This system allows RotorHazard to communicate with TBS Fusion modules, sending race status messages, lap times, and split data in real time to the pilot's OSD. In the future, this system may be extended to provide race directors with module status information, and set pilot's frequency and video transmitter power level from within the RotorHazard interface.
The system is composed of a RotorHazard plugin and a hardware communicator.
RotorHazard 4.0 or later is required.
Copy the vrx_tbs plugin into the src/server/plugins directory in your RotorHazard install.
If installation is successful, the RotorHazard log will contain the message Loaded plugin module vrx_tbs and Importing VRx Controller tbs.
The communicator code should be installed on an ESP32. ESP32 development modules are widely available and include a USB interface.
Flash the code to the ESP32 using the Arduino IDE:
- Install Arduino IDE
- Install ESP32 board definitions for Arduino
- Plug in the ESP32 module
- Load the code from
tbs-fusion-vrxc/tbs-fusion-vrxc.ino - Select the proper board and port from the dropdown in the toolbar (Try ESP32 Dev Module if not sure)
- Select "Upload" (right arrow button) in the toolbar
The development code contains defines to enable an OLED display and serial debug monitoring. It is not recommended to install support for and enable these features unless you will be working on the code, as they considerably reduce performance of the communications module.
Plug the flashed module into the timer via any USB port and restart RotorHazard. The plugin will automatically detect the connected module on startup. If this step is successful, you will see Found Fusion comms module at /dev/ttyUSB0 in the log.
Update the TBS Fusion module to at least v2.30 and the Fusion WiFi to at least v2.06.
Enable ESPNOW communication on the Fusion Wifi module.
- Open menu
- Select
Settings - Select
CRSF - Select
Fusion WiFi - Select
Pro - Change
ESP NOWtoEnable - Exit the menu
- Restart the Fusion
Find your MAC address to give to the race director.
- Ensure WiFi is ON (
Menu->Settings->WiFi) - Using any WiFi-capable device (phone, laptop), view the available network list. Find the network name beginning with
tbs_fusion_. - The 12-character code at the end of the network name is the MAC address.
For example, if the network name is tbs_fusion_ABCDEF123456, then your MAC Address is ABCDEF123456.
The Fusion plugin will add a Fusion MAC Address data field to each pilot in the Pilots panel of the Format page. For each pilot, fill this field with the 12-character MAC Address provided by the pilot. (Valid hex characters are digits 0–9 and letters a–f).