Devo 8S Questions?

[Majic1]

Originally Posted by MilitaryMachinist

I have never in my life owned a training gear. Never in my life have I ever used one. I think they encourage mistakes...

I agree. The gear makes the heli much harder to handle. Beginners are better off with a lot of logged hours on a good sim instead. Just my 2 cents...

[Majic1]

Originally Posted by Heli-opolis

First flights are ALWAYS interesting!

Will it be your first flight with a heli of this kind or just a new heli?

If you are a new pilot, starting out with training gear and working on getting comfortable skating the thing around the floor without it leaving the ground and moving it in various directions with its nose pointed in different directions might be a good idea. Even if one has been practicing with a sim before their first flight, taking is slow is usually the safest.

Or, just be sure to be stocked up on spare parts.

I agree with taking it slow at first. I was talking to a pro the other day and he told me. With any new heli, you should always start off in Normal flight mode. Since all helis are different. It is imperative to learn "Your" machine first. Get used to how it responds and handles. Once you are confortable with it, then switch to Stunt mode and work on 3D flying...

Well said, I thought. Much like buying a new car. It takes a while to get used to any new car and how it handles and responds.

[NWFLYJ]

Originally Posted by Majic1

Well said, I thought. Much like buying a new car. It takes a while to get used to any new car and how it handles and responds.

Much like a woman.

[Heli-opolis]

Originally Posted by NWFLYJ

Much like a woman.

When one gets used to a woman, THAT's when one's problems begin!

[NWFLYJ]

The secret to a long and happy marriage, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?"

[Heli-opolis]

Originally Posted by NWFLYJ

The secret to a long and happy marriage, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?"

The problem comes in when even when you agree, you are often wrong.

[bytemuncher]

I've only been married three years, but my advice is nod your head and hand over the money.

[inner3]

I've been married three years too, but don't nod my head and hand over money. Maybe I'm different, and some would say she will leave, but I don't see her going anywhere. But I know most guys are joking. When its a mutual respect you don't have one person who is in charge. It is the same with your helicopters. You have to respect the machine and when you do that you usually have better luck. This comes from the philosophy with swords.

[Majic1]

Originally Posted by Heli-opolis

I haven't tried uploading model data though, I'll have to give it a go and see what happens.

Frankly, I didn't even know it could do that!

I went to Walkera's website today and saw they not only have a new fw update for the devo 8(s). v7.0, but there is also a new version of the Dfuse USB Upgrade Tool. v1.4.1. I downloaded and installed both of them and now I can upload model data to my PC. It doesn't crash anymore.

[Heli-opolis]

Originally Posted by Majic1

I went to Walkera's website today and saw they not only have a new fw update for the devo 8(s). v7.0, but there is also a new version of the Dfuse USB Upgrade Tool. v1.4.1. I downloaded and installed both of them and now I can upload model data to my PC. It doesn't crash anymore.

Cool!

I haven't updated mine since I upgraded to 'S'. I'll have to check it out.

One thing I wonder though, there were two issues with the last upgrade that I reported to Walkera, the first was that if one turned the TX off and on again with the bird powered, it would begin to spool up. It only did that for less than a second but it was still rather annoying. Not that it happens often as I don't make a habit of turning the TX of while the bird is powered but still...

The other issue is that after an upgrade, although the TX appears to have remembered fixed IDs that were stored in it, because it does display the old IDs, I had to cancel them out in the TX and RX and restart the auto-bind process before I could set fixed IDs again.

I hope they fixed both because the first one could be dangerous as the same thing happens if the RX loses the signal from the TX.

[Majic1]

Originally Posted by Heli-opolis

Cool!

I haven't updated mine since I upgraded to 'S'. I'll have to check it out.

One thing I wonder though, there were two issues with the last upgrade that I reported to Walkera, the first was that if one turned the TX off and on again with the bird powered, it would begin to spool up. It only did that for less than a second but it was still rather annoying. Not that it happens often as I don't make a habit of turning the TX of while the bird is powered but still...

I couldn't answer that question. I never turn the Tx off if the heli is on.

Originally Posted by Heli-opolis

The other issue is that after an upgrade, although the TX appears to have remembered fixed IDs that were stored in it, because it does display the old IDs, I had to cancel them out in the TX and RX and restart the auto-bind process before I could set fixed IDs again.

I use fixed ID's also. I've had no binding issues after the update to fw 7.0a.

Originally Posted by Heli-opolis

I hope they fixed both because the first one could be dangerous as the same thing happens if the RX loses the signal from the TX.

Agreed.

[Heli-opolis]

Originally Posted by Majic1

I couldn't answer that question. I never turn the Tx off if the heli is on.

I don't either. I only did it to test possible error states and conditions so that I know what to expect under as many different conditions I could think of.

It's a habit I got into with Nitro's because having them do something unexpected can be deadly.

I could just imagine though having the bird lose signal and as I am walking closer to it, someone else getting there before I and having it spool up on them. With a Mini it wouldn't be so bad and my V120D02S could cause some injury but a bigger bird, it wouldn't be pretty.

I had my 02S lose signal once, it got away from me and I had my TX power too low. I had to set my TX down on the ground leaving it so that I could go to the bird and disconnect the battery. Wasn't comfortable about doing that though.

[andione1983]

How easy is it to change from Mode 1 to Mode 2, or vice versa? i know you have to selct the mode in the TX.. but the physical mechanical change, whats involved..

[Majic1]

Originally Posted by andione1983

How easy is it to change from Mode 1 to Mode 2, or vice versa? i know you have to selct the mode in the TX.. but the physical mechanical change, whats involved..

It's simple. Remove the back cover of the Tx (4 screws and the left & right side grips). Then remove 3 screws for the linkage and the Throttle Control Spring. Mount them on the other side in reverse. Adjust the stick tension. Put the cover and the side grips back on. Done!

It's on Page 8 of the Devo 8s manual.