Thinking of switching to futaba

[heathy]

I'm thinking of switching to futaba after a few issues with spektrum gear.

Now for my planks and gliders i will just swap out rx's, however with my SK equipped helis i like the twin sats as its nice and clean.

What system is there for futaba and Skookum? Is it a sat equivalent? or something else?

I see the option for jeti ppm or sbus but unaware of what they look like.

Any pictures of install ??

[boltor]

Heathy - I swapped from Spektrum to Futaba a little while ago. Very pleased with the move.

I have the 8FG. I think it is far more flexible than the DX8. I like the way in which I can configure the switches to any function - for example, I use the trim sliders to set the gains on both cyclic and rudder.

One thing I was concerned with was losing the sat receiver setup of the Spektrum. No issues there - just use an sbus receiver (eg: R6203SB), and plug it into the SK720 just like a Spektrum remote receiver.1 sbus wire from the SK720 to the receiver. simple.

Below is a picture of the setup on the 6HV:

[heathy]

Hey Boltor,

Thats the news i was hoping for Had visions of having to use a rx into sk.

Is the sbus much bigger than a sat? Doesn't matter if it is though.

I've narrowed the TX down to the 10cg.

Cheers...



P.s, hows the 7hv coming??

[heathy]

http://www.rc711.com/shop/futaba-10c...l?cPath=167_24

Looks like a winner to me.

These sbus rx's, it looks to me like they are full-on rx's that you just plug 1 wire into to act as a sat. That sound right?

Also, would you say they are easy to set up?

[desertstalker]

Originally Posted by heathy

[URL]These sbus rx's, it looks to me like they are full-on rx's that you just plug 1 wire into to act as a sat. That sound right?

They are, though some have only a couple of servo plugs for a smaller footprint.

But then the Spek ones are as well, the RX capability of a Spek sat is exactly the same as a Ar6100 series parkflier RX just without the servo signal outputs.

[heathy]

Thats good to know, basically it wont need lots of servo slots for sk use.

Also decided on the 8fg super now too. Looking forward to retiring the dx7 to sim duties.

[NRPY]

Just be careful as I don't think Futaba has something like model match, so if you fly multiple aircraft and forget to change models you could have trouble.

[jperkosk]

Originally Posted by boltor

Heathy - I swapped from Spektrum to Futaba a little while ago. Very pleased with the move.

I have the 8FG. I think it is far more flexible than the DX8. I like the way in which I can configure the switches to any function - for example, I use the trim sliders to set the gains on both cyclic and rudder.

I did just the opposite and sold my 8FG a few months ago to finance a backup DX8 and I'm very pleased with my move as well , this was mainly an effort to standardize the fleet.

+1 of flexibility, 8FG wins hands down. Comes at the cost, though, nothing is intuitive on it, to program it you need to go through a cryptic manual to decipher even more cryptic options. Never even looked into DX8 manual, by comparison.

Originally Posted by heathy

These sbus rx's, it looks to me like they are full-on rx's that you just plug 1 wire into to act as a sat. That sound right?

100% correct.

Originally Posted by heathy

Also, would you say they are easy to set up?

Heathy, even a CP heli is easy to setup AFTER you learned how to do it

Originally Posted by NRPY

Just be careful as I don't think Futaba has something like model match, so if you fly multiple aircraft and forget to change models you could have trouble.

That's one of the reasons I opted for DX8, but there were more, like a telemetry or Tx power usage to name a couple. In the end both are great units, with their pros and cons, and the decision is entirely up to the end user, based on specific needs and preferences.

[heathy]

Isn't there still ongoing problems with pots going bad??

[soko]

Hi heathy,

What kind of issues did you have with Spektrum?
I use my new DX8 (DX6i before that) with great satisfaction. I have heard such comments as yours though...
As I'm a beginner I'm wondering if I have issues as well but I don't know it

thanx Soko

[mkovalcson]

I have a DX8 that came back from service last summer working fine that was having aileron pot flakyness, but I got a JR 11X while I was waiting for it. My Dx8 is perfectly fine from what I can tell. My kids use it to fly their 3D acrobatic foamies now.

The JR 11X is a much nicer TX and I really like it. I have a 3S LiFePO4 battery in it and it seems to go forever on that and I can charge it in 20 minute to a full charge if I want to.

The 11X has a 50% longer range than the DX8, still uses all the DSMX receivers or satellites an has a lot of very cool advanced features.

It would just be an easy way to get something with known reliability without changing all your receivers and satellites out.

[heathy]

Only the repeated stories of pots going bad causing drifting and having to send back to HH.

[boltor]

Originally Posted by heathy

Also decided on the 8fg super now too.

good plan! the 8FG (actually 14 channels) is a great choice.

one thing I would mention is that people worry that the Futaba doesn't come with Model Match (like Spektrum). However,a recent firmware update for the 8FG puts in place a model selection menu when you start the radio - this is a great implementation and makes up for Model Match.

btw, assume you have seen this:

YouTube

YouTube

[jperkosk]

Originally Posted by heathy

Isn't there still ongoing problems with pots going bad??

On the original production units that were never sent back under the warranty. No confirmed reports of this happening on the new/repaired units. The myth took some hold, sort of like everyone's saying that SK720 is sensitive to vibration, while it actually is less sensitive than many other brands (SL function is another story, but most other units don't even have it)

Originally Posted by boltor

one thing I would mention is that people worry that the Futaba doesn't come with Model Match (like Spektrum). However,a recent firmware update for the 8FG puts in place a model selection menu when you start the radio - this is a great implementation and makes up for Model Match.

I wonder if you would still be saying this if you managed to power up Belt CP1 while Belt CP2 was selected (8FG's 8-character model name limitation), specifically because back at the time of incident they had different ESCs on them so TH got interpreted as full out . I know, should've named them RED Belt and YEL Belt instead !!!

[heathy]

I'm still going futaba, too much of a bad taste in my mouth with dsm2.

The $4000 plank that went in was irreplaceable, as in it was a special edition to start with. Also i had rf issues with my X2 a few weeks back that triggered a warning in the sk. Add to that all the other unexplained issues in the air with park flyers

I've never heard a single story of a futaba "dead stick" "lock out" or drifting pots, this has made my decision easy.

I shall keep the dx7 for BNF's because the expense isn't there, the helis and my new 58cc yak on the other hand are just too much money to lose this way again.

[heathy]

Originally Posted by boltor

good plan! the 8FG (actually 14 channels) is a great choice.

one thing I would mention is that people worry that the Futaba doesn't come with Model Match (like Spektrum). However,a recent firmware update for the 8FG puts in place a model selection menu when you start the radio - this is a great implementation and makes up for Model Match.

btw, assume you have seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KneOOUAP1VI

Watched it last night, looks straight forward enough

[jperkosk]

Futaba has reportedly noticeably longer range, although decent comparative reports are very hard to come by.
Bad taste is important factor, Heathy, it affects greatly our preferences.
Good luck with your 8FG, it's a very neat unit, and since you didn't have telemetry on DX7 you won't miss it on 8FG

[heathy]

Originally Posted by jperkosk

Futaba has reportedly noticeably longer range, although decent comparative reports are very hard to come by.
Bad taste is important factor, Heathy, it affects greatly our preferences.
Good luck with your 8FG, it's a very neat unit, and since you didn't have telemetry on DX7 you won't miss it on 8FG

Arh, hold your horses, telemetry is coming for the 8fg

[jperkosk]

And so is the GPS unit for SK720...

Ahhh, and my dream DX10t as well !!! Gave up on it after almost a year of waiting and got a 2nd DX8 instead...

[Scallybert]

I'm a fan of the DX8 - but I'd certainly temper that with some comments:

I take 2 to the field. One as back-up, in case the main one fails the pot and range checks;

Of my 3, 2 have been hack to HH (pot trouble, and a firmware upgrade that wasn't user-upgradeable);

I won't use pre-DSMX Rxs with DSMX-capable Txs. This is paranoia, but I had problems with AR6200s re-booting in flight, and I don't trust the firmware in the old Rxs. [These AR6200s had been rock-solid with a DX7.] Definitely don't use non-QC Rxs.

Nothing (IMO) that can't be worked around, but I can see how people have had bad experiences.

I've done some geekery with my set-ups, which I rather like