Replacement for FF9...

[Nigel R]

Down to individual manufacturers to deal with these days I'd imagine. I guess it's one reason most would like you to register online for guarantees, that way they get email details and can easily do a mailshot or two.

[MattyB]

On 21/06/2022 at 08:37, Jon - Laser Engines said:

I edited my post too much and so my ' I have also seen the various issues some have had with it and the rnd seems incomplete. ' comment is out of context. It relates to things like Ron's 3 lost models due to the rx not playing well with a cdi unit. They knew it was a problem as the same rx now carries a warning, but it didnt when originally sold and it should never have been a problem in the first place as they should have tested it properly. Also more effort should have been made to recall or replace the defective units, or at least alert owners of the problem.

 

OK, it originally read as if you thought telemetry had not been given sufficient R&D before release, but that does make more sense.

 

I agree that the X8R CDI issue was not Frsky's finest hour; it goes alongise the original Redundancy Bus release that featured faulty firmware that did brought down several models initially. It's not an acceptable excuse, but at the time when Frsky brought out the first D16 RXs gas models would have represented a very small part of their target market, so I guess taht specific testing of was skimped on to get it out of the door. This scenario is probably the one instance where having a distributor in the loop would help the consumer, as the message about anyfault will get shared more quickly and effectively with users so a recall can take place. 

 

However, given the rate of product development and innovation going on at the likes of Frsky it's probably something that you have to accept if you want to use the challenger brands and take advantage of the "bang-for-buck" that they offer. Look at Ron - yes he lost some expensive models, but the alternatives are so much more expensive (Jeti) or expensive and lack telemetry functionality and integration we are now used to (Futaba) that he's stuck with them even so. At this point I suspect that Futaba is more likely to exit the RC market altogether than invest sufficiently to catch up with Jeti, Frsky and Spektrum, and even if they did lod knows what the new keit would cost.

 

Me? I simply don't every buy any "first batch" brand new Frsky product until it has had some additional field tsting - if after 3 months no issues are reported on RCGroups (here by far the biggest number of Frskyusers post) I'll happily buy one. You may argue I shouldn't nee to do that, but for me it's a minor inconvenience compared to the cost, usability and functionality compromises I'd have to make to go with something like Futaba. 

[Ron Gray]

TBH when I had the problem with the X series FrSky Rx (not just the X8!) I seriously contemplated changing my radio gear from FrSky to Jeti. However with over 50 models ( now over 60!) and each with their dedicated Rx, the cost of changing was prohibitive. I also looked at it logically and with no issues in any of my other, non CDI, models I was confident that the FrSky system was excellent and that is still my view today. The CDI issue was ‘easily’ overcome by replacing the Rx with different ones on my (now dwindling) petrol engines models.

 

Like Matty I now wait a bit before adopting any ‘new’ technology although I have plunged into ELRS and find that ‘bang for buck’, wow!