BeastX Setup... Help!

[byter182]

Hi Guys,

In the process of getting my BeastX ready for install but want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I mount the unit onto my T500. The kit came w/two different types of mounting tape, which one do I use? There's one w/a hole in the middle and one w/o a hole in the middle.

Do I have to power up fhe BeastX first before installing the servos and calibrate beastX for the servo frequencies I'm using? If so, what are the frequencies for Align DS520 and DS510 servos.

Thanks you,
Byter

[JustPlaneChris]

I used the tape with the hole on my Mini Protos at first, but have since switched to a firmer tape. Start with that and see how it works for you.

Servo lists are on the BeastX website:

http://www.beastx.com/service_servoliste.html

You want to power it up first without servos connected and select the frequencies.

[Tomy.]

For the mounting see https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=280928
It is a good idea to set up the servo but nothing really bad will happen otherwise, but I don't know why not to wait with plugging the servos in. If the centering frequency (760 or 1520 micro) is not set up properly, the servo will be driven by default to outside it's turning range which will not help it's lifetime . Don't blame me if a cheap servo will break from this though... If the refresh frequency is not set up, the default 50hz will work with every servo but can be improved for your servos with the proper setup.

[byter182]

Thanks... That was helpful. I setup the servo frequencies and everything seemed to go well and then I realized that I hadn't setup the receiver type yet. Then when I tried to do that everything went downhill from there. I'm trying to setup the receiver type on the BeastX and am having problems getting it setup for my Spektrum receiver. I followed the instructions in the manual but the LED's are not doing what the manual said they would do. Maybe I'm not correctly getting into the receiver menu but according to the manual the status LED is suppose to be purple for Spektrum but what I'm getting is some other colors and flashing. I'm holding the button down for 2 seconds as per instructions but I'm not getting a solid purple status LED and the yellow LED does not remain at Menu Point A instead it keeps jumping around. What is it I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

[mguw]

Hi

a spektrum, futaba or whatever reciever is a standard reciever. the other setups are only for satellite recievers.

so swicth back to standart reciever and forget about this setup

regards

Marcel

[DannyvG]

probably you went into the parameters menu.
To setup the RX type you need to hold down the button on power up of the system.
But like mguw said, no need to change the RX type because you are using a standard spektrum RX. Or are you using satellite only?

[byter182]

Yeah... I am using a standard spektrum receiver(AR7000w/Satelite). The manual seems to suggest that you have to got into the receiver setup menu to confirm that the correct receiver has been selected. Kinda confusing. I hope I didn't mess anything up trying to access the receiver setup menu.

Thanks guys. I'll let you know how things turned out.

[byter182]

Looks like my initialization settings are all screwed up now. I must have changed something when I tried to go into the Rx Setup Menu. When I first power on the BeastX I get a yellow LED at Menu Point B for a few seconds and then the yellow LED cycles through all the menu points beginning at G up through A then jumps across to H then down to N. It goes back and forth for a few seconds then the LEDs cycle up and down through menu points H through N. The status LED remains a steady red.

HELP

[Ecaf]

Originally Posted by byter182

Looks like my initialization settings are all screwed up now. I must have changed something when I tried to go into the Rx Setup Menu. When I first power on the BeastX I get a yellow LED at Menu Point B for a few seconds and then the yellow LED cycles through all the menu points beginning at G up through A then jumps across to H then down to N. It goes back and forth for a few seconds then the LEDs cycle up and down through menu points H through N. The status LED remains a steady red.

HELP

That sounds like a normal power up sequence on the beast. At the end did the swash move?

And if you are using the standard Spektrum/satellite combo, and using the 3 wires to connect the controls to the beast, why are you accessing the receiver menu?

That's only needed if you are doing a non-standard setup.

[byter182]

Originally Posted by Ecaf

That sounds like a normal power up sequence on the beast. At the end did the swash move?

And if you are using the standard Spektrum/satellite combo, and using the 3 wires to connect the controls to the beast, why are you accessing the receiver menu?

That's only needed if you are doing a non-standard setup.

OK Guys... Sorry... Didn't mean to stress you out. Got it figured out. Went back into the receiver setup menu by holding the BeastX button down while connecting lipo to AR7000 rx. That enabled me to select the OFF status LED by holding the beastX button for 2 seconds I was able to cycle through the different status LED colors including the OFF w/no color. I think I was having a hard time getting into that menu the first time because trying to plug a deans connector w/one hand while trying to hold the beastX button w/the other hand is not an easy task. But I finally got it. Everything seems to be initializing normally now.

As I mentioned above, the manual was kinda confusing at first. This is my first time setting up a FBL unit and had no idea what anything was. I thought I had to go into the receiver setup menu and select the Spektrum Rx color (Purple). So that's what I tried to do and I think did. That's why the BeastX was initializing all wrong upon power up. Now I know that the default receiver setting is Standard. So far I have the servo frequencies selected and my next step is menu point E where I have to setup tail servo limits. Hopefully the rest of the setup will go smoothly. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again.

Thanks for you help guys. If it weren't for you guys I'd probably still be trying to select a receiver.

Byter

[sutty]

Don't feel bad about misunderstanding that part of the manual. In my opinion it is badly worded, and I spent a good 20 minutes pouring over it before I finally chose the standard receiver option, default, a little by luck.

I'm not saying this should be the wording, but if it had said something like this, I would have been able to understand it.

Spektrum receiver, or Spektrum receiver, together with satellite receiver, use standard, default option. No need to enter the Rx sub-menu.

Spektrum satellite 'only', you must enter the Rx sub-menu, and choose the option according to the table below.

Okay, a little wordy, but even if they had simply added the word Only, to the table entry for Spektrum Satellite, I would have got it straight away.

Purple.....................Spektrum Satellite Only

Or

Purple.....................Stand alone Spektrum Satellite

What do you think?


Cheers

Sutty

[panzlflyer]

Agree, scratched my head for a while as well.

[Ecaf]

Same here. They really need to make that part a little more clear in the manual.

Glad its working now for you!

[byter182]

Originally Posted by sutty

Don't feel bad about misunderstanding that part of the manual. In my opinion it is badly worded, and I spent a good 20 minutes pouring over it before I finally chose the standard receiver option, default, a little by luck.

I'm not saying this should be the wording, but if it had said something like this, I would have been able to understand it.

Spektrum receiver, or Spektrum receiver, together with satellite receiver, use standard, default option. No need to enter the Rx sub-menu.

Spektrum satellite 'only', you must enter the Rx sub-menu, and choose the option according to the table below.

Okay, a little wordy, but even if they had simply added the word Only, to the table entry for Spektrum Satellite, I would have got it straight away.

Purple.....................Spektrum Satellite Only

Or

Purple.....................Stand alone Spektrum Satellite

What do you think?


Cheers

Sutty

Yeah Sutty... I totally agree. The wording regarding receiver selection could have been a little clearer. Just like in the other menu points that a default setting is symbolized w/an astericks (*), this could have also been included on the receiver setup page. The rest of the setup so far has been pretty simple and straight forward. The manual is not actually bad compared to others I've seen. Just a few areas need to be tweeked for better clarity. Glad the manual is written in Germglish instead of Chinglish.

[byter182]

Thank you everyone. Your support here has been invaluable. I have another question regarding menu point E (Tail Rotor Endpoints). I set it up according to the instructions and all seemed to go well but after I went into Ready mode for flying it appears as if the tail does not have very much throw. Is this a parameter that you set up later? I haven't finished setting up all the menu points yet.

[JustPlaneChris]

Nope, that's it for the tail. Don't worry about how it reacts to stick movement, the gyro is totally in control of the tail so your stick movements are only telling the gyro what you want to do. Since you aren't flying, the servo movements will seem weird.

[Ecaf]

Originally Posted by byter182

Thank you everyone. Your support here has been invaluable. I have another question regarding menu point E (Tail Rotor Endpoints). I set it up according to the instructions and all seemed to go well but after I went into Ready mode for flying it appears as if the tail does not have very much throw. Is this a parameter that you set up later? I haven't finished setting up all the menu points yet.

I had this same issue last weekend, the tail slider would only move about 1/4". Turns out I had the gain channel for the tail set to 50%.

Raised it to 67% and the full travel was back.

Check and make sure the beast has enough gain, around letter I or J in normal operation mode and the blue light is on.

[byter182]

Thanks Ecaf... Certainly hope that's the solution. I'll give that a try after I complete going though all the menu points.

I'm getting a red status LED at menu point J (Teaching the cyclic pitch geometry). I setup my T500 esp w/the cyclic servo linkages attached to the farthest hole on the servo horn giving them a slight angle to the swashplate. Could this be the probem?

[Ecaf]

Originally Posted by byter182

Thanks Ecaf... Certainly hope that's the solution. I'll give that a try after I complete going though all the menu points.

I'm getting a red status LED at menu point J (Teaching the cyclic pitch geometry). I setup my T500 esp w/the cyclic servo linkages attached to the farthest hole on the servo horn giving them a slight angle to the swashplate. Could this be the probem?

Im sure it will. Just make sure the Beast is getting a proper gain signal for the tail.

As for the red on menu J, that is when you are at 6 degrees of pitch?

Review this thread, as it explains in great detail how to get the magical 6 degrees at the blue setting on the MB:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...highlight=blue

[byter182]

Originally Posted by Ecaf

Im sure it will. Just make sure the Beast is getting a proper gain signal for the tail.

As for the red on menu J, that is when you are at 6 degrees of pitch?

Review this thread, as it explains in great detail how to get the magical 6 degrees at the blue setting on the MB:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...highlight=blue

Awesome! I was able to get the BLUE status LED simply by moving the servo links from the outer hole to the middle hole. That was very helpful.

Thanks,
Byter