[Mateusz]

Hi Dragonfish,

You mention in the movie that you tried calibrating using transmitter, librepilot, openpilot and nothing works. That sounds like ESCs just don't get calibrated.
In BLHeliSuite there is an option to enable/disable TX programming, if it's disabled, then it's not possible to calibrate ESCs over servo.
Since you tested different possibilities, I suggest checking what firmware is flashed to your ESCs and updating it. Hope that helps. If it's BLHeliSuite configurator also allows setting min/max PPM or shows if these values changed after calibration. If you have SimonK try updating it.

Hope that gets you closer to solving your problem.

[Dragonfish]

I've spent the morning trying to find out more about these ESCs and I'm not getting very far. They came with my quad (when it used to be a Hobbyking Black Widow) and I can't even be sure what firmware they use. I'm starting to think it's more work than it's worth and I should just buy new ones. Then I think I should get a new flight controller while I'm at it to take advantage of the newer technology. That leads me to also want to buy a new receiver because my current one only supports PWM. Quite a large snowball.

[Mateusz]

That way you might end up with 6 quads and ban for new toys at home. Don't ask how I know
If I were you I would still invest time to fix them. First because it's an interesting learning experience, and second it's a pity not to use them Good rule is not to buy new toys until you can't really use or used what you have. That way you won't end up with lots of unused electronics that gets old

Just get one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Afro-ESC-USB-Programming-Tool-/252218313626
Connect servo wire to it, power up ESC with battery and connect using BLHeliSuite https://blhelisuite.wordpress.com hopefuly it detects these ESCs.

According to this post your ESCs have Atmel chip https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2526838-Hobbyking-Black-Widow-260-12A-ESC-identification
So Afro-ESC-Programming-Tool should be able to read them. That way you can determine what they're flashed with.

[Jarredw]

If you have an Arduino then you can use it to flash or verify the firmware using BLHeli Suite. I just used my Arduino UNO to flash my AfroESC 12A from simonk to BLHeli 14.8 I believe. https://oscarliang.com/esc-1-wire-bootloader-signal-cable-blheli-simonk/ If the esc doesn't connect to the software then they may have been sent without a compatible bootloader

[Dragonfish]

I have an arduino uno sitting brand new in it's box at home! You just gave me a weekend project

Thanks!

[Dragonfish]

Is it possible that my ESCs don't have a bootloader? I've tried multiple combinations of pins and different interface types in BLHelisuite and none of them can find my ESC. They connect just fine to my Arduino though.

[Jarredw]

It's very possible that they weren't flashed with a Simonk or BLHeli boot loader/firmware. You could end up buying a Amtel Atmega flasher. It has a socket that fits on the actual IC. They have some sort of base firmware that lets them work as an ESC but none that would work with BLHeli

[Mateusz]

Yes it's quite possible there is no bootloader.

However you can use standard method for programming Atmel AVR (Atmega) chips, which is ISP programmer. Luckly you can turn your Arduino into ISP programmer by flashing correct sketch on it. Even better, BLHeliSuite has option that does this for you.

Check this article https://oscarliang.com/change-bootloader-esc-atmel/

I don't know if with this approach BLHelSuite can detect previous firmware (it should) but I always knew what my ESCs are, so I didnt pay attention. I am pretty sure you can flash them, even add bootloader and be happy. The only difficulty might be: What to flash with ? But if you know what firmware is compatible then it's easy. I would say give it a try and check it it's possible to read what's flashed there, at worst case you will learn about ISP programming

[TheOtherCliff]

Put a prop on one motor and run it up with a load.  I know that most of my motors have some top end deadband (not nearly that much though?) if they don't have a prop on.

I find that there is always a little bit of top end deadband, and I remove it (after calibration) by reducing the max pulse width.  If you actually get full power at 1500us then just set that for your max. 

There are things in the ESC CPU called fuses which are just settings.  One of those fuses controls the CPU clock speed.  If the fuses were set wrong, the CPU would be running at low speed and not be capable of keeping up with a motor spinning at top speed and so it does not let the motor run faster than it can keep up with.  I would read the fuses and see what the CPU clock speed is, and also research what the fuses should be set to.  ESCs will sometimes (should always) document what their max RPM is, and it is based on the code and the CPU clock speed.