FrSky LBT Firmware for EU Users

[quadfather]

FrSky has released the Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) firmware for the EU X-series receivers and XJT modules.  These firmwares will be pre-installed on devices for the EU market from now on.  Depending on stock levels we should expect to see them from mid-January.  Check with your supplier if in doubt.

FrSky highly recommends to upgrade to the LBT firmware as it fixes range and stability issues that some users have experienced with the EU firmwares released earlier this year.  You will need to flash all your X-series receivers and the XJT module to be compatible.

Note, flashing the LBT firmware to your XJT module will re-enable LR12 support, i.e. you can use the L9R receiver again.  The L9R receiver does not need a firmware upgrade.

If you';re buying new receivers in 2016 be aware that you will need to upgrade your XJT firmware to be compatible. For the uninitiated, the XJT module is the same as the internal RF module in the Taranis X9D, X9D+ and X9E radios.  Downgrading to an earlier EU version is not advised due to aforementioned issues.

For a simple method to upgrade your firmwares with OpenTX 2.1 follow this post:
http://www.multi-rotor.co.uk/index.php?topic=14805.0

The firmwares are available as a single download from FrSky';s website here:
http://www.frsky-rc.com/download/view.php?sort=Firmware&down=232&file=Firmware-XJT

Official announcement:
http://www.frsky-rc.com/media/mediaItem.php?m_id=17


FrSky do not support installing LBT on your wife.  Proceed at your own risk.

[Hozza]

FrSky do not support installing LBT on your wife.  Proceed at your own risk.

[Rammylad]

Thanks for the info Quadfather, done and dusted.
Some people were reporting Range issues with the EU software previously, let';s hope this update cures it.

[quadfather]

Here';s a report from a field test done by someone else.

I then flashed both the transmitter and receiver with the EU_LBT firmware from FrSky';s website (151223 for the Tx, 151118 for the Rx) and repeated the test.

This time there were no dropouts when I went behind the trees, and I got to 657 meters, at which point I ran out of field! At that stage I was still getting a reading of 60dB on the RSSI, ie: about 10dB better than with the "old" EU firmware.

Full message: http://www.frsky-rc.com/BBS/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=7268&p=13204#p13201

[tim b]

Thank you very much quadfather for this post about the new firmware, and your other post about how to flash firmware directly from the Taranis.   

A few months ago I bought the FrSky FUC3 etc programming gubbins and updated via PC the XJT module and new X4RSB RX to EU (non-glitchy) firmware which was a bit scary, but this time I followed your instructions and updated to the latest OpenTX on my Taranis (>2.1) and can now flash everything from the TX memory.  It';s awesomely easy.  Thanks for your time and input into detailing all this.   

[quadfather]

So, it appears that the LBT firmware has also added D8 mode as well as LR12.

I just flashed the LBT firmware to my internal XJT module.  I already had OpenTX 2.1.6 on my Taranis (non-EU version), and I can see all three modes, D16, D8 and LR12.  I then created a new model to bind with my D4R-II, which worked without problems.

[Spy]

OK, a little confused here.

I have downloaded Open TX 2.1.7 ready to update the Taranis Plus and also been over to the FR-Sky site to get the latest firmware (http://www.frsky-rc.com/download/index.php?sort=Firmware)

I have found the latest LBT EU Firmware referred to here (v151223 released 23/12/2015) but the EU firmware for the receivers seems to be older i.e.
X4R-SB - v150526 released 2/7/2015
X8R -  v150602 released 1/7/2015

I thought the receivers would have newer firmware to align with the latest EU LBT update ?

Given the above, can I therefore assume that if I have EU receivers, I won';t need to update their firmware, just upload the latest LBT firmware and all will be compatible ?

[Spy]

OK, a little confused here.

I have downloaded Open TX 2.1.7 ready to update the Taranis Plus and also been over to the FR-Sky site to get the latest firmware (http://www.frsky-rc.com/download/index.php?sort=Firmware)

I have found the latest LBT EU Firmware referred to here (v151223 released 23/12/2015) but the EU firmware for the receivers seems to be older i.e.
X4R-SB - v150526 released 2/7/2015
X8R -  v150602 released 1/7/2015

I thought the receivers would have newer firmware to align with the latest EU LBT update ?

Given the above, can I therefore assume that if I have EU receivers, I won';t need to update their firmware, just upload the latest LBT firmware and all will be compatible ?

Actually, don';t worry. I have just downloaded the EU LBT firmware and it includes 3 files, firmware for XJT, X8R and X4R !!!

[Spy]

OK, finding my way around this and had another question, is the X4R EU LBT firmware separate to the firmware on teh FR Sky site listed for the X4R as X4R-SB - v150526 released 2/7/2015 or does the EU LBT supercede it ?

[Spy]

Upgraded Taranis and Receivers with latest LBT EU firmware.

Used the new download on teh FRSky website - one file contains firmware for internal XJT on Taranis and the X4R and X8R 

[kozmos]

Can someone tell me how i get the driver, keep getting error message in the browser while trying to download the files from the link.
It';s frustrating because frsky doesn';t answer my question, can anyone here help me out?

[Spy]

Can someone tell me how i get the driver, keep getting error message in the browser while trying to download the files from the link.
It';s frustrating because frsky doesn';t answer my question, can anyone here help me out?

Not sure what you mean by "Driver" but the firmware is here: http://www.frsky-rc.com/download/index.php?sort=Firmware

Link works for me, must be something to do with your browser or internet service

[kozmos]

I ment firmware, cant find The LBT EU firmware in that list and and i get the browser error on all my computers both home and at work, the link in the first post works fine but when i click the download button i get the error, it is really weird.

[Spy]

You are right.

I just checked and the original link in the OP to the new EU firmware for all the devices no longer works, it looks like the firmware has been removed for some reason ?!?

I have attached the files I downloaded and used.

[kozmos]

Thanks! I have just finished my first build and i haven';t been able to fly it because of this :P

[kozmos]

another question.
I';ve put the files in the firmware folder, went into the sd menu and when i click on the file It just tells me delete, there is no other option.

[quadfather]

You need to unzip the file.  In there are the firmwares and a document.

[kozmos]

I have unzipped them and moved the .frk files to firmware

[quadfather]

And you';re on OpenTX 2.1?

[kozmos]

No i used 2.0, messed around with opentx companion yesterday 2.0 and 2.1, wasnt clear which one to use but i did i update in 2.1 and now it works!
Thanks for helping me out! :)

[Fletch]

Does the EU LBT work with the D4R?  Or am I gonna have to be the Guinea pig tonight?

[Static65]

I don';t think EU firmware affects the D4R as that uses D8 mode. D16 mode was the one that fell afoul of EU regulations.

I remember reading earlier this year when the EU firmware first appeared that D8 and LR12 modes disappeared completely, I';m assuming that';s no longer the case as I can use both with the LBT firmware and openTX 2.1.6.

[quadfather]

The D8 and LR12 modes never disappeared, contrary to what FrSky said.  All you need is a non-EU version of OpenTX and you can use all modes.

[Two-Six]

I have been reading this thread and the links today, so I downloaded:
X4R_build151118.frk
X8R_LBTbuild15118.frk
XJT_LBT_build51223.frk
VARIO2_141008.frk
opentx-taranisplus-en=eu-217.bin

I have also installed the latest version of Companion 2.1.7 but haven';t upgraded my Taranis so far..

To recap, I need to stick all these .frk and the .bin file into the SD card in the firmwares folder...done

Upgrade the TX to 2.1.7 via companion (an upgrade from 2.1.3), not done..

Make a cable and connect my receivers and vario one at a time to the pins in the module port on the Taranis via the smartbus ports on the RX and vario.  Taking care to change the polarity on the Taranis end and using a standard battery....

Reboot the TX into bootloader mode.  Then go to write firmwares and write to internal device first that do my XJT module, then reboot into bootloader again and pick update firmware then external device and do the RX';s and the vario, do I need to reboot the TX between upgrades?

Have I got all this right, the right files and stuff?

Just want to check before I do anything.

Will all my models be safe?  Will I need to rebind the RX or set the fail safes again?

[Static65]

Make a backup of your model settings! A friend of mine lost everything when he went from 2.0.x to 2.1.x when the EEPROM was being upgraded/converted. He hadn';t backed it up... You';re already on 2.1.3, but I';d make a backup nonetheless!

The LBT upgrade was simple (for me at least), no bindings or failsafes lost, no settings changed. You don';t need to reboot between flashing rx';s.

Not sure if you';ll be better off with the non-EU openTX firmware, for reasons mentioned above. I haven';t tried the EU one myself but no issues thus far. I seem to get less RSSI warnings now I';m using LBT.

[Two-Six]

OH, I have the non EU firmwares??

I don';t want that!

Got a link for the EU firmware? (again) plizz?

[quadfather]

Reboot the TX into bootloader mode.  Then go to write firmwares and write to internal device first that do my XJT module, then reboot into bootloader again and pick update firmware then external device and do the RX';s and the vario, do I need to reboot the TX between upgrades?

Have I got all this right, the right files and stuff?

Almost.  If you want to read the flashing SmartPort devices tutorial again you should see that you don';t do that in bootloader mode.  You don';t have to reboot in between.

OH, I have the non EU firmwares??

I don';t want that!

Got a link for the EU firmware? (again) plizz?

Not sure what you mean.  LBT is an EU firmware only.  OpenTX comes in EU and non-EU versions.  The difference in the OpenTX versions is purely cosmetic in so far that you can also use D8 mode receivers with the non-EU version.  This selection is disabled in the EU version of OpenTX, apart from that they are exactly the same.  Remember that OpenTX and module/receiver firmwares are two different animals.

It';s always a good idea to have backups, and also to copy them off the SD card.  I have my backups on my Google Drive as that';s unlikely to go down.

[Two-Six]

OK, so bootloader mode is just so I can access the SD card, the .bin files is for open tx and the upgrade is done with companion....So are those .frk files are the rights ones?  The .bin file is the eu version of open TX too right , so after a backup and some cable making I should be all set up upgrade?

[quadfather]

OK, so bootloader mode is just so I can access the SD card, the .bin files is for open tx and the upgrade is done with companion....So are those .frk files are the rights ones?  The .bin file is the eu version of open TX too right , so after a backup and some cable making I should be all set up upgrade?

Bootloader mode is so you can can connect it to Companion to do the OpenTX upgrade.  The rest is flashed using the SD card browser as per the tutorial.

[Two-Six]

I had a go at all this earlier.  The TX is now upgraded, I did the vario in the Bixler, not sure if that';s working, the lights come on but I haven';t flown it so far.  Perhaps I need to walk it down the stairs. 

I did the X8R in the Bixler and I *Think* I had to re-bind it.  It wouldn';t connect initially after the upgrade.  Its all good now.

I also did my quad, an X4R and that seemed to go OK too. 

However my EXTRA LOUD rape alarm on the quad went off as I was doing it and my GF went mental ;-)  (It was 10:00pm) so I wasn';t brave enough to test it tonight.  Not sure if I need to re-bind it, I will power it up tomorrow.  I am going to do the heli tomorrow too.

So far it all looks OK.