Being new to this hobby I am attempting to find out as much information about the electronic components as I can ... I currently own a Futaba 9C Super which came with a 9 channel T9CAP Transmitter, a R149DP receiver and 3 - S9252 digital servos and 1 - S3151 digital servo.

I have directed some questions to a few suppliers but am not getting straight answers: Obviously Futaba would say to only purchase Futaba but there seems to be some people saying that it is possible to interchange parts.

Assuming a 4.8 V battery Pack and understanding that each of the manufactures may have different pinouts and or connector configurations for their components ie buddy boxes, servo's etc;

1) Is it safe to assume that the receiver interfaces (signal lines) to servo's are electrically compatible. ie would they be expecting the same signal levels?

2) Is the receiver I have only able to control Digital Servo's? Basically there was some discussion that there is no difference between the signals going to a digital servo or an analog servo ... however that the digital servo's can be programmed?

3) Are the signals and electrical interface required for buddy boxes compatible ... ie could a Hitec Radio act as a buddy controller to a Futaba radio or visa versa?

4) My understanding of the Futaba radio is that it has the ability to store configuration info about a given plane ... when the radio interfaces to that plane it uploads all that info to the receiver stuff like Auto Fail Safe, endpoints and rates . I am not sure what components actually hold that info? (ie does the servo know its end points or is the receiver making sure that the endpoints are not exceeded or possibly the Radio itself is doing this memory game? For the Fail Safe I would assume the Receiver is responsible for this logic because it has to take control when it looses signal?

5) I want to build another plane for next season and would like to have another flight pack so I don't have to remove the flight pack from our trainer
so would like to be able to order compatible components without necessarily having to order exclusively Futaba parts. With the exception of the frequency and PCM compatibility is there any other issues that stop me from purchasing a receiver other then the R149DP?

Hi,
#1, Yes
#2. No, you can use it on digital or analog, or digital and analog mixed. Some digitals can be programmed, but many can't.

#3. No, you have to have a futaba to futaba, or hitec to hitec etc. The buddy cords plugs don't match.

#4. Read the manual a few times through. You program the model information into the transmitter, and it automatically saves the programming into the ''file'' you started with. You can name that ''file'' whatever you want. The transmitter holds all of the info, and sends them to the receiver. Then once you have more than one plane you have to go and load the ''file'' from the memory.

#5. Futaba has many other pcm receivers. Your transmitter has the ability to transmit in PCM or PPM (FM). Hitec receivers work with futaba, but JR and Airtronics don't. Any servos will work but you might have to change the plugs on them.

Stick with Futaba equipment and you will be VERY happy..
Hope this helps.

update horizon hobbies has an adapter to go from jr to jr or old style round futaba for buddy box.

Need some help,
I have a 149DP receiver and two Hitec digital servos on each wing - HS5955. Every time I try to connect two of these server in parallel they don't work. They start
twitching or stop working altogether.
I am able to connect two other Hitec digital servos with this receiver, and I'm also able to make the HS5955's work in parallel with a different receiver but not with the 149DP.
Any Ideas?

Thanks,
Pedro

Welcome to the hobby. That is quite a radio package you purchased as a newbie. I have the original 9C and I love it.

Receivers - FM-PPM - I use all Hitec receivers - I believe you 9C super, at least as sold in U.S., does not provide shift select so you need to buy only negative shift receivers. Hitec and Futaba receivers sold in U.S. are usually negative shift. However Hitec ( and I presume Futaba) do sell positive shift versions of their receivers, so if you buy any used equipment, just make sure it is negative shift. Typically it will say Futaba/Hitec compatible.

Receivers - FM-PCM - These are brand and radio specific Only Futaba PCM receivers will work with your radio and they have to specifically say they work with the 9C super. I don't use PCM.

I use Hitec, GWS, Futaba, JR servos - No problem! Analog and digital servos work in the same receiver slots and you can mix them in the plane. The reciever is blind to what kind you have. Difference is internal to the servo.

If you fly electric planes, you do sometimes run into problems with battery and Electronic speed control plugs not matching. A couple of $ and a soldering iron fixes that.

Not sure what you mean by connecting your servos in parallel. Are you talking about two servos in one slot with a Y cable? Have never done that so I can't say.

After reading a few other posts I learned that there is a software update for the HS-5955 servos that will resolve the problem I'm having in connecting two servos with a Y-harness while using a pcm 149dp receiver. I will go and get this update today. This is one heck of a solid servo