I have an omnibus f4 v5. I would like to hook up 3 cameras with a camera switch. Leds. A servoless payload module (5v signal needed). A 4in1 esc, vtx with smart audio, and an rx4 rx. Also a gps unit. I think I don't have enough uarts but I am confused by 2 pads labeled pwm5 and pwm6 are these associated with uart 5 and 6 or are they their own thing?
How much stuff can I control from my FC?
- Thread starter Hexluthor
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wafflejock
Well-Known Member
Think better off getting a FC with enough UARTs as is (using a Kakute F7 here on latest build and has lots of TX/RX UART pairs available). Pretty sure the "big upgrade" from STM32F4 vs STM32F7 is the extra UARTs so probably look for F7 based board?
Alternative like @RENOV8R mentioned can just use extra PWM signals right out of a receiver into a servo if the servo has power and they share common GND then I don't see why that wouldn't work. Another alternative is multiple flight controllers with different receivers sending signal to each (perhaps there is some way to do pass through or otherwise get one to ignore some of the signals, know NurkFPV uploaded recently doing a vid with gimbaled camera and multiple FCs to achieve it I think?)
Alternative like @RENOV8R mentioned can just use extra PWM signals right out of a receiver into a servo if the servo has power and they share common GND then I don't see why that wouldn't work. Another alternative is multiple flight controllers with different receivers sending signal to each (perhaps there is some way to do pass through or otherwise get one to ignore some of the signals, know NurkFPV uploaded recently doing a vid with gimbaled camera and multiple FCs to achieve it I think?)
wafflejock
Well-Known Member
Also I don't think the PWM ports can necessarily act as a UART, PWM is a simple on off pulsed signal, and the percentage of "ON" or "HIGH" (usually 5V) vs "off" or "LOW" (usually 1.5V or below probably 0V) is basically taken as a percentage and then mapped to some range (say 0V = value of 1000, 5V = value of 2000, 50% on would be like 2.5V average or interpreted value of 1500). The signal is typically a 1.5ms-2ms pulse and is repeated 50 times per second or at 50Hz
A UART on the other hand is a serial protocol with Transmit and Receive lines and can run at various Baud rates from 9600 up to like 256000 (possibly faster in some cases but typical range is somewhere around here), baud rate isn't exactly bits per second but think signals per second still gives some idea it needs to deal with 9600 ons/offs a second vs like 50. Also a PWM is just output (so maybe could act as a poor mans TX) but if you can't switch the pin on the MCU from "output mode" to "input mode" and it doesn't have any serial hardware behind it in the MCU then I don't think it's doable (can see the Arduino SoftwareSerial library it might tell you otherwise but I think that's the closest I've heard to this).
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Things to keep in mind if looking at Arduino stuff, community there mostly deals with "standard Arduino" is a AVR architecture chip with a board around it. That said have seen some things like Particle.io Photon boards that use STM32 based MCUs and can use Arduino libs (to some degree) so maybe something to be learned there.
A UART on the other hand is a serial protocol with Transmit and Receive lines and can run at various Baud rates from 9600 up to like 256000 (possibly faster in some cases but typical range is somewhere around here), baud rate isn't exactly bits per second but think signals per second still gives some idea it needs to deal with 9600 ons/offs a second vs like 50. Also a PWM is just output (so maybe could act as a poor mans TX) but if you can't switch the pin on the MCU from "output mode" to "input mode" and it doesn't have any serial hardware behind it in the MCU then I don't think it's doable (can see the Arduino SoftwareSerial library it might tell you otherwise but I think that's the closest I've heard to this).
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Things to keep in mind if looking at Arduino stuff, community there mostly deals with "standard Arduino" is a AVR architecture chip with a board around it. That said have seen some things like Particle.io Photon boards that use STM32 based MCUs and can use Arduino libs (to some degree) so maybe something to be learned there.
Thats a good point I haven't even considered using an avr chips on a quad. I have a decent amount of experience in programming them with assembly instructions. Don't know much about arduino coding though.
jthough.just recognized that fact last night. Thanks for the reply. This is thr route I am taking and it works under my testing so far.
I gave decided to swap the fc out with an f7 board. Because I damaged my omnibus fc
now I have the omninxt f7 fc in the circuit.And a smoke stopper! LolI gave decided to swap the fc out with an f7 board. Because I damaged my omnibus fc