BlackB12

My Feedback: (9)

I was looking online last night at Hitec digital servos and noticed in their description that they are programmable. What is this programmer and do I need it? Can I just replace my elevator servo with a more powerful digital servo and use the radio to set endpoints, dual rates, trims and such? I'm lost when it comes to digital servos. My elevator uses a draggy bellcrank and my standard servos are having trouble centering it which is why I want a digital for it.

Mike

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

no you do not need the programmer.....

Imho it is not needed at all....

I love my digitals and won't go back

s3nfo

My Feedback: (14)

If you're ganging multiple servos on a single control surface a programmer is a useful, but not necessary tool.
If you're using digitals on a simple (non-computer) radio (who does that?), a programmer can give you the benefits of EPA, centering, etc that you get from a computer radio without having to buy a new transmitter.

Otherwise a programmer is just an expensive tool to tweak servos rather than doing the mechanical adjustment (in other words, tool for lazy people).

LeeL

My Feedback: (1)

You obviously have not used a programmer, Going thru all the steps needed to perfectly match centering and end points is a time consuming task if I wanted to do it faster and easier I would simply adjust mechanical linkages, the problem with that is no matter how well I tried to match them there would still be some binding through out the entire travel range of the servo which in turn causes quicker power drain. by using the programer and good linkage geometry I can have multiple servo surfaces with total linear geometry resulting in more flight times between charging and less servo wear. Go to the down on the deck web site and download videos on using the programer and correctly setting up proper linkage geometry for more info

mglavin

My Feedback: (31)

Hitec digital servos can be used "out of the box" without any
programming and they will act like any traditional servo product.

Programmer features:

1. Program Reset = Reset to factory default
2. Program DB Width = Sets the dead band width
3. Program cw/ccw = Sets the direction of rotation, clockwise / counter clockwise
4. Program Speed = Slows or speeds up the rotation speed
5. Program FSOnOff = Turns the Fail Safe on or off
6. Program EPAneuFS = Sets the End points, Neutral point and Failsafe point
7. Measure Pulse = Measures the receiver pulse to the servo
8. Measure Voltage = Measures the receiver voltage to the servo
9. S-Test Auto = Automatic Servo movement test program
10. S-Test Manual = Manual Servo movement procedure

You can use the programmer to drive any servo and setup linkage mechanically, Instead of the TX, RX, battery and stuff. This is petty handy in of itself IMO.

If you utilize the "Measure Pulse Width" feature with any brand TX/RX and or servo, you can emulate the actual signal from the TX/RX and set up the linkage exactly to match your model specific linkage geometry and the TX too.

Any brand servo can be driven with the programmer in Auto or Manual test range modes.

Any brand servo can be connected inline to measure the voltage realized under load.

Hitec’s Programmable servos are unparalleled in the industry; there is NO other product or combination of products that can match the features and realizations of a properly setup and programmed Hitec Digital, NOTHING!!! For giggles if you’re not “lazy” try and realize linear travel arcs of the TX sticks with anything else out there.

While the programmer is not required it’s an invaluable tool IMO.

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

That programmer is well worth the money in my opinion. But if you don't want to mess with programming you don't need it. The way I setup my servos and control surfaces, I have to have it. Also ganging servos on one surface you can avoid the matchbox. Once I used the programmer and understood it I really liked it. It also teaches you a lot about how the tx/rx signals work if you plug one of the rx channels into the programmer. The programmer is a very cool idea if you ask me.

hilleyja

My Feedback: (3)

If I never used my Hitec Programmer for programming Hitec servos it was still worth the money. I use it all the time when setting up my control surfaces, regardless of the servo type/manufacturer.

As far as its capability to alter the default settings, that is also worth a lot to me and not necessarily just to match two servos on the same control surface. I like wiggle room on my TX adjustments so I strive to setup my servos so that my TX Subtrims are 0, Endpoints are 100 or 120 (using Futaba 9C), and directions are not reversed.