[FaceDeAce]

Well I figured I have enough CC stuff around here now that I finaly broke down and acquired one of those Castle Creations USB link thingys.

Wow! Why didn't I get one of these a long time ago? It is amazing. It is super easy to use, the software is also real easy, and it is also used to keep the firmware in the devices up to date.

In about 1/2 hour I updated the firmware and re-programmed four of my ESCs as well as my fresh new Berg 7P receiver.

If you are sitting on the fence at all, I hope this knocks you off of it. GO GET ONE OF THESE!

[always flying]

LOL..........the right tool for the right job!! glad you figured it out!! for some people it just takes longer!!..

i'm glad i have one too makes things alot easier!!

hows the snow over their claude! ours is getting quite hard on top but alot still! i ended up getting an 02' rmk and the thing huals!!.. everything it takes to hold on to it!! hope your getting good use for yours!!

cheers!!

mannyh

[Bosshog]

I just updated my CC 80 about an hour ago. I'm waiting for the last of the glue to set on my new CoroCub and figured I should play with the controller. Besides it is -22 C here a little cooler with the slight windchill. I'm looking for an excuse to not go maiden her. The few times I've used the link it has been very useful and beats the crap out of listening to beeps and looking for blinks while using the trans.

I recommend spending the money. You are less likely to make a mistake if you can see what the settings are right on the screen. If I hadn't been so cheap and had one sooner I WOULDN'T have fried an $80 lipo pack.

Brad

[FaceDeAce]

Yes, been getting some use out of mine
Rarely have to open 'er much past 3/4 throttle, but when I do - woohoo - hang on tight!

[FaceDeAce]

Lots of snow out there, but it is stiffening up.

[FaceDeAce]

The the angle of this picture doesn't do this one justice. In a creek draw. Pretty steep and deep. I missed the mark to take er over the crest. Stuck in such a way that the only way out was to roll it over. Snow was still nice and soft so no harm done. I pushed it over, waited anxiously for the handle bars to appear out of the snow, and jumped on for the toboggan ride back down.
Cracked it full from the bottom on the next run. The 800 grunted and yanked and away we went - made it out easily, "flew" out of that one.

[tommy321]

Only caution I have about using the Phx-Link is to be careful when doing firmware updates.

When I first got it a year or so ago, the Phx-Link software wasn't quite as robust. When trying to update the firmware on a Pheonix 35, I think I must have opened another window, or bumped the USB connection, or something. The firmware upgrade stalled and failed, and the ESC had to go back to Castle for reprogramming.

Now I'm careful to close all other applications and not touch a thing while the firmware gets updated. I haven't had a problem since. (It's either because of my caution, or because of the improved CastleLink software.)

Tom

[Guest]

Claude,

How does the other end of the USB cable plug in to the ESC -- just use the throttle servo connector or is there a special connector on the ESC for the cable?

BTW, did like the pictures of you 'mobile. Make sure that your crotch zipper is fully closed! Friend of mine had split his jeans in the all-important area and failed to notice if when he'd rolled it out of a snowdrift.
Quick trip back to the cottage became a really quick trip. Fortunately, he had a toque on under his helmet that he could stuff into the hole before frostbite set in....

[tommy321]

Yup... the actual Phx Link is a roughly 1" by 0.5" circuit board with a chip and an LED on it. One side of the board has a mini-USB plug on it (like the type some Canon Powershot cameras have) and the ohter side of the board has a 6" standard female servo extension hanging off it.

You first plug the Phx link via the included USB extension into your computer. Windows dings, and your castle software shows a green light that the Phx-Link is connected.

Then you connect the Phx link into the servo lead coming off your ESC (don't have a battery connected to the ESC - the ESC gets power from the Phx-Link).

Within a second or so the Castle software flashes up a logo showing what you've got connected... Pheonix, Thunderbird, Berg, etc. and lets you adjust the settings. Once done you disconnect things in the reverse order.

Easy peasy?

Tom