SimpleOSD Web Manual

Jan 1, 2010

TROUBLESHOOTING

Parts of SimpleOSD

1 – OSD Main Board

Main Board coming with 40 male and 3 of 4 pin female pins.
You can solder it for different wiring combinations.

2 – Current Sensor

Ultralight Sensor

3 – GPS Module

4 – USB Loader Stick

PINOUTS

SimpleOSD designed for minimum wiring requirements. Because, most of accidents being from reverse polarity or poor wiring quality etc.

GPS module’s dont need extra wiring, you can solder it easly on the main module. And firmware update tool can plug directly on this.
You can supply your camera over OSD pins or directly from battery.

WIRING DIAGRAM

SimpleOSD have very flexible wiring architecture.

All connections optional except VDD supply voltage, Ground and Video signal.

If you connect only power and video pins, you can see “battery voltage” on the screen.

Note: GPS module disabling automatically when USB Loader Stick plugged.

Some Installation Variations

1-Main OSD Module Only

You can read battery voltages (main and second battery) and RSSI value with main module.
It is enough for most of FPV fun flying actions.

2- with Current Sensor

You can read extra; current and used battery capacity with current sensor.

3-with 10Hz GPS

You can read Position, Distance, Home direction, Altitude and Cruise Speed with GPS module.

GPS module can be connect over main module for minimum space requirements.
You can see the long pinouts (on the left side of gps) for firmware update.
This is photo of my last test set. It was working when i shot this photo.

CALIBRATING EXTERNAL SENSORS of SimpleOSD Ultralight

Important Notice: this proscedure works only with old SimpleOSD Ultralight devices.

SimpleOSD Ultralight’s default firmware including a calibration menu for first time calibrations of sensors.

You can calibrate current sensors and RSSI input with this menu.

Calibration proscedure very easy,

Press and hold the button when SimpleOSD Ultralight running. It will reboot in 7 seconds. Dont release the button when rebooting.Or press and hold the button and remove and connect the battery (same way with rebooting)
It will show Calibration menu on the OSD, now release the button.
It will show “Current Sensor 1″ and count 5 to 0 in 5 seconds, if you want to calibrate press and release the button. It will read “zero amper value” of current sensor 1.
It will show “Current Sensor 2″ and count 5 to 0 in 5 seconds, if you want to calibrate press and release the button. It will read “zero amper value” of current sensor 2.
It will show “RSSI Calibration ” and count 5 to 0 in 5 seconds, if you want to calibrate press and release the button.It will read max and minimum values of your RC Receiver.Power On your rc transmitter for max valueand Power Off for min valueand Press and release the button.
It will record calibration values in internal memory. And reboot automatically.

UPGRADING SimpleOSD FIRMWARE

SimpleOSD is most flexible OSD device on the market with online firmware update/upgrading system.

We can design new OSD layouts with your ideas and you can choose and install it in seconds.

Downloading Latest Firmware Loader and Tools

xl_tools.zip version 2.4 Release Date: 2010-06-30

Extract this zip file in any folder. It’s including EXE file and XP & Vista Drivers.

Installing USB Drivers

Our USB Loader Stick coming with XP and Vista Drivers. Installation steps same as other devices.

Plug the stick on any USB port of your computer, Your PC will find the device

You will see this screen in 3-5 second, select “No, not this time” optin and Next

Select “Install from spesific location” and Next

Select “Include this location in the search” box and click “Browse” button, Then select the driver folder.

It will install the drivers automaticaly

and you will see Finish screen. Driver installation done!

Using Firmware Loader Software

You can install our firmwares in seconds with 9 easy steps when your SimpleOSD running.

Plug the USB Loader Stick on your computer
Plug the loader cable on your OSD’s Loader/GPS port
Power On your OSD
Run the Flytron_Loader.EXE and Select the COM Port of your USB Loader Stick
Enter the Firmware Code and Press the “Check the Code” Button
It will connect our web site and download firmware automatically. (If you using a firewall please open it)
Press the button of SimpleOSD and hold it, It will reboot in 7 seconds.
Uploader will install new firmware when your OSD rebooting. Release the button when it loading. OSD will run automatically after installation.
Remove the loader cable from OSD and reboot it again.(from button or power off and on)

LATEST FIRMWARES

CODE	Firmware Name/Version	Release Date	Description
XL Firmwares
xl_final	XL Final v2.6	2010-12-27	Final firmware of SimpleOSD XL with more features
xl_final_25	XL Final v2.5	2010-09-12	bug fixed version of v2.4
xl_final_24	XL Final v2.4	2010-06-30	bug fixed version with extra features
xl_final_20	XL Final v2.0	2009-12-22	Old Final firmware of SimpleOSD XL
xl_stable	XL Stable v1.0	2009-10-12	It’s old firmware of SimpleOSD XL
Ultralight Firmwares
ul_stable	Ultralight Stable v1.0	2009-10-06	It’s latest default firmware of SimpleOSD Ultralight
ul_gps	Ultralight with GPS v1.0	2009-11-11	GPS based firmware with home arrow and distance indicators.
grooveytime	Groovey Timer 1.0	2009-10-11	Including a timer for flight time. LoveGroove’s idea from RCGroups

Extra Features for SimpleOSD XL

Please download and extract this file before reading below:http://www.flytron.com/bootloader/xl_tools.zip
Load latest xl_final firmware that coded xl_final before runnig this tools.

PC Based Configuration Tool

This tool is heart of new Final firmware. You can control all features of XL over your computer and design your screens with it.
Final Firmware Loading Steps for Old Firmware Users

Run FL_Boot.exe
Type xl_final in code line and press enter
Press and hold the OSD’s button for loading new firmware
Release the button when loader burning the rom.
Screen will blank after OSD Boot Screen this is normal.
Close Boot Loader and run XL_Calibrator.exe
Select Com Port from Program Settings tab.
Click “Load ROM From File” button and select default.soc binary ROM file from same folder.
It will load all setting from default.soc. Then click “Write” button for uploading new ROM settings to OSD.
DONE! , Now you will see main configuration values on the screen.
Press Read Button for reading current ROM values from OSD, then click “Save ROM to File” button for saving your rom in a file for backup. This is important for saving your voltage and current calibration values for future usage.

Using Configuration Tool

Configuration tool have 3 tab for all options.
First tab is screen design only.

Type your Callsign if you want to show it on the screen. Use only uppercase charaters and @ for “space”
Select the unit system Metric or Imperial
On/Off the background
On/Off the home indicator.
Design 5 different screen with values.

Second Tab for calibration values and other options.

Type Alert values for Battery, Range and RSSI
Select Audio options.
Design your analog sensor input like Ultrasonic altimeter or any.
Change calibration values for fine tunning your system.
Default voltage value is 220
Default current value is 3 (auto configuration for Ultralight sensors)
Default RSSI Min 40 , Max 135 for 2.6v to 0.8v RSSI systems.

Thirth Tab for logs and rom records.

Select the ComPort of USB loader.
Save/Load the configuration options on the file.

FLYTRON Ground Station

The Ground Station software works with bidirectional FrSky modules. You should edit config.ini file before first run.

you will see the line like “COMPORT=COM3″ in the ini file, edit this com port number to your computer’s comport number that FrSky module connected. Then run the software and explore it’s features. Software is already on Beta and we are sharing it just for testing purpose.

Features:

It is OpenSource (under LGPL license)
Live Video
Live Google Maps position
Video Capturing with all compression codecs.
Data logging and others.

And we will add OpenLRS telemetry support with IMU and other sensors on Alpha version of firmware.

You can follow our all FrSKY telemetry projects from this link

And this is the google code page of OpenFGS project. http://code.google.com/p/openfgs/

Please contact with us for being the project member, all developers are welcome.

Audio Telemetry Modem Receiver

This is world first telemetry modem system over sound card, this mean you dont need any external device or part for reading telemetry data on the ground station. It reducing cost of your FPV set and increasing the flexibility.

Tool reading AFSK waves from your microphone (or line-in) input and analysing it for byes and giving out from TCP 1976 port for external plugin softwares like google earth interfaces, data rcordars or flight gauges.
Follow this 3 easy steps for reading telemetry datas:

Power on SimpleOSD XL (ofcourse connect it’s audio pin on your video TX’s audio input.)
Connect your video receivers audio output on you computer’s line-in or microhone input. You will hear the AFSK signals from your speaker. (if not, check your sound card’s recorder input options)
Run the SimpleOSD Audio Modem Receiver software and press the RUN button.

Fine Tune:

Every video receiver’s have different output levels for audio signals and you must finetune it from your computer.
Uncheck the Digitize check box. It will show audible signals on the screen.
You should see full waves on the screen, if waves too small or overloaded it is affect your data quality.
Open your sound card’s “Recording Control” menu and change the Gain value for optimising the AFSK waves on acceptible wave size.Waves mus be smaller then oscilloscope screen height and higher than half of screen. %80 is best size for waves.
Check Digitize check box after fine tuning.

Developer’s Section

Audio Modem software including basic plugin architecture for using telemetry values on external applications like googleaerth control or value analysers.

Download this manual for detailed information about our AFSK protocol and Plugin system :http://www.flytron.com/pdf/audio_modem.pdf

TROUBLESHOOTING

1 – My Black Background is not enough black

Some CCD Survilance Cameras giving powerfull video outputs for long cable lengths, If you using this type cameras for FPV, SimleOSD’s black background will not enough black.
You should increase SimpleOSD’s output than original design and it is very simple hack.
Just find “101″ coded resistors close to GPS Port. First resistor increases white, Second one increases Black
Use a solder drop jumper for disabling this resistor.

2 – My GPS’s 3DFIX LED dont stop to blinking

GPSs works 1.3Ghz and they are following very low power satellite signals. Because satellites works with solar panels and output powers only few watts on GPS signals. This is why GPSs affects all noises around.

At first, be sure your GPS not close to your video transmitter. Then you should check magnetic/electric noise generators on your setup. Brushless motors and their wires generates giant magnetic pulses and it affects all sensitive things arround. And some wrong designed ESCs are the main problem of all noise problems. They generates big voltage drops on battery side and it affects your equipments. Most of Rc Receivers resistive to this problems because producers designing them for worst case. But GPS producers already designing them for more healty conditions.

Power line filters resolves powerline parasites on most cases but not RF noises afound.

You should find right GPS position and maybe you should add some ferrite beads on wires.

3 – My GPS Fixed but SimpleOSD didnt recognise it

Please check the GPS to OSD cabling and data lines.
Tx or RX lines should be connected to OSD before power on.

Posted by Melih Karakelle | Categories: HowTo and Manuals |

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19 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

Mulder
January 16th, 2011 at 2:58 am #

Hi,

I just got my SimpleOSD, installed the firmware using the USB loader. But the calibrator_xl always says that it cannot find SimpleOSD?

Any hints?

Cheers,
Dan
Melih Karakelle
January 16th, 2011 at 5:29 pm #

Hi Dan,

- be sure your OSD working and everything installed when updating it. You cant talk with it when it is off.
- And be sure you choosed right com port from software and cable connected to right place.

It works without problem when this points ok.
Cheers
Melih
Peter
February 16th, 2011 at 2:38 am #

Hello, do the osd have support for rssi value from 2,4 ghz receivers with “lost packet led”, where a led on a receiver blink for every packet lost. I know it it possible to build a little circuit to convert the blink rate to a analog rssi value. But that feels a little unnecessary. It would be a trivial thing to do in the firmware code. Do it support that ? If not see this a request Have a nice day !
Melih Karakelle
February 16th, 2011 at 9:47 am #

Direct lost package counter is a good idea, i will think about it on next generation firmware.
Thanks
Easystar schematics v1.1 « sircrashalot
February 20th, 2011 at 3:59 pm #

[...] with 2 amp sensors. I thought that I will connect them later. This seemed to be a great idea until I started to check out how I can do the wiring. The more I read about it the more I got convinced how bad idea is to have OSD in the back. It was [...]
Patrick O'Neill
February 23rd, 2011 at 10:08 pm #

Hi Melih, I have purchased your OSD, 100amp sensor and GPS sensor and have just received them. Brilliant work!
I too, like Peter above, want to connect for RSSI from my RDS8000 2.4ghz receiver. Please make a solution
I have questions for you; (without Volt sensor installed)
#1) I am powering the video, vid transmitter, and OSD through the 4 pin vid connect on OSD board. IS THIS OK?
#2) With the above set up I see the Voltage and mA on screen with out volt sensor…is this the MAIN #1 passed through to video?
The mA counts off really fast…must not be accurate installed this way.
Hope to hear from you soon, Patrick
Daniel Hibben
February 26th, 2011 at 7:42 pm #

can this simple OSD be used with Antenna tracker system like the eagle eyes i have that and was hoping that it could send data that would allow the it to track the aircraft but i see nothing on this in the manual
thanks Dan
Melih Karakelle
March 13th, 2011 at 8:02 am #

Hi Daniel,

Yes it is possible, Simple OSD including opensource telemetry systems (Audio and FrSky based ones) but you need some programming skills for that.
Melih Karakelle
March 13th, 2011 at 8:09 am #

Hi Patrick

Sorry i was offline/busy since few weeks.

I guess you can use the package lost led modification method for your receiver.
just reads this article: http://blog.flytron.com/rssi-output-for-2-4ghz-futaba-fasst.html

About your questions:
1) yes you can supply it over 4 pin side, this is simplest installation method with only 3 wire (+ – video)
2) but you can measure the current over it. disable current info from screen for this setup. Because OSD measures the volts with internal voltage sensor but current sensor inputs affects from electric noises and measures the noise without the current sensor.
Aaron
March 31st, 2011 at 3:31 pm #

I figured out how to use the configurator and it’s pushing the data to the OSD just fine (by the way it works on Window’s 7). The only problem I have is that I can’t get the GPS to lock. I have the GPS on the OSD, and I get a solid blue light, but I never get any GPS related data on the screen. It always says wait for GPS fix.
Melih Karakelle
April 3rd, 2011 at 9:20 am #
At first, you must remove the USB cable from OSD before power on, because it disables the GPS when plugged. o
Second, Be sure about GPS cabling between OSD and GPS, Tx of GPS must be connected to Rx of OSD as we show in diagram.

Means of LEDs
1. Solid BLUE: GPS backup battery charging
2. Solid RED: Low supply voltage or burned GPS chip by high voltage
3. Blinking RED: Searching for satellites
4. RED LED off: GPS locked (3Dfix) to satellites
Carlos Santiago
April 5th, 2011 at 12:32 am #

Hello
My simple OSD locates the satellites and is initialized without
problems but after a few minutes there is a alert that says
waiting GPS fix and might not work, which
can it be? Watch the video, thanks.
Always doing the same.
http://vimeo.com/21940624
roberto
April 21st, 2011 at 2:41 am #

i would like to have 2 lines of information on the screen, is it possible?
Melih Karakelle
May 2nd, 2011 at 4:29 pm #

Sorry, it gives only one line information according the “simple” rule.
PS:I know it is not “simple” when configuring but it is only way for answering the all requirements.
Aaron
May 12th, 2011 at 11:42 am #

I am having exactly the same problem as Carlos Santiago,
after 1-2 mins of perfect operation it shows “waiting for gps fix” just like his video, happens every time, please help.
Melih Karakelle
May 12th, 2011 at 6:46 pm #

Oh sorry i was missed his question too.
If it is same problem i will answer both;
GPS already working and giving altitude and other details on this video. But saying “waiting for fix”. This is not a problem of OSD or GPS unit. GPS giving alert about loosing fix when it cant detect enough satellites around. Probably, your video TX jamming the GPS signals and it is receiving poor quality GPS signals. Change the GPS’s or VTx’s position, it resolves the most of noise problem. And add a satellite count symbol on your OSD screen for following the signal quality.

Possible reasons of time delays:
- All VTx devices sensitive to temperature on mosfet junction and they generates more noise less power when the temperature increasing. This is why their range reduces after few minutes.
- Satellites turning around the earth. If GPS fixes with only 4 satellite, it loses it after few minutes. You need 8 or more satellite signal for good quality position detection.
Carlos Santiago
May 13th, 2011 at 11:36 pm #

I think I found the problem, some cameras that are generally
GPS blockade, SN777, SN555, DX201, KX201, KX131 give no problem,
KX191, KX171, KPC650CHQ.
I hope this information serves.
Carlos Santiago
May 14th, 2011 at 2:29 pm #

Sorry; KX131 No problem
Jho
May 18th, 2011 at 3:22 am #

Carlos Santiago try to get the Mickey FIlter

http://flytron.com/70-mickey-1-amper-power-noise-filter.html

and see if this helps with problematic cameras,

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