Working out some kinks with my TCB/DasMikro/TX16S

[Jib]

So I’m having a couple of issues that may or may not be related with my set up.

My set up includes a TCB, DasMikro, 10w 8ohm speaker, a PMM to PWM converter, an ELRS PWM receiver (Radiomaster ER8) , and a 16 channel transmitter (Radiomaster TX16S with Hall gimbals). I have gone through the complete set up for the TCB and the DasMikro mini according to the Wiki, or so I think (maybe I missed something?).

Issue #1: In the updated OPConfig (version 94.01?) even after reading the radio, saving the stick center, and setting the minute/max setting so the 8 channels, when I read the radio again, my inputs are still fluctuating quite a bit. Any idea why this may be?

Before Setting Radio: https://youtu.be/YluGdviwAnw?si=I5NW0qtZPWrtj4fa

Radio Min/Max Settings

IMG_6170.jpeg (1.93 MiB) Viewed 1015 times

After Setting Radio: https://youtu.be/qoE7RwbzRV8?si=iqMwlGANsNR0v2FC

My outputs screen on TX16S:
https://youtu.be/kVs3Ue7kaUI?si=u9_3RqvPmWNL_BO4

Issue #2: Probably related to #1, even in set up, the traverse sound will play randomly. Maybe because the inputs are fluctuating a lot? Similarly, when Snooping, after starting the engine, I will get alternating messages saying Stopped and Neutral Turn

https://youtu.be/HJKYxaL6aeg?si=o_66Cq_e9Q3kwVha

Issue #3: I can’t get the cannon sound to work. In snoop I can see that the switch is activating, but it is not playing any sound, and not the cannon sound that plays when I press Demo in the TBS 4.0 program when I have the DasMikro plugged into the computer.

Issue #4: I can’t hear the MG when the engine is running. Although the engine sound is loud, I don’t hear any other sound playing when the engine is one. When I cut the engine and activate the MG, I can hear it as expected.

After downloading the new OPConfig update I was able to get the triggers set for User sound, and activate one of the two user sounds that came with the DasMikro Abrams sound set, although for some reason I wasn’t able to activate User 2 sound, but I need to double check what I made the trigger for that.

Attached are all of my current setting for the DasMikro Mini in TBS V4.0.

Sound 1: Cannon firing
Sound 2: Not sure, not sound
Sound 3: Machine gun maybe?
Sound 4: User Sound 1
Sound 5: User Sound 2
Sound 6: Traverse
Sound 7: Elevation

Any advice for these issues would be appreciated!

[LukeZ]

Issue #1: In the updated OPConfig (version 94.01?) even after reading the radio, saving the stick center, and setting the minute/max setting so the 8 channels, when I read the radio again, my inputs are still fluctuating quite a bit. Any idea why this may be?

Issue #2: Probably related to #1, even in set up, the traverse sound will play randomly. Maybe because the inputs are fluctuating a lot? Similarly, when Snooping, after starting the engine, I will get alternating messages saying Stopped and Neutral Turn

Hi Jib, yes, both of these issues are related, and the cause is the PWM-to-PPM converter you are using. These never work well and the only solution will be to get a receiver that is capable of outputing PPM/SBus/iBus natively. I am not very familiar with what is available for ELRS , but I'm sure receivers exist for it that will do this. If not, you could always get a 4-in-1 module for your transmitter, and then receiver options are even greater.

The traverse sound is indeed playing randomly because of the random signal. I would have suggested as a temporary measure that you could increase the deadband on the turret stick, but I see you've already done that...

Issue #3: I can’t get the cannon sound to work. In snoop I can see that the switch is activating, but it is not playing any sound, and not the cannon sound that plays when I press Demo in the TBS 4.0 program when I have the DasMikro plugged into the computer.

There are potentially several areas we could look at but I recall our prior discussion about the airsoft you have in this tank. Is your airsoft unit connected? If not, you won't get the cannon sound (or flash, if you are going to use that). The sound/flash don't occur until the TCB gets the signal from the airsoft unit limit switch. Prior to this switch being depressed, the airsoft is only in the act of being cocked, once the limit switch is tripped that is when the airsoft actually fires, and that is when the TCB will play the sound/flash the light. If the airsoft isn't connected during your testing, you'll never hit the switch, and the sound will never play. You can read more about this in the Troubleshooting section of the Wiki.

So I'd look at that first, but if it's something else then we can troubleshoot further.

Issue #4: I can’t hear the MG when the engine is running. Although the engine sound is loud, I don’t hear any other sound playing when the engine is one. When I cut the engine and activate the MG, I can hear it as expected.

After downloading the new OPConfig update I was able to get the triggers set for User sound, and activate one of the two user sounds that came with the DasMikro Abrams sound set, although for some reason I wasn’t able to activate User 2 sound, but I need to double check what I made the trigger for that.

Attached are all of my current setting for the DasMikro Mini in TBS V4.0.

Sound 1: Cannon firing
Sound 2: Not sure, not sound
Sound 3: Machine gun maybe?
Sound 4: User Sound 1
Sound 5: User Sound 2
Sound 6: Traverse
Sound 7: Elevation

Any advice for these issues would be appreciated!

I can't immediately think of a good reason why the machine gun would be audible when the engine is off, but not when it's on. Does this only happen with the machine gun sound, or also to others? For example, can you hear the User sounds if you play one of those when the engine is running? If no other sounds are audible during engine running, then I'm wondering if there's a setup issue.

Benedini actually had two versions of the TBS Mini, a V1 and a V2. I don't know which one of those that DasMikro has cloned. If you look on the Benedini Mini page of the wiki, there are two different Prop files for the V1 or V2. I kind of doubt that is the issue, but as a test you may want to try both to see if it makes any difference.

I will continue to give this one some thought and maybe something will come to mind about what could be happening. At least in the meantime you can try to correct the above issues and maybe that will help us discover something useful.

[LukeZ]

For the jittery thing, I was just reminded of this other thread on the OP Forum where a user was also using a PWM-to-PPM converter. He was able to improve reception considerably by changing the location of his receiver/antenna. You might want to try that as well, but the ultimate solution will still be a better receiver.

[tankme]

I know I have disconnect issues with the cheapo tiny form factor RX on my Frsky Q7. If I'm too close with the radio the RX will cut out.

[Jib]

I am getting the jittery-ness with the setup sitting next to the computer with just the speaker, PPM to PWM converter, PWM RX, and the DasMikro, so I don’t think the antenna placement will matter here.

I will look into finding a non PWM based ELRS RX that I can get 16 channels out of.

I think you are right about the cannon sound not playing due to the Airsoft mechanism not being connected. I will wait to worry about that until I get this connected.

I will try to play connect the card again and see if I can get the other sounds. This most recent diagnostic run was with the set up plugged into the computer via the TCB micro USB port. Now that Inal thinking of it, when I had it hooked up to the tank with a 10w 4ohm speaker, I could hear the MG going when the engine was running, but it was very quiet compared to the engine so it was hard to hear. Playing the MG with the engine off when everything was powered by micro USB, the MG sound was louder than when it was plugged into the 12v power source on the actual tank. I’ll play around with this some more, and now I’ve got two user sounds loaded, so I can tinker with that.

Thanks!

[Jib]

So after doing a short bit of googling, I’ve found out that the Radiomaster ER8 can do SBUS. Issue I think is going to be that the second ER8 in the turret needs to be PWM (I think I’m going to have 7 or 8 standard servos up there doing stuff) so I bet I have to choose either CSRF or SBUS. If anyone has any suggestions I’d love to hear them.

Thanks!

[Jib]

So I found that there is such a thing as an SBUS to PWM decoder, so I might use that for the second RX in the turret, so I can have the TX16S protocol set for SBUS and be able to use both RX’s

[Jib]

So I was able to hear the MG and User 1 sound, but it almost sounds like the MG and User 1 were getting ducked, as in those sounds were being played, but at a purposefully lesser volume than the engine and acceleration sounds. When the engine is off it sounds about as loud as I would expect.

The engine is pretty loud, but it feels like something else is going on here. I am using the DasMikro to directly power a 20w 4 ohm speaker. I might try to play around with some of the sound volume settings on the DasMikro with TBS V4.0 at some point and see if I can alter anything. I think everything is set to 100% now. I think there are some other options besides volume though.

[LukeZ]

Well the good news at least is that your sounds are working, so it does not seem like there is any problem with the TCB or with your setup. As for the relative volumes being what they are, that I suppose you will have to tinker with to see if you can improve things. My memory of using Thomas's Mini is that the engine/other sounds seemed well matched, but of course it might depend on the sound set, and I hadn't tested the Abrams one. It's also possible that the DasMikro clone is using a different chip for the amplifier and maybe it doesn't quite have the same performance as the original, when playing two sounds simultaneously. But I don't know that, it's just a conjecture.

I don't have experience with these Radiomaster receivers, but some people in this thread I found on Google indicates that on the ER8 you get both SBus and PWM outputs simultaneously. If that's the case, you could potentially connect SBus to the TCB in the hull, and just hook up your servos or whatever directly to the second ER9 in the turret. Anyway, it's something to try.

Here's that thread: Radiomaster ER8 with SBUS

[Jib]

Well the good news at least is that your sounds are working, so it does not seem like there is any problem with the TCB or with your setup. As for the relative volumes being what they are, that I suppose you will have to tinker with to see if you can improve things. My memory of using Thomas's Mini is that the engine/other sounds seemed well matched, but of course it might depend on the sound set, and I hadn't tested the Abrams one. It's also possible that the DasMikro clone is using a different chip for the amplifier and maybe it doesn't quite have the same performance as the original, when playing two sounds simultaneously. But I don't know that, it's just a conjecture.

I don't have experience with these Radiomaster receivers, but some people in this thread I found on Google indicates that on the ER8 you get both SBus and PWM outputs simultaneously. If that's the case, you could potentially connect SBus to the TCB in the hull, and just hook up your servos or whatever directly to the second ER9 in the turret. Anyway, it's something to try.

Here's that thread: Radiomaster ER8 with SBUS

Awesome, thanks for posting this! I have seen the video they link before, but I hadn’t heard about the PWM going to both CRSF And SBUS.

I will report back here whenever I get the time to fiddle this stuff.