Config Tool Guide

Config Tool Guide

Everything is configured from the browser — no IDE, no app, no server. The config tool talks to the board over the Web Serial API.

Browser: Chrome or Edge (desktop). Firefox and Safari don't support Web Serial.

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Connecting

Direct USB (normal)

1. Open config_tool/index.html (locally, or the hosted GitHub Pages link).
2. Plug the board in over USB.
3. Click Connect and pick the board's serial port.

On connect, the tool pings the board (reads its firmware version), pulls the current config (GET_CONFIG), and starts the live monitor. The board's version shows in the footer.

Via WCB (wireless bridge)

If you can't tether the controller directly, the tool can bridge to it through any USB‑connected WCB over ESP‑NOW:

• Connect to a tethered WCB, enable Via WCB, and the tool relays config/monitor traffic to the RC (which always claims WCB device ID 20).
• Large SET_CONFIG/GET_CONFIG payloads are automatically fragmented to fit ESP‑NOW's ~250‑byte packets, so saving over the bridge is slower than USB but works.
• Firmware flashing is not available over Via WCB — it needs a direct USB connection.

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The live monitor

While connected, the board streams a PWM_UPDATE ~20×/second. The tool uses it to:

• show every SBUS channel's live value,
• highlight the active transmitter control on the SVG,
• display SBUS health — frames/sec, lost‑frame and failsafe flags, detected channel count (16 or 24),
• light up the matrix button currently being pressed and the current mode.

If SBUS isn't healthy (no frames, lost frames, or stale data), the monitor flags it — see Troubleshooting.

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Mapping controls

Open Config (gear) to reach the tabs: Channels, Transmitter, WCB Network, HCR, MP3 Trigger, Maestro, Aux Serial, Firmware.

Buttons

• Click a button on the transmitter graphic to open its mapping editor.
• Each button has three tap tiers: single, double, and triple tap. Add up to 5 actions per tier (see Actions Reference).
• Exclusive vs cumulative:
  • Exclusive — only the matched tier fires (a double‑tap fires the double‑tap actions alone).
  • Cumulative — every tier up to the match fires (a double‑tap fires single then double).
• Mappings are per mode — switch the mode tab (1/2/3) to map the same button differently in each mode.
• The tap window (how long the board waits to see if more taps are coming) defaults to 500 ms and is adjustable.

You can also fire a button from the tool to test its mapping without touching the radio:

• Shift+Click = single tap · Shift+Ctrl+Click = double · Shift+Alt+Click = triple.

Switches

• Each switch (SA–SJ) is 2‑ or 3‑position; assign its SBUS channel and per‑position actions.
• A switch fires its actions when it changes to a position.

Knobs, sliders & joystick axes

Analog sources — knobs S1/S2, sliders LS/RS/MS, gimbal axes J1–J6 — continuously map their position to an output. Two functions:

• Maestro Pass‑Through — drive a servo: pick a Maestro (1–8), its servo channel (0–31), and the target positions (in quarter‑µs, e.g. 4000–8000) at the stick's min/max. One source can drive up to 8 outputs at once.
• HCR Volume — map position to an HCR audio channel's volume (0–99).
• A Reverse toggle inverts the source around centre.

⚠️ Analog sources dispatch continuously. With many outputs active at the SBUS frame rate, you can generate a lot of traffic — keep active outputs reasonable.

Per‑button matrix value

Each matrix button matches a PWM band on the matrix channel (default CH7), with a ±10‑count deadband around its center value. Edit a band in Config → Channels → Buttons, or via the button's hardware card — both edit the same table. Calibration (below) sets these for you.

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Calibration

Config → 🎯 Calibrate RC walks you through each control on your model:

1. The wizard highlights one control and shows the live SBUS value.
2. Move/press that control; it captures the value (with optional auto‑advance), or use Force Capture.
3. For switches/knobs you can also type the channel manually.
4. Next/Previous to step through; the step counter shows progress.

While the wizard is open, all action dispatch is muted (so nothing fires while you wiggle controls). Closing the wizard — or stopping the monitor — restores normal dispatch.

Calibration requires a direct USB connection. Over Via WCB the channel data arrives at only ~5 Hz, too slow to reliably capture a quick stick/switch move, so the tool blocks calibration in Via WCB mode and asks you to connect over USB.

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Saving & loading

• Refresh re‑reads the config from the board (GET_CONFIG).
• Save to Board writes it (SET_CONFIG) and persists to NVS. The board replies with an ACK; the tool waits for it and warns if no ACK arrives (see Troubleshooting).
• Baud changes apply live on save — no reboot. WCB network changes need a reboot to take effect.
• Restore Defaults reloads factory defaults on the board.
• Config is also import/exportable for backup and sharing.

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Next: Actions Reference · WCB Network · Troubleshooting