Ultimate7e tutorial: Four 3-way + two 2-way switch

HappyHarry wrote: will you post a copy on the test build page for others to use or do you want me to do it?

I actually pm'd you about this. My test build is only built against BRANCH_5.0.0 not the nightlies. I've put a note in there that they should look to your link for the nightlies. I figured that since you already have that up, it's less confusing. Also, you are more active than I am here, so the nightlies are probably better in your hands.

Content edited cause I'm an idiot that doesn't read...


Ok so I've got my 3x4 switches in and working (I stole the 2 OEM 2-ways for my X9E lol) and I read in your tutorial why the stock switches are gone but I still notice you have their harnesses plugged in, what for?

I'm thinking later tonight or tomorrow when I do my two pots that I'm gonna try to disconnect those port's pins so they're floating and air wire to them and use those 2 plugs for the 4 connection to the back of the case where I already had my pots installed.

Edited with some pretty pictures to make up for asking dumb questions lol

Started out color coding the input's conn's

Some mechanical stress relief for the wires

Done

Now my CC2500 just got here so it's time for some devo 10 surgery next!

Cereal_Killer wrote: but I still notice you have their harnesses plugged in, what for?

The stock harness connects to PC10 and PC11 for the switches. So instead of soldering to the pin behind, I just extended the red wire from the harness to the new switches. The black wire is ground, so it was left floating. Leave the harness off since you've already soldered to the pins behind.

I'll edit the tutorial later to make it clearer. Thanks for pointing it out!

I noticed you didn't add the 2-way switch wiring.

Looking good!

I am about to make my mods, with regards to the pots and switches. but I am wondering, instead of adding extra 2x3pos switch, would it be possible to add instead 4x2pos switch?
I prefer to have 4 extra 2way switch. Especially for flight control to select options on off.

Only way were I sometimes use 3 way switches, is for instance for Dual rates or settings, like mild, normal, aggressive flight, but two of those is enough.
But just extra on off would for me be more usefull. 1 I use always for ARM/Disarm/ or throthle disable. so basically only one switch left for switching an option......

@fernandez, it's probably possible to configure for 6x2-way with 2x3-way. The wiring would be different from the tutorial I wrote and it will still involve undoing the previous 3-way switch mod you already have. Might be hard to fit 8 switches physically.

If you think you can fit it in. I'll take a look at the code. Don't rewire things until i can figure it out. Also you'll need to test things for me cause I can't do it.

You game to do it?

[Edit] It just occured to me we can also try soldering to an unused pin to get 4 or 6 more positions. These can then be assigned to more switches or trims. What do you guys think?[\edit]

I am in for testing this, but I am affraid for non standard builds.

So if going that way should be supported in standard builds or possible to configure the switch config in the ini file?

Hmm... I can't really say. That ends up being PB's call. I believe that if backward compatibility is retained, he should accept it into the main trunk like the current switch mods have been.

I've still not really tried, so I'm not sure if I can keep backward compatibility with the previous (original) 2x2-way/2x3-way if we try to add the 6x2way instead. I'd have to look at it. Let me ponder a bit and get back to you.

Thanks Silp!
I can certainly wait, I have drilled and mounted pots and switches, but not wired them yet

wouldn't it be possible to wire it mostly the same way, but ignore/don't look for the third position of the 3ways? as in don't hook up the wires to PC10 and set the code not to scan for them (I don't know how it works obviously) or am I talking rubbish lol?

HappyHarry wrote: wouldn't it be possible to wire it mostly the same way, but ignore/don't look for the third position of the 3ways? as in don't hook up the wires to PC10 and set the code not to scan for them (I don't know how it works obviously) or am I talking rubbish lol?

Actually you are correct, we could do it that way but the limit would be 6 switches (2x3-way and 4x-2-way).

@Fernandez, how many switches do you actually need? The 3-way switches can actually do what the 2-way switches do, just use the top 2 positions and only use the 3rd when needed (that's what I do). Or were you actually looking to have 8 physical switches (6x2-way and 2x3-way) and 2 pots? BTW, any chance you could post a picture of how you fit everything in? I might want to try that later. Thanks!

Ideal case would be 2pcs x3 way and 6pcs x2way.
Or 4pcs - 3way 4pcs -2way.

I think fitting them would be no issue, i have drilled allready my pots and now 3 switches, i can fit 2 more switches..

where are you placing the 7th and 8th switches? as mine is already tight for space with just the 6 switches and 2 pots

It's pretty tight but it fits. See the pics.
The pots are the Taranis part, the 2 switches do have a bit smaller back, than the stock devo switches, so just fits.
The extra switch would, be able to fit it it on top, next to the 2 corner switches.

But as mentioned all is not wired yet, still use the old config now 2x3 and 2x2, it seem there is a bug no on the u7e..Just posted it in the ultiomate build topic.

ahh i was thinking you had put the pots in the same position as silpstream and myself, but now I see where you have them the extra room makes sense

I had planned on fitting sliders where you have the pots but decided against it as it would be difficult to operate them when flying due to the way I hold my tx

Now, I see how you can fit it in. Nice.

Okay, so I've been thinking a bit about the 2 way switches. It will be a lot easier for us to use another pin (PB9, pin 62). This will allow us to add up to 6 additional positions that can be deployed to either 2/3 way switches or trims or possibly momentary buttons (like on the rear of the case similar to the FS-i6s).

This leaves the original 2x2way-4x3way mod intact and anyone who has already done that mod can add on the extra pin for the extra 6 positions.

So given the 6 open positions, how should we assign them? Every 2-way/momentary takes up one position. Each 3-way/trim takes up 2 positions. The trims won't show up as switches in our mixer and needs to be assigned to VirtChannels.

Also, note that I've been staying away from naming the switches AIL/RUD/HOLD/FMOD etc, as such you se the SW A/B/C/D convention. Currently we are A to F. Would it seem odd to have "SW L"?

how about 3WA, 3WB, etc for the 3ways, and 2WA, 2WB etc for the 2ways, MS1, MS2 etc for moment and so on? and the futaba 18mz has SA to SH so SWL isn't too bad lol

Not sure if we can rename switches that much, although I do like the idea. Currently they are defined in "src/inputs.c" and I've been using existing defines. Currently they have defined up to "SW H", so to get to "SW L" we have to add a bunch of new defines into a common code area (not just 7e-256k target).

Also I'm tempted to allow for 1 more 3-way leaving 4x2-ways that can be either toggle or momentary switches. That makes a grand total of up to 5x3-way and 6x2-way. But I don't really have a reason for it cause I already have all the switches I need for what I do, so I'm flexible. Anyone thing having extra trims (like the Devo10) is useful?

yeah i think you'd have to check with pb about naming if it impacts other areas of the code.

i'm with you on the switches, 4 3ways, 2 2ways and the pots are plenty for anything i have in my fleet, including gliders with spoilers, crow, flaps etc. i still think using the existing wiring but only hooking up the wires to make 2 3ways, and 4 2ways and adjusting the code to suit would be the best method, but i'm not the one who has to code it lol

the extra trims on the d10 are virtual, the only reason the 7e doesn't have the same amount is the old 'space' issue, which we with the ult7e no longer have, so i think the extra virtual trims could be enabled anyway

silpstream wrote: Anyone think having extra trims (like the Devo10) is useful?

No, absolutely not at all...

The one thing I currently use for control that my 7e doesn't have (disregarding the 2x2 I could already add that I don't have installed) would be one of these...
alofthobbies.com/frsky-6--mode-flap-switch.html

But that would obviously need another analog in (though note, it should already work, if you only want one pot + the 6-way)

Edit: hell you could hack the switch and make it work like 6 2-ways but that'd be a ton of wiring to make it work like that...

Yeah those 6 position switches are nice, but you are right, it would need an analog pin , of which we only have 2. However, your custom board could probably find an extra analog pin. ;P