Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

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Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby disq » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:11 pm

My cheap E-Fy 4channel radio (4BII - ETB62, the one that comes with RTF "products") started behaving badly.

It had the glitching-servo problem for a while, but now the resolution is significantly reduced, to the point that the radio is useless now. For instance, rudder stopped working in one direction. When I connect it to the PC and check the gamepad calibration screen, neutral rudder sits at "54", full-right drops that to "52" (should be 0?) and full-left makes it 74. (Should be 100?)

Similar problems with the elevator and ailerons, they are a bit better though. Throttle seems unaffected, at least the resolution drop -if exists- is not very noticable on the calibration screen.

I tried opening it up and cleaning the board with an old toothbrush and isoprophyl alcohol, didn't work. While I'm at it, I tried shorting the rudder pot, while connected to the PC, the range didn't improve (52-54-74, still) so I'm thinking the pots are fine and the problem is with the PIC, firmware (calibration gone?), or some failed passive element near the PIC. I checked the dip-switches and pot-to-board cable connections with the multimeter and they all checked out.

This all started with the radio getting in a weird state, with blinking led and no response. I managed to fix it by toggling the dip-switches while it was on, and then this problem.

So, any ideas?

My brand new 9x is still in the mail, I've been waiting for 2 weeks now (without logging any "flight hours", even in the sim :( ) and it will probably take another week to get here. But, if I could salvage this radio, maybe I could pass it on to someone to start them in the hobby. It was a gift to me, afterall.

Here's a picture of the board, click to enlarge. Don't mind the scuff marks, turned out they were flux, cleaned right up with the isopropanol.

Image Image
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Re: Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby BillGriffiths100 » Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:03 pm

Try asking them what's wrong on their website they may tell you how to reset the processor, which is probably what's required.
http://www.efly-hobby.com/en/guest.asp
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Re: Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby disq » Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:54 pm

BillGriffiths100 wrote:Try asking them what's wrong on their website they may tell you how to reset the processor, which is probably what's required.
http://www.efly-hobby.com/en/guest.asp


I've been trying them at info@art-tech.cn with no response so far... Thanks for the url, message sent! :)
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Re: Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby disq » Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:09 pm

So, I got a reply from the e-mail I sent to Art-tech.

Turns out dip switch #5 at the back was for calibration. You switch it on, turn the radio on, wiggle the sticks a few times, switch it off (without turning the tx off -- but since the dip switches are located under the battery compartment you have to either relocate one of the batteries or just open the case for this) and you're done.
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Re: Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby BillGriffiths100 » Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:45 pm

Well that goes to show it never hurts to ask!
Compromising with out of control government is like living with a lion, sooner or later the bloody thing will eat you .

You accept the tyranny of the state when it's not being applied to you, when it is: it's too late.
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Re: Art-Tech E-Fly 4ch radio reduced resolution

Postby cynr100 » Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:55 pm

You have to love this forum................ it makes you feel all gooey inside when something works out :D :D
Not enough time in the day for all my crazy ideas, I'm not slow, I'm just pacing myself
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