According to the review of the 14MZ on flyrc.com Futuba has invested $2 million in R&D. If after investing that much money this thing screws up I think they seriously ought to quit!

[link=http://www.flyrc.com/articles/futaba_14MZ_1.shtml]FlyRC.com review[/link]

All of the talk about high channel numbers and how great it is to be able to assign any channel number to any function and eliminate Y harnesses...

Gee, it sounds like deja vu to me.... I found out all of this when I switched from Futaba to Multiplex four years ago!!!

I've been building/flying model airplanes since the early 1960's...R/C since 1975. My first radio was a Cirrus(made by Futaba)-worked great. Saved up and got a Kraft Series 76-worked okay(had to clean the pots every ten or so flights). Had 4 more Kraft radios (because everyone else had them...still had to clean the pots) Finally got a Futaba-worked great. Sold all my Kraft equipment and upgraded to the cheaper Futaba-always worked great. My first computer radio was a Futaba Super 7-worked REALLY great. Sold the other twelve Futaba radios and bought 2 more Super 7's-always worked REALLY great. Bought a new Futaba 8-worked REALLY, REALLY great. Sold two of my Super 7's and got another Super 8. I now have a 9 ZAPS WC-2 with one of my 8 channels for a back-up.

All million-or-so Futaba radios I've owned have always worked REALLY, REALLY, REALLY great and I can't wait for the new 14 I've ordered through my local hobby shop to get here because I've no doubt that it will be the best yet.

Cheers,
Bob Edison
Anchorage, Alaska

Glad to hear it. How many of them were running Windows though ? After all, that's the question being pondered here - not whether Futaba's prior products have been good, but whether the use of the Windows OS on the latest Futaba TX should be cause for concern or not.

Gordon

My point, Gordon, was that from my years of personal experience with their radios, I don't believe Futaba would put out a new product unless it was totally debugged and of superior quality. I also have the greatest respect for JR radios as I have flown many of my friend's JR's with no problems.

BTW, Gordon, you may not remember me, but I want to say that I REALLY appreciated it, 3 years ago, when you took the time to give me the ground instruction I needed to acquire my turbine waiver, as I came all the way from Alaska just to see you for the ground instruction and Jake, in Sacramento, for the flying portion. (The previous paragraph, I realize, could be used very nicely in an English class to illustrate a run-on sentence. LOL)

Cheers,
Bob Edison
Anchorage

Futaba should have used Linux instead.

More robust, better stability and less resource overhead....

:-)

Cheers,