12FG pricing now on Tower Hobbies

[Trooper Sam]

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRTL3&P=0

No picture on there yet, but I did see a pic today showing the 12FG sporting the module instead of antenna being in the top of the radio.

While the pricing shown is for the FM/PCM version, I feel pretty certain that the 2.4 version should be the same price, or very near it.

[Ticidytoc]

Boy $999 huh.... well looks like thats another radio I won't be getting. :(

[torkboy]

72 native I KNEW IT!!!!!

It may be maybe another 50-100$ for the 2.4 :dontknow

[DavidH]

72 native I KNEW IT!

Nope just a module type radio. You will be able to buy it in 72 mhz, 50 mhz, 2.4 ghz here in the USA.


David

[RCHeliJim]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking - it uses modules, BUT also transmits a digital signal out of the module port/secondary port instead of/in addition to the usual PPM stream - which would allow the 2.4 module to be fast/connected and retain the 2048 resolution. Not a bad way to do it really. I did find a US store showing the price of the 2.4 version at $1500 though- it may be slightly inflated, but I would bet its within a few hundred bucks of what we will see pricewise: http://www.hi-techobbies.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=300

David - do you know if Futaba ever plans to make something comparable to the 9303, both in features and price? Its a hole in their product offerings at the moment and I would love to see what they could do there. Thanks

[DavidH]

I would think that Hobby Shop looked at the price for the 12FG when it was posted in the UK. They did the conversion and in the UK pound it would cost $1500.
Don't know why a US hobby shop would post a price that is higher than Tower at $999. Towers price will be the MAP that shops can advertise.

So you will see the 12FG for less that $999 at other shops.
The 12Z is 1399 at Tower, but it can be bought elsewhere for $100 less.
Same thing with the 14MZ, Tower price is 2199. but it can be bought for nearly $300 less elsewhere.

David

[RCHeliJim]

So you are saying that the 12FG FASST version with the module and receiver will be $999 as well - we do hope you are right :)

[DavidH]

Nope I didn't say anything about a 2.4 ghz . The price posted on Tower at the moment states 72 mhz, pretty sure that is 50 mhz also. The 12FG has always been a module radio, it is being used in Japan on 72 and 40 mhz.

The price released in the UK was for a 12FG 35 mhz, some are just assuming it is the 2.4 version.
From what I understand, here in the USA. The 12FG will be available in 72, 50, 2.4ghz.
Just a guess on my part, but going from past experience I would think the 2.4 ghz version would cost the same as the other modulations. The 2.4 ghz receiver that comes with that version is going to be a 14 channel receiver. The same number of channels that comes with the other modulation versions of the radio. The 2.4 ghz version is going to use the 2048 resolution that the transmitter provides. So really not giving up any features with any version the customer chooses.

David

[SteveL]

David...Any word if we have to use the 14ch rec to get the 2048 resolution and frame rate?

[torkboy]

Woops I ment module based by 72 native :arggg: :arggg:

[DavidH]

Steve,
I have seen that question asked a couple of times. I really don't know the answer. But my guess would be yes that the 6014 rx would be the only one that can use the 2048 resolution. I may be wrong, but I think the 6014 will probably be programmed to only accept the 2048 code, even thou it will be 2.4 ghz. Just a guess thou.
I will probably know the answer in July. LOL

David

[DebianDog]

So you are saying that the 12FG FASST version with the module and receiver will be $999 as well - we do hope you are right :)

There are very few differences but I imagine the 12FG will come with 2.4 and if you want FM you will have to buy the modules

Compare the features:
http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/feature-compare.html

[ClayK]

One can surmise that the 2048 resolution will only be on the 14 channel rx.

Futaba advanced technology allows the R6014FS to be the first 2.4GHz receiver able to utilize all 14 channels. It retains G3 2048 resolution and Futaba Real Time ResponseTM from the 72 MHz version.
http://2.4gigahertz.com/systems/futk9200.html

However, there isn't anything definitive out yet that I've seen. I have this question as well.

[DavidH]

From what I have been told the 12FG will be packaged with different modules and receivers just like Futaba has always done. If you want 2.4 ghz, you order that one. You want 72 mhz, you order that one.

As for the hobby shop that is advertising the 2.4 ghz for $1500. Funny they don't even have the correct picture of the radio posted. The radio will look like the first picture that is posted in this thread. I called the hobby shop that has the $1500 price,they told me that they didn't know what the price would be and they just pulled a price out of the air and posted it.. Doesn't instill to much confidence in me to buy from a hobby shop that does things like that.

David

[RCHeliJim]

Funny they don't even have the correct picture of the radio posted.


They have the same pic Futaba had up until a week ago or so when they were called out on it, hehe.

But, yeah - I wouldnt have much confidence in a shop making up numbers either - like I said, I am sure the price will be different, but I also bet it will be more than the $999 they want for the 72Mhz version (if Im wrong its a good thing, so no biggie), but maybe not much more.

[TMoore]

The list is $1,599.00, the MAP price is $999.99 and the cost from the empire will probably allow the Rick's underground quoted price to be in the $925.00 to $950 price range while still affording a little profit.

TM

[jlr]

From David's comments, I'm hearing that there won't be a 2.4Ghz specific version of the 12FG just a module and antenna swap. Is that correct? If so, there would be no draw back to getting the 72mhz version now and adding the 2.4Ghz module later. Or am I missing something?

--Jeff

[DebianDog]

They are 2 different radios. See comparison
http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/feature-compare.html

[jlr]

DD,

Okay, I see where they're listed separately here: http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/index.html (I only saw 1 12FG shown on the comparison chart) and I see

FUTJ9201 12FG Heli PCM 72MHz
vs
FUTK9276 12FG Heli FASST 2.4GHz

but from the marketing blurbs I can't really tell if it is different hardware/software, or is it just different configurations, i.e. module/antenna/graphics swap. From David's post it sounded like the latter, but I wanted confirmation that I was interpreting that correctly :?

--Jeff

[kgfly]

They are 2 different radios. See comparison
http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/feature-compare.html
Dan, I don't see what you are getting at ? The table only lists the 12FG once. It doesn't list FASST as the modulation type for any radio at all ?

Are you saying you think that the 12FG-FM and 12FG-2.4 are different units ? Everything I have seen so far suggests that it is simply a modular Tx and you can choose either an FM or a FASST module just as for any of the other Futaba modular Tx.

Is your understanding different ?

[ClayK]

I agree with Jeff, DD probably meant http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/index.html

[DebianDog]

No what I meant was the 12Z and 12FG are basically the same radio. The FG is just a little more stripped. The only reason not to buy the 12 now is to save a $100 or so as the 2 radios are about the same unless you care about "Inflight needle set up", SD vs CF card, and number of timers. That and I hear that you can't take 12z, and 14z programs and copy to your 12fg.

[hoot]

12Z has a much better battery setup. Snap in 2200mah camcorder lions that you can buy on ebay for $25 each. The 12Z has a lot of other pros over the 12FG like more menu controls and a larger menu screen. The way to go would be to pick up someones used 12Z for a bargain price if you can and than just add the module system.

[jlr]

Looks like the 2.4Ghz pricing is up now. Add $200 - pretty steep IMHO.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LNRUB9&P=G

Not sure if that link specific to my session or universal, so you may need to search for FUTK9276 or LNRUB9

--Jeff