dverbo

My Futaba T8FG is 8 years old meanwhile, and what has been holding me back from buying a 18SZ (and now 16SZ), has always been that you can't transfer your models between those radio's. Since I found a Futaba video in November 2017, I am wondering if you now can do this in 2 steps :
- You've always been able to transfer models from a T8FG to a T14SG with an SD Cards
- Since recently, you can transfer T14SG models to a 16SZ or 18SZ with the software utility or the SD card

Big question I have : can you now finally move T8FG models to a 16SZ/18SZ in 2 steps ? If someone could confirm this works, I will run to my RC store immediately to upgrade my T8FG.

Can someone please confirm this actually works ? (I'm not looking for answers like "you can try to....", I'm not going to buy a $1.000 radio to "try" if something works.) I fly over 30 models, some of which are IMAC, F3A, F3J, huge gliders with 18 channels and such, and programming them, back in time sometimes took me multiple hours a plane. I really hope you can transfer files automatically, don't have the appetite to start transferring them manually model by model.

Thanks in advance !!

Links I found :
T18SZ Model Data Converter Ver. 2.2.0 - 18MZ, 14SG, and FX22 to 18SZ : (862 KB) - updated September 16, 2016 : www.futabarc.com/software-updates and here in the 18sz new software via SD card <downloads.hobbico.com/software/fut/t18sz_v1-4_3-3e.pdf> and the youtube video at <youtu.be/e95oSWQh9Sg>
Transfer 8FG to 14SG via SD : <rcuniverse.com/forum/futaba-radios-direct-support-forum-125/11634780-there-easy-way-transfer-all-models-8fg-super-14sg>

FUTABA-RC

It seems like you should be able to but I will try to get confirmation on that. Having said that, if all you do is simply copy the models onto the 18SZ/16SZ and retain the 8FG programming you are missing out on some huge benefits from using Conditions on the SZ radios. This is the true power of these radios. Especially flying IMAC/Pattern, etc. Conditions allow a great deal of programming flexibility and power not available on the 8FG.

I'll get back as soon as I get confirmation on your question.

dverbo

Thanks for investigating. Today went flying on an event, and was able to test the transfer of a model from my T8FG to a 14SG, incl. bind and fly the model. As expected that went well. There wasn't a 16SZ or 18SZ available (only 5-ish 18MZ's), so not able to test the 2nd part. The owner of Aerobertics, the biggest RC store in Belgium (and one of the bigger in Europe) didn't know if it was possible, but offered to come over to his store and test it. I'm still wondering why the Futaba software utility only mentions transfer from 14SG to 16/18SZ. If it was that simple, one could also mention transfer from 8FG, so I'm still expecting an issue somewhere? Would be great if you could post your findings, we noticed there was a lot of interest in what we were doing today, a lots of people still didn't even know 14SG to 18SZ possible nowadays, and said that was their main objection for upgrading, or even a reason for buying different brands.

I'm aware of the conditions benefits, and for sure will reprogram my top 3 competition planes, it's more about the hassle for all my other planes

Thanks again !!

David

FUTABA-RC

I confirmed that nobody at the US service center has tried this either. But if you have a friend with a 14SG why not copy your models into that radio and then simply transfer to a 18SZ/16SZ? We know for a fact that the 14SG-SZ radios works. Seems like a good way to go if you have a friend with a 14SG.

dverbo

Hmm, if the T8FG software is identical to the 14SG software, and you can put a T8FG SD card in a 14SG and Fly, why isn't Futaba just naming the transfer software being T8FG/14SG compliant, or confirming on this support forum it works... Am I the only person in the world wanting to upgrade from a T8FG to a 16/18SZ? Is Futaba just not sure it works 100%? I am back to where I was, trying to find people who have 14SG and 16/18SZ, AND flying the same mode as I do (less than 10% of the people in the clubs I'm a member of fly mode 2). This has been the challenge I'm trying to solve for over a year now....

Thanks your your help, appreciated!

FUTABA-RC

Beats me, but if I was a betting man I'd bet it will work because it makes sense. Worse case you take the step of copying into a 14SG in case there is some hidden filed weirdness.