Mitchell-RCU

My Feedback: (49)

Why would JR charge $75 to upgrade a 9503 transmitter that five months old? Looks like it would be covered by the three year warranty. Its not like they didn't know this was coming. It looks like its sell all you can and then screw the consumer with this upgrade.

MItchell

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Last year the 9503 came in 2.4, right?

Let's pretend it's a car that came with a carburetor last year.

This year, they came out with the fuel injection they were working on.

Why should they even offer fuel injection for last year's models? If they do, why shouldn't it cost something?

Horizon didn't even need to offer the upgrade to older models. 75 bucks is cheap.

~ Jim ~

sgillmore

My Feedback: (50)

I happen to agree with you to a point, but I think you'll find yourself in the minority. Let's face it...JR is the Micro$oft of the R/C world. They make a great product and dominate when it comes to market share. Unfortunately, their arrogance leads them to take advantage of the fact that it's a very unpleasant prospect to switch all your planes or helis over to another manufacturer. This is just my humble opinion, but one that I'm free to have.

If it bothers you enough, start switching your gear over to Hitec or Futaba. That's what I'm doing. I've been using JR and more recently Spektrum gear since entering the hobby many years ago. Never had a problem, but last year I became very frustrated with JR's marketing and release decisions. I mean come on, the X9503 was a cruel joke. Three lousy features and it's less expensive than it's predecessor? I know some 12X users that weren't too happy about the 11X either. Many will defend JR all day long and praise these upgrades as innovation and that's their right. I however, chose to purchase a Hitec Aurora 9 and start sending my hard-earning cash to a company that listens to it's customers and I couldn't be happier with the decision. If you're really upset about the DSMX situation, you have choices.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

If you think Hobby Services is going to treat you better than Horizon after you switch to Futaba, I have news for you and it comes from a "former" Futaba user. CS, or more specifically the lack thereof, is the primary reason I quit using Futaba. Ask some of those folks with the bogus heat shut down 6014 rx's how Futaba has treated them, or maybe the upcoming "upgrade" to the 10C which will basically make 'em equal to the 12FG, or even the 12Z users about the 12FG, or maybe we could go back to the cracking ceramics and inadequate sinking current on the R149DP's and the nifty 5014 rx issue where they were subject to interference issues and Futaba told users to cut off some of the antenna while releasing the 5114 rx's with a real fix? MAYBE we could bring up the GUID issue with the 6 and 7 channel radios where Hobby Services denied for months that there was any issue while Robbe (German distributor) and Ripmax (English distributor) were recalling the radios and modules from registered users?

Every manufacturer has some difficulties with new technology and how the various service centers in combination with the manufacturer handle those problems which crop up is really important to me; why don't you talk to some of those Futaba guys about how the above mentioned issues were handled for them and then come back and let us know what you find out about how happy they were with the way those issues were handled?

On second thought; why don't you just go ahead and switch brands, I'm sure you'' be "thrilled" with the CS from Hobby Services.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

The big question to me is: Will my Rx's work eith it? Or will it require all new ones? THAT would be an expensive proposition, with the number of AR7000 and 921 Rx's I'm running. Yikes.

Excuse my ignorance on the subject. I've been writing my book and I haven't been keeping up. I'm assuming that this is the channel-jumping technology that previously was only available overseas, but the acronyms become one big blur after a while.

If that's what it is, I suppose it can't hurt to have lots of reserve channels. I've had zero problems with the regular 2.4 system, but redundancy is never a bad thing.

I'm very pleased with my 9503, I'm very pleased with their diligence in backing up the product as it was released. I think the manual falls short and needs upgrades, and I find the 9503's programming NOT to be intuitive at all. The learning process was long and arduous. I still keep the manual in my radio case, and still need it at times. That being said, the dang thing will do just about anything, and will do far more than a guy like me could ever imagine. I'm used to manually setting my ailerons at 10:30 and 1:30 on the servo arms to get aileron differential. LOL ...Talk about having to UNLEARN things.

I've flown Futaba, and I loved my Futaba radio. But I switched to JR years ago when the Futaba started to take hits, and I have never had a problem like that since.

I think the hype that occurs here in the forums can really leave folks incensed. More than the issue itself ever would have, left to it's own conclusions. Look at the insurance commercials. Don't like something? Change over, satisfy yourself. Odds are, you'll spend more, and get nothing much more.

These 2.4 Gig setups are far superior to anything I flew with for 30 years, and I get perfect service from them. To be honest, my planes are far more likely to die when I allow my friends to fly them for a few minutes here and there than they would ever be from the system choices I've made. But if JR will make everything compatible for under a hundred bucks and give me a system that they now regard as superior, I'm listening.

If it's 75 bucks for the Tx, and then I have to pay a bundle for all the Rx's, then I'd have to say I'm good right here with what I've got.

~ Jim ~

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

If you're going to events with hundreds of pilots (Nall, IRCHA, SEFF) then to me it would be worth the 75 bucks.

Flying at a field with 3 or 4 flight stations, don't waste your money.

It's my understanding that the transmitter will detect the type of reciever its binding to, much like backward compatability with DSM, and it will set the modulation type accordingly. So unless you wanted to upgrade an existing installation to DSMx it wouldn't require buying new recievers simply because you installed the upgrade.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Thanks, Barracuda.

Would that give me any different type of operation between the radio and my standard 2.4 GhZ Rx's, or would it use the newer channel-shifting only with the newer Rx's I bought from that point on?

~ Jim ~

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Again, this is my understanding.....your current recievers would bind as DSM2 (much like the 9303, 11x et all) will shift down to DSM if you try to bind to an AR6000 and it would bind as DSMx when it detects a newer reciever.

AndyKunz

You can continue to use your DSM2 receivers even after your radio becomes DSMX enabled. They will continue to operate in DSM2 mode. If you install DSMX receivers, they will also work with a DSM2-only transmitter, in DSM2 mode. It is only when you have both DSMX tx and rx that DSMX becomes active.

In this manner, you have access to all DSM2 and DSMX transmitters and receivers and they all inter-operate just fine.

Andy

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks, thats how I understood it but it's always good to hear from the source.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Thank you, both of you Andy's.

Can Rx's be upgraded to DSMX? Or only the TX's? If the Rx's can be upgraded, is there a standard cost for that?

Sorry about all the questions, I usually wouldn't ask a question unless I thought that others would want to know the answer or have the clarification.

~ Jim ~

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Hi Jim,

No the rx's cannot be updated. They still work just fine and will work with either transmitter, so there is not really a point. Especially at the cost of the average receiver.

Mitchell-RCU

My Feedback: (49)

Hobby services did treat me a lot better. I sent my five year old Futaba 14MZ to them back in september. They updated the software, updated the internal componets to match the standard they are using today, and thet installed a new battery. It was sent back to me at no charge. The invoice total was $130 in parts and at the end it said covered by warranty.

mitchell

Mitchell-RCU

My Feedback: (49)

I am going to switch the 9503 over to Futaba. The 9503 was purchased for my son. I already fly a Futaba 14MZ. I'm going to take the JR receivers out of the planes and sell the transmitter and receivers together.

Mitchell

sgillmore

My Feedback: (50)

I can't speak for Futaba as I never owned one. I'm only willing to comment on things that I have first-hand experience with. I can say that Hitec customer service has treated me very well over the years. Of course, I'll also admit that Horizon Hobby's customer is top-notch...not argument there. They have also treated me very well.

Rob2160

Yeah... my Pentium 60 MHZ only runs the programs I bought in 1995...

I was screwed too man!!!,,,, I want a free upgrade from Dell and Intelto an I7 Processorbecause they KNEW faster processors were coming....

Sarcasm off...

Seriously... you get what you pay for at the time you buy it...

Next year's cars will be better than this year..

Next year's ANYTHING will have more features than those sold this year...

You should be OVER the MOON happy and THANKFULto JR and Spektrum that this upgrade is available to your radio so cheaply... instead of making DSM 2 redundant...

I'll happily pay $75 to make my radio BETTER!

Rob2160

All your RX's will work as DSMX TX's have a DSM 2 mode for backward compatibility.. its all on the Spektrum web site...

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Well, the good news about this thread is that I didn't know they offered this until I found the thread. Now I'm thinking I might just get that upgrade. Too bad, because I just got my 9503 back two weeks ago from the service bulletin, and they paid for the shipping there and back. I'd have just had them do it while it was there, had I known.

~ Jim ~

Funstar71

Hi ,I bought a new JR X9503. When he was on his way toward me for shipping out (1/29/2011)I'm taking one or two days and I missed my unlucky . DSMX renewal. Only JR X9503 2.4GHz Tx. Radio reached my hand I liked him very nice. but I'm waiting to get the receiver because i am undecided upgrade to DSMX? DSM2 receiver should I buy if you go on the road? remained unstable. What would you recommend to me.
 thanks

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

As has been mentioned before, DSM2 is still a viable implementation of Spread Spectrum. It is not absolutely necessary to receive the DSMX upgrade. As I understand it, you need the DSMX upgrade in order to receive any future Firmware upgrades. It is a personal decision.

Funstar71

Thank you very much. I will continue with DSM2, everyones wish decimation pendent flights.

FrankFuss

If it is not broke, don't fix it.

My X9503 is rock solid. I went through three Transmitters before I got a good one. I typically get about 10 fades on each antenna after a 10 minute flight. If I send it in for the DSMX upgrade, who knows what I would get back. I think I will wait until JR offers a Transmitter with downloadable software upgrades before I think about a radio upgrade.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

They already have one, it's called the 11X

FrankFuss

That is good to know. I imagine downloadable upgrades will be a standard feature of all new radios. Well, at least my X9503 has the same gimbals, and they do have a great feel to them. Another feature I would want before I upgrade is more than three ACRO Flight Modes.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Yea, I'm with you there, 5 flight modes in sailplane but only 3 in acro.

Yup, the 11x has an SD card slot, you can backup models, swap models between transmitters, download and update the firmware. Its on par with the 12x but half the price.

The DX8 offers firmware updates as well. Acutally I'm reviewing the Radian Pro and they have a pre-configured file for the DX8 you can download straight to the radio.