Want true DSMX in your Taranis?

hackn3y

Junior Member
Anyone ever figure out how to get this module to work with the MLP4DSM (from a Blade transmitter)? I'm using it in a Taranis with a Lemon RX receiver. It works fine using the Blade.
 

HilldaFlyer

Well-known member
@rockyboy - did you make a wireless buddy box? I don't know if I commented or you already knew, but I did it and it was easy. You can make a stand-alone wireless or external wireless or internal. All three outlined in Wireless Buddy Box.

Let me know if anyone has questions. -
 
Does DX6i module work?

Hi there, I was thinking about switching to a taranis but I have a lot of Orange DSMX receivers and a Blade Heli. So I will surely need a module.
I opened my retired DX6i which runs both dsm2 and dsmx, and the transmitter looks exactly the same as in DX4e on your photos. The only difference is that I do not even need to solder it out, it's plugged.
Is it really the same module? Can I use it? I only found builds with Dx4 modules, but I suppose this is because you could get them cheap. Also, how can I make sure that it works with dsmx?
Attached is a photo of the DX6i module.
image.jpeg
 

pressalltheknobs

Posted a thousand or more times
Hi there, I was thinking about switching to a taranis but I have a lot of Orange DSMX receivers and a Blade Heli. So I will surely need a module.
I opened my retired DX6i which runs both dsm2 and dsmx, and the transmitter looks exactly the same as in DX4e on your photos. The only difference is that I do not even need to solder it out, it's plugged.
Is it really the same module? Can I use it? I only found builds with Dx4 modules, but I suppose this is because you could get them cheap. Also, how can I make sure that it works with dsmx?
Attached is a photo of the DX6i module.
View attachment 72657

yes it is one of the TXs you can harvest from. See the original articles...

http://johnprikkel.blogspot.com/2014/07/jr-dsmx.html
http://openrcforums.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_modify_your_9x_to_the_DSM_protocol#Module_Removal
 

HilldaFlyer

Well-known member
Yup, Go for it. Most of the modules are made from DX4 and DX5 because the DX6i is a jump up in price and functionality.
This will certainly work well.
 

MrClean

Well-known member
Thank you for the links! Somehow google did not find me these.. 1 step closer to a Taranis! :)

You'll love the Taranis ESPECIALLY if you're a programmer type of person. That thing will do sooo much. I get stuff figured out then get stuck not flying for a month and it's back to the drawing board on developement. But, it works like a regular radio as well, programming on the radio or on the computer for normal airplanes is real easy. Not much more complicated mixing controls. Not that hard to program the altitude sensors into giving you audio updates and timer countdowns, switch status and certain other recommendations like "Pilot error, replace pilot and try again".

Someday I'll have to get one of the Taranis Plus's. I got in on one of the early batches but I haven't regretted it a bit.
 

xnaron

Junior Member
Does anyone know if this module will work in the new FrSKY Horus? I think the pinouts should be the same. It is probably a matter of whether it is still supported by OpenTX.
 

pressalltheknobs

Posted a thousand or more times
The Horus has a "JR" style module bay.

OpenTX 2.2 which runs on the Horus will almost certainly support the hack module and apparently the new "DIY" MULTI module you can make from parts or buy on Banggood. OpenTX 2.2 is not released yet so things can change. It is apparently getting close. The OS runs on the just released Horus but Companion is not complete.

The new FrSky OS almost certainly does not support the hack module...It probably only supports PPX serial (FrSky) and PPM modules natively.
 

PRGeno

Junior Member
I've built a DSM2/DSMx Hack module using the common blue PCB (I have 2 extra PCBs if anyone wants one), parts sourced from Digikey, and a Spektrum Airmod JR case and antenna. I used an RF module pulled from a working DX6i.

This combination works very well indoors with my Inductrix and properly handles all the functions of a 200QX, binding fine, arming the motors with a switch, changing to all flight modes, killing the motors with a switch. The 200QX also flies as well as the with the DX6i outdoors except for one pretty devastating flaw. The 200QX seems to randomly loses contact and control without warning. A better to describe it would be that the 200QX completely loses it's mind and flies off on it's own. If it had lost contact I would expect the 200QX to fall from the sky but instead the 200QX will continue to fly on it's own with no response to any input from me.

I've put the RF module back in the DX6i and my 200QX flies perfectly again. I put the RF module back in the hack module and Taranis and it works, until it all of a sudden doesn't. It is completely unreliable and I don't trust it to fly my 200QX.

I've watched helplessly while the 200QX flew off toward my roof and/or tree tops, and once it actually appeared to change directions as if someone else was flying. It appears to be caused by RF interference as it seems to happen most often in a particular area of my back yard. But the same RF module in the DX6i has no such problem in the same area. When I have control it seems to work as well as when I'm using the DX6i. But when it goes crazy it doesn't respond to any input from me.

Does anyone have any ideas that might help give me a clue to troubleshooting this craziness? Has anyone else found an RF module installed in a hack module to be more susceptible to RF interference than when the same modules are installed in their original transmitter body?
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
I haven't had that kind of difference in radio performance with my modules (and I've built 3 of them so far). Have you tried doing a classic range check with it? I'd recommend seeing how far you can go just walking out before the RSSI level starts dropping off sharply with a FrSKY reciever to see what you should be able to do, and then compare the hack module to see if it's an intermittent problem, or a total cut-out perhaps due to jostling the receiver or a bad joint heating up from resistance.

From a technical perspective, I think you could be looking for a cold solder joint somewhere in the antenna connections, a mismatched antenna (running a 5.8 ghz antenna instead of a 2.4 rubber ducky), or damaged antenna.
 

PRGeno

Junior Member
@rockyboy Thanks for the quick reply.

I did a visual check for cold or loose solder joints and didn't see anything obvious. I'm pretty good with a soldering iron, but it's always a possibility so I'll check again closer. The antenna is the stock 2.4Ghz that comes included and installed in the Spektrum Airmod JR module case, so that shouldn't be a problem, but I'll look for lose connections or damage.

I will also do a range check on both transmitters as soon as I can. I did one with the hack module in the Taranis and it seemed to check out fine. Also the problem occurs when flying relatively close, meaning I can fly much farther away without a problem than the area of the yard where the problem seems to occur most often. That is why it seems to me to indicate an RF interference issue. But I wouldn't expect DSMX to be affected in that way, and it's not an issue with the same RF module when it is used in the DX6i flying the same model in exactly the same area of the yard.

This is all very odd, a little bit frustrating. It kind of puts a serious damper on my plans for my shiny new Taranis to become my primary go to, do it all, transmitter even if it does work flawlessly with all my models with FrSky receivers.
 

rstellhorn

New member
I have a dx5e that i was given along with the super cub 3 channle foamy. I ordered a taranis q7 along with all of the parts specced. This should be fun.
 

LarryTru

New member
@rockyboy Thanks for the quick reply.

I did a visual check for cold or loose solder joints and didn't see anything obvious. I'm pretty good with a soldering iron, but it's always a possibility so I'll check again closer. The antenna is the stock 2.4Ghz that comes included and installed in the Spektrum Airmod JR module case, so that shouldn't be a problem, but I'll look for lose connections or damage.

I will also do a range check on both transmitters as soon as I can. I did one with the hack module in the Taranis and it seemed to check out fine. Also the problem occurs when flying relatively close, meaning I can fly much farther away without a problem than the area of the yard where the problem seems to occur most often. That is why it seems to me to indicate an RF interference issue. But I wouldn't expect DSMX to be affected in that way, and it's not an issue with the same RF module when it is used in the DX6i flying the same model in exactly the same area of the yard.

This is all very odd, a little bit frustrating. It kind of puts a serious damper on my plans for my shiny new Taranis to become my primary go to, do it all, transmitter even if it does work flawlessly with all my models with FrSky receivers.

PRGeno,

Did you ever solve the problem you were having with this?

Larry
 

varg

Build cheap, crash cheap
Has anyone done this with an MLP6DSM transmitter as the module source? It's the transmitter from a blade micro helicopter, I have a lead on one for dirt cheap, but don't want to bother if the module is inferior and won't have usable range or otherwise is limited in functionality. I can't find any info on the output power of this transmitter vs other modules so it's hard to know what range limitations will be. If it's fine for flying around in visual range with a mid-sized plane I'll consider it good.
 
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