My unit will no longer connect to the configuration software on my windows 8.1 computer. The status LED on the unit acts differently than it did earlier. I am using a 6v battery pack to power the unit during setup.

After connecting power to the AUX port, the LED is solid for about 5 or 6 seconds. It then start blinking very rapidly while slowly getting brighter. After about 15 seconds it reaches peak brightness and then starts getting dimmer. After about another 15 seconds it reaches the lowest intensity and starts getting brighter again. The LED remains blinking very rapidly the whole time. This cycle repeats indefinitely.

Also the DSMX sat led is blinking at about 0.5 second interval, which seems like bind mode, but the bind plug is NOT inserted.

Actually both the spirit's and the sat's LEDs behave as above regardless of if the bind plug is connected to the ele/pit/ail port or not.

I do not think the issue is with my connection procedure. I was able to successfully connect the software earlier today. I was able to update the firmware to 1.1.0 and set the receiver type to DSMX and successfully bound the satellite.

When the connection stopped working I was fooling around trying to rebind the SAT at 11ms instead of 22ms. Now it won't bind at all for any combination of DSMX/DSM2 11ms/22ms and it won't connect to the software.

Hello,

we are sorry for your troubles.

I am afraid, but something happened with the unit.
I can't tell you where the problem is exactly, but definitively it is not correct behavior and shouldn't happen at all.

Do you think you are able to measure resistance of the pins in the unit? Normal multimeter should be enough.
All in all, we can repair/replace the unit for free if the problem occured with normal usage.

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Spirit System developer

From your description it seems as the unit is running on much slower speed because of unknown reason.
Can you try to power up the unit and leave it to initialize? If it is really this case, it could initialize in much longer time.
LED should be steady ON.

All in all, it is not correct behavior.

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Spirit System developer

I'd be happy to measure the pins. I have a multimeter. What should I use as the ground for each pin when testing the ohms? The unit's case?

I just remembered what might be an important detail. There was a static discharge through the USB cable when I connected it to my computer that caused my computer to shut down and reboot. Could this have damaged the unit?

I also did what you suggested about leaving the unit powered to see if it would eventually initialize. I don't know exactly how long it took because I wasn't watching it, but the LED did eventually turn solid and I was able to connect the software. It was more than 10 minutes to initialize.

Once connected I flashed the 1.1.0 firmware a second time, but it didn't solve the problem. I'm currently waiting for it to initialize again.

Is there a reset procedure I could try before sending the unit in for repair?

Ah, that's sad.

If the unit is working (at least to described extent), then it is not necessary to measure pins.
It seems as some part of the processor or external crystal stopped working correctly.

Unfortunately it is possible to destroy the unit with very high ESD.
Repair should be cheap (around $10), but we will need your unit. It should be done in few days.

Altough it is very strange that so big discharge happened.
First from all we will check the unit carefully, in case that there is another problem caused by normal usage, the repair will be free.

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Spirit System developer

Yes very very sad. I only got the unit a few days ago. It wasn't even installed yet. I was trying to get TX and servos configured prior to install.

What is the return procedure? Round trip shipping from the States is going to take forever. Oh well.

With USPS shipping it should arrive in 2 weeks, shipping cost is approx $6.
With FedEx it can arrive in 3 days, but can cost you approx $25.
We can also order UPS for you, which will pick up the package for approx $41 from your home. Then it can arrive in 2 days to us.

It is important to write on the package, that it is shipped because of warranty repair.

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Spirit System developer

What address should I ship it to?

You can ship to same address that is on the box of the unit:

Spirit System
Tomas Jedrzejek
K Olsine 28
73514 Orlova Lutyne
Czech Republic

Thank you, you can also send me a tracking number if possible.

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Spirit System developer

I just shipped the unit. Sent tracking number to your info@spirit-system.com email address.