Wish list for the ASP 3

[Rad_Schuhart]

Hi everyone.

You all know I am happy with my ASPs 2, but I have some things in my wish listh for a future ASP 3. And due to I have two tanks with no boards, maybe its time to start annoying Kevin.

To the amount of functions I'd like to add (Most of them you already heard from me in the other forum):
Smoke port: Prepared for handling more powerfull/custom units. Proportional smoke, and working since I press the motor start button (Im using a long start sound and I want some smoke from the beginning)
Working proportional brake lights.
Relocating extra switches (if any) facing upwards instead to a side.
Lipo voltage cut out or low battery warning sound (I know we can have it with telemetry receivers, but I preffer the board to be able to do it by itself)
A case to prevent short circuits with metal hulls (no problem to buy it separatelly)
Be able to play more sounds at a time.
Maybe be able to configure some options more deeply, no matter if connected to a computer, or modifying a .txt file, with the radio or wathever, for things like the starting flashing headlights, amount of track recoil and so on.

About all the functionts that the ASP 2 already has... I think all of them are great, so no changes here


And the most important, to have it available soon and for 5 bucks, like the other magic competitor board, lol.

So what do you think? Can we expect all those features? Are more features coming?

[Peregrine]

I'm with you on this Rad. Though it seems it's ASP2.5 arriving soon, not ASP3.
But here are the features from your list I'd love to see:
- Advanced smoke port providing proportional smoke, able to work with pump smokers and fan smokers, preheating before engine start.
- Proportional rear lights - low intensity ON with headlights on, high intensity ON when braking (regardless of headlights on/off).
- Lipo batt. low voltage warning.
- case included, though I had mine printed from the design file Keving gave us.
- few more audio banks I could play different files from (there's still plenty of signal opportunities using 8 ch radios like Taranis).

I love the "little track recoil" on my tiger, so definitely keep that

[phyrephish]

Whilst it is not Asp3, the 2.5 version is the forerunner so here are the changes so far...

Major changes:
No Airsoft support - zero, nada, none
Assumes that you are starting from scratch and that Heng Long/Taigen electrics do not exist
CPPM and S.Bus ONLY
No onboard switches - all changes made via radio or OpenLog config files (no taking tank apart to change anything)

Major 2.5 ONLY changes:
No elevation motor support - servo elevation via S.Bus ONLY

General 2.5 differences:
Much smaller footprint
Case (all RCTA products now have 3D cases available for free download in shop)
No more IR AutoSentry mode - bet no one has ever used it anyway

What's the same for now:
Juno sound solution remains and will do so only for 2.5. Asp3 will only ever exist with a new sound setup. This is only so because 2gb uSD cards are now rare as hens teeth.
Smoke controlled via Smart Smoke

What will remain into 3.0
No Airsoft support - zero, nada, none
Assumes that you are starting from scratch and that Heng Long/Taigen electrics do not exist
CPPM and S.Bus ONLY
Smoke controlled via Smart Smoke - I have further plans for SS which means staying separate is much better.

Now a lot of the things on the wish list above you can do with a few simple mods to Asp1 and 2 or separate boards exist to achieve those functions to . Eg The rear lights can operate at dual intensity is you connect the LED- to the Headlight - via a 1K resistor (simple method) or with Sirvoe (advanced method). However, here is what i have addressed so far in 2.5 (NOTE: Small steps, I have only gotten stuck into the setup and procedure until ignition only)

For setup of variables everything goes through the MAKO IR system - Why? because there is the IR mushroom available outside the tank. This provides an excellent interface for getting info down inside the tank to Asp WITHOUT you having to open the tank up. So setup can be done using the TV remote or via a config file which you have on an OpenLog board. I have a beta program that will allow you to do the config on your PC - write the file to the SC card and you just plug the Open log into the Piranha base unit. With OpenLog and the config file you can set:

Tank type (weight class & operational mode, 16 different modes)
Unit ID - set unique 3 digit ID
Magazine - 1 - 250 rounds
EQ of sound system - 6 different EQ curves to select from
Gearbox type - Standard twin or DKLM type
Whether or not the reload LEDs flash
Track recoil on/off
Track recoil amount (slight or obvious)
Momentum - 10 settings
Volume of Intro sound files (0-31)

So all of these values can be changed without opening the tank

One all connected and you turn on the tank the headlights will come ON. During this time MAKO will initialize as usual and there will be some beeps from Asp to let you know sound is OK. Now if your radio is on and you are ready to go the headlights will turn OFF and there will be the first intro sound clip. The intro sound volumes are customisable in the config file. If radio is NOT on the tank will just sit there with headlights ON (no flashing) until you turn on the radio.

NOW - some changes here in this "just turned on state" the radio will be checking BOTH the usual CH5 for ignition PLUS any input from you on CH7. You can use CH7 to make some changes
-100% on CH7 toggles the MG fire rates - German faster MG34 and Allied slower Brownings
-50% on CH7 toggles the track recoil
50% on CH7 turns on the SS heater - also turns on rear light to let you know heater is ON
100% on CH7 toggles the Intro music (note the music now does NOT come on automatically)

CH5 remains the same with the 4 different startup options.

So the changes so far have addressed the flashing headlights and ability to "preheat" your smoke unit - No apologies for it being SSmoke only though. The rear light is also "dual intensity" so that can also be ticked off.

As for the LIPo Battery monitoring - as before - I still think the best solution is existing radio telemetry methods and given that all future units will be using CPPM & S.Bus - all receivers featuring these protocols ALSO feature telemetry.

Til the next update
KG

[Peregrine]

Well, no point to dwell on details... no airsoft support - puts me out of the game..
Looks like I'll have to research alternatives for the next few tanks...
The day I switch to IR would be the day a cactus grows on the palm of my hand... lol

Kevin, did you finally fix the SS programming to work well with TARR smokers? We've exchanged what seemed like a hundred emails over half a year ago and I finally gave up asking. My fan still works too slow at idle, and that's the only problem. And it's not a custom request, at least a quarter of RC tankers I bet use TARR smokers. They're all from the same source and built with the same components. So if you're pursuing the SS line to support smoke, I'm hoping you've progressed in the development since the last I asked I think mid last year or so?
If you did, can you send me the updated code so I can load it in?
Thank you

[phyrephish]

Hi Pete

Yep there is a release code for SS and fan/heater based smoke units. It requires an update of the ICs on Asp also so that the smoke will heat up from power on. I'll post it in this thread later today.

Cheers
KG

[Rad_Schuhart]

Well, some news here and I am not sure what to say... I have big hopes in the ASP 3, but I also had big hopes in my wish list...

I dont mind rewiring my entire tank, I will probarbly like it way more than as it is now, but Im sure most people will complain... For me not a problem at all, but the lack of elevation in asp 2.5 will be a big issue for a lot of people including myself. I see no reason for stop using the original heng long and tamiya motors. At least it seems that the ASP 3 will be compatible with them... About the smoke stuff, honestly I dont want to add an extra board... IMHO any tank board should be able to do everything itself. The less boards the better. The pre heating that Peregrine wants is indeed a great idea, but I would be happy with just proportional smoke.

Regarding the rearlight... I dont know how a resistor can make the rearlight work as a brake light. I dont know if I dont get it or what, but basically is what Peregrine says. You swith your lights and the rear light brights with a lets say, a 50% of intensity. You drive from 0 to full throttle and the light stays at 50%. You reduce speed and while reducing the rear light brigths with a 100% intensity. Thats our idea and thats how most of the aftermarket boards work... I dont have an idea of why wiring the rearlight with the headlights and adding a resistor will make the light work like that. Im still a rookie in electronics, so if it works like that I would be happy to see it.

Regarding the low voltage warning, I still say a low voltage warning wont hurt. I have no idea but how much can cost adding it to the board? A couple of bucks? Most people will happily pay for it. After puffing a couple of batteries Id pay for it happily too.

And last, regarding the airsoft... I have both infrared and airsoft tanks, and its a pity that airsoft is not supported... The IR seems to be more popular in Europe meanwhile in the US the airsoft seems to be the king. It seems the americans love to shoot things, lol... According to what I have seen with the IBUs (the airsoft worked horrible in IBU 2 and at the beginning in the 3 too) I think it wont help the ASP sales at all... It seems the first that jumped out of the train is our colleague Peregrine...

Lastly I have seen you mention the EQ sound system. What is that?

[Rad_Schuhart]

Uops. I have just read the resistor trick in the other thread.

[Peregrine]

Hi Pete

Yep there is a release code for SS and fan/heater based smoke units. It requires an update of the ICs on Asp also so that the smoke will heat up from power on. I'll post it in this thread later today.

Cheers
KG

Ok, thanks. I may already have that IC updated, since you sent me some updates i the past, and my heater starts with asp. But yes, please post the files and Ill check with those I already had from you.

[phyrephish]

Here are all the files - both for Asp and for SmartSmoke - there are 2 versions one for fans and one for pumps. Since fans include the Burn Effects there are automated heater turn off times to help save the element.

[Peregrine]

Hi Kevin,
Thank you for the files, I uploaded them all, though LED and MAIN from May I already had, but reloaded them all anyway.
Before starting any testing I opened up my TARR smoker (because my smoke has been mostly not working the last few times I ran the tank) and I found the heating element is fine, but the wick burned through and fell off, which is really weird.
So then I started testing, but without the heater connected. Instead, I connected my DVM. Any time the heater port turned on on SS, it was showing constant 8.3V. Is that what it's supposed to be? Or is it too high and that's what might've burned that wick off? My SS power is connected directly to battery, just like you told me to in the past.

Also, using engine startup 1 and 2 (smoke on) I can turn the heater on/off via CH5 @ 50% (for 7 channel setup), but I noticed that when I use engine startup 3 or 4, there's no way to turn the heater on at all until you shut down and start engine using startups 1 or 2.
Isn't there a way to change it so the heater can be turned on/off at will regardless which engine startup was used? I mean I know startup 3 and 4 are "smoke off" but I thought you could still turn it on at any time while the tank is running.

As far as the fan, it works consistently the same regardless which startup was used. It definitely works with the variable changes based on engine sound changes, but it seems at idle it's as slow as it was before I upgraded. And that speed was not enough to push any smoke out (that was when my smoker was still working fine.
Anyway, I'll try to buy a new wick tomorrow somewhere and I'll test it again.
Thanks