Well, it is beginning to happen.  Only the firmware is open-source now, on the Turnigy 9X radio (which people say has good hardware but not so good software, so now the software is being replaced in an open source manner).

This would open up a lot of exciting new stuff !

http://www.diydrones.com/forum/topics/turnigyimax-9x-now-with-custom

(menus in Polish!)

http://radioclone.org/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/radioclone/

Looks very Promising Anwar, This is a break through that many including me (a huge open source fan myself) were waiting. Also this way bugs get fixed fast and many features toooo.   Kudos to open source.

I have my doubts. It may be a good platform for Radio geeks who have more interest in the Radio/electronics and can trade reliability for all 'tweaks'.

In all these years, the largely open source Linux has not proved its worth to normal desktop users.

Strength of open source is incomparable to the close source form.The sheer strength of ideas getting shared at such a large scale is the only mechanism for innovation.
Look at it, this forum is also as good as open source. I have learnt from people here, so have so many others. I have seen ideas being put together on this forum, constructive recommendations and issue resolutions.
I think this open source is great way to go to develop this RC radio Software.

As for the Linux desktop I think it is now widely accepted and popular. I use a Linux desktop at Home..Awesome stability and security. Try it.

Shreekant

Quote from: ujjwaana on July 22, 2010, 05:28:02 PM
In all these years, the largely open source Linux has not proved its worth to normal desktop users.

That has practically nothing to do with the merits of Linux, especially after things like Ubuntu.  The big issue is the ecosystem around Windows, which prompts people to keep on coming back to it.  It is only recently that Windows started approaching the stability of Linux (and other Unix variants).  Security is a matter of "trying hard" and that of being a "mass target".  When Linux or MacOS (or whatever else) becomes common (say around 30% of all users), then the bad guys will concentrate on those, and you will see many more viruses/trojans etc on these platforms too.

About the RC radio, the key thing is that it gives users the power to implement new features, like the WRT54G routers are being hacked into everything from internet cafe hotspots etc with DD-WRT and other open source firmwares.  For example, if someone wants throttle activated timer on a radio that does not support it, he can add that feature himself !

This radio is proving to be the radio of choice for many DIY folks.  With the availability of open firmware, the only complaint about this radio (that it has small software issues) is also fading away.

HK has it in stock now, and they are flashing it themselves to an updated v2 version of the software. See the description here :

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8992

Guess it makes sense for people to get this instead of the 6ch one, which needs a laptop to do pretty much anything, for not a whole lot more than the price of the 6ch one !

Check this video of how to flash

I am not familiar with this.
Is this setup http://www.serasidis.gr/circuits/avrprog/avrprog.htm
enough for the programming?

This is what most people are using :

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9825

Yes its there in the video itself. But the link say all i need is serial port cable & few diodes. Can the programming be done using this?

Also in addition to the Pocket 'AVR Programmer' the video also has one thing called 'pogo board' what is that?
What else component should i need.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16002707&postcount=3313

BTW, I have requested the poster of the above video to comment here.  He has some cool stuff

Another cool video posted by him :

Basically, this page has everything you are going to need and more on this :

http://code.google.com/p/er9x/

thank you Anwar..was a great topic...