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    • All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros >> New 14MZ user's your thoughts
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    New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/3/2005 1:22:00 PM   
    Silver182



    Posts: 977
    Joined: 12/6/2001
    From: Littleton, CO, USA
    Status: offline     		Hello..... picking up my new 14MZ Futaba tomorrow, anyone out there have one already....if so what are do you think about the radio? Looking for any & all input good bad and the ugly.
    Lee
           Post #: 1

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/4/2005 4:24:08 AM   
    RCAddiction



    Posts: 903
    Joined: 3/29/2002
    From: Waxhaw, NC, USA
    Status: offline     		Anybody named Lee has got to be okay! I made a few comments in the other 14MZ post (the TowerHobbies price thread). I love the thing. It's pretty easy to use and is a lot of fun. You will be glad you got it.

    Lee

    _____________________________

    Lee

    (in reply to Silver182)
           Post #: 2

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 3:43:00 AM   
    mc3854


     

    Posts: 98
    Joined: 4/16/2003
    From: Royston, GA, USA
    Status: offline     		I received mine yesterday! Already got my seven planes and 1 helicopter in it. Will try it out tomorrow! It's very easy to program! I read the instructions one time to verify how to charge the battery and turn on and off. It's like a computer, takes a little time to start up and shut down. I did get the blue screen twice in all my programming! Reset button corrected each time. Radio continued to transmit to flight pack like normal. Each time it did this it was during rapid programming. Meaning, I as inputing rapidly!

    The only negative I see so far is that it doesn't come with a twelve volt charger!!!! Comes with 120 vac and you have to remove the battery to use it! When you do,you lose the date and time in the transmitter! The 12 volt charger is "an Option" and you can charge the battery with it in the transmitter! For $2200 you would think you would get both chargers!

    One note! Futaba instructions tell you to use their flashcard only! 32meg card comes with it! I am using a 256meg card made by Sandisk and it works perfectly! I am not recommending anybody go against the instructions, just telling you this is working for me! The battery also looks suspiciously like a Sony digital camera battery!! I am going to investigate this later!

    (in reply to Silver182)
           Post #: 3

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 4:36:02 AM   
    okw


     

    Posts: 238
    Joined: 7/18/2003
    From: Morgantown, WV, USA
    Status: offline
    quote:

    I did get the blue screen twice in all my programming! Reset button corrected each time.

    And all this time I've only been kidding about the BSoD!!

    I'd have to agree about the 12V charger ... especially if you're going to loose the date and time every time you charge!

    You guys will have to give us a report in a few months after you've had time to give it a workout.

    Keith

    (in reply to mc3854)
           Post #: 4

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 4:56:15 AM   
    Silver182



    Posts: 977
    Joined: 12/6/2001
    From: Littleton, CO, USA
    Status: offline     		Well, I finally got home.... what a busy work week for sure.... picked up my 14MZ today!!! )

    First impressions are that the metal carrying case was definitely not designed for carrying the transmitter. Oh yes it will carry the transmitter and probably protect it fairly well.... but the way the transmitter has to stand up and doesn't have a form fit location smells of after thought. Futaba packs it with some foam blocks which really makes the combo a make shift match at best, and a really bad show at worst. I'll call it The lunch box... it appears to have been a total after thought..... and possibly a case designed for something else altogether. I will probably use one of my other transmitter cases....
    and never take this box to the field (

    Second impression is that I agree totally with mc3854 for the money the transmitter battery charger should either be 12volt / 120volt switchable, or better yet Futaba should have included a second 12volt field battery charger. Plenty of room in the lunch box to include another charger during shipping, and I'm sure it wouldn't have effected the profit margin much! (

    Third impression Futaba included a card board insert inside the lunch box which should have at least been filled with servos. That is how it is designed..... it looks like someone just removed the servos before shipping! Maybe that is a special feature just for us here in the good old USA! :/

    More impressions later.... I'm hoping the really important things about any radio like R/F link strength, programing ease, and enough channels for almost anything.... wipe out my first negative impressions upon opening up the metal carrying case. All I've done with the transmitter is fondle it, (it's look and feel is impressive) and now the transmitter pack is charging.

    The batteries are Lithium Ion type.... the manual includes almost a full page warning about charging the batteries. It appears they want us to charge the batteries always in a safe and contained environment.. if nothing else they could use this as an excuse for not including the 12Volt field charger. (

    More later I call em like I see um,
    Lee H. DeMary
    AMA 36099

    (in reply to mc3854)
           Post #: 5

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 5:55:14 AM   
    RCAddiction



    Posts: 903
    Joined: 3/29/2002
    From: Waxhaw, NC, USA
    Status: offline     		I've removed and replaced my battery several times without losing the time or date.

    I strongly prefer the vertical standup style metal case, but I agree they did screw up on the foam inserts. These need to be tweaked a bit. I have the similar Futaba Championship case that I've been using for my 9C's for a couple of years for 2 radios at a time. I modified my 14MZ case by using thinner black foam for the front and 3 of the included pieces standing up in the rear. All held in place by heavy duty velcro.

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    _____________________________

    Lee

    (in reply to Silver182)
           Post #: 6

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 5:56:44 AM   
    RCAddiction



    Posts: 903
    Joined: 3/29/2002
    From: Waxhaw, NC, USA
    Status: offline     		more photos

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    _____________________________

    Lee

    (in reply to RCAddiction)
           Post #: 7

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 7:24:37 AM   
    RCAddiction



    Posts: 903
    Joined: 3/29/2002
    From: Waxhaw, NC, USA
    Status: offline     		I just set up the 14MZ with a Polk Seeker Micro 6, which is a synthesized micro dual conversion RX that I use in one of my foamies. There had been some comment that the synth 14MZ might not work with the Polk synth RX. It seems to work just fine in my shop. Will try to range check and then fly it tomorrow, weather permitting.

    _____________________________

    Lee

    (in reply to RCAddiction)
           Post #: 8

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/5/2005 11:34:39 PM   
    rjpilot


     

    Posts: 119
    Joined: 3/9/2002
    From: Huntington, WV, USA
    Status: offline     		I have removed the battery in my 14MZ a couple of times also to charge it, and I have not lost the time on mine.
    Did call my dealer to see about the 12V charger, and it is a June delivery at $150.00.That sounds quite high for a lithum charger at 12V.
    Am planning on flying my Hype 3D with it tomorrow if the weather is OK.
    Ron

    (in reply to RCAddiction)
           Post #: 9

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/6/2005 12:31:47 AM   
    mc3854


     

    Posts: 98
    Joined: 4/16/2003
    From: Royston, GA, USA
    Status: offline     		Well after one day of using the 14 mz, all is well! Worked perfectly!

    I did change my 1/3 Extra 330 to the new G3 receiver. Very easy to do! Took out three Jr matchboxes! Plugged servos right into receiver! Worked perfectly! Took about 45minutes! I discovered you can set up one aileron on one channel, go to the function screen and name the next aileron channel the same and it copies it perfectly!

    This system uses different channels on the receiver for the functions! You have to get use to that! Channel one is not aileron like previous Futaba equipment. The screen shows you all this, just have to look!

    By the way, the Sony digital camera battery is the exact same thing as the battery in this thing. Picked up one today! Some decals are even the same! 2200 mah! I don't know how much these will cost from Futaba but this was $60!!!! If you change the batteries quickly the time and date is not lost!!

    (in reply to okw)
           Post #: 10

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/6/2005 12:39:06 AM   
    mc3854


     

    Posts: 98
    Joined: 4/16/2003
    From: Royston, GA, USA
    Status: offline     		rjpilot

    Since I work on electronics part time, I modified the charger that came with the 14 mz so I can charge the battery with the Sirius Lithium Ion charger or plug it into 120vac! You mentioned the 12 volt charger would be 150.00 so I am glad i did! With the extra battery its easy enough to keep the extra charged when needed.

    You are right about the date and time! I was wrong! It is not lost when you remove the battery!

    (in reply to rjpilot)
           Post #: 11

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/6/2005 1:01:09 AM   
    figueroa



    Posts: 822
    Joined: 1/22/2002
    From: Punta Gorda, FL, USA
    Status: offline     		I got mine on Wednesday , the case does seem like an after thought. They even give you a small instruction sheet on how to position the TX in the case so no damage will occur. Other than the case and the fact that you need to buy another charger for field charging I am very pleased with the 14MZ. I love the look and feel . I am looking forward to getting all my planes programmed and flying .

    (in reply to mc3854)
           Post #: 12

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/6/2005 7:18:28 AM   
    storklappe


     

    Posts: 187
    Joined: 3/5/2004
    From: calif, CA, USA
    Status: online     		A few thoughts on my new 14MZ. First, I agree with the comments on the case -- for the cost of the radio, the case should not fit like an after-thought. Second, I noticed that when I reverse a servo (you must also reverse the trim direction) the trim indicators on the "main" screen move opposite of the direction you move the trim.

    My final issue may cause me to return the radio to Tower. When I talked to Frank Knoll at the AMA show in Ontario, I told him I was concerned about buying the radio before it had some time on the market. Specifically, I told him I was concerned that when they had software changes, I didn't want to have to send the radio in for the updates. HERE'S THE PUNCHLINE Frank said, "You won't have to send in the radio, you will download the changes from your computer to the radio using the USB port ... no requirement to send it in." After reading the manual, I noticed that it indicated the USB port was for "factory use only." I called Futaba and they confirmed the verbage in the manual. Frank also indicated that there would be customer service reps that could answer questions on programming the 14, but the guys I spoke with received their 14 the same day I did and they have had zero training!

    I feel very misled by the info I was given at the AMA show!


    (in reply to figueroa)
           Post #: 13

    RE: New 14MZ user's your thoughts - 3/6/2005 8:05:46 AM   
    Silent-AV8R