Troy Newman
Posts: 2377
Joined: 12/30/2001
From: Goodyear,
AZ, USA
Status: online
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By the way i looked over the manual, and got to touch one today and spent some time with it on a clear model. Mark Leesbergs at the EFX thing here in at the Phoenix dome.
Its way more than both the 10X and the 9303. Some notes.
These are not all the pluses but some major ones.
-8 program mixes with 5 being curve types. This is a big plus. The 10X has 8 mixes but on 3 curves. The 9303 only has 6 mixes and 2 are curves.
-The improved quad bearing gimbals are awesome. The feel is the best out there of any radio. I still feel the 10X and 9303 gimbals feel better than the other high end radios. Plus the Magnesium case gives a very solid feel when moving the gimbals. The 12X gimbals are just like butter! Very smooth and feel awesome. The end points are extremely well defined and there is no more flex on the gimbal assembly when you hold it hard over...I think these gimbals alone are what make the radio feel so good when flying. After all the programming is there...the stick are what you wiggle.
-The 4 aileron servo wing along with the Balance feature is really cool. You can setup all 4 servos with 7 point curves so that they track perfectly through the entire range. Its almost like having a 7 pt ATV mix. This is a really powerful feature for aerobatic models.
-Balance feature is way cool its like a 7pt curve match box...applies above to the 4 aileron setup but It also works on other mated channels SO dual rudder servo, dual elevator servos to match up the throws perfectly along a 7pt curve....Very powerful and built in...rather than using up one of the valuable curve mixes...
-The built in mixing for the R>AE mix is really detailed and you can setup Flight modes to change values or create switches, or even better you can create stick position switches, that activate these mixes or changes. This is a cool feature for the aerobatic guys again not having to use up a program mix to get your knife edge mixing fine tuned....The 10X has this but the 12 expands on it with the more options.
-Stick position switches. YES this is one that I really like. This is one I always liked on the Futaba radios. You can create the same thing on the 10X using the curve type program mixes but you only have 3 of them...The 12X has the built in function so no need to use the curve type mixes and yet you still have extra curve type mixes over the 10. This is a big one for me personally. Create a switch that toggles at a certain point on a stick. If I saw it correctly in the radio there are 4 of these switches that can be setup...plus you already have the option from before of using the throttle stick as a switch like on the 9303 and 10X. This one again is a super powerful feature that has huge possibilities and no other JR TX offers this function.
-Switch assignability...it brings up a picture of the TX and you scroll through the switches and pick the one you want for the function. Its easy no remember the switch name or the Alpha code of the switch...just look at the screen and scroll through. Its hard to see in the photo in the manual but in person its awesome to assign the switches. You can just scroll through them, or use the switches name.
-The screen is the same size as the 10X its a 10X case with changes. It was mentioned it was the same screen as the 9303 its not its the 10X screen just not a touch screen. But it offers all the menus on the screen at the same time so you don't have to page through to find the ones you want.You can quickly roll over to it.
-Servos speed changes on the In and out part of the servo. So you can use like gear doors, Open fast on the way down but the gear are slow....the gear go fast up and the doors slowly behind...YOu can also play with feature in other areas...flaps...down slowly but up quickly...Again super powerful for scale applications. There are other possible options here....have a aux channel move fast to its position but come back slowly...or a throttle that throttles up slowly and smoothly yet when you chop it fast the servo moves on the down stroke fast.
-Flaps and Spoiler trims..yes the 9303 has these but the ones on the sides of the gimbals are easy to get to and use, yet you can use them for other things like the timers, and snap buttons and other fetaures...these become switches and you can pick them.
-Pitch curves for Variable pitch setups and allows you to mess with throttle curves and pitch curves together to tune the setup...realize there are coming VPP setups someday for the bigger models too. Remember the photos and video of that guy with the DA100 on VPP and also think about the possibility with turbine/turbo props.
-Timers started and stopped on the Stick position switches 3 timers...count up, count down and integral timer. You can tell them independently where to start and stop. This is a nice feature that JR has not had before. From I think I saw these can be selected on switches and possible stick position switches for starting and stopping the timers.
LST trim function is also a neat new feature. This is one that can be used by lots of the Scale guys and also the aerobatic pilots.
-Warnings....you can setup warnings so that if a stick or a switch is not in the proper position it will warn you on radio start up. This is cool for like electrics...to make sure its at low throttle...even though most ESC's won't arm if its above idle...I have had some of the cheaper ones see 3-4 clicks of throttle stick as idle....and arm there....The warning functions can let you know when you turn your TX on before you activate the RX. Plus you have other warnings you can setup...think like flaps down warning or maybe you want a gear switch warning
-Flight mode names...Again cool. On my pattern models I use a Fly, Spin, Snap modes I can name them this...so I don't have to remember the number when adjusting a DR or a mix value in a given flight mode number just look on the screen and see the flight mode name.
These are just some highlights. of what I saw and played with. I'm very well versed in the 10X and 9303...while the menus look very 9303 the meat and potatoes behind them are more substantial.
Like I said I played with it today....and its very easy to get through....and when you start drilling down into the functions they have some big powerful improvements over the current 10X with the easy programming of the 9303...The thing is looking at the menus its simple....and the feature don't jump off the screen because they are there all on one menu screen when you list them.
I really like it...but then I'm bias...It keeps the same solid platform of the 10X and builds on it...the functionality is a big time step in my opinion...Especially for what I use in a radio. The big thing I like is the Mate functions and the way it works. The 9303 was the first to do this..and yes its a really advanced feature for that class of radio...but the 12X takes a step further with the balance function, and the way it can mate things up...Its really a powerful tool that gets lost in the shuffle...just because the 9303 went above and beyond when it introduced the concept. Well the 12X refines it further and gives it more capability beyond what is offered in the 9 channel.
Looking at a manual can be a little decieving....Especially because the JR radios are so easy to setup and program...the manual doesn't have much to say on a given function its very self explanatory. Since its so easy to setup and do the manual doesn't highlight the big improvements...just treats them as another function. Once setup a model in it you'll be able to see the differences in it. Thats what I did today with Mark's radio.
I'll admit I'm bias but I found it interesting that people didn't notice these above features. These are just some of them. The heli, and sailplane setups are also expanded quite a bit too. My understanding is the sailplane setups are just killer. Oh yea...this is a top of the line radio with all three model types. Another good improvement.
No it doesn't get you a cup of coffee or play your latest MP3 but I want to fly and setup my models with it and it goes above and beyond by a big margin over the 10X. Just my opinion but then again I tend to use lots of these features. The guy with a 4 channel sport model might not appreciate the detail this radio brings to the refining your setup and functionality. I have used my 10'S for many many years...I can make them do just about anything. Well the 12X gives me better ways to do some things, and gives me easier control over other setup features. I think once people get their hands on it and use it for a model they will really see the simple elegance of it. Its really cool how simple they made many of these complicated functions. That is what JR has always done. Just because the screen at first glance looks like a 9303 doesn't mean the tools are not there to back up the status of being the flagship radio system.
Troy Newman
Team JR
< Message edited by Troy Newman -- 4/25/2008 8:56:26 AM >
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Your thoughts after reading JR 12X manual - 
