JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

I hope this doesn't start a Chevy/Ford sort of fued, but which is better?


It seems to me that as I read classifieds or articles on the really expensive 1/4 scaleplanes or the jets almost none have Futaba equipment installed. Are my perceptions off? Whos recievers, servos, or transmitters are best??? All of my gear is Futaba, and has been since I was a kid about a million years ago. Am I missing something?

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

i started off with JR but if you ask me Hitec has really stepped their game up from the early 2k years. Flyers love the choices and being able to program them to theirs newest deal the T/Gear servos on the higher 59XX series. I run all Jr receivers and Fromco batteries & a few hitec 5955 that i just bought last month to try out. My other stuff is running all JR-84 or 8611.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

well futaba and JR both seem a lot more expensive than Hitec for a product of the same performance - at least with servos. I don't know about gyros and stuff.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

I don't know about "better", but I've used hitec, JR, Futaba, Heathkit (yep, Heathkit), Ace RC (digital commander, silver seven, and micropro), etc over the years. Currently I"m flying JR transmitters only because I like the way they feel in my hands. That, and the 9303 is pretty easy to program.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

All three brands have good products and "not so good" ones.

Most of Hitec's servos are great value and walk all over Futaba/JR in the bang per buck area.

However, you don't see many jet or large-scale fliers using Hitec gear because their most competent transmitter is only 7 channels and even then it's only PCM512 while JR and Futaba both offer 9+ channels with 1024 or 2048 PCM.

Hitec's transmitters are "sport" units, designed for weekend fliers. They don't have enough resolution (in PCM mode) and they don't have enough model memories -- or any way to expand that memory. These factors rule them out of contention for any serious flier.

As far as plain FM receivers go, Hitec's 7 and 8 channel units are pretty good but these days you can buy far more capable units from the likes of Berg, Lightflight/Corona and others for a fraction the Hitec price.

And, just to show that I'm not talking through my hat, I have an Optic 6 and an Eclipse 7 plus a hangar-full of Hitec servos from the humble HS425 to the very capable HS5955TGs. Other club members fly Futaba and JR. I think I'd prefer Futaba to JR overall -- a better bang per buck and quite easy to program.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

This thread will go nowhere productive.....fast

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

In all honesty, you did ask the "Chevy vs. Ford" question.

I am partial to JR (add Spektrum too) but the reality is that I've seen satisfied fliers with each brand.

I haven't flown Hiec but an awful lot of folks I know like their servos and the programmer-----they aren't "nobody" fliers either.

My summation is that you can find happiness with any of them--------conversely you can also screw up each of them with lousy installations too little reading and too little maintenance.
Best advice I can give you is whatever you choose----READ and UNDERSTAND the dreaded INSTRUCTIONS first!!!!

My personal choice remains JR/Spektrum-------but again that is a personal choice.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

I fly with a futaba transmitter, use futaba and hitec servos and a mix of futaba and hitec receivers. I don't have any problems with any of them. I think it comes down to what you started with and are most comfortable with. This isn't a chevy ford thing for me because I drive chryslers and volkswagens! LOL!!

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

I had all kinds of Futaba 4 & 6 channel Conquests when I started - and bought a 7 channel when it came out for mulit plane use - but primarily for a fun fly plane that required mixing - the Futaba 7 channel was supposed to be the radio to use so I ordered one. The receiver was bad right out of the box - I almost lost a Florio Stuntwagon - but I got it on the ground and waited 6 weeks for a repair. I liked the thing so much I bought another. Flew them several years and ordered a pair of 8 channel - sold the 7 channels - one went bad about two weeks after I sold it to a friend. Flew the 8 channels - lost a Carden 35% extra when one of the 8 channel Txs went bad mid-flight due to a known problem with them that wasn't publicized. Futaba repaired all my radio gear and gave me a 9Z WCII system to make me happy and go away. Sold the 8 channels and flew using the 9Z. Have had to send the 9Z in twice in the last four years to have the frequency synthesizer module recalibrated - all kinds of glitches when it goes bad. May of last year is when it last went in. Lost another Carden 35% a month ago due to what I thought at the time was a crosswind gust on landing - last week had all kinds of glitches on my F117 Stealth - yup - the frequency synthesizer module needs to be calibrated again. Futaba says they should be done once per year. My good buddy has an original 9Z that has never been in for service and never has had a problem. Go figure. So I have decided to wait for a Xtreme link or FAAST module and reciever - and in the meantime I have a Futaba 9C on order. I ask my self serveral time a week why I stick with Futaba - there has to be something better out there.

Why did Futaba wait until someone else challenged them in the spread spectrum market - they have had spread spectrum in the industrial market for years. How can Futaba justify $2,400 for the their top of the line radio - all it is is a computer, display, input and output - think of what you could buy in the way of a wireless laptop for $2,400.

I had a JR once, like it, but I had such an investement in Rx & stuff, I decided to stick with Futaba. Now that we are at a juncture with spread spectrum, I am going to wait and see how it shakes out and perhaps toss everthing I have and start over. I gotta keep asking myself thought, given my experiences with Futaba, why do I keep ordering Futaba.

Dan

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

WOW !!! thanks 4 the heds-up ref the synthesizer. I have 3 of 'em on 9c's w/out problems so far. I will do the re-cal tho. Gotta stay safe. Thanks to ALL of you for your input.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

Either Futaba have a really bad design for their synth module or they're just trying to rake up some extra revenue from the service department.

Synthesizer units should be no different to a fixed-frequency module in respect to their accuracy or reliability. Both are crystal controlled and should not deviate from the prescribed frequency under normal operating conditions over a very long period of time.

Does your crystal-controlled digital watch have to be "recalibrated" every year? I think not (well maybe the really cheap ones might) but anything of any quality will see little or no change to its accuracy for many years.

I've got a Hitec Spectra synth module for my Hitec transmitters and it's been in service for over four years without missing a beat. If Hitec can make a maintenance-free synth module, why can't Futaba?

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

Spoke at length to a long-time RC vet, (40+ years). He's experienced in the very planes I referenced when I started this thread, I.E., very, VERY EXPENSIVE JETS. At least two of his jets, and he own a stable full of 'em, are worth well over $10,000. (oh-my-gosh!!) He has no gripes about the Futaba X-mitters but he uses ONLY JR SERVOS, says they're just the best. Period.

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

XJet - That is a question I am going to ask - why does my synthesizer module need calibration every year? Like I said, my buddy Larry has one of the first ones out - maybe 15 years old - and he has never had a problem with the module. I will asking someone in the service field that I trust - which is not Futaba's own service center. I had to learn about the design fault in my old 8 channel from some people other than Futaba - Futaba denied they had a problem with the Tx - yet several well know and respected service centers told me otherwise. I suspect I have a bad module - a know problem - but no one will own up to it. And I keep asking myself, why do I have a Futaba 9C on order - and waiting to get it set it up so I can go fly two new planes on the fourth of July.

Dan

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

Just my 2 cents, but here's a real good reason.
At this point in time you will have the freedom to go with any of the available 2.4Ghz modules that are on the market, only a Futaba module based radio has this option currently, I also have a new 9C super and like it very much, a lot of radio for the money. I probably will go with an SS module next flying season.
Pete

RE: JR -vs- Futaba -vs- Hitec quality
 

chevy............


Just go with whichever you perceive to be the best, they are all good. If you need help at the field then you may want to go with what others are using because they will already know the product and can help. Or you may want to see what your favorite or local hobby shop carries so accessories are easy to get and your not waiting on the mail.