Before we begin it is imperative to take into consideration a number of things:
1. You know that bit on every product disclaimer saying something like - "product specifications subject to change without notice". Well, companies can and do this regularly and HL is no exception. Since the TK variant is new changes may occur so I STRONGLY suggest that for the remainder of 2019 that you check all the polarity of all connections on your TK unit as they are not labelled. The MAKO IS labelled and further info on MAKO pinouts is available here and just by making contact. As long as the polarities and signals match up you should not have problems nor cause any damage to your units.
2. In view of the above it is highly recommended that you familiarise yourself with how to remove JST-XH crimped cables from their housings in case you need to swap around wires AND be familiar with the concept of straight through and rollover cables (for examples see here: https://www.itprc.com/difference-straig ... er-cables/)
FINALLY
3. Simple cable rearrangement will take care of physical changes to units it may not be enough if HL change the firmware running on the TK. To manage any of these changes should they occur knowing how to update you MAKO will be of immense help. Updating any RCTA product is very easy. There is a guide here:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=71
NOTE: HK don't seem to sell the FTDI breakout anymore, though many are still available on eBAY. DO NOT BUY a cheap unit (less than $5) off eBay as they will most likely use counterfeit FTDI chips that will not allow reprogramming of the RX and TX lines. If in doubt contact us.
OK with that all out the way let's get started.....
INTRO
Especially if doing this for the first time I recommend connecting things a bit at a time. Unless you are even more knowledgeable than me do not connect everything all at once and powerup. Take some time and do bit by bit. This guide will assume that everyone is starting at the most basic level.
1. POWERING UP
Disconnect EVERYTHING from your TK unit except your battery and power switch.
Turn TK unit on and check the polarity of the pins on CN5 (the 6V camera power output). The pin closest to CN6 should be positive and if connected to a volt/multimeter it should read 6 volts. This port should be the best to provide power for MAKO as "usually" power circuits for cameras are stable filtered ones. At present MAKO TK6 are being shipped with a black and red straight through 2 way JST-XH cable to be used for power on this port. If the pin closest to CN6 is in fact positive then when the supplied cable is connected it will be the red wire indicating the positive voltage. If you are 100% happy of this then:
a] connect a BlueRing to your MAKO
b] make sure that the voltage select jumper is across the bottom two pins
c] then supply power to MAKO using the red/black cable between CN5 and the MAKO power input.
If everything is good MAKO will power up and you will see the BlueRing flash and go through the MAKO startup procedure. A demo video of this is here:
If the BlueRIng flashes - all good for now.
NOTE: IF any problems occur powering MAKO from the 6V source on CN5 then MAKO can be powered from the FAN connection on CN2. HOWEVER, according the labels on the TK unit the polarity of these pins is DIFFERENT to that on CN5. Should MAKO need to be powered from CN2 then you MUST swap the red and black cables around at one end (making a rollover cable).
2. TEST IR RECEIVER
With your TK and MAKO powered up plug in your IR receiver.
Now the best way to test is to use your SONY TV remote. If you are not familiar with the remote see here:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=83
I'd love to ship these remotes with each MAKO but they are too big for letter post and I do not know how China Post can send them out for as little as they do. Just get off eBAy they cost less than $5. With your remote press the [Repeat] / Test IR hit receive button. If all good the LEDs on BlueRing will flash indicating a hit.
If you do not yet have a remote you will need to get another tank and fire at your setup. If the LEDs flash on BlueRing -all good. If not try another tank, make sure that tank is firing IR. If still no flash a possibility is that there are firmware changes to the TK - contact us.
3. TEST IR EMITTER
Plug your IR emitter into the MAKO making sure the polarity is correct. MAKO handles the IR so CN15 on the TK will be unused. As above the best way to test emitter is with a remote. With the MAKO powered up and completed the startup procedure press the [--/-] button (Test fire IR) on the remote while looking at your emmmiter through a digital camera/phone. If you notice the IR emitter flashing - All Good.
If you do not yet have a remote you have to jump to the this next step. The disadvantage is that if you encounter any problems you will not know if it is your connections or your IR emitter. Now is time to test that the TK unit can trigger the IR signal from MAKO. The way that HL fires the IR is not straight forward. Because airsoft is HL's primary focus the IR signal timings are secondary to the airsoft actions. When canon fire is initiated from the radio controller it DOES NOT trigger firing of the IR nor the cannon sound. The only action initiated is the starting of the BB/recoil motor. After the bb motor winds up and fires the bb the microswitch on the back of the bb unit is closed providing a signal to ground (GND/V0). It is this signal to ground that is sent to the "brains" of the TK unit which then causes the IR to fire, cannon flash, cannon sound and track recoil. It is ONLY in this way that these actions can be in time with the firing of the bb.
GOT IT???? GOOD
With IR battle we want to fire the IR when we press the button - not a few seconds later. SO to trigger the IR fire MAKO must take it's cue from when the signal is first sent to start the BB motor. To do this the BB motor wires need to be routed through MAKO. If you only want IR then there is NO need to pass through the wires to the BB motor and you can remove the BB unit as MAKO provides a microswitch replicator circuit to provide the signal back to ground the TK controller needs for the cannon sound etc.
GOT IT???? GOOD
The signal for the BB motor is simple - just on/off so get out your multimeter out. Plug your speaker into your TK and fire up BOTH the radio and TK unit. When everything has started up - fire the cannon using the radio while testing the output on CN10 (NOTE: you will have no sound as the microswitch is not connected). If HL are to be believed the innermost pin is the return to ground. If so connect the supplied black/white 2 way JST-XH cable to CN10 and the other end to MAKO Trigger Input.
As supplied this cable is a "roll over" cable if the pinouts on the TK are for any reason reversed then you will need to swap the black and whit cable around at one end to make a straight through cable. With the MAKO trigger cable in place use your radio to test fire the IR signal. If you see your IR emitter flash through your camera/phone GREAT. (NOTE: Since the microswitch is not connected you will not get any sound.).
4. LET'S GET LOUD
If you have made it to here only 2 steps to go. This step sorts out the microswitch replicator circuit so that the TK will make cannon sound. On CN6 the microswitch input, the pin nearest to CN5 is the signal back to the TK's brains and the other pin nearest the LED connections GND (V0). So connect the single orange JST-XH cable to CN6 and the other end to the microswitch replicator port on MAKO.
Fire cannon using radio - if IR flash and you get cannon sound GREAT.
5. FINAL STEP
This last step completes the IR checking process. As long as no firmware changes have been made to how the TK6 receives/recognises IR then it is the easiest step. Basically, if the TK6 plays well with all the older Heng Long units it's all fine. Connect the supplied 5 to 3 pin cable to CN16 and to MAKOs 5 pin i/o connector (left). Use your TV remote or another tank and fire at MAKO. Your TK should receive a hit and make an explosion sound.
Once you get here then I suggest connecting everything up inside your tank.
To make the most out of MAKO you can get a 2 channel relay from eBay and use it to remove the track recoil and the hit shakes. On the TK6 you can reduce the track recoil to practically nothing and the death spasm seems to have been removed. HOWEVER, the hit shakes still remain even with track recoil OFF. To remove the hit shakes you will need to connect a relay, see here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=82
Good luck
KG
SEPTEMBER 2019 UPDATE:
It appears that Heng Long have changed the number of hits the TK6 receives before death to 6. Touche Heng Long. If you have bought a MAKO TK prior to September 11, 2019 then there is an update available for MAKO to bring the TK back into line with the Tamiya standards of 3 hits for light tank, 5 hits for medium and 9 for heavy tank. Please see the post on how to update the MAKO firmware if you wish to do this yourself. Alternatively, you can return MAKO back to base for updating here for the cost of $5 to cover the return postage costs (untracked Airmail Letter).
