ululi1970

+1 for Aloft Hobbies! Awesome post sale support. Worth waiting if they are temporarily out of stock.

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

+1 on Aloft Hobbies

I also agree that Aloft Hobbies is the place to buy FrSky stuff. They are very helpful if you have a problem and are price competitive with Chinese vendors considering shipping. They are also responsible for many of the most helpful videos on youtube.

If they are sold out on the Taranis, I advise you to send them an email to reserve one in the next shipment. They will be sure to ship one out to you as soon as they can. Well worth the wait to buy from them.

Many folks don't grasp the power that open source software provides, they also don't understand that FrSky sells such a powerful radio at such a great price point largely because they don't have to develop the OS software. FrSky also doen't spend money on fancy packaging, printed manuals, sponsored pilots or high dollar advertising. They believe modelers will appreciate a quality product with an incredible feature set at a "Game Changing" price.

Don't forget to contribute some $$ to the Open Tx effort if you end up buying a Taranis.

erwabo

SO I read the entire comparison DOC between Spektrum and Taranis. I had 2 questions:

1. Will the Taranis buddy up with other Radios for training (via a cable since wireless is not supported)
2. Since there are no prebuilt mixes, are there downloadable mixes from the OpenTX community

Yeah I checked out Aloft, looks like a great site, especially for all things FrSky

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

With this $10 device you can buddy box wirelessly with any other system

https://www.pololu.com/product/2806

Just install it along with the other system receiver in your A/C

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I haven't seen anyone else recommend this to erwabo, and he sounds like he wants to buy a new radio, but here is my advice anyway:

Keep your Futaba 8U, you can't buy a better quality radio for less than $600. Hobby Services or Radio South can check it out and replace your missing switch for little to no cost. You can buy a module from FrSky to use with your 8U to convert it to 2.4Ghz, and the receivers will be compatible with the Taranis if you decide to go ahead and buy one later.

The FrSky 2.4Ghz module with receiver included will cost you less than $50 from Hobbyking.

I was also curious as to why the Hitec Aurora 9X wasn't on your shopping list. The touchscreen programming is wonderfully easy to use, and the Aurora 9X boasts a terrific set of features and programming options.

Regardless of your decision, good luck and good shopping!

erwabo

I am planning on keeping the Futaba 8U regardless, but mostly for flying the older planes I was given, but when I looked up the 2.4Ghz module it was like $170, and I thought for that price I can get a brand new Radio.

But I did find THIS is that what you were referring to?

Since I am new to the RC Plane world I was not aware of Hitec yet...ill check out the Hitec Aurora 9X

Thanks!

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

And also THIS option.

Just because your 8U is a Futaba transmitter, you don't have to choose FASST as your solution for 2.4Ghz. Your 8U can use RF modules designed for Futaba radios from Spektrum (DSM2), JR (DMSS), Hitec (AFHSS), FrSky (ACCST), Turnigy/Orange (DSMX), and several others. FASST would certainly be a good reliable option, but it is also one of the more expensive options.

All you need to do is make sure the receivers that you purchase match the modultion type of the 2.4Ghz module you're using in the radio. The nice part is you don't have to choose only one option. You could buy the FrSky system with Taranis-compatible receivers for most of your planes, but also purchase a Spektrum or Orange DSM2/DSMX to use exclusively with Horizon Hobby's bind-and-fly (BNF) aircraft. A removable RF section gives you terrific flexibility, and you don't have to be tied down to one particular technology.

You can check out the Aurora 9X at Hitec's website, it comes with Hitec's modular 2.4Ghz AFHSS system, but it too can use modules to adapt to most any other 2.4Ghz system on the market.

Please keep posting questions if you have any, we're all happy to help.

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

You would of course be missing out on some "Game Changing" technology if you settled for just the module. Telemetry being the most important in my opinion. Nothing like your radio telling you in a clear voice that your receiver battery is low or that the signal received by your receiver is marginal. Also cool to have voice notification of rate of climb and altitude if you have a glider.

Don't forget the parts support. No need to ever send off your radio for a broken switch or antenna. You can buy almost any part for the Taranis from Aloft Hobbies, and they are very reasonably priced.

erwabo

Well knowing me...I will buy the DSM2/DSMX module for the Futaba AND the Taranis. I like having options =) Then I can have fun editing AS3X on my ipad and Taranis on my PC...good times! =)

erwabo

So after watching Taranis setup videos with the radio itself, its clear they need to add a scroll wheel to their radio. Those 6 buttons will be destroyed in no time if you set up things often without using the OpenTX sim software. I wonder if they are working on that?

ronwc

My Feedback: (404)

If you want to stick with Futaba quality, check out he 8J and the 10J, I have and use both, great reliable radios.

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

According to Aloft Hobbies, those buttons rarely fail. If they do, replacement buttons are a big $2.00 each. When you consider how ubiquitous these types of buttons are in everyday life and how infrequently we really use our Transmitters in comparison, the odds of a problem are small. I would think a scroll wheel would be more of a problem.

Having said that, I don't do too much intensive set up on the radio. When adding a plane that is similar to another that is in the memory, I just do a "Copy and Paste" and then tweak just a bit on servo travel and direction. When adding something completely different I usually find that setting up on the computer is the way to go.

By far the BEST idea I have ever encountered for menu navigation on an RC transmitter was on the old Ace Micro Pro, which used the sticks themselves to navigate through the menus. SIMPLY BRILLIANT! Don't need no STINKIN BUTTONS! (Except for one, "Enter")

ululi1970

049flyer,
the issue with using the sticks to navigate is potentially changing things in midflight by mistake! Having said that, have you posted your idea on the OpenTX site? THe developers may have a run with it after all...

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

The Micro Pro had a toggle switch, a very high quality toggle switch like in full scale jets, that required you to pull it up to change it's position. This switch, when activated put the radio in "Programming Mode" and from there you modified your set up with the sticks and the "enter button". It was a brilliant radio for it's time, some of today's radios are just now catching up to the Micro Pro's capabilities, for instance it had "Auto Trim", just fly straight and level and push the button and it would slew the trims to what ever you were holding. It was the very first computer radio to my knowledge, manufactured in the mid 1980's to early 1990's.

I was flying mine, converted to FrSky 2.4ghz, up until I bought my Taranis. I doubt there will ever be another radio of such high quality manufactured again.

erwabo

Auto Trim....now thats an amazing idea. How could that NOT have been adopted by all manufacturers. To me thats a killer selling point

erwabo

What does anyone know about THESE?

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

autotrim is available on Taranis.ts called instant trim. It can be a lifesaver if your A/C is way out of trim.How many Expensive TX's have it?

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

Graupner has been in business a long time. They have been known to put out some dogs.They also have advertised items they did not have in stock.
Keep in mind if you get one you will probably be the only one with one and will have to send it to Germany to get fixed if required

erwabo

Yeah no thanks...I think Im sold on the Taranis for sure, but I do think I will get a DSM module for the Futaba

sea157

My Feedback: (30)

I was just going to suggest you keep your 8U radio and get the FrSky module and receiver for it.
The 8U radio is a great radio and with the FrSky module and receivers it makes a GREAT 2.4 GHz system.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Actually the Graupner product line got picked up by Sig last year for distribution. Tower Hobbies has them in stock and Sig is providing customer support and warranty service.

The Graupner MZ line of transmitters is very highly regarded with regard to quality and reliability. They too deserve serious consideration. You can learn more by reading Geoff Barber's review here at RC Universe:

www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=1583

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

I just checked the SIG site. There is no mention of Graupner.
You might be interested in this:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-j...systems-2.html

Graupner first picked up XPS for their system. It did not go over well in Europe. I have to wonder why. I have had XPS since it first came out and it works just fine for me.

erwabo

SO I just ran across this http://shop.jetiusa.com/ very cool....but for the "bargain" price of $795 =) It looks like Taranis is working on a similar form factor with the Horus X12D but I didnt find a release date yet.

Also does anyone already have the scripting for THIS? Thats awesome!

erwabo

SO I figured out you can do this with an ArdulMU v3 orientation chip and something like a UBIox NEO-6M GPS and some scripts. I found the script code (RCGROUPS) that was used to create that particular configuration for Taranis. How it all works, im not sure yet, but I downloaded the lua scripts....and whenever I get that Taranis, you can bet ill be trying this. It was also using an X8R receiver

I got some more info from the guy who built that if anyone is interested:

"it's done with an ArduIMU v3 and a NMEA GPS (not an Ublox). You can find some info and the link to the source (LUA and Arduino sketch) here : http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=950

The sport signal from the X8R is connected to the pin 9 of the ArduIMU. Plus and Minus from the X8R are connected to the Vin of the ArduIMU. The GPS is this one : http://www.drotek.fr/shop/fr/home/90-gps-pa6c-llc.html You can use a similar one or adapt the sketch for ublox GPS. The last version of the LUA script provide this layout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brEGcwDVmN8 which is more effective in the real life"

Very cool...not sure exactly how much you would use this since taking your eyes off your plane for long may be detrimental, but it would be great if you lose site of your attitude with respect to the horizon and need to correct it so you can return.

ululi1970

Isn't LUA scripting a blast?
What other radio offers that? Come to think, perhaps JETI does it. In fact, if I had an unlimited budget I'd probably go with a JETI. BUt since I do not,
a stick with FrSky... The new HORUS radio looks good, but I am going to wait until OpenTX is available for it.