channel value. In your example if you wanted the LEDs to be on only when armed then you'd assign the same range to both of them. When the channel value is in that range the LEDs will come on and arm is active.

Thank you...

I'm trying to create a mix stating from the most simple and then getting more complex but not having much luck. My approach was to get a simple switch (HOLD) working correctly on a channel (6) and then adding complexity. This method has NOT been working. I get the channel working with a simple mix. This has succeeded. Flipping from HOLD0 to HOLD1 works fine. The ground control software (Librepilot) shows the channel moving between the full range as I flip the switch.

When I change the mix to Complex, 1 mixer, 1 page and keep everything else the same, the channel responds correctly. If I change only to 2 mixers, page 1, toggling the switch doesn't respond.

My frustration is not getting this to work so that I can build on it by adding a second page. Is this a wrong approach?

One final question if I may... after spending lots of time I found that I can control the output range of a channel using deviationtx's Complex mixer. This effort drove home your comment that a channel can only control one event at a time.

Now the question (in a long winded way): I gave up my 7 channel pwm RX for this 6 channel ppm Rx thinking that I'd have the pwm channels in addition to the ppm channels. How wrong was I? Does deviationtx's virtual channels expand the number of channels for someone who knows how to use them?

Thank you

Virtual channels do not add more channels to the receiver. They are used as inputs to mixers that do control channels to implemet more complicated controls.

Thank you. You've helped make this more clear.