View Full Version : Spektrum AR6100 Rx "stuck servo" firmware bug (Mar
Finless
03-27-2007, 07:19 PM
Well I aint rippen mine out of my 2 helis and be down for 2-3 weeks. As you said it aint a recall and since I have had no problems I am not going to worry about it.
Bob
Hughes500Bob
03-27-2007, 08:16 PM
Thanks for the shipping comment. I'll call before shipping mine back .... and them paying the return shipping sounds great. Mine is still un-opened and I do not want to chance it. It will give me more Phoenix sim time!!!
Finless .... I understand your position as to not wanting to rip them out.
billyzelsnack
03-27-2007, 08:30 PM
They should pay shipping BOTH ways AND give some sort of coupon or something for the hassle.
They should pay shipping BOTH ways AND give some sort of coupon or something for the hassle.
I agree.
An exchange for a new (re-programmed) one at our LHS would be nice, and let Horizon worry about to and from shipping from there.
PsychoPilot145
03-30-2007, 10:57 AM
Agreed, thats pi$$ poor customer service. Granted, it's only eight bucks... But as I am learning how to fly, I can use that cash for spare parts for the big crash. :shock:
So, I am going to put a 450 together in the next month or two. I WAS actually going to order the 6100 today, but now I am going to hold off for a few weeks. Question: Will the AR7000 fit in a 450 without a hassle, or is it just to large?
DavidH
03-30-2007, 11:24 AM
Agreed, thats pi$$ poor customer service. Granted, it's only eight bucks
What are you referring to?
Horizon is paying the return shipping.
It may cost at the most $4 to send the RX to them USPS Priority mail.
I would just put it in padded envelope and send it in for less than a dollar.
David
PsychoPilot145
03-30-2007, 12:32 PM
David, I was referring to Spektrum, not Horizon. Perhaps I should start buying from Horizon, all though I am sure Redi-heli would take care of me too. Spektrum should be making shipping at no cost to the consumer each way, regardless of which dealer you bought the part from IMHO. Kudos to Horizon for taking care of the return.
I'm just going to wait and make sure that I have a corrected copy, or get the 7000 if it will fit. Again, no jab at horizon was/is intended.
DavidH
03-30-2007, 01:13 PM
David, I was referring to Spektrum, not Horizon.
They are one and the same.
http://www.spektrumrc.com/About/Warranties.aspx
Horizon Service Center
ATTN: Spektrum Service
4105 Fieldstone Road
Champaign, IL 61822
http://www.spektrumrc.com/
From the bottom of the above page
Copyright © 2005-2007 Horizon Hobby, Inc. | An Exclusive Horizon Brand
David
PsychoPilot145
03-30-2007, 02:49 PM
OK, then I stand informed and stand by my original post! :)
If this the manufacturer, there should be NO non-reimbursed cost to the consumer.
rstacy
03-30-2007, 03:13 PM
Agreed, thats pi$$ poor customer service. Granted, it's only eight bucks
What are you referring to?
Horizon is paying the return shipping.
It may cost at the most $4 to send the RX to them USPS Priority mail.
I would just put it in padded envelope and send it in for less than a dollar.
David
Agreed. Some have no idea what poor customer service really is.
To say, and I quote "thats pi$$ poor customer service" over a couple of dollars to mail in a receiver when the company owned up to the problem, came up with a fix, will do the fix and mail the receiver back to you, is absolutely ludicrous.
Come on guys, you could easily lose more than $5.00 in one day and not make this much racket. They owned up to it, and they are fixing it. Get over it!
Would you really be happier if you had to call customer service to get an return number, wait for them to send a prepaid envelope and then send it in???? :dontknow
Regarding the LHS exchange idea. Fair enough but would you rather just send it in and get it back in a week or wait much longer for the LHS to get stock in and then try and track your exchanges? That would be a logistics nightmare that wouldn't be worth it. The receivers that in 99% of the cases have never failed would never make it all back to Horizon.
Finless
03-30-2007, 03:32 PM
Ray, how much doi you know about this bug as I am still wondering if I should even send mine in? I have had no trouble with either of my 6100's.....
It's NOT a recall so what really is the deal?
Bob
rstacy
03-30-2007, 03:51 PM
Ray, how much doi you know about this bug as I am still wondering if I should even send mine in? I have had no trouble with either of my 6100's.....
It's NOT a recall so what really is the deal?
Bob
Bob,
I really don't know any more about it than you do.
What I do know from my own experience is that the "bug" is a definite corner case.
We have been flying SS since the DX6. We have been flying the DX7 since mid last year.
Currently we have (7+) 6100s, (5) 7000s and I don't know how many 6000s.
It has has become our primary radio.
In all of our CP/Trex and nitro flights, in many different environments, we have never had a single glitch or mishap.
This "bug" has never reared it's head.
I think Horizon was correct when they said
This issue only occurs under very unusual and specific circumstances and does not affect the general performance of the product
It is a definite corner case.
Unfortunately every failure from here on out including pilot error will be attributed to this.
Finless
03-30-2007, 03:56 PM
Thanks Ray.... You sending yours in? I dont think I will myself.
I wish Horizon would be more specific about the issue and the "specific circumstances" that cause it so we can avoid the specific circumstance :)
Bob
rstacy
03-30-2007, 03:58 PM
Thanks Ray.... You sending yours in? I dont think I will myself.
I wish Horizon would be more specific about the issue and the "specific circumstances" that cause it so we can avoid the specific circumstance :)
Bob
Probably not. And why don't you answer your phone?
I did see the circumstances somewhere. It was really off the wall stuff to make it happen.
Finless
03-30-2007, 04:00 PM
Hehehe.... I am not in the office but I will call you.
Bob
Finless
03-30-2007, 04:01 PM
No answer... got you Vmax....
Bob
skripo
03-30-2007, 07:25 PM
I can't believe what I am reading. Horizon confirms a problem and offers to fix it. People say they never have a problem so they decide to continue flying one of the most dangerous models around?
Doesn't seem logical to me. Mine is on it's way to Horizon. And by the way, way to go Horizon! You have the best service around and the balls to admit defects instead of covering them up, like car companies do!
rstacy
03-30-2007, 10:22 PM
I can't believe what I am reading. Horizon confirms a problem and offers to fix it. People say they never have a problem so they decide to continue flying one of the most dangerous models around?
Doesn't seem logical to me. Mine is on it's way to Horizon. And by the way, way to go Horizon! You have the best service around and the balls to admit defects instead of covering them up, like car companies do!
No. Horizon said
This issue only occurs under very unusual and specific circumstances and does not affect the general performance of the product
I don't fly under very unusual and specific circumstances.
528hemi
03-30-2007, 10:59 PM
I just purchased two ar6100's and read the thread on rcgroups. I called Horizon to find out what was going on. What I was told is about 10 receivers out of 1,000's have had an issue. It is very rare but can happen and does not happen to all the recievers.
There is an internal counter which when hits zero and at the same exact time you lose signal to the receiver can cause a lock out...Again does not happen to all receivers but has been duplicated. The upgraded firmware suppose to make sure this can never happen. I am sending my 2 recievers back tomorrow since they are new and having them update the firmware just to be safe...Suppose to take 2 minutes for them to do so hopefully they want have it to long. I was also told all the new receivers will have the update.
Regarding the LHS exchange idea. Fair enough but would you rather just send it in and get it back in a week or wait much longer for the LHS to get stock in and then try and track your exchanges? That would be a logistics nightmare that wouldn't be worth it. The receivers that in 99% of the cases have never failed would never make it all back to Horizon.
IMHO, Going to my LHS to make the swap would be much easier and quicker than packing it up, filling out a form, taking it to the PO (I'm not complaining about $1 - $2 to send it in) and waiting for it to return. There would be no tracking on my part. No logistical nightmare that I see. Horizon ships "good ones" to LHS, LHS ships "bad ones" back to Horizon.
Down time would be much less for those who have it installed. If you choose, keep flying until they come in, then swap it out, if you choose.
I think it would be easier. It was just an idea anyway.
Danal Estes
03-31-2007, 12:10 AM
Pretend I own the LHS and have 3 6100s. Four guys come in to swap. Now I have one pissed off customer (the one I couldn't swap) and no stock to sell until the returns come back. And, if I truly keep swapping, probably can't sell them even when they come back, cause they'll be swapped the day they get here. Weeks without selling anything, lots of logistics. Paying shipping (that HH might reimburse later, but that would still be later).
So, yeah, as an indpendent businessman who's just scraping by, I'm real interested in pissing off my customers, handling product that generates no revenue, keeping stock rotated away from the possibility of sale... and on and on.
:)
> I was also told all the new receivers will have the update.
Did they mention any way to tell if a 6100 has had the update or that a "new" one came with the update? Are they putting on a little sticker or anything like that?
Thanks,
John
528hemi
03-31-2007, 12:25 AM
They did not mention that. What they should do is have all the LHS send back all the stock and the LHS should make sure they are buying the updated ones...
The feeling I got is if you want to send it in to make sure youwill never have the probelm, feel free but they definitely were not pushing to have it done and again said it only happened to 10 out of 1,000's...suxs to be the one that had the bad one and crashed.... I am sending mine tomorrow and will let you know how long it takes to get it back...They are usually very fast from my previous experiences.
Paul Hinz
03-31-2007, 08:46 AM
The other problem with the LHS swapping them is when they come back from Horizon is they then have a used receiver to sell. Are you going to buy a used receiver that may have 100s of flights on it and how many crashed how many times and pay full price for it.
Paul
skripo
03-31-2007, 09:08 AM
The other problem with the LHS swapping them is when they come back from Horizon is they then have a used receiver to sell. Are you going to buy a used receiver that may have 100s of flights on it and how many crashed how many times and pay full price for it.
Paul
Although it is certainly conceivable, I don't think the firmware is upgradeable to save cost and manufacturing time. I think they toss them and send a new one since they actually cost very little to make.
I will mark my receiver before I send it in and see if they change it completely.