How-to Betaflight Passthrough Flash and Configure the Matek CRSF-PWM-C for Express LRS

[@charlesjones5070]

I think the best way to program and setup the PWM receivers is to use a dedicated USB to UART converter board $2-3 to purchase an FT232 or CP2102, no soldering required and no need to mess around with betaflight on a spare FC. I've used them a few times on CRSF to PWM converters and also to recover ELRS receivers that failed a wifi update

[@RCVideoReviews]

Different strokes for different folks. I had this board sitting in my stash. Took me about 2 minutes and $0.00 to get it working. I guess it's all about perspective.

[@williamcox3852]

Nice job John. I like this kind of information. Keep up the good work.

[@RCVideoReviews]

More to come!

[@BBFPV]

I have a Kwad with gimbal, i hope i can use CRSF for the FC and the PWM board at the same time.

[@mickbarber407]

On their website Matek give details of how the CRSF to PWM converter board’s firmware can be updated via a USB-TTL module, such as CP210x, FTDI. I have also seen it stated on another site that the BetaFPV ExpressLRS recovery dongle is a FTDI USB to TTL adaptor using a CP2102 chipset. If so could this be used as the interface to upgrade the firmware on these boards?

[@RCVideoReviews]

The images I saw on the product page look to be very specifically focused on setting SBUS parameters and possibly even channel remapping. i.e. It didn't look like a terminal command line like the Matek boards.

[@mickbarber407]

@@RCVideoReviews Many thanks for your reply to my previous query. I purchased a USB to TTL adaptor and have used this to successfully upgrade the firmware on both a CRSF-PWM-6 and CRSF-PWM-V10 board. With regard to the CRSF-PWM-V10, can you please advise on the function of the “Boot pass” bridge and the pin connection located between the bridge and the No 1 PWM pin. It would be very useful if the bridge and/or grounding the pin connection were intended to force an attached Rx into boot mode but I can find no reference to these on the Matek website or from an internet search.

[@b.w.oostdam8875]

Very interesting video! You state that the instructions say that you have to connect to the 'second row of pins'. I have searched High and Low but cannot find any instructions on this anywhere. Does a manual or instruction document exist ? I recently electrically damaged (my fault) a new 10 channel crsf-pwm converter board (the one with the pins on each side. I replaced the MCU (I have all the needed skills and equipment) but could not get the board to be recognized using the FTDI device that is available for when one has a 'stuck' elrs receiver. It is a topic I cannot find anything about and was not succeful myself. So if anybody has tried it... I would really appreciate any documentation or advice ! Thanks a lot in advance and happy new year !

[@RedwoodRc]

I bought 2 boards the 10ch and the 6ch. This 6ch works. Do I need to do the samething you've done here? It's weird the rx will not power own. The gps will not work either! I here the motor/ esc chime but that's it. No servo movement at all.

[@RCVideoReviews]

I could go through some basic troubleshooting like putting a multi-meter on the +/- pins of the rx header and gps header. Did you connect a BEC to the servo side? Remember, the battery side does not fee power to the Rx.

[@RedwoodRc]

@@RCVideoReviews yes! The 10ch only calls for a positive connection. Once I power up, the gps faintly glows as well as the blue light on the board. In the servo side 5vbec to ch3. I get esc/motor chime but that's it. The crsf rx doesn't power on either.

[@alantoseland6629]

Hi John, is it possible to reconfigure the channel outputs on matek six channel board as you can on the ten channel board please

[@RCVideoReviews]

www.mateksys.com/?portfolio=crsf-pwm#tab-id-6 Only Ch5 can be remapped on the converter boards.

[@marc_frank]

it always says "No device connected !!!" i had this working before, with the 7ch Vario rx but was extremely flakey the 10ch doesn't work at all

[@RCVideoReviews]

Weird.

[@MrBumbles2]

yea i have ftdi adapter from beta fpv no need for flight controller . its $7 just do via uart

[@ronborem2820]

how is this done please

[@pdel303]

must be something about latest FC firmware, does not let the matek configurator open the port - i get this when i enter 'serialpassthrough 1 115200': # Port 1 already open. Removing rxCallback | Forwarding data to 1, power cycle to exit. | Also this message is in inav and also bf above the cli: Note: Leaving CLI tab or pressing Disconnect will automatically send "exit" to the board. With the latest firmware this will make the controller restart and unsaved changes will be lost. | So something is wedged or no longer works for passthrough.

[@RCVideoReviews]

The BetaFPV dongle still works well. I haven't checked BF/iNav since I made this video as I usually just use the dongle.

[@pdel303]

@@RCVideoReviews Thanks, i did get it going with a USB TTL board. Now, unfortunately i interrupted the crsf to pwm board flash and get solid blue led, any way to reset in order to reflash? Btw great channel! thx -pd

[@Yogenh]

I am new to all this kind of stuff but it doesn't give me special features that work great with airplanes

[@RCVideoReviews]

It’s a converter board. To what special features do you refer?

[@ronborem2820]

your configurator and crsf pwm links are broke

[@RCVideoReviews]

That's matek's problem. Their site has been up and down quite a bit lately. They worked when they were posted.

[@ronborem2820]

@@RCVideoReviews anyway u could email me the software

[@paolo9535]

second 😀

[@FASTFREDDIE-R.C.]

First