RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I have a JR9503 and JR921 receivers. I don't understand a 11 channel transmitter that comes with a 9 channel receiver. How do you use the other 2 channels?

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I'm actually more upset about the X9503 than the 11X. Come on...three new features. [:@] At least one of which (throttle activated timer) should be available to X9303 owners as a firmware update. The model memory could probably be updated too. I wouldn't be surprised if the X9303 & X9503 have the same amount of physical memory, but the X9303 is limited to 30 models in the programming. The X9303 should have had these three additional features from the beginning, but I think we all know why it didn't.

I haven't used anything but JR products (with the exception of a DX7) since I started in R/C over 10 years ago. I recently purchased an Aurora 9 and I'm in the process of converting about half my fleet to Optima receivers. I'll keep my X9303 too for the time being, but JR's recent assault (maybe a little strong) on it's existing customers (X9503 & 11X) have definitely encouraged me to explore other options. [>:]

IMHO, JR has become the R/C equivalent of M$. They have the market share to carry their arrogance for the time being. Hitec on the other hand is listening to it's customers, communicating with them in open forums and making it possible for me to download and self-apply firmware updates to my TX and the RXs.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I'm surprised that they don't offer the 12 channel receiver as an upgrade option. I'm sure they chose the 9 channel receiver to keep the package price down. How many models actually need more than 9 channels.
Heck, I just bought a new radio with 10 channels and only got an 8 channels receiver, but I would not have wanted to pay the extra bucks for the 14 channel receiver, since I have no use for more than 8 channels at the time being.
Pete

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

<span style="font-size: larger">It can all be summed up in 6 words. "WAHWAH,WAHWAH,WAHWAH" (thanks for counting to make sure there were six wah wah's). </span></p>

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I must agree with 'so sorry for you' crowd.  I learned a lot time ago that 'you cannot have what you want until you want what you have.'  I personally enjoy my 7UAF and my 6XAsuper series computer radios because 1) they offer everything I need, and 2) I can get them for about 1/10th of original list price.  For me, the resale value of anything I purchase only means something if I don't like it.
IMHO when I look for the biggest and the best, it is only because I am trying to offset another deficiency. I believe the reason I fly large scale airplanes is because I am afraid that your manhood is larger than mine. That's o.k. though, I have some BEAUTIFUL bipes!

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I am more than happy to buy up and use all that perfectly good FM equipment at super low prices now that so many have decided that FM is worthless. :D
Can't wait until Spektrum comes out with DSM3.;)

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Exactly! Try being the schmuck that bought an x9303, only to see all this latest-and-greatest stuff pop-up.

But, you see, I'm over it, because I'm used to it. I've always been that guy that the buds said "dude, where were you? you shoulda been here, the beer was free and the chicks were dancing nekkid." So, I don't know when or what the next leap from a 9505 or 11 will be, only that it will happen when I finally decide to 'upgrade' to a 9505 or 11. :)

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Exactly how much did you think you could sell your 12x for?. Once you've used it it is just that - "used". I would never pay anywhere near it's original street price for it, regardless of who owned it and how well it may have been taken care of. Just my two cents.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I still fly AM.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

After recalling the guys flying planes in the 60's (AM?) better than I ever will, I came to realize what my father meant by, "It is a poor crafstmen who blames his tools."

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I like the 4 aileron feature for the big bipes.
That would eliminate the matchboxes.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Welcome to the technology age. Look at other technology, TV's, computers, phones, etc. The moment you buy technology, they come out with something better and cheaper. This is the way it works unfortunately. [:o]

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I've got six ailerons on my tripe all controlled by one servo on the aileron channel.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Don't feel too bad. I bought a Futaba 14Z but never used it because of all the problems with the original 14ch receiver. Of course when they came out with the fasst system I ponied up more money lol! Well, at least it works, but there's 2.4 futabas that pretty much match everything my 14Z does at a third the price. Oh well, at least I can put pretty pictures of my planes on the display. Time marches on.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

You can always get a USB cable and use them as 4ch controllers for FMS.:D:D:D

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Hi

I went through this thread .

A lot of radio equipment has dropped in price , Futaba , Jr / Spectem , have to stay in the game . They HAVE to drop there prices .

Here in Canada , here is what I got for $850 .

1 X transmitter , with touch screen , all channels programable , almost same features / plus , as many more expensive radio,s . Telemetrey ( ohhh , wow ) . 2 X 9 channel receivers , 3 X 7channel receivers , and one 6 channel receiver . If I were to replace this equipment with JR or Futaba , it would of cost me well over $2000 .

So far I have over 30hrs on my new system , and it works great , for me . I,m just an average flyer .

So if you have a complaint about the priceing of radio prices comeing down : BLAME , HITEC :D :) :) :) :)

Beleive me , I know how this guy feels [:o]:eek:

If you didn,t shop around ,....................................

Michel

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Or get a Turnigy 9CH 2.4Ghz with 8ch RX for $60.[8D] About what Chinese DSM compatibles will be going for next year, and DSM2 the year after that. We already have DSM compatible 6ch RXes for under $20 (no, not the illegal ones). I would be upset if I were HH.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

It is a great looking radio.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Really? I think it looks like a Transformer.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

My 9 y/o, who flys as well as I do, commented on how he would like one because it looks like a Transformer..... Hmmmmm. Marketing?

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Your 9 y/o knows his transformers.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

You can't be serious. Where have you been for the past, oh, 20 or so years? Electronics manufacturers improve their products & lower their prices, and they do this every year. quit whining.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Interesting note on the X11:
"DSM2 system it is NOT compatible with DSMJ system such as JR RD731, RD931, RD1231"

So this is basically a Spektrum Radio? Is that why Spektrum label radio only go to 7ch? Why cut into your own sales, JR and Spektrum are owned by HH. I remember when Buick was told by GM to reduce its luxury features in its cars because it was hurting Cadillac sales.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I have been a Tech lover for years. Ever since the IBM PC arrived in my office at the Eastman Kodak company, in the late 80's. I switched careers, then, and worked exclusively as the only IT support person for my R+D division. I couldn't wait for the next Newer, Faster PC with more bells and whistles. I finished my career as an IT person, in Research, in 2003, and I still work part time in that field.

They are outdated the day after you buy them.

I have been using Cell Phones, for years. Every two years, I sign a new contract and buy a new model phone. This year, I passed on the Black Berry Storm 2 and was hot to get an Smart Phone with the Android OS. I passed on the Motorola Droid and jumped on the HTC Droid Eris. It was good for one Firmware and OS update and now the HTC Droid Incredible has replaced it. The Eris is still functional, but it will never get any future updates to support all the new Apps that the Droid Incredible is compatible with. Somewhat obsolete in only a few weeks. These were Verizon phones, but Sprint has the EVO, which has an even bigger screen and more features.

I can't replace mine with the newer models for two years, without a large cash outlay, and who says that the Incredible won't be overshadowed by something newer in the near future.

Look at the new Iphone 4 and ask the owners of the last version how long they have had theirs.

You will never wait long enough to get the best. Just make what you have last as long as you can or keep buying additional new radios as they are introduced.

I have the XP9303 with the Spektrum Module. I can still fly my 72Mhz stuff and my 2.4 stuff. I would love to have the 11x and I know I could learn to use all the features, but I will wait for a while.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

It looks to me like there is a growth boom in radio technology now, so anything you buy this year will be improved upon by next year. I shop based on my needs today and projected needs in the next 3-4 years. I figure if I can get the minimum to take care of it now, the current upgrade from it will be either cheaper or better later.

Not to sidetrack things, but an interesting comment was made earlier about what the next innovations will be. To my mind, 2.4 will be with us for a long time so I'll expect slight improvements in response speed on the high end, along with mprovement in support for giant scale birds including more flexible mixing and more channels. I think the 6-9 channel market will become a price war, which may bring a temporary drop in quality to the market as manufacturers work to be $10 cheaper than the competition. On the positive, I can see features developed for the high end trickling down into the mid grade products such as matchbox type programming and telemetry. And I think the low end (<6 channels) will be relegated to the sub- $100 trainer and park flyer market. All of this will make our current equipment worth less and less but on the positive, those who don't care about the newest stuff will be able to upgrade to some very capable systems on the cheap. I personally am looking forward to it.