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Messages - rockchuck

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1
Hi Luke
just thought of something after reading the posts in the sound card section regarding adding sound trigger functions etc. Maybe I need to upgrade the firmware in my sound card. The sound files I have been using that work ok are from this site and are the very first files made. My new files have some of the additional sound files added , and after reading the posts seem to require a firmware upgrade.  My TCB has the latest firmware as it prompted me to upgrade it but the sound card doesn't prompt so I never thought to upgrade it.
cheers
rockchuck

2
Hi Luke
thanks for the reply.
OK I did get the sound card to snoop and see attached file for results.
I had to have the serial cable disconnected from the sound card for it to work and use the Teensy usb port as you said.
I had power onto the card however no sound was heard. I assume this is because I had no volume control pot plugged in as I use the radio to control the sound?
So looking at what is happening some sounds do work-- ie turret rotation and elevation, light switch sound on/off and some engine sound when I accelerate.

There is no startup sound or idle sound, machine gun sound ,cannon fire, engine shut down etc.
The sound files I am using are ones that I had to convert to 16bit format. I am using Audacity to modify the sound.
Maybe I need another source file for my sounds and get some sounds from various tank videos etc and try these out.
See attached snoop file.

thanks
rock

3
Open Panzer Help / problems with sound files on Open Panzer Sound card
« on: August 20, 2024, 08:03:41 AM »
Hello
I am having some trouble with the sound files not playing correctly and also affecting control of the tank. I have a set of test sound files downloaded from this site and they work ok in 3 other tanks fitted with tcb and Op sound cards.

The test set of sound files run correctly when fitted to the tank and all functions are ok.
When I fit my own sound files then I have trouble with the working etc. The sound files I have made are configured for 16bit PCM at 44100hz sample rate and the play ok on my pc as wav files.
I have checked the file names on my files and they are correct.

I tried the sound card test with the good set of sound files by placing the jumper on rc1 input on the sound card but nothing played and nothing downloaded to OP config.
I know the sound card works ok. So I don't know why this test mode didn't work.

The only thing I have noticed between the test sound files and my own files is the size. The test files (downloaded from this site ) is 9.61mB however my file is 142mB so I don't know if this is the reason for the odd behavior!
Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
rockchuck 

4
Open Panzer Help / Re: How to setup six position switch
« on: August 18, 2024, 09:31:57 PM »
Thanks Luke for your reply.
I have ordered some 6 position switches from a UK supplier that already have the resistors (smd) fitted so all I will have to do is attach the 3 wires from the pot to it and all should be good.
cheers
rockchuck

5
Open Panzer Help / How to setup six position switch
« on: August 15, 2024, 11:30:40 PM »
Hello
I am in the process of modifying my Turnigy 9X AFHDS 2A radio for adding 3 position switches and would like to add a 6 position switch. The 3 pos switch I have worked out however I'm not sure about the 6 pos switch. My understanding is that I replace one of the pots with the 6 pos switch.

 My question is how is this identified in OP Config. My thinking is that I would have to use resistors on each position to mark the signal into 6 steps ie from pwm pulse -100% to +100%. Then set this channel in OP Config as a digital chan with 6 positions.

I have Er9x firmware in the radio and I know you can setup different curves on a analog pot chan to generate a signal at the selected steps on the pot as it is turned. I think these are then described as Logical switches in the firmware ??? so not sure if this is a simple method with no mods to the radio but how would these logical switches be detected in OP Config.

Anyhow if the hardware hack is the only option then that's ok just means getting the right switch etc and doing the mod.

Thanks in advance.
cheers
rockchuck

6
Show and Tell / HL T34 with tcb
« on: November 20, 2023, 03:28:46 AM »
just some pics to show you can fit a lot into a T34 with a bit of planning
cheers
rc


7
Open Panzer Help / Re: Binden Th9X
« on: February 14, 2022, 07:21:39 PM »
Hi kettenpaul
sorry to hear you have problems with your setup. I am using the latest version of Open Panzer Config which handles 16chans.
I have used on my Turnigy 9X AFHDS 2A radio firmware er9x as my radio only has the 64 processor (limited memory)on it so can't use all the additional functions you get in Open Tx.
So here is my setup.

Turnigy 9X AFHDS 2 A radio
er9x--vers: v1.747-Mike
         date: 30.11.2016
          sun: er9x-r820

Turnigy Rx TGY-iA6c connect Sbus out to TCB I bus port

Radio Protocol setup -
1st chan         :  1
Proto              : PPM  14chan  350uS
PPM Fr Length : 32.5mSec
Polarity           : Neg

MIXER settings for model
CH1  100Rud
CH2  100Ele
CH3  100Thr
CH4  100Ail
CH5  100 HALF ID2 & -100 HALF ID0
CH6  100 FULL TRN
CH7  100  P3 ON
CH8  100  FULL THR
CH9  100  FULL AIL
CH10 100 FULL ELE
CH11 100 P1 ON
CH12 100 P2 ON
CH13 100 FULL GEA
CH14 100 FULL RUD

With the above mixer settings this gives all switches and pots their own radio channel. Don't forget that you maybe able to modify your radio and convert one of the pots to a 6 way switch as the latest OP Config does have this option however if you have the low end processor you may not have enough memory or spare input pins on the processor to do it.
There may be a way to use a pot to preform a 6 way switch function by setting up curve points then assigning a virtual switch function to them-- I haven't done this yet just looking at possibilities.
cheers
rock

8
Open Panzer Help / Re: Binden Th9X
« on: January 29, 2022, 09:44:24 PM »
Hi Kettenpaul

I have two of the same radio as you. One with the standard firmware (will be upgraded) and one upgraded to ER9x firmware.

I have been able to get 14 chans out of the radio with the standard TX module with both types of firmware if you use a Turnigy IA6C PPM/SBUS AFHDS 2A receiver,  Hobbyking sell these.
I use the Ibus/Sbus connection on the Rx unit and connected that to the TCB I-bus connection. This gives me 14 chans in the TCB Radio config. This allows you to assign all the switches and pots on your radio to a unique radio chan.

This means you don't have to create any complicated Mixer settings in your radio just assign the switch you want to that chan and make sure you have the switch "weighting " set correctly.

Having firmware ER9x on your radio makes things a lot easier but you can make it work with the original firmware as there is no complicated mixing required. 

9
Open Source Sound Dev / Re: Building OP sound cards
« on: January 13, 2022, 07:59:10 AM »
Hi Luke
thanks for the vote of confidence!! It took me a while to work up the courage to attempt the reflow process. In the end that wasn't the hard part!

The critical points are getting the right amount of solder paste on the pcb using the stencil ( very important that it is clean first) but you can still get a bad result if you are a bit shaky getting the stencil off as you can smudge the tracks and get bridged joints.
 Your points about the amount of solder paste etc and scrapping the heat sink pad under the amp chip is very important for good results. As I said I think with a bit more practice I could get a better result.

I did have some bridge pins that I was able to fix with a fine tip soldering iron and a solder sucker. However it pays to check the circuit layout first because trying to fix bridged pins can sometimes make things worse. For example there are some adjacent pins on the amp chip that wouldn't matter if you did have a bridged joint as they are connected together via the rest of the cct so it would be best to leave them and not tempt fate.
For instance pins 1 & 2 connected together and then to speaker terminal and 17 & 18 to the other terminal. Pins 23 & 24 go to GND and pins 21 & 22 the same to GND.

So the boards that don't work I don't know if the amp chips are ok as the chip does have some protection in built against shorts etc. But at less than $4 a chip it is not worth the hassel reusing them to find out that they are stuffed.

10
Open Source Sound Dev / Building OP sound cards
« on: January 10, 2022, 06:03:19 AM »
Hello
I thought I would share my experiences with building the op sound cards. I had all the parts for a while before I decided to brave the build. I read many articles and watched a lot of you tube videos about using an oven for the reflow process. I did try to build a soundcard with a teensy and a cheap chinese 10 watt amp module-- which did work but very noisy and a bit of a mess with wiring etc. So that is when I committed to building the OP sound card and it was a big project for me as I intended to build 15 sound cards.

I bought the boards and a stainless steel stencil from OSH and all the other parts from various suppliers. Being in Australia the freight costs have been costly but just couldn't get everything from the one supplier as stocks weren't always available, some items being last time buy ie the SD card reader for example.

I have a pretty good workbench setup with various soldering iron stations, hot air rework system and also a  desoldering vacuum pump station and being a retired comms technician I know my way around electronic circuits etc.

So to the build. I use a ice cube tray to put the components for one board in it as I found it easy to get the components out and have it close by the board. I set the pcb up on a wooden bread board and stick it down with the supplied aids that OSH provided. The stainless steel stencil is easy to clean which is something very important as the amp chip is the problem device to get right with the reflow process. This component is the only item that has caused me problems. Getting the spread of solder on the board is not to hard but the amp chip is really a bit hit or miss. The main thing is not too much solder on it and maybe very little in the centre of the chip and then cross your fingers and hope for the best.
So I have had a 20 % failure rate as three of the 15 boards have no sound working. All the other functions work as per the LEDs but no sound. I did remove the chip from a board using my reflow hot air, then used the vacuum desoldering gun to clean the excess solder then fitted a new chip and reflowed with the hot air gun , but the device still didn't work. I checked all the supporting circuitry and everything buzzed out ok so just can't tell what is going on underneath the chip !!

I did look at making an arduino control heating unit for the oven so it would follow the reflow curves for the solder, however I watched a video where someone was just using a timer and a temperature probe and turning the oven off and on manually and they got good results.  So this is what I did and got good results for 80% of the time!! So I have three dead boards which are not repairable so I will strip what parts are reusable and throw the rest in the bin.

So was it worth it??
YES it sounds fantastic. I have been using the sound files from this site and with a decent speaker in a good box the tank roars to life!! Luke has done a great job with this device as it has loads of potential for you to customise your tank models. Just a bummer about the amp chip-- I think with more practice I could get better with the solder placement etc-- you really need to be precise when you drop the device onto the board. You can't push it around too much as you  will create shorts under the chip.
So I am short a couple of boards for my TCB units however I have got a few Taigen sound modules so I will use these in my Panzar 3's and also fit these with a Sabretooth serial dual motor drive units (5amp) as these should be ok for the smaller tanks.

cheers and happy tanking.

11
News & Announcements / Re: It's all over?
« on: May 27, 2020, 09:27:52 PM »
Hi -- I check in on this page a couple times a week-- not have anything to post just at the moment but maybe later as I,m in the process of making the sound cards. I'm looking into making a reflow oven at the moment. I don't think the Open Panzer is dead-- a lot of people use this site for the tech tips etc and the wiki. The TCB is still the best board out there for tank control.
happy tanking
 

12
Thanks Luke.
I got it going, there was a few mishaps-- I was sure I had loaded the sd card with the sound files--  anyhow I checked again and " no sound Files"!!  Anyhow I used the files you listed and tried again. The Teensy activity leds were showing all the right responses just no sound so rechecked all my connections and found the problem in a wiring issue. So once fixed I had sound!  Very happy chappy!! :D

I am using a PAM8610 amp module that I bought online for a few dollars. They are rated at 15 watt into 4 ohm  at 12 volts supply (but at about 10% distortion.).
 So can't have the input to amp up too much as it distorts. I am using a chan on the radio with a pot to control the volume.
Using the 2s supply in a tank which is 7.2volts the amp output is a lot lower around about 6 watts.  It is still quite loud as I'm testing with a Visation FSR7 speaker that has a sensitivity rating of about 88db --not bad for a small speaker.

There is quite a lot of background hiss/noise which I think is due to poor power supply coupling on the amp board as I move the cabling around and the noise levels change.
So my next stage is make a pcb for it which I can hand solder and work out how to fix the amp module to the board as I think you need to keep all the wires as short as possible.
I looked at building the OP Sound card but was a bit unsure about how I would cope with the smd components and with a complete kit with all the parts and a lot of postage charges each board would cost me $120 Aud to make so stuffing a board would be expensive-- I have 15 TCB units that I want to make sound cards for so it is too expensive to go this way.

I can make this stripped down bare bones board for about $50 Aud and I think the sound quality will be good enough. I may have to look at a mute cct that can disconnect the speaker when the TCB/ Sound card boots up as there is a lot of pops and cracks getting into the speaker before the unit is ready. I assume some of this is from the cheap amp board so some more investigation is required.

cheers
rockchuck

13
OK I got the Teensy loaded. My pc keeps telling me it can't load the driver but just ignore that, The issue was a sequence problem. When you go to Firmware in OP config and click on the Sound card tab, then click "get latest fw" there is no further prompt until you click the Flash" button then a warning pops up telling you to push the reset button on the teensy. Only it is too late!!! and the flash upload fails.

So when all else fails read the instructions!!! So went to Teensy site and for you to flash the Teensy you must push the reset button first !!  you will notice that the flashing led on the Teensy goes out (the flashing led is the default program) THEN you click on the Flash button in OP Config and then the bastard loads!!

OK so now I have the blue led on the Teensy sound card slowly blinking-- it turn hard on when I send command ie fire gun etc then when command is completed it goes back to slow blink. So something is working but no sound--so will do further investigation--stay tuned
cheers
rc

14
Thanks Luke.
I tried that but the Teensy won't connect. My pc came up with "failed to load driver file for Teensy".  Where do i find the drivers I need for this as my pc won't recognize the Teensy so the OP software can't make a connection.

thanks
rockchuck

15
Hi Luke
I have built a prototype  sound card on a breadboard with a teensy and the add-on SD card board that stacks on top of it.  I am using a 10 watt amp module bought from ebay cheap and I have the 5 volt supply etc on the board and the activity leds.
I can't get the OP software to recognize the teensy although the led is lite on the teensy but the activity leds are dark.

How do I get the OP Sound card firmware into the Teensey I assume this is required. The installation details for the sound card are a bit vague. I have loaded the test sound files with the correct file names etc on the sd card and inserted that into the Teensy.   Does the Teensy firmware get uploaded over the serial port from the TCB?? If so how do you initiate that??
Access to the reset button on the Teensy with the SD board stacked on top is not a problem provided you use suitable height riser pins to solder the two boards together.

Thanks
rockchuck

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