Castle Link Live

Ok from what I've gathered, Castle Link Live is a protocol to allow the ESC to send and receive information like temprature, rpm, maybe even pack voltage to the receiver. It should also allow for remote programming of the ESC.


If you have telemetry like the TQi radio from Traxxas, it in theory could be displayed on the phone/transmiter. One could in theory program the ESC from the radio as well.


Traxxas has no plans of pursuing these features on their TQi.

I however would really like to be able to remote program the ESC from the radio. So whats it take? Is there any radio on the market that uses CLL?

Couldn't Castle make their own iphone app to send commands through the traxxas radio? I'm thinking this is the only way since Traxxas doesn't want to pursue this.

[RC toy]

Originally Posted by ducati777

Ok from what I've gathered, Castle Link Live is a protocol to allow the ESC to send and receive information like temprature, rpm, maybe even pack voltage to the receiver. It should also allow for remote programming of the ESC.

That doesn't make sense. ESC has nothing to do with temprature, rpm and voltage. All sensors (temp, rpm, voltage) are connected directly to the TQi receiver.

Originally Posted by RC toy

That doesn't make sense. ESC has nothing to do with temprature, rpm and voltage. All sensors (temp, rpm, voltage) are connected directly to the TQi receiver.

Perhaps a poor choice of example...

On the XO-1 we get motor temprature from the sensor on the motor, but no esc temprature, that could be sent via Castle Link Live. We would have 2 temprature readings then motor and esc.

We also don't really get rpm, there is a sensor that measures the center shaft rpm, multiplys that by the gear ratio, and displays the calculated rpm. While thats pretty good, its not the actual rpm, and relies on the user getting their gear ratio settings right in the garage.

Voltage... I'm pretty happy with that actually.


What I'm really getting at is the remote programming options that exist with Castle Link Live. There are no remote programming options that I'm aware of, yet Castle has said its possible to change ESC settings on the fly with CLL.

[RC toy]

Ahh, yes, I suppose ESC has a temp sensor because it has thermal fan control.

I was following you on Traxxas forum and now I get what you are trying to say.
But maybe its just a big misunderstanding? Maybe there is no way we can ever change the esc settings...

Patric has clearly stated we can, tho.

Originally Posted by Pdelcast

Oh no no no, Castle Link Live allows for on-the-fly settings changes!!

See patrick said that.... and I'm super excited about that, especially for a car like the XO, it would be so cool to adjust timing, torque limiting, and punch control on the fly, you could dial the car in to launch perfectly....

I'm hoping Patrick will chime in, because its such a cool feature, but we can't use it yet!

Traxxas won't pursue, so maybe Castle wants to make an app? I'd pay for it... I'm sure others would too.


edit:
Couple of thoughts...

If castle were to pursue, they should make either an app for a iphone, or a magic lil device that wirelessly sends info to the ESC.... If I gotta bring the car close and wave a magic wand at it, I'm ok with that too.

But pulling the esc plug from the receiver is a real pain on the XO, means I gotta take off the body, fiddle with that stupid rx box design.... get it plugged in, then link up.... blah blah blah. That prevents me from adjusting in the field, I typically link the car at home, and when I head out I'm stuck with that day's settings... and I had to guess at the settings... its not like I can run the car, make a change, run the car, and repeat.

So the mystery of Castle Link Live continues....


All the cyrptic messages out of Traxxas are starting to make more sense in light of recent events.

Traxxas just brought out the new drag car, and it has a torque control function right on the radio, which Traxxas is claiming actually adjusts the ESC.

That sounds like CLL at work! Exactly what I've been so eager for.... sadly its not on the XO-1.

But it makes more sense now that while I was trying to probe Traxxas on why they weren't using CLL, they didn't want to talk because they had this drag car project in the works.


Now seems like we should re-open the conversation.

Like how is it the skill level 1 car gets a Castle Link Live feature, and my skill level 10 XO does NOT....

Castle has said the XO's should have the hardware, or maybe they were actually referring to the drag car project when they said Traxxas was the first company to use CLL.... that would make more sense.

I still love the idea of CLL, I just want to find a way to get it on the XO-1....

[Thomas Porfert]

The Traxxas drag car is the first setup to use the full capabilities of Castle Link Live. The technology was available and we were actually working with them on the drag car when the XO-1 was being finalized. (It has been a hard 2 months not letting it slip about the drag car) The reason for the RPM sensor on the XO-1 on the drive shaft is so they know if you try to change the gearing on a locked system. If their receiver sees a different RPM than expected and its still locked, it prevents you from accelerating further. The ESC knows the precise RPM of the motor because...it's actually driving the motor. I'm not sure why they chose not to implement the CLL protocol with the XO-1.

The CLL protocol allows nearly all settings to be adjusted remotely. The biggest problem we have is that we need the cooperation from other manufacturers to use their protocols to sync them with ours. So far it appears no one else is wanting to play ball. The CLL feature as been available for almost a year and half, the Traxxas setup is the first to utilize the feature.

Wow! Thank you for the response. That's the clearest post about CLL I've seen.