Setting up a martinez controller?

[ched]

I have a martinez controller on a brushless gimbal that I don';t know the history of.

When I power it on a light on the control board comes on and one on the imu lights but the motors don';t even twitch.
I have been reading lots and lots. From what I can find out it is a BGC1.0/2.0/2.1 version. This board uses a Silicone Labs (Silabs) CP2102 USB controller chip which means you must have the Pololu Silabs drivers to communicate with it. From: http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/index.php?title=How_To_-_Martinez_Brushless_Gimbal_Controller_Set-Up

So all good so far. But I don';t know what firmware it has so no idea what gui to use. So I am trying to flash it with BruGui FW. The problem is that I cant get the Arduino software to flash the FW. I keep getting the same message about ';avrdude: stk500_getsync (): not in sync: resp = 0x00';.
I have tried different boards in the Arduino software (on board chip has 328 on) and i still same. Tried with usb and with FTDI with and without battery but always same error.

If no one has any ideas do you know how to ';talk'; to a Tarrot 2D (ZYX22) controller with the USB adapter? http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__44329__Tarot_ZYZ22_GOPRO_Brushless_Camera_Gimbal_Controller.html Want to make sure its ok before buying connectors to plug in motors and IMU.

Not having much luck with gimbal controllers.......

Anyone any ideas?
Thanks for your help.

[H_Simpson]

Have you tried downloading the files attached to the product on the HK site?  ALl the instructions and links to the GUI/fware/instructions are there.

[ched]

Have you tried downloading the files attached to the product on the HK site?  ALl the instructions and links to the GUI/fware/instructions are there.

Cheers for the reply. Yes tried those instructions on the Tarot but no response from it.
I think I may need to reflash the boot loader on the Martinez controller so have a USBASP on it';s way. Hopefully that will help.

It is all so frustrating as I don';t seem to get any response from the boards so cant search for error messages. Normally I find a way that almost works and I get some feedback and can then work out what is wrong or at least go searching in a better direction. Seems like BGC are not that common and there are many different ones so not huge amounts of experience out there.

Oh well fingers crosses the USBASP will help.

Thanks

[H_Simpson]

You could try SBG : http://www.basecamelectronics.com/downloads/32bit/

Somebody may have loaded a nulled version of the boot loader.  Usually takes up to 2.3b I think from my ageing memory.

[ched]

You could try SBG : http://www.basecamelectronics.com/downloads/32bit/

Somebody may have loaded a nulled version of the boot loader.  Usually takes up to 2.3b I think from my ageing memory.

Thanks very much. Oldest version I can find so far is 2.4b. I will continue to look. Thanks for the clue.
2.4b didn';t work. It just doesn';t connect...

Once again thanks for the idea.

Update: Found the older versions http://www.simplebgc.com/eng/downloads/ . Tried 2.3 but still no connection
I will keep reading.

[H_Simpson]

Tbh, it sounds like a driver issue, have you tried all the drivers on that site?  I do recall having a bit of a game with my first controller, but got them working in the end. 
That';s why I bought a zenmuse!

[ched]

Tbh, it sounds like a driver issue, have you tried all the drivers on that site?  I do recall having a bit of a game with my first controller, but got them working in the end. 
That';s why I bought a zenmuse!

Thanks. I think you are right that it';s a driver issue. I can';t even get the serial connection in Arduino to reply from help. Just have a solid red light no idea if it';s supposed to have any other led (other than the blue on the IMU).
I might just spend another few hrs trying different drivers.
Thanks again. Hopefully you have given me the clues to sort it out :)
Thanks.

[H_Simpson]

Hope you get it working.  I';m slightly concerned that it does nothing when powered up though.  As you say, at very least it should twist itself sideways and inside out. 

[ched]

Hope you get it working.  I';m slightly concerned that it does nothing when powered up though.  As you say, at very least it should twist itself sideways and inside out.

I';m slightly concerned too. It does twitch a bit when I tough the USBasp pins. I haven';t really looked at it intensively yet. If the USBasp doesn';t bring it back to life I will test the motor windings, all the connections, maybe even get the scope out to see what';s happening.

Cheers for the advice, always nice to have pointers gives me more ideas.
Thanks.

[H_Simpson]

Also, some USB cables are not suitable for use for flashing firmware, stop me if I';m teaching grandma to suck eggs!

[ched]

Also, some USB cables are not suitable for use for flashing firmware, stop me if I';m teaching grandma to suck eggs!

Tried a few usb cables. This grandma can get all the help he can to learn how to suck eggs  ::)
As the saying goes ';you dont know what you dont know';
Thanks.

[ched]

USBasp arrived today. Connected up and burnt bootloader. Went OK, well did after I installed correct drivers. Then installed BRUgi via usb cable and bingo success, well sort off.
I couldn';t get any IMU signals on the live view of the Bru GUI. After tracing the cables I realised that the cable connector had 4 pins the IMU had 5!!!! So buzzed them out and plugged the connector into the correct 4 pins and then I had signals.  ::)

So it now powers up and I have the PID';s etc to configure. I have loaded a default setup that comes with the BRU FW although it says GoPro and I have a sj4000 on it. It seems to work but needs a lot of tweeking. Motors vibrating so guess P term too high but at least it';s a start.

So next thing to do is balance it with my sj4000 then I can start to tune it.

So cheers for your help and encouragement.

[H_Simpson]

Nice one!  Unless you';re unlucky enough to get a total duffer, it';s just a matter of perseverance.  It';s been over a year since I last set one up but I found SBG gui to be preferable. 

[GdLookinMingeR]

Just so you know there is about 17grams weight difference between the hero 3 and sj4000

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/compare/SJCAM_SJ4000_Action_Camera_Black_vs_GoPro_HERO3_White_Edition_Action_Camera_vs_Drift_HD_Action_Camera_vs_SJCAM_SJ4000_Action_Camera_Silver/BHitems/1072775-REG_1034048-REG_816260-REG_1073567-REG

(weight bit is at the bottom)
So you could just add a little weight before you try
modding the standard gopro settings in the gimbal.

Kind regards
Jay

[ched]

Just so you know there is about 17grams weight difference between the hero 3 and sj4000

(weight bit is at the bottom)
So you could just add a little weight before you try
modding the standard gopro settings in the gimbal.

Kind regards
Jay

Great find, thanks Jay. Hope Cleanflight and usb is OK?

[ched]

Nice one!  Unless you';re unlucky enough to get a total duffer, it';s just a matter of perseverance.  It';s been over a year since I last set one up but I found SBG gui to be preferable.

Cheers. I watched a utube vid comparison on the 2 and they were very close but the guy said the BRUgi was slightly better and as I have this working now  I think I will give tuning it a go. With the added weight  ::)
Thanks for the suggestion.