Or flying into the distance never to be seen again… Though technically it was probably more like 30 mins of flight 
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Don’t worry about it, this is often the way when trying to get something working. If you look through the FPV section you will find many posts full of people flailing around trying to find out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.
Anyway, a lot happened yesterday, and a lot of information was thrown about, let’s see if we can take stock and come back at this calmly and methodically. 
First, let’s make sure we’ve got the controller configuration and binding procedure sorted.
I’ve checked the model setup that’s still on my controller from when I used FrSky and this is what it looks like:
They key point, I think, is that it’s set to D16. However, I’ve just been skimming the manual for your controller and noticed this table of modes:
This table doesn’t mention half the modes I’ve seen in your videos, but if the Internal Mode setting has both “D16” and “D16-EU” options, then it’s worth trying both. If it only has one, then this possibly determines the type of firmware (EU (LBT) or International (FCC)) that needs to be on the receiver.
For the binding method, I’m going to defer to Oscar Liang’s instructions:
- Set the controller into bind mode (select [Bnd] in Model Setup)
- Power on the receiver while holding down the bind button - do not release the bind button until the red LED starts blinking
If you are sure you have done this and it is still not working then we need to start thinking about firmware versions on both the controller and the receiver. I’ll leave this for another response.
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Morning Earwig,
Thank you for you help again and also your optimism and positiveness! I am at work today but i will get on it later again and fiddle around with these ideas. And come back and let the group know and then go from there like you say. I really dont want ti have to mess around doing other things but if I have to I have to I guess. .
Maybe someone could recommend what my best move is, weather to try and get the receiver changed or a new controller or a reflash of the one I have.
Cheers
While I’m on lunch, I’ll throw these numbers at you so you can have a think about how much effort you want to put into getting what you have working.
To switch to TBS Crossfire you will need the following (amazingly, all in stock at the time of writing):
That’s roughly £100 (+ £5-10 postage, probably).
I’ve used Flying Tech several times and can vouch for them (as can many on here, I expect). I have no experience of T9HobbySport, but that’s a fairly minor purchase.
Again, I’m using TBS Crossfire as an example because that’s what I went with, and can confirm that the marketing blurb (“It just works”) is true. Other options are available and other members may wish to speak up for them.
Talking of other options, given its notorious connection issues, FrSky XM+ seems an odd one to be providing on what is being sold as a Long Range quad. No matter, we are where we are. 
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Can do ELRS for around £50 + the delivery… Though stock… Why is there no stock for this hobby 
These?
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I’ve stuck with happymodel as “apparently” they better. My TX is happymodel, but I’ve used betafpv, happymodel and one other can’t remember (nanimo maybe?) on the quad side, and all been fine, not one failsafe yet (actually 1, but that’s because numpty here had it set to 10mw TX power, and was 300m away behind trees, and was a EP2 with ceramic antenna, got an EP1 read to go in, as Wings I want that).
TBH whilst crossfire is GREAT, ELRS is a lot cheaper, and as good if not better in a lot of areas (range, size, etc), and boy V3 looks nice 
(1000 packet rate). Though with Crossfire, yeah no point upgrading, but starting out fresh…
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There’s still the global shortage of electronic components.
There’s also the unique situation the UK is currently in due to import issues at our borders. Hence the extortionate shipping costs from the likes of Orqa, and Hobbyking whom wanted £280 shipping for a small foam model that cost £120.
I don’t want to get all political but did those whom voted for BREXIT actually knew what they were voting for, other than to stop Johnny Foreigner from stealing our fruit picking jobs?
Blame the hot weather for my response.
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They did…
- Deleted the rest of my post, 1 off topic, and 2 too much politics from me recently…
Back on topic, yeah ELRS is possibly slightly harder, but if you’re into self build, repairing FPV stuff, etc then flashing betaflight, configuring that, etc is 100% times more tricky.
The op just needs to watch Bardwell, read Oscar, and other sites hours a day and he’ll be fine (albeit confused, but the fog will clear!)
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I prefer happy model for ELRS. Then a new RX is just the same firmware as the last.
Recommended RX: EP1 or EP2, not the PP RX
Recommended TX Modules:
Need to choose a module that fits your TX, there are diffrerent sizes.
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Ok thanks for your advice guys, I will by the sounds of it need to start looking into and learning about what exactly you guys are suggesting me to do entails…
I am not very technical as you maybe able to tell from my posts so does anyone in this thread no anyone local to Milton Keynes who could help me?
Many thanks all of you
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There is a members map. Would love to offer to help, but nowhere near local myself.
Isn’t @Jase_MK in Milton Keynes, and relatively active and into FPV?
With regards technical skills. FPV does require it, and BOY it’s a lot to learn. Take it slow, do try and meet up with others, and watch videos and read over and over is my recommendations
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Yup… you will probably want to be able to configure your own Betafight and OpenTx to set up your quads as you want. You will want to be able to your own repairs as there are not that many people close to you and they will be busy doing their own repairs! Repairs are a BIG thing in FPV.
So get ready to “Learn Something Today”… Luckily there are many resources out there.
Check out Joshua Bardwell on Youtube and Oscar Laing on Websites. If you want a walk through and are willing to pay there are people who will help you out directly. JB will answer every email you send (apparently) and will not charge.
If you want direct help and are willing to pay, look up “Its Blunty”.
MadsTech is brilliant on Youtube and in the UK, unlike the others… though Wales, so still not close to you. He’s only a hobbyist though… it’s not his main job (as far as I know), so don’t expect much direct help.
There are discord channels for all the major technologies. The people on there “should” know more than we do… but I’ve struggled to get good answers myself… though to be fair my questions are usually super-obscure.
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Only just catching up on this as I’ve not really kept on top of happenings here recently. General family life, work and other hobbies have been manic so free time not easy to come by!
Looking at those videos you posted, I’m not convinced the receiver is going into bind mode. If you look up the flashing light sequences online for the XM+, I think it flashes when in bind mode. Question: how does it light up when powering it up without pressing the button? Then, how does it light up when powering up with the bind button held down? The two should be different. If not, you’re not pressing the button in properly or holding it in whilst the battery is connected. You should be able to feel it click in and out.
Also, I think someone else also mentioned, but you should prob put the RX into bind mode before the transmitter. Bind mode on the transmitter times out after a short while, but I don’t think the RX does. If you do the TX first, you only have limited seconds to then power up the RX. If you put the RX in bind mode first, you can take your time. My Nazgul came with an XM+ and I remember faffing about for a few days thinking it was faulty before I finally got it paired up. My transmitter has about 8 different options for FrSky binding and I had to trial and error them all. Also, the power down/power up bit on the RX after the initial bind is crucial, which I didn’t realise.
I am indeed in Milton Keynes but just massively short on free time at the moment. Next time I pop over to Newport Pagnell which is where I fly sometimes, I can pop a message here. If you’re free, pop over too. Probably won’t be this week though.
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You should say “I’m not very technical, yet”.
None of us were born preprogrammed with this stuff. We asked lots of questions, made more mistakes than we’re willing to admit to, but we learned a lot along the way. The whole purpose of threads like this are to learn from and help one another. It’s not FB where we come from under our respective rocks to hurl insults at each other. If you want that you need to register your credit card first 
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Hi Jase, nice to meet you.
Thanks for you reply, can’t believe how helpful everyone in this hobby is, it’s great meeting you all.
I have finally had time to sit and try again but haven’t done to much trial and erroring and it’s late and I have work tomorrow, I will persevere again with it tomorrow and let you know how I get on, for now though I have shown you what my recover does when I just turn on without trying to bind, and also my transmitter settings, showing what modes I have.
Does this help anyone determine if I need to reflash or if what I have is infact compatible but I am just not able work it out?
Also, regarding meeting up, that would be cool to meet and fly for sure. Obviously I would appreciate if you think you could help me if maybe one day you are free we could meet for you to help me get set up but I understand it’s a time issue. You and me both. But if you do have the time as I say I am happy to cover anyone’s cost for their time or buy you a beer one sunny afternoon.
https://youtu.be/oLny_9KLJsk turning on quad without trying to bind to show the light on receiver
Thanks guys
I’m slightly concerned that your only options are OFF, ACCESS & ACCESS D16 because I’m sure there were issues with certain XM+ firmware versions and Access. But I can’t be certain. To be honest, by the time I found out about this I was losing the will…
FrSky seem to have so many things on the go at once, and it sometimes doesn’t play nice with 3rd party gear, I lost patience with trying to figure out what was compatible with what. This was one of the main reasons I gave up on it; the more variables you have in the mix, the more iterations you have to go through if you’re trying to “brute force” your setup and it just got too time-consuming.
At least all your stuff is FrSky. Is it worth asking their customer support?
So can I save all this hassle by changing receiver then? Or is it my transmitter that is the issue? If someone can let me know what my best move would be that would be great, if it is to change receiver then will it fit in my small quad frame? And will it work with my transmitter or visa versa, if I change me transmitter will another one work ok with my current receiver? (In theory)
I see, so would you think hobbyrc where I bought the transmitter from should be able to help me out abit more? Maybe tell me what firmware it’s running at least? And if so whether it should work with what I have or not?
Morning, Chris.
Potentially, yes. Whatever you switch to (Crossfire (CRSF) or ExpressLRS (ELRS)), will still need installing, configuring and binding, so there will still be work to do, including some soldering, but those systems tend to be far easier to work with.
Yes, receivers for both systems are available in formats that are even smaller than the XM+.
Neither of these systems will work directly with your transmitter, you will need to get a module to attach to it. The CRSF system needs an adapter, but there seem to be modules for ELRS that will plug straight in to your controller.
If you change your transmitter, I don’t think you’ll be any further forward. Theoretically many transmitter models available should work with your current receiver, the trick is making it happen.
It can’t hurt try, I suppose. Where did your quad come from, by the way?
However, let’s go waaay back to the beginning…*
I’ve just watched the video SirGunner posted all the way through and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t be able to achieve that.
BUT, as the guy mentions early on, you need to be using the correct firmware on both the transmitter and receiver. Crucially, the 2.x firmware that uses ACCESS doesn’t work with the XM+, and I think that’s what you currently have:
So, if we are going to have a serious attempt at this you will need:
- An SD card to put the firmware on
- Correct firmware for the XM+
- Correct firmware for the XLite
- Some wires for connecting the XM+ to the XLite for the flashing process
- Soldering equipment for moving the XM+ between the quad and the flashing cable
- Heat-shrink to re-cover the XM+ once you’ve got it working
The video very helpfully has links to the firmware on the FrSky website.
A Smart Port connector should be easy to get hold of (example here), if indeed it didn’t come with one.
How are your soldering skills?