How's your Flytrex Core 2 working?

Mac_Guy · Nov 13, 2014

I purchased and installed a Flytrex Core 2 in early October. Worked fine in my P2V+ for several flights.

Soon after I started using it I noticed that Flytrex had a beta Version 4 of their firmware for the Core 2 which was to overcome one of the failings of the V3 firmware by time stamping the FPV file stored on the SD card. Great! So I installed the V4 firmware.

The recording of flights turned into being very problematic. Some times data is recorded. Some times only the first minute or two is recorded. Some times nothing is recorded. Trying to download data from the "backups" stored on the Core 2 generates empty files.

Additionally, one is supposed to be able to revert back to the V3 firmware. Well, that fails miserably. So I'm stuck with a non-functional (or hit or miss) flight recorder. At this point I have zero confidence in it.

Several e-mails to customer service solicit a response "we'll get back to you..." but it hasn't happened for a couple weeks. Flytrex can't even take a couple minutes to acknowledge a problem and supply a response?

Other Core 2 users out there:

1) Are you using the V3 firmware that came with the Core 2, and how is it working?
2) Have you upgraded to the V4 firmware, and how is it working?
3) Have you tried to revert to V3 firmware from V4? Did it work for you?

Idbird · Nov 13, 2014

Hi Mac Guy
#1. Core 2 no updates and it works great for me. The time stamp always stays the same though. :?
Sorry you're having trouble.

jflyer3 · Nov 13, 2014

#2 for me.

I updated the firmware and have not had a problem in the 10 or so flights I've done so far. I like the timstamp feature. Did you try reformatting the card? Probably won't help but just in case.

amitregev · Nov 14, 2014

Hi Mac_Guy,

I'm really sorry for the trouble you had with the Core 2 or any delay with our support :/ We're doing our best to provide support as quickly as possible but we definitely have place to improve. I will check where your support ticket got lost and work with our team to prevent this from happening in the future.

With regards to your issue, my best assumption is that this might be related to the micro SD you are using. One of the changes between the two versions also involved some changes with the SD library we've been using (needed to allow us to support time stamps), and I suspect this might be related to the issues you're having.

If possible, can you please post here a picture showing the top side of the microSD you're using? Specifically, I'd like to see the labels listed on the card to identify its class and type.

If this won't help, please send us an email to support[at]flytrex[dot]com with reference to my post here and we'll gladly have a new Core system shipped to you quickly.

Looking forward to your follow-up. Again, I'm really sorry for any trouble you had with the Core!

Thanks!

Mac_Guy · Nov 14, 2014

Amitregev,

The micro SD I'm using was purchased from Flytrex when I ordered the Core 2 just to avoid any problems with one I might purchase on my own. So that isn't the problem.

When I attempt to reload the V3 firmware the lights indicate it is downloaded properly. On startup I get the three long flashes indicating the firmware is loaded, but then just a series of long flashes and the Core 2 never gives the normal recording flashes.

Also have the problem with all backup .FPV files being empty.

Something is just not working with this Core 2. I will send the e-mail to Flytrex support, and hope I can get an exchange arranged.

Thank you for your assistance.

Mac_Guy · Nov 14, 2014

Amitregev you are correct!

My problem is apparently resolved by replacing the micro SD Flytrex supplied me when I bought the Core 2. The only label on it is "Micro SD 512 MB." Figured there shouldn't be a problem if I used what Flytrex provided.

I tried a PNY "Micro SD HC - Class 4, 4GB" to download all the backup files stored on the Core 2. They were all moved onto the PNY micro SD card with valid file lengths. Uploaded the ones that had been previously "lost" (not recorded onto the micro SD) to the Flytrex web site and they were properly decoded and the missions recorded.

So what's with the Flytrex-supplied micro SD. Well, I decided to reformatted it, and it still wouldn't get backup files from the Core 2.

I'll fly the Core 2 on some test missions over the weekend to be sure everything if functioning as expected. But for now I'm happy to report my problem is apparently resolved.

The micro SD was the last thing I was considering as a cause. Apparently the Core 2 firmware V3 worked with the SD, while the V4 failed.

Mac_Guy · Nov 15, 2014

Flew four missions today with the new PNY 4GB micro SD in the Flytrex Core 2 and all data was recorded properly.

Looks like my problem is solved with the Flytrex Core 2!

amitregev · Nov 16, 2014

Hi Mac Guy,

I'm glad to hear this helped and all is working well now with the Core again!

I should have probably mentioned this earlier, but I'm actually part of the Flytrex team (responsible for most of the software side..) so I'll definitely make sure to update our support team about this report. I'll go ahead and update my profile signature to mention I'm part of the Flytrex team.

Regarding the micro SD supplied by us, as far as I can tell it should work nicely with both firmware versions of the Core. I'll ask our team to conduct several additional test and see what we can find. I'm really sorry for the trouble you had with this~!

Let me know if there is anything else I can help with. Cheers!

Crashmat · Nov 19, 2014

Hi,
I appear to have suffered the same fate as others when updating the firmware to version 3. Was working fine, but now flashes as before all correctly but no records at all?
Have emailed Flytrex support, but have heard nothing thus far!!!
Any suggestions?
Thanks.

craig4855 · Feb 3, 2015

I upgraded to v.4, and the Core 2, IMMEDIATELY< stopped working.
No power light, nothing.
I tried reinstalling V3, nothing.
Went back and forth about 7 times.
Suddenly, miraculously, the Core 2 started working.
I am not sure what went wrong, but it appears to be working, now.
If anyone has this problem, try using a second microsd with the firmware on it, so that you don't have to keep deleting and recreating the firmware file.
Make sure that your SD card is formatted Fat32.

Hughie · Feb 3, 2015

#2
I flashed to version 4. The update completed and I have 4 flashes when I start to indicate this.

However, the files produces are still not timestamped properly.

I reported this to flytrex and they took ages to respond (a couple of weeks), but only said they would pass it on to the development team. No real assistance in fixing it.

It still works though, apart from the timestamp issue.

What I really dont like with the backup.txt process is that you have to export ALL your missions again just to get the latest one. What a pain. How hard can it be to issue an instruction via the presence of a file on the sd card which wipes the memory. Ideally if there were timestamps there would be metadata stored about the last one backed up to card, so you dont have to go through it all necessarily ever time you want to get the last mission off.

MrTommy · Feb 3, 2015

Gee, I'm still using the original Core 1 Flytrex. I asked about a date stamp a year ago for THAT one! No dice, obviously. I was disappointed that there wasn't a software upgrade to the Core 2. Even MORE disappointed to see the $190 tag for their latest invention. So, I'll just stick to my trusty old Core 1 with just enough info to keep me interested.

Last time I contacted them, once I mentioned that I was still Core 1, that was the end of the email conversation.

dptcalvin · Feb 3, 2015

The time stamp thing annoys the heck outta me, too.

aVex · Mar 20, 2015

This Core 2 v4 Beta has been in Beta since October 2014.
No further updates in this many months, despite some of the raised bugs from users.

Anyone with news of when their next update of the beta or if its even going to be coming out from beta anytime soon?

nhoover · Mar 20, 2015

I upgraded to the v4 firmware a month ago or more. It works great. I love having the timestamp on the file. The only problem is that the time is it consistent. Sometimes it's UTC and sometimes it's 16 hours off. But that's minor. I did reformat the card after upgrading.

Hughie · Mar 20, 2015

It is nearly brilliant. However two things frustrate me about this.

1. When you want to move your latest mission to SD card you have to wait for every single mission stored in flash to be copied. You cant just copy the last one, you cant delete everything in flash. To recover a 200KB file takes about 10 minutes. Big oversight.

2. Despite having installed the V4 firmware (verified that it is installed by having 4 flashes at startup) I still do not get dated files.

This only thing left for me to do was to upgrade to Flytrex Live. A fantastic piece of marketing there by Flytrex I would say