FlySky Noble NB4
 

I'm not sure if anyone here has an NB4 but I got mine last week and figured I'd start a thread for it.

Mine came with the large HV RX that has an external antenna, the FGr4 as well as the much smaller FGr4S that has an internal antenna and only supports up to 8.4V instead of 18V. The FGr4S doesn't have the range the FGr4 has but it's easily less than half the size and it's nice not having an antenna.

So far I'm really happy with mine. The build quality is great. Most of it is aluminum with the exception of the trigger, grip, and some of the trim wheels. I'm not a lefty so it isn't that important to me but the wheel can be moved to either side. It seems like people are worried about the wheel staying in place since it doesn't lock into position but it has a good amount of resistance and I haven't had it move at all while driving. The telemetry is nice and I have a temperature and voltage sensor on the way to further test it. All of the buttons are rebindable. I've got a couple controlled a lap/race timer and another to toggle 10% throttle when I start the engine - not completely necessary but nice to have. The batteries seem to last forever... it barely dropped in voltage over a few hours of practice and you can detach the base battery since there's a 2600mAh 18650 in the handle that can power the TX by itself. This makes it quite a bit lighter as the base battery has an aluminum case and has some heft to it.

Receivers seem to be going for $25-30 which is more than usual for FlySky but seems reasonable considering the telemetry. Unfortunately the NB4 does *not* work with older receivers so you will have to replace them if you already run a FlySky radio. The radio itself seems to be going for $170-220 right now. So far I think it's definitely worth the money but we'll see how it holds up.

Feel free to discuss or ask questions in this thread.

FAQs from MrOflam

Had a little bit of time this morning, thought I would try to work on a FAQ for this thread. Feel free to add to first post, or w/e lol

Does it really have 3ms latency? Has this been independently verified?
Flysky's website currently claims "Under 3ms Latency". Actually measuring latency is a lot more complicated than one might think, and to date we are not aware of anyone that has tried to do it. There are however high speed videos online where people compare it to other radios. There are also numerous personal accounts of the radio having a high sense of being connected while in use.

Is latency lower if operating in 1 way communication?
Supposedly, yes. How much lower? No one knows.

Is it true the steering wheel breaks off?
To my knowledge there were very few cases of broken steering wheels, and they were able to be either replaced or repaired. This minor perceived defect has possibly been the biggest worry among people looking at possibly purchasing an NB4. IMO its a very insignificant issue, that seems to be far from wide spread. Don't let it bother you.

Do I need to make sure I get at least version 2 of the receivers? I heard/read that there were issues with the first batch.
There have been a few reports about bad receivers, all seemed to be in the 1st generation. This (much like the steering wheel) didn't seem to be a hugely wide spread issue, and it's been long enough (and stock has been depleted in the mean time), that it seems like a safe bet that gen 1 receivers aren't even out for retail any more. But you may want to check just to be safe, and for peace of mind. The second version of the FGr4 say "V2" on them. There may be even newer ones out in the wild, as V2s have been around about 9-10 months as of writing this.

Issues with twitchy steering, chattering servos.
You can select in the settings on the NB4 either "digital" or "analogue" for the steering servo frequency. By default it is set to digital. Some non-digital servos will take issue with this and chatter (quickly rotate small amounts back and forth). Changing the setting to analogue can fix this. Alternatively, you can adjust the frequency as well to tune this issue.

Does the rotating arm of the steering wheel move unintentional?
I have yet to see anyone claim that it does, its pretty stiff. And after more than a year of me moving it to flat to put in a case and taking it out and moving it to drive position, etc, repeat, its still stiff.

Do I need to update the receiver if I update the radio's firmware.
Yes, every time you update, you will have to do this. Its a very simple process.

Will I lose saved models if I upgrade firmware?
Yes, as of writing this you will. But, good news, firmware version 2.0.83 introduced an import/export function. It requires a computer program that (as of writing this) is unavailable, but flysky claims would be released in the month of April.

Do I need to update the firmware?
No, updating firmware is not a requirement. You will not however benefit from any added functionality that may be introduced via firmware upgrades.

How many channels does the NB4 support?
Latest firmware support up to 8 channels. In the settings you can select either 4, 6 or 8.

Will future updates allow backwards comparability with AFHDS protocols (FS-GR3E receivers)?
No, this is not likely. Flysky has stated that due to hardware differences, this is not possible.
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How is the range?
Quite good. More than most anyone would need for surface RC. Here is a video testing the range:

I have had mine for a couple months now. Mine also came with both receivers. I had ordered several of the bigger ones at the same time I ordered the tx, as that was all that was available at the time. Since then I have ordered several of the smaller rx's for my race cars. They can be had on fleabay for around $30 each. All that said, I too am really enjoying this radio. I drive left handed, so that was a big factor when I considered the noble as an option. I have had zero problems with it so far, and have it set up for 5 of my carpet cars at the moment. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one if I needed another TX.

Glad to hear this, I know I like to put the death grip on my radio when racing nose to tail, on other brands of radio systems I have had to use CA glue on the swivel mount to prevent the steering wheel from sliding out of position.... my main concern is whether the tension will fade over time.

I'll keep you updated if it changes over time.

To each their own. I really like the design. Compared to the IT4 it has a lower latency (3ms) system, better build quality, it's more adjustable, and just the 18650 in the handle has more than double the capacity of the IT4 battery. The IT4 has a 1700mAh cell. The NB4 has a 2600mAh cell in the handle and a detachable 4300mAh pack that doubles as a power bank. Unfortunately the NB4 doesn't work with the old receivers but that doesn't matter for me.

Personally I think the IT4 is the most ugly transmitter I have ever seen. :smile:

It has a good amount of weight to it and zero flex or creaking. The wheel is solid with zero play in the arm it is mounted on.

I made a radio case for it today. I'd never used this pnp foam before and it was super easy to make the right shape for the radio.

As I said it isn't too stiff where it is hard to move when you need to adjust it but it also won't move when you don't want it to move.

So glad to see people talking about this radio. I have 2 (one for my son), I think they are great. Its more like a leap forward from the it4, when they could have just taken a step.

There are 2 somewhat mysterious things that no one seems to bring up when talking about this radio. The first one I noticed on the flysky site, in describing the radio. They mention a "sport mode" which is nowhere to be found in the settings or in that really crappy start up pamphlet thing that comes with it. So I downloaded the user manual from the flysky site, and in that, on one of the last sheets (in contents or something), they list a "Bluetooth module (optional)". This obviously isn't released yet, cause I sure can't find one. But what do you think it would do? My guess would be it's like the Traxxas TQi stuff.

I suspect sports mode is running it in 1 way mode to reduce latency and improve the frame rate. There is an option to use 2 way with telemetry or 1 way under the radio or receiver settings. I emailed them to ask about it but they have not gotten back to me yet.

As for the Bluetooth module I am not sure. You can find it on the FCC website as it was tested and approved a few months ago but their is no info about how it will be used.

I am assuming the same thing about sport mode. It's just not in there anywhere that I can tell. I tried switching from 2 way to one way, and I had to re-bind the receiver. So if they make some kind of easy short cut and call it "sport mode" they should have that fixed as well.

I emailed flysky asking about both of these things. It took a few days, but I did get an answer. Not really an answer that clears up all questions though lol.

"Hello Steve,

it is an option parts which don't include in the packing, and this function will be ready until at the end of this year"

So, I guess expect a firmware update sometime this year that includes this sport mode thing.

It seems that they struggle with the language barrier more than other companies such as RadioLink. I may ask a friend to help me write them an email in Chinese to get a proper answer.

Another thing I'm curious about is sensors. The old ones work but I suspect they have new ones in the works.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...cee3a2b44a.jpg

Box I got for the 2 nobles. Came from harbor freight, seems a tad on the large size, may try to get a smaller one.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...c777ae6499.jpg

This is where Im assuming the bluetooth module will eventually be attached. A slot just behind the batter terminals in the handle, look down the hole, and you will see there are places for something to connect.

Perhaps. Here is the FCC report on the bluetooth module FlySky had certified last year.

Any Idea where this guy got the skin on his NB4? I want!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...b7731a2103.jpg

Ok, Im going to complain about this radio now. The one and only thing I have been able to not like about it, is one of its more distinguishing characteristics, the detachable battery. Its a cool idea, I guess, but I just dont get it. It needs to be attached to charge the battery in the handle. And a more knit picky point (the thing that keeps bothering me), if the external battery isnt attached, you need to lay the radio down on its side, like this.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...3f29e83fd0.jpg

Which isnt really a bad thing I guess, but its just not my preferred way (more like way Im used to doing really) of sitting a radio down. So I took it upon myself to make a dummy battery, that I can attach, just so I can sit it down upright.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...b58da9fd8c.jpg

This also seems silly. Im going to be attaching and detaching things from this all the time. Which begs the question... Why is this thing detachable?

Just a guess, but probably to be able to replace it after it goes bad, all batteries degrade over time:
https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/...ased_batteries

Certainly a good point for sure.

But (Im speculating here), I dont think that is the sole reason behind it. They include a battery in the handle, so it can be used without the external, and as far as I can tell, that battery is not replaceable (I havent taken it apart to look... yet). I mean, if the only reason was to replace when gone bad, they wouldnt need the internal, and they could have just repeated the battery type and placement of the IT4.

It lets you use it without for a much lighter TX. Additionally it let's you use the base as a separate power bank if you need to. I do agree that there should be another USB port for charging and data built into the TX instead of only the base.

Also a good point. Also made me curious. I got out my scale and the NB4 with battery attached is 2 oz heavier than the IT4S. The external battery is 4.8 oz, so yeah, a noticeable difference without it.

I also remembered, something I wanted to add to my whys this thing detachable comment. The possibility of dropping it when battery is not attached and getting dirt jammed in that hole in the bottom of the handle.... Now personally, I dont think I have ever dropped my radio, but I have seen my son do it lol

My NB4 was fantastic all weekend at Lonestar. I actually ended up using it to charge my phone when it was about to die at the track today. Everyone who saw it wanted to see it and hold it. They seemed impressed with it. The battery didn't even come close to getting low. Never charged it over three days of practice, qualifying, and races.

Raced the best I ever had in nitro buggy. E buggy was meh as always.

I had mine at a race this past weekend as well. I only raced in one class, so not as much use as I would normally have on a radio, but same experience, all day long, practice, qualifiers, and mains, the built in battery lasted the whole time. The graphic for how charged it is didn't even drop, never even took the external out to use it.

I did however take the external out to show people, cause everyone wanted to see it, hold it, everyone loved it, and we're pretty impressed it was a flysky.

The only problem I noticed is the screen can be hard to see in the sun, even at max brightness.

This was an issue I had with the IT4, the IT4S seemed a lot brighter and easier to see in direct sunlight. I have yet to use my Noble outside, my weekend racing was indoor. Will probably be a couple more weeks before I try it out on the outdoor track.

Trying to preemptively make a sun shield for the noble. First print attempt. As is often the case, not 100% happy with the first draft. didnt slide over the steering wheel arm well at all, and I think its a bit too short to block as much sun as it may need to.. Making adjustments.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...5f8ba4f5c8.jpg

Just bought mine today and was the first one I tried while also looking at the futaba.. All round great price, not breaking the bank but looks to be perfect for driving both on n off road 8th buggy , le mans .. Ain't cheap so I'm excited it looks amazing and sleek, the moment I held it, it felt perfectly balanced firm and the buttons are Kool.. Paddle shift feel.

Yes, it definitely feels good in the hand. The aluminum frame, the weight of it (not too heavy, but certainly not lite), the placement of those toggle switches beside the wheel, the re-sizable trigger, the snap back of the wheel, it all seems so perfect. Its the nicest feeling radio I have ever used.

Please let us know what you think about it after some use.

Second revision on the sun shield, has different kinks, still need to work out. But I took a small break from sun shield and made a steering wheel lol


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...d3cb96dbe1.jpg

Well, today certainly has been interesting. I got a reply to my email (sent through their website rather than directly to their email) and have been talking to Karl from FlySky today.

Regarding sport mode and exciting news about 8 channel support: Regarding sensors: I also suggested that support for displaying more than four sensor outputs at once could be added in an update as well as suggesting the ability to bind a button and use it to switch between sensor displays. I got this response: To summarize, even though the FGr4s (the small RX) does not have a dedicated sensor port it can still support their old IT4/IT6 sensors over ibus/sbus. Also, sport mode was dropped as they found during development that it was unnecessary - latency was already good enough. An excited thing learned is 8 channel support will be coming in a future firmware update!!! Finally, they may add support for viewing data for more than four sensors at a time thanks to my suggestion. :)

Wow, thats very impressive that the tiny FGr4S can use sensors. So I guess Ill continue to buy those, rather than spend a little extra on the larger FGr4. But then I guess I would need to buy more bus things. Luckily I have a few of them in a box somewhere, never thought I would use them.

The sport mode news is funny, in that, they mention it on their site, yet found in development it wasnt necessary. Maybe should have updated the site lol

Also, I think they should keep the sport mode option. IMO, noticing lag while operating is mostly a placebo.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...4a51fc5722.jpg

Just finished up this spider-man steering wheel for my sons radio. White part of eyes glow in the dark.... Hes 8, gotta keep him interested lol

How are you making these? They look great!

Thanks!

I draw them in fusion 360, print them on my 3d printer. Im constantly printing or drawing dumb things lol

You're making me want to get my printer running again...

If your interested, Ill share my files. They are already on thingiverse, but Ill send direct if you would prefer.

I have been trying to think of other cool things that might fit in that circle. lol

Thank you but I prefer the stock wheel look. :)

lol

Cool, cool. To each their own.

Personally, I cant leave things alone. Because of this personality defect, I made a huge blunder a couple days ago. Ill be sharing the details of it here in a day or so, after I figure out where its going. lmao

Its related to the noble, of course.

I look forward to it!