PWM encoder for RC receiver

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi!

I am trying to create an application to read 4 RC signals (PWM at 50Hz) and get from them 8 RC output signals with some modifications. I am using an Arduino Mega, but I have problems with the output signals.

The general idea of the project is to split the 4 channels that any RC transmiter provides for the 2 levers. Typically for this transmitters, if we consider the right lever movement up/down, at the receiver we can see the variation from PMW_max to PMW_min on channel 1 only. The movement left/right will get an output on channel 2. My idea then is to split the output in 2 channels for the same axis: a movement of the lever from the neutral position to up will modify channel 1, and from neutral to down will modify channel 2 output. My idea is to make this conversion by using Arduino, since I consider that signal frequency is not so high.

Any advices to approach this project? Do you think that I could read this 4 PWM signals without problems? Any posible limitation to manage this 12 PMW signals at 50Hz at the same time?

Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:

2

Have you tried reading the 4 input signals yet? There are lots of projects out there that have done it before so it shouldn't be difficult to find some code to start from.

What do you intend to do with 8 new signals you've split the original 4 into? Are they going to end up as individual servo signals on individual pins or are you going feed them into some other device, perhaps combined into a PPM trainer-style signal? Or what?

Splitting the input signal is not difficult. When you read the signal you'll get values like 600 - 2400 (microseconds) with 1500 as the centre. It's easy enough to say if (ch1Value < 1500) do something otherwise do something different.

Try something and see if you have any real problems. We can't do much until you have posted something to work with e.g. a specification like "with some modifications" tells us nothing.

Steve