Mullet wrote:I have one of the few M4CAN boards.
I was just curious of the full capabilities. So is it possible to use 3 serial type connections (Bluetooth, TX/RX on pin headers, and PC/PC7 sockets), can bus, and 4 pwm outputs? Or are we limited to some degree?
Hi Mullet,
when using CAN for the ESC connection you can have Bluetooth (on the BT connector) and 4 PWM outputs (M5-M8) since this is what the standard firmware with external ESC will give you.
When you are able to modify the firmware by your own you can have:
- CAN ESC
- Bluetooth (BT connector)
- 2 PWM (M5/M6)
and - by reconfiguring PC6/PC7 to UART6 (PC6=UART6-TX, PC7=UART6-RX) you will have an additional UART.
The connector with PC6 can i.e, be used to connect a Spektrum Sat (pinout is made for that), and connector with PC7 gives you a TX line.
The TX/RX on the pin-header is the same as on the BT connector; just a different connector type!
Why do you need 3 serial connections? I know people want to use BT and HOTT together, that's possible on the board if you have a firmware to support it: i.e. a firmware that will allow you to use CAN (for your ESCs), BT, HOTT and 3 PWM signals (i.e. for gimbal control).
So, since I don't have HOTT on my end you guys need to consider what's next as unproven, but:
TELEMETRY_HPORT = 1 --> this will select com 3 for HOTT (= (PC6/M7 used as I/O to the HOTT receiver)
Mennos HOTT firmware either uses com 1 (TELEMETRY_HPORT = 0) = pin J2-9 (HoTT is using half duplex TX line only) or com 3 (TELEMETRY_HPORT = 1) = pin J2-10 (=PC6 = M7)
I have not tested this, but I assume the PWM functionality of PC6 will be disabled if you select TELEMETRY_HPORT = 1.