Spektrum
02-18-2005 | 09:50 AM
#106
Tech Adept
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 136
From: az
Did it ever occur to you that the unit recevied by the mags was not defective? So if every possible condition was tested and the report was the same and then you the consumer went out and bought one and it was defective, you would still be mad and say the review was BS.
im not say that a mag need to test products with every possible compatable products, so for and so on...
im say is...
- steve, i maybe shooting myself in the foot when im commenting on your article, since i have not read it. the assumption is no body knows what equipment you used for your test and testing peramiters (are you testing range/product compatibility/response time/?????)... but im willling to bet if you put in a jr4750 in your car it wouldn't work...
02-18-2005 | 09:51 AM
#107
Originally posted by SteveP
There is no problem with asking the questions and I learned a long time ago to ALWAYS allow for the possibility that there's a scenario that I may not have encountered during testing. Having said that, I'm simply standing behind the fact that I vigorously tested the Spektrum and still have not been able to expose a defect. I even intentionally created conditions to try and cause interference, but still never experienced a single glitch. Again, that's not to say that it isn't possible, only that we as a magazine often get held to this impossible standard that we should somehow be "reporting" issues that we never experienced. I don't stand "gung-ho" behind the product, I'm only defending the fact that I did a lot of testing for the article. Your first post related to the article clearly questions the voracity of my testing and my integrity by suggesting that I may not have tested the Spektrum at all. Here's the quotes: "They quickly mention this problem but then cover it right up…" and then "I don't see how they could have missed this in all the "testing" they say they did." I simply want to put that notion to rest so that we can get on with a productive discussion about the conditions under which these problems may occur. You may not have meant it exactly that way, but that's how it reads. Thank you for the kind comments otherwise.
BTW - we were only able to get one Spektrum system from the factory for testing, and that was before they were on the hobby shop shelves. We would have loved to get more and would have gladly bought them, but at the time they simply weren't available.
There is no problem with asking the questions and I learned a long time ago to ALWAYS allow for the possibility that there's a scenario that I may not have encountered during testing. Having said that, I'm simply standing behind the fact that I vigorously tested the Spektrum and still have not been able to expose a defect. I even intentionally created conditions to try and cause interference, but still never experienced a single glitch. Again, that's not to say that it isn't possible, only that we as a magazine often get held to this impossible standard that we should somehow be "reporting" issues that we never experienced. I don't stand "gung-ho" behind the product, I'm only defending the fact that I did a lot of testing for the article. Your first post related to the article clearly questions the voracity of my testing and my integrity by suggesting that I may not have tested the Spektrum at all. Here's the quotes: "They quickly mention this problem but then cover it right up…" and then "I don't see how they could have missed this in all the "testing" they say they did." I simply want to put that notion to rest so that we can get on with a productive discussion about the conditions under which these problems may occur. You may not have meant it exactly that way, but that's how it reads. Thank you for the kind comments otherwise.
BTW - we were only able to get one Spektrum system from the factory for testing, and that was before they were on the hobby shop shelves. We would have loved to get more and would have gladly bought them, but at the time they simply weren't available.
Any comments on the problem people are having now? Isolated incidents with older speedos/servos?
Or could it just be bad Spektrums?
Have you guys tried older equipment with your Spektrum?
I really do want to get one, but before I spend $200 on a system I want to be sure the product is good.
(I was the guy with the recall list in hand when shopping for my unborn sons child safety seat. I'm just a crazy consumer!
)Thanks.
02-18-2005 | 10:03 AM
#108
Tech Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 919
i tried a friends Spectrum system, in a M8.
The car was a RC12L4, Novak atom speed control (stock 4 cell profile), jr z2550 servo, and amb personal transponder, stock motor with 4 cells, no receiver pack. Our track is nortorious for giving radio problems.
The car ran without error at all, i could not feel any lag time, and my laptimes were identical to my standard cystal setup. Sparc2 timing software indicated i had a low transponder signal strength, it still counted every lap with 16 strength, my standard airtronics reciever gave a 80 strength. I found it intresting though, with my standard receiver, the light on the transponder would dim during acceleration and it was stronger. With the spectrum receiver, the light always lit strong, but it got low strength. I only used the system for one battery pack.
Although, the Fail safe had too much delay to be usefull on the track i was driving on. The failsafe takes a second or two to kick in (i shut off the transmitter while full speed on the straight). and on our small carpet track with 7.9 second laps, your down the straight in about a second.
My friend claims to have glitches when he runs the spectrum in his own M8 and his TC4 although i don't remember what electronics he was using.
The car was a RC12L4, Novak atom speed control (stock 4 cell profile), jr z2550 servo, and amb personal transponder, stock motor with 4 cells, no receiver pack. Our track is nortorious for giving radio problems.
The car ran without error at all, i could not feel any lag time, and my laptimes were identical to my standard cystal setup. Sparc2 timing software indicated i had a low transponder signal strength, it still counted every lap with 16 strength, my standard airtronics reciever gave a 80 strength. I found it intresting though, with my standard receiver, the light on the transponder would dim during acceleration and it was stronger. With the spectrum receiver, the light always lit strong, but it got low strength. I only used the system for one battery pack.
Although, the Fail safe had too much delay to be usefull on the track i was driving on. The failsafe takes a second or two to kick in (i shut off the transmitter while full speed on the straight). and on our small carpet track with 7.9 second laps, your down the straight in about a second.
My friend claims to have glitches when he runs the spectrum in his own M8 and his TC4 although i don't remember what electronics he was using.
02-18-2005 | 10:03 AM
#109
Originally posted by vanguard
mine was broke, now its fixed thanks to pit crew, with money i saved on a new servo i will take pit crew on a shopping spree on south tacoma way.
(local joke)
mine was broke, now its fixed thanks to pit crew, with money i saved on a new servo i will take pit crew on a shopping spree on south tacoma way.
(local joke)
You just spent close to $175 on a system and now you need to spend $5.00 more on a fix?
I think Spektrum should offer these caps if it does turn out to be a legitament problem with older stuff.
We don't think much of it since it is such a small amount ($5.00 is 2.8 percent of $175)
But what if you bought a brand new car for $20K and were forced to pay $560 (2.8 percent of $20K) MORE dollars to get it to run? You would care then.
At the very least, they should make mention of it so people go into it "At their own Risk".
02-18-2005 | 10:05 AM
#110
so we know that the cap works, but would a small reciever pack work as well. I am just a fan of making the weight on your car work for you. and I know the cap works for the problem but it dont weigh that much and it takes up a lot of space. on the other hand, I have a car that is under weight and I use weights to make up for this. If I am not mistaken dont 12 scale and pan cars make small reciever packs to act as "working weight". But this only works if it cures the problem.
02-18-2005 | 10:06 AM
#111
Tech Elite
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,129
From: Seattle Indoor Raceway
Oh, Vanguard, I can't wait. 
I am sure YBD is bummed. Probably has a shipment of one highend airtronics servo for every spektrum he sold... From Horizon no less....
Sorry!
Tell YBD to start ordering capacitors instead!
I am sure YBD is bummed. Probably has a shipment of one highend airtronics servo for every spektrum he sold... From Horizon no less....
Sorry!
Tell YBD to start ordering capacitors instead!
02-18-2005 | 11:16 AM
#112
Capacitor trick question:
I read the entire thread, but don't see the quick answer to my question, having never used a capacitor on a receiver: The receiver has three leads, to which two do you attach the cap??
I would suspect the red and black, but don't want to screw up a receiver guessing.
As 98% of my racing is indoors on carpet under fl. lights, and knowing that a wireless network is in existence within range of the track, and a 2.4 ghz cordless phone is in use as well, should make it a trial under fire for the Spektrum with a Futaba 3PK when it finally gets here.
I read the entire thread, but don't see the quick answer to my question, having never used a capacitor on a receiver: The receiver has three leads, to which two do you attach the cap??
I would suspect the red and black, but don't want to screw up a receiver guessing.
As 98% of my racing is indoors on carpet under fl. lights, and knowing that a wireless network is in existence within range of the track, and a 2.4 ghz cordless phone is in use as well, should make it a trial under fire for the Spektrum with a Futaba 3PK when it finally gets here.
02-18-2005 | 11:25 AM
#113
Tech Regular
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 489
Hello,
I've tried today my brand new spektrum in an asphalt outdoor track. It works great, no delay, no glitches, same lap times.
But the only problem I found is when I turn on the transmitter and the speedo, the motor run at 30% full power during 1 second (when the transmitter is looking for a signal). I didn't found any solutions. Is is normal?
Hugo
I've tried today my brand new spektrum in an asphalt outdoor track. It works great, no delay, no glitches, same lap times.
But the only problem I found is when I turn on the transmitter and the speedo, the motor run at 30% full power during 1 second (when the transmitter is looking for a signal). I didn't found any solutions. Is is normal?
Hugo
02-18-2005 | 11:35 AM
#114
Tech Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 919
From: So Cal
You have to "re-bind" your transmitter to the receiver. When you first bind the transmitter and receiver, the current throttle and steering settings are locked in as the "fail-safe" points. So, until your transmitter and receiver are communicating, the receiver will hold the throttle and steering at whatever points they were when you first did the binding process. Don't touch the steering or more importantly the throttle, then do the binding process again - it will solve the problem.
02-18-2005 | 11:35 AM
#115
Tech Elite
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,129
From: Seattle Indoor Raceway
Minidriver:
Yes, use the red and black wires. I bought a servo lead, and removed the white wire, cut the wires short, cut the leads on the cap short (for asthetics) soldered it to the cap (observing polarity + is red) I even used some shrink tube over the wires and cap leads so it looks really good. Then shoe-gooed the cap down on the chassis.
Hugo:
My car was doing something similar to that before i installed the capacitor. It would also intermittenly come on with different throttle trim, as in sometimes it would come on and have some drag brake, and sometimes it would come on with some creep, maybe not quite as much as what you are describing. It is not doing that now, and don't know why the cap would do anything to change that, but it seems to be working just fine now. No problems on the car end.
Yes, use the red and black wires. I bought a servo lead, and removed the white wire, cut the wires short, cut the leads on the cap short (for asthetics) soldered it to the cap (observing polarity + is red) I even used some shrink tube over the wires and cap leads so it looks really good. Then shoe-gooed the cap down on the chassis.
Hugo:
My car was doing something similar to that before i installed the capacitor. It would also intermittenly come on with different throttle trim, as in sometimes it would come on and have some drag brake, and sometimes it would come on with some creep, maybe not quite as much as what you are describing. It is not doing that now, and don't know why the cap would do anything to change that, but it seems to be working just fine now. No problems on the car end.
02-18-2005 | 11:39 AM
#116
Tech Regular
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 489
Originally posted by SteveP
You have to "re-bind" your transmitter to the receiver. When you first bind the transmitter and receiver, the current throttle and steering settings are locked in as the "fail-safe" points. So, until your transmitter and receiver are communicating, the receiver will hold the throttle and steering at whatever points they were when you first did the binding process. Don't touch the steering or more importantly the throttle, then do the binding process again - it will solve the problem.
You have to "re-bind" your transmitter to the receiver. When you first bind the transmitter and receiver, the current throttle and steering settings are locked in as the "fail-safe" points. So, until your transmitter and receiver are communicating, the receiver will hold the throttle and steering at whatever points they were when you first did the binding process. Don't touch the steering or more importantly the throttle, then do the binding process again - it will solve the problem.
I don't know what to do?
02-18-2005 | 11:40 AM
#117
Tech Regular
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 489
Hugo:
My car was doing something similar to that before i installed the capacitor. It would also intermittenly come on with different throttle trim, as in sometimes it would come on and have some drag brake, and sometimes it would come on with some creep, maybe not quite as much as what you are describing. It is not doing that now, and don't know why the cap would do anything to change that, but it seems to be working just fine now. No problems on the car end. [/B][/QUOTE]
I'll try your solution. Where do you plug the cap?
My car was doing something similar to that before i installed the capacitor. It would also intermittenly come on with different throttle trim, as in sometimes it would come on and have some drag brake, and sometimes it would come on with some creep, maybe not quite as much as what you are describing. It is not doing that now, and don't know why the cap would do anything to change that, but it seems to be working just fine now. No problems on the car end. [/B][/QUOTE]
I'll try your solution. Where do you plug the cap?
02-18-2005 | 11:55 AM
#119
Originally posted by minidriver
Capacitor trick question:
I read the entire thread, but don't see the quick answer to my question, having never used a capacitor on a receiver: The receiver has three leads, to which two do you attach the cap??
I would suspect the red and black, but don't want to screw up a receiver guessing.
As 98% of my racing is indoors on carpet under fl. lights, and knowing that a wireless network is in existence within range of the track, and a 2.4 ghz cordless phone is in use as well, should make it a trial under fire for the Spektrum with a Futaba 3PK when it finally gets here.
Capacitor trick question:
I read the entire thread, but don't see the quick answer to my question, having never used a capacitor on a receiver: The receiver has three leads, to which two do you attach the cap??
I would suspect the red and black, but don't want to screw up a receiver guessing.
As 98% of my racing is indoors on carpet under fl. lights, and knowing that a wireless network is in existence within range of the track, and a 2.4 ghz cordless phone is in use as well, should make it a trial under fire for the Spektrum with a Futaba 3PK when it finally gets here.
the wireless network and phone shouldn't cause any issue, and FL lights just do not operate in a frequency range to hit 2.4ghz. 75mhz is very close and FL Lights do cause problems on 75 band.
Good Luck
02-18-2005 | 12:19 PM
#120
Tech Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 919
From: So Cal
Originally posted by Hugo
->Pitcrew:
What are the characteristics of the cap I have to buy?
Thanks
->Pitcrew:
What are the characteristics of the cap I have to buy?
Thanks