New Micro MinimOSD

[Pr][nCe]

yes same setup.
removed from pin 2 but still no osd.

[jweaver]

Just ordered a MinimOSD to add to my 250 and stumbled upon CurryKittens video which will be a great help.

I have never used FTDI before so I am going to have to learn from scratch, but bought one of these which I think is right:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281769976434?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


But I have a question.. At 5:20, the video starts talking about "config" but there is no mention of how to connect the PC to the MinimOSD..

Is this done using the FTDI programmer? Or do you now connect via the NAZE?

Obviously the FTDI adaptor is used to flash the firmware.. But do you use it to "configure" the OSD too?

Jon

[CurryKitten]

This is all done using the FTDI adapter plugged into the OSD board.  When you download the MW_OSD firmware to upload to the board via the arduino software you'll see the source for the firmware and a folder called MW_OSD_GUI which will contain a bunch of launchers depending on what OS you are running on.

I didn't go into detail about connecting up the FTDI for this one as it's going to depend on OS and I'm on OSX (whilst most people are probably on windows) but basically, as long as you have all your appropriate drivers you should plug the FTDI card in the OSD board and the USB end into you PC and a com port will appear.  UIn the GUI try connecting to that COM port and you should then be able to READ the config of the OSD (see OSD controls bottom left).  It's then a case of using the gui to turn things on/off and then writing the config back again

[SupremeFPV]

Just ordered a MinimOSD to add to my 250 and stumbled upon CurryKittens video which will be a great help.

I have never used FTDI before so I am going to have to learn from scratch, but bought one of these which I think is right:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281769976434?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


But I have a question.. At 5:20, the video starts talking about "config" but there is no mention of how to connect the PC to the MinimOSD..

Is this done using the FTDI programmer? Or do you now connect via the NAZE?

Obviously the FTDI adaptor is used to flash the firmware.. But do you use it to "configure" the OSD too?

Jon

yes connect ftdi to the minimosd to flash and configure the osd - use the gui programm that comes with the firmware if using mwosd

[jweaver]

This is all done using the FTDI adapter plugged into the OSD board.  When you download the MW_OSD firmware to upload to the board via the arduino software you'll see the source for the firmware and a folder called MW_OSD_GUI which will contain a bunch of launchers depending on what OS you are running on.

I didn't go into detail about connecting up the FTDI for this one as it's going to depend on OS and I'm on OSX (whilst most people are probably on windows) but basically, as long as you have all your appropriate drivers you should plug the FTDI card in the OSD board and the USB end into you PC and a com port will appear.  UIn the GUI try connecting to that COM port and you should then be able to READ the config of the OSD (see OSD controls bottom left).  It's then a case of using the gui to turn things on/off and then writing the config back again

Cheers.. That was quick :)

i was only thrown as you said that you simply "touched" the FTDI connectors onto the MinimOSD which I can see working when flashing, but not when you want to do a bunch of configs.

So, clearly the header pins are going to be quite important such that you can connect a PC for a decent amount of time.

THanks for that.. I am sure I will work it out when it comes...

Jon

[CurryKitten]

i was only thrown as you said that you simply "touched" the FTDI connectors onto the MinimOSD which I can see working when flashing, but not when you want to do a bunch of configs.

So, clearly the header pins are going to be quite important such that you can connect a PC for a decent amount of time.

Yeah - sorry if that was confusing.  I was going to bypass the header pins and solder straight on.  But after finding I needed to mess with the config several times, I soldered the headers on so I can easily unplug/replug the whole OSD to the naze32 and/or the computer

[jweaver]

Yeah - sorry if that was confusing.  I was going to bypass the header pins and solder straight on.  But after finding I needed to mess with the config several times, I soldered the headers on so I can easily unplug/replug the whole OSD to the naze32 and/or the computer

No need to appologise.. I am overthinking it (Again)... . I think the headers are the way to go, but sad that it almost doubles its size/volume..

I am still struggling to understand the spec of the MinimOSD.. According to the seller, they state:

- Onboard 5V and 12V switching power supplies.
- Direct connections to naze when stacked.
- Cam and vtx 3pin headers with selectable 12v or 5v power from onboard regs.
- Can power naze and anything else attached to naze, so you can disconnect the red power wire from all escs.
- Onboard micro-USB plug for flashing/configuring your favourite OSD software. Anything that works on MinimOSD will also work on this.
- Voltage dividers for both battery sources (main batt/video batt voltage sensors).
- Series protection resistors for RSSI and current sensor connections. RSSI can be filtered from high-frequency PWM into an analogue signal by enabling the RSSI filter solderjumper.
- Extremely bright, blinding LEDs

"Onboard Micro-USB"? Thats not my understanding.
"Onboard 5v and 12v PSU"? I thought it had to be fed with 5V

And thne there is this whole business of it being "stackable" with the NAZE via direct connections.. I can't see how, as the layout does not match the Naze does it??

I wonder if they are mixing these details with another products?

[CurryKitten]

The sounds very much like the description of the regular sized minimOSD, but not the micro -5v as you mention, and certainly no onboard USB.

You could technically solder a header onto the tx/rx pins on the naze and then onto the osd which would make it a little kind-of-stackable daughter board, but not very useful if you need to fiddle with it again.

[jweaver]

The sounds very much like the description of the regular sized minimOSD, but not the micro -5v as you mention, and certainly no onboard USB.

You could technically solder a header onto the tx/rx pins on the naze and then onto the osd which would make it a little kind-of-stackable daughter board, but not very useful if you need to fiddle with it again.

Indeed.. Last question (for now), am i right in thinking that the pins used to flash/configure it, are the the same as used to get power and data from the Naze?

[CurryKitten]

Yes - although there's a DTR pin as well for ftdi (which I haven't really thought of since ye olde serial modem days), but yeah, the Tx/Rx and 5v are the same

[marcin]

Just wonder there is mag cal option in MWOSD is that really for compas calibration in full naze for example ?

[jweaver]

A question about powering the MinimOSD... All of the drawings I have seen, say to take power from the ESC connection on the NAZE.

See here:

http://www.unmannedtechshop.co.uk/micro-minimosd/

But considering the Minim allegedly draws 500mA, is there really enough power to do this?

I believe the Naze gets its power from ONE of the ESCs in my setup.. So this means that the Naze AND Minim will be powered from the ESC and considering its only a 15A version, the ESC/UBEC is tiny and probably not up to the job.

That said, according to the spec, it says it provides 1A.

Would it not be better to get a separate 5v UBEC for the job?

Also.. Is this really the best place on the Naze to get 5v power? I already have header pins on the ESC connections, which plug into a "distribution board" on my 250 chassis.. So to connect it this way, I would have to solder wires to the top of the board.. Which is easily done, but not very neat.

Jon

[jweaver]

My MinimOSD turned up today and I need to think about how to integrate it but I am still a little concerned by the power requirements... It clearly says here that it needs a 500mA supply:

http://www.hobbyrc.co.uk/micro-minimosd-for-naze32-with-multiwii-osd-kv-team-mod

The suggestions I have read say to power it from the Naze.. But in my case, the Naze is powered from one of my ESCs which only provides 1A.

Does anyone know if the MinimOSD really takes 0.5A (Looking at its size, I find that hard to believe) and whether the combination of the Naze and MinimOSD is OK for a 1A ESC.

In my case, I have 3 other ESCs whos BECS arn't being used.. I am wondering whether its worth taking a feed from one of those instead? Thinking about it, I could do that I quite easily.. SInce the 5v output on the other 3 arn't even used, I could simply pull out the centre pin of the Servo connector and use that. Is there a problem powering different bits of kit from multiple 5v supplies?

Jon

[BlueFlyer]

when you've got many components that require 5v in your aircraft, it's a whole lot better to have a dedicated 5v supply from a standalone BEC or voltage regulator and not use any of the ESC BECs to power anything.

Also, it isn't a good idea to have different 5v sources powering the gear that all needs to be part of the same electrical circuit.

[jweaver]

when you've got many components that require 5v in your aircraft, it's a whole lot better to have a dedicated 5v supply from a standalone BEC or voltage regulator and not use any of the ESC BECs to power anything.

Also, it isn't a good idea to have different 5v sources powering the gear that all needs to be part of the same electrical circuit.

Thats what I was afraid of.. With hindsight, I would have built the quad with a dedicated BEC.. But its too late now.

I have 2 choices.. Run it from the same BEC in the same ESC and hope for the best (will do some measurements later to see how much current it draws).. But I need to bear in mind that the RX, Naze and MinimOSD will be powered by a single ESC which is only 1A

Or I might just see how I get on, by taking a feed from another ESCs BEC, and just try it....

Jon