sevans16

Some guys over on FG think they have found some clues as to the whole "Dot" thing!! Maybe somebody in IL can follow up on this??

Non-Dot 6014


Gold Dotted 6014

SManMTB

There's not much to say besides that it look slike a major revision of the design. Just look at the components under the gray wires in the top two pictures.

sevans16

R273A/R273B?? bottom board
R276/R276A top board

New set of chips under the ant wires??

I am starting to get excited now as my Multi FASST has been grounded for a few months now!!

victorzamora

Are there any more people with the same experience?? It could be as Bax said, absolutely no relevance but it just so happened that they were different....or it could be that the dot means something. A couple more Rx's would have me completely convinced.

FWIW, the components under the gray wires in the dotted Rx look to be a lot more heat tolerant. That's just me, though.

sevans16

Hopefully some people will step up with there info. I have 3 non dots and they all look the same. I have the one Gold dot as seen in the pic. I am waiting to see what others have!! I could read the numbers on the PC board through the case, for anyone that wants to check!!

snopro_440

All you guys are being too kind to Futaba. It's like everyone is questioning whether the dots on the receivers have any relevance. Well, obvioulsy they do. Look at the one post where the guy did oven testing. And yes, everyone including Futaba can argue that is non scientific, but ok, that being the case. I ask Futaba this: How about Futaba do a video temperature testing of dotted and non dotted receivers and show us that there is no difference in the temperature at which the receivers fail? Well, they won't because it will show that there is a difference.

Last night I decided to do some testing (as I personally have had my 617's shut down on the flight line in the mid Arizona summer heat of 113 degrees outside ambient temperature). I tested a 617 non dot, a 6116 FFM non dot and a new 6004 which had a dot. I removed all receivers from the case and used a heat gun to warm the pcb's. Using an infrared temp gun, here are my findings:

617: consistantly and repeatedly shut down between 125 - 130 degrees F.

616FFM: consistantly and repeatedly shut down between 150 - 155 degrees F.

6004: Heated it up to over 240 degrees F. WOULD NOT SHUT DOWN.

Now Futaba and any one of you could argue, well, yeah, but that was non controlled, non scientific testing, maybe your temp gun was not accurate, etc. Ok, fine, lets assume all that, but the fact is, the dotted version receiver withstood an incredibly higher temperature and did not go into shut down. Come on people that is no coincidence.

We need to stop asking Bax and Krysta what the dots mean, cause it is obvious, it means there has been a revision to their product and the dots correspond to a revision number on the PCB and the revision obviously is to increase the temperature rating on the receiver and also looks like lower current drain. We need to all start asking them to address several questions:

1. What is the new temperature rating on the dot version receivers?

2. What is the new current drain on the dot version receivers?

3. What does Futaba intent to do for its customers that have lost planes and had thermal shut downs of their first rev receivers?

I have been a long time customer of Futaba products and have had outstanding luck with their products. I personally have not crashed a plane due to the thermal shut down issue, but luckily found out about it, took precautions and unfortunately grounded my large gasser planes. But I have to say, this complete and total lack of response and support on Futaba's behalf is completely unacceptable and it will cost them a loss of marketshare position.

I recently got back into RC cars and needed to replace my old Airtronics M8 radio as I had damaged it. Went to my LHS and was looking at the Futaba flagship 4 channel radio system. I asked if they have heard of any Futaba heat related issues as in the plane receivers and the answer was yes from 2 salesmen and other customers in the store. They said here in Scottsdale at SRS (home of the prestigious annual Cactus Classic) they had seen cars just stop dead on the track and then when the car cooled everything worked fine. I immediately put the Futaba radio back in the box, went home, got online, started reading threads on the car forums and found numerous posts in regards to the Futaba temp issue and then searched for issues with Airtronics and I found ZERO posts. Well, I immediately ordered an Airtronics M11 radio system and a qty of 8 2.4 receivers. Due to the heat issue, Futaba lost my business on that one! Had Futaba been posting that they are aware of the heat issue and they would be working on it, then I would have waited on my purchase and bought a Futaba system and receivers instead of going to Airtronics. And now Airtronics has the 10 channel system coming out, I have a feeling this complete and total lack of customer response/support will hurt Futaba.

I know Bax and Krysta have been obviously informed by Futaba how to handle this whole temp question dot issue and that obviously must be simply ignore any and all posts regarding this issue.

Please Futaba acknowledge our questions and let us know what Futaba's plans are on the above questions.

GBR2

My Feedback: (1)

Where exactly is the Dot?

plugin

I think it's between the antennas. I've got an R6014FS and it's got a white dot between the antennas, not gold/yellow like the one on the pictures. Does it mean its the old revision or the new one?

rmh

This kind of "shell game" change is nothing new .
I once worked at a major GM service dept
the service notices which came in, had us revising customers cars with NO information going to the customer - we just did the mod.
illegal? probably- but it was years ago and the first order of business was to fix the problem - then expain later -if necessary.
We just referred to them ,if required , as " factory advisements" which we performed whenever we had the opportunity.
Years later , due to class action suits etc., the factories had to make a honest attempt to notify the current user of any vehicle which required an update/correction/ repair etc..

onewasp

ALL Mfgrs. regardless of the industry involved have the right to make running changes/improvements/re-designs at will.
It has been that way for as long as I can remember and I was in the Manufacturing business for 37 years.

They always have had this right and there is nothing illegal, immoral or fattening about it.

I am not a Futaba guy but some of you folks belong in Salem, MA ______ a long time ago ______ you know when the witch hunts were still active.[]

rmh

Once a person takes full possession of a product - they can -unless under a contractual agreement - refuse further intervention
by the offering party
(sound like legalese?)
anyway , my opinion,is that the Futaba thing is really a temporary rock in the road the users have no implicit right to dictate anything .
they can scream an holler and p n moan but what hey buy and what they get back as a repair is just part of DB.
If they don't like it - sell it and buy another brand

onewasp

Y'all exactly right !!!!!

ira d

I dont think anyone has said that Futaba does not have the right to improve or
change their product.

rmh

??

ira d

??

SoCalSal

My Feedback: (16)

Bottom pic is of the other side of the chip

SManMTB

Yeah I figured that. That's why I pointed out the top two pictures which show the same side on two versions of the board.

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

My white dotted 6014FS is just the same as the non dotted......
I think this theory is inconclusive!

SManMTB

Did you test it does it just look the same? Curious minds wants to know.

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

No testing just visual.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8349263/tm.htm

sevans16

Thanks so much for the follow up Bill!!! An official answer will be much appreciated!!

SManMTB

What will you do if I test a receiver and it fails at 60C and send it in? What will you do when you 'check it out' as you say?
There is no official official temperature range posted for car receivers. Will you send a new one with a higher tolerance?

ira d

You are not going to get a straight answer from Hobbico on anything related to heat.

SManMTB

I know.