ORIGINAL: 2MuchThrow
Futuba needs to get the Frequency Synth out and obsolete these old Tx...so we can be done with this issue once and for all.
I would love to see everything go synth, but I'm afraid xtals and modules are to Futaba/Hitech/etc. as inkjet cartridges are to HP/Epson. They help maintain the profits after the initial sale of equipment. $25 for an xtal pair? I doubt they cost even a couple of dollars to make. I bet they make more money off each xtal sale than from rf modules.
Why has Futaba been so reluctant go with PLL synthesis? They could have been doing it back in the 80's if they wanted. They just don't want to let go of their xtal market. Hitec has been selling synth modules for a while, but they don't sell dual conversion xtals to compete with.