Microbeast Plus/Spektrum AR7350 Compatibility

[rjabend]

I just purchased an Align 470LM heli with the Microbeast Plus unit. I purchased separately a Spektrum AR7350 with AS3X. I have the following questions:

1. Is the Microbeast compatible with the AS3X AR7350 receiver?
2, Do AS3X and the Microbeast compliment each other or are they redundant?
3. Would a less expensive non-AS3X Spektrum receiver work just as well?
4. Should I use the remote receiver that comes with the AR7350?

Thanks for any answers on the above.

[Frenchdress]

Hello,


AS3X system basically does the same as Microbeast, it stabilizes the flybarless helicopter. If you have the Microbeast, you don't need the AS3X. You can't use both together as this will result in a total confusion to both systems.

For the Microbeast you can use nearly any receiver that simply sends the stick commands from the transmitter to the system. With the 450 size helicopter you could use the single spektrum remote satellite and connect its digital output signal to Microbeast using the special Spektrum voltage step down adapter. For larger helicopters you should use a receiver with at least two receiving units/satellites. This can be anything like AR610, AR8000, AR9020, .... or also SRXL receivers with digital output like AR7700 or the quad race receiver SPM4648.

I'm not familar with the Ar7350 but from the product description it seems that you can disable the AS3X stabilization so it even may be possible to use this as a "normal" receiver as well!?

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by Frenchdress

Hello,


AS3X system basically does the same as Microbeast, it stabilizes the flybarless helicopter. If you have the Microbeast, you don't need the AS3X. You can't use both together as this will result in a total confusion to both systems.

For the Microbeast you can use nearly any receiver that simply sends the stick commands from the transmitter to the system. With the 450 size helicopter you could use the single spektrum remote satellite and connect its digital output signal to Microbeast using the special Spektrum voltage step down adapter. For larger helicopters you should use a receiver with at least two receiving units/satellites. This can be anything like AR610, AR8000, AR9020, .... or also SRXL receivers with digital output like AR7700 or the quad race receiver SPM4648.

I'm not familar with the Ar7350 but from the product description it seems that you can disable the AS3X stabilization so it even may be possible to use this as a "normal" receiver as well!?

Thanks for your quick response and explanation!

[rhodesengr]

You really want a single line rx for use with the mb. The AR7700 is the ideal Spektrums choice. The as3x would be wasted and the 7350 does not seem to have srxl. It does have xbus which might work but there are different xbus modes. Best advice is to save the 7350 for a plane and get a7700

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

You really want a single line rx for use with the mb. The AR7700 is the ideal Spektrums choice. The as3x would be wasted and the 7350 does not seem to have srxl. It does have xbus which might work but there are different xbus modes. Best advice is to save the 7350 for a plane and get a7700

I have already picked up an AR6600T. Do you see any issues with that one?

Thanks again.

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

You really want a single line rx for use with the mb. The AR7700 is the ideal Spektrums choice. The as3x would be wasted and the 7350 does not seem to have srxl. It does have xbus which might work but there are different xbus modes. Best advice is to save the 7350 for a plane and get a7700

It turns out Align recommends just the 9645 satellite receiver plugged directly into the Microbeast so I am going to give that a try.

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by rjabend

It turns out Align recommends just the 9645 satellite receiver plugged directly into the Microbeast so I am going to give that a try.

Well its your heli and its a hobby so in the end you should do what you want but here is what I think.

You came here asking about receivers. Frenchdress, who by the way is the official voice of BeastX here, gave you two choices.

I posted only to add some explaination as to you why single line RX's are important with the beastx and to also personally vouch for the AR7700. Stefan also suggested the newer 4648. I don't think that was out when I created a similar thread last Fall to find out which RX I should use (which you should find and read). I thought I might have read about some early issues with the 4648 but have no personal experience. If Stefan says it works then it does.

Using the 9645 will technically work but the beastX manual says not to use it on larger models which most people take to mean on 450's or smaller. I'd be curious to see where Align actually recommends it.

If you use the 9645, you will not have receiver redundancy or antenna diversity.

The important question you have to ask yourself, is do you have any plans to use either Rescue or the BeastX governor. If not , then the 6600 would be fine. The 6600 is not a single line RX unless you can make the xbus port work. Its focus is on telemetry. If you want to buy the upgrade for Rescue, it is better to have a 7th channel although it will work with six by making the Tail gain channel do double duty for both tail gain and Rescue. This requires more TX setup. Also, unless you use a single line RX, there are not enough physical ports on the MB to connect a 7th channel.

bottom line for a 550
AR7700
or SPM4648

[rjabend]

I thought I would post the recommendation I got from BeastX today in case anyone else is faced with the same question(s). BeastX says:

"Using one satellite works perfectly well with a small helicopter like the 470"

They also said that multiple remotes should be used from the 600 size and larger. Their recommendation also confirms the instructions I got from Align. Of course, I will perform a range check to be sure my specific antenna installation is functioning correctly.

I wanted to also add that BeastX has been very helpful and responsive each time I asked questions. I receive my Align 470LM Super Combo today and I am glad they elected to use BeastX (Microbeast Plus) in my heli.

Align also pointed out that the single remote reduces complexity and the number of wires needed which makes assembly easier and also minimizes cost.

[bad007]

Using a single sat works great,,,,, until you develop the well know connection issue they have and you'll wish you had a real RX on it.
Just yesterday I had one flicker, go dim and quit and a wiggle on the wire brought it back, blinking.

[rjabend]

Originally Posted by bad007

Using a single sat works great,,,,, until you develop the well know connection issue they have and you'll wish you had a real RX on it.
Just yesterday I had one flicker, go dim and quit and a wiggle on the wire brought it back, blinking.

What causes the connection issue? Is it the connector on the receiver end or are you saying that the receiver loses the signal?

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by rjabend

Is it the connector on the receiver end

yes. The connectors are very small. Numerous posts in various FBL threads have suggested the Sat connectors can be intermittent.

When they are just a back up to the main RX, its not a big deal if they drop now and then but if it is your only RX and you only have one, then well.....

[sutty]

On the bright side, I've had thousands of flights on 'single sat only' on both my 250 and 450, and the only issues I've had, just as described, were from those tiny wires, and luckily for me they were always caught on the ground. Since those early issues, I've now adopted a policy of creating a sort of moulded boot out of hot glue on all of my satellite wires, sort of joining the wire to the end of the connector, and I've not had any issues since.

Looks a tad messy, unless you get lucky and apply it just right, but it seems to do the job. Then again, I also started being much more careful in the way I removed them, always pulling only on the sides of the connector. Helps if you have good fingernails, so it's possible that this alone would have solved the issue, but I did both, so now I can't say which resolved the problem, but it has been resolved.

Helps on sats with a full Rx too. Much as it most likely won't end up being critical, you still don't really want intermittant sat connections, even if there is the security of the full Rx.

[rjabend]

Well, My Spektrum satellite died yesterday, and I returned it. I just ordered the AR7700. I like the serial protocol and reduced wiring. It also comes with a satellite and redundancy is generally a good thing. Thanks for all the inputs.