Existing Rush Tank VTX (smartaudio 3.1) died a horrible death into the ground and its connector got smashed, so swapped in the RDQ Mach 3.1 VTX. Installed the VTX table from RDQ website. It’s not showing as device ready in the video transmitter tab on BF, with 4S battery connected.   Have BF configured to use racemode channel 8 power 25, yet the rapidfire RF scan shows on a different band, which tells me video is working but smartaudio piece is not. Yes I see a clear video in the goggles, which says the power/ground/video lines are properly connected.   Connected to the VTX plug on the IFLIGHT_SUCCEX_E_F4 (just like I used with the Rush Tank) and soldered to the Mach.  I've tried re-soldering the smartaudio pad too. 

Attached are the BF dump and diff all outputs.

Am I missing something obvious for why the FC and VTX aren’t communicating?

Try going into the Betaflight OSD in your goggles > VTX> VTX_SA> Op mode> Free and Save. Power cycle the quad.

If that doesn’t work then remove the SA wire and use the button to ensure the vtx can get into the correct band/channel/power setup as a test.

If that doesn't work then hold the button on the VTX for more than 12 seconds after powering up so it can exit pitmode.

(20-May-2022, 07:53 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: Try going into the Betaflight OSD in your goggles > VTX> VTX_SA> Op mode> Free and Save. Power cycle the quad.

there is only STATX in this menu. No OP mode.
shows send counts but no receives.  can try changing the SA mode but after save and reboot its back to being off.

(20-May-2022, 07:53 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: If that doesn’t work then remove the SA wire and use the button to ensure the vtx can get into the correct band/channel/power setup as a test.

Done. Buttons on VTX can change the channel/bands.

(20-May-2022, 07:53 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: If that doesn't work then hold the button on the VTX for more than 12 seconds after powering up so it can exit pitmode.

P is not displayed on the LED, so don't think its in pit mode.  Tried long press anyways but nothing changed...


I can still connect the Rush Tank to the FC with its cable (after loading its smartaudio 2.1 table), and device ready = yes in BF video tab.  That tells me the FC VTX port and all 4 pins are functional as well.

STATX? The OSD will show this if SmartAudio fails to communicate with the VTX.

I am starting to think the SA pad or logic on the VTX is not working.

Not sure if this is also related to the Betaflight akk_vtx_fix issue that was around a few years ago where the AKK was using a non-standard SA protocol or something.

(21-May-2022, 04:30 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: Not sure if this is also related to the Betaflight akk_vtx_fix issue that was around a few years ago where the AKK was using a non-standard SA protocol or something.

Before my time in quads, but looks like thats circa ~2018 which sounds like AKK resolved in later hardware/software revisions.  
https://www.akktek.com/blog/akk-vtx-paraneter-guide/

AKK VTX certainly looks pretty close to what RQD is using, know if its rebranded?

I'll see about RDQ is willing to send another VTX...

RDQ does rebrand stuff and they do not have any manufacturing facilities.

There is one example I can find where the AKK VTX patch was accidentally left out of the compiled Betaflight release but i am on my phone and can’t find it now. So its not uncommon.

Try asking RDQ for a replacement.

Replacement VTX does the same thing
Tomorrow I'll try soldering directly to the FC instead of using the plug (although still doesnt make sense why plug would be an issue when the old vtx works with it).

Any other ideas?

I doubt its the plug since you mentioned that the Rush vtx works with the same plug in a previous post.

If the previous report is correct then its an issue with the SnartAudio implementation on the vtx or Betaflight firmware.

I can't be the only person with a IFLIGHT SUCCEX FC and RDQ Mach 3.1 VTX combination and having this problem then.... Doesn't seem like the AKK BF branch is a thing with the last few years.

Buy another VTX and see if have better luck?

Before you place an order for another VTX, perhaps you want to try direct soldering the Smart Audio wire to the T2 pad on that damaged connector on your FC or move that SmartAudio wire to a different plug and use the T1 connector. Just to test its not UART related.

Too late.
Already returned the RDQ and found another source for the Rush Tank. Just got it today and now smartaudio is working as expected.

(28-May-2022, 07:36 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: Before you place an order for another VTX, perhaps you want to try direct soldering the Smart Audio wire to the T2 pad on that damaged connector on your FC or move that SmartAudio wire to a different plug and use the T1 connector. Just to test its not UART related.

I should've noted the issues circled with the picture.

UART 1 connector -- that blob is a bit of glue, which can/was removed by finger. 

UART 2 pins -- there was a plug connector there for the receiver last year, but it got ripped out from a crash.  Soldered receiver pins on the top which have been working fine.

The reason I circled that image was possible UARTS you can test the VTX for the Smart Audio issue you were facing.