Official Spektrum DX8 Thread!!!

[Mainuh]

Originally Posted by NFA Fabrication

The Spektrum battery has the balancer built in to the battery.

"The 4000 2S LiPo offers not only double the flight time as the stock DX8 battery but also advanced safety and features. It also includes a built in safety current that shuts the battery off, to avoid overcharging and damaging the battery and radio. Plus a built in balancing system to make sure you get the longest life and power from your pack."

http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/D...D=SPMB4000LPTX

You may want to read about this option from Turnigy. At $17.95 it's about 1/3 or less than MSRP for the Spektrum brand. Feedback I've found on it is very good. Similar overcharging prevention circuit etc. Mine's on order for my new DX8 after seeing that the NiMH in a brand new DX7s is only good for 4-6 flights (YMMV).

[NFA Fabrication]

Originally Posted by Mainuh

You may want to read about this option from Turnigy. At $17.95 it's about 1/3 or less than MSRP for the Spektrum brand. Feedback I've found on it is very good. Similar overcharging prevention circuit etc. Mine's on order for my new DX8 after seeing that the NiMH in a brand new DX7s is only good for 4-6 flights (YMMV).

I have a lot of Turnigy Lipo's, I'd trust that with no problem. Good to see a reasonably priced option!

[Mainuh]

For those like me who are new to the DX8, has anyone actually bought a copy of this DX8 programming guide and if so, is it worth it? Looks pretty interesting...

[squidger]

Got my DX8 genuine Spektrum 4000 mah lipo yesterday and on inspection it looks like a standard lipo with a 2 pin plug on the end. If there is built in balancer and overcharge protection then they have hidden it well.

[Mainuh]

Originally Posted by squidger

Got my DX8 genuine Spektrum 4000 mah lipo yesterday and on inspection it looks like a standard lipo with a 2 pin plug on the end. If there is built in balancer and overcharge protection then they have hidden it well.

Hey Squidger,

What did it cost you in the UK? Once you run it through a cycle or two, let us know what the battery life is like in comparison to the stock NiMh.

[squidger]

Cost £30 in UK. Will let you know how long it lasts as soon as I do.

[Merritt]

Originally Posted by Mainuh

For those like me who are new to the DX8, has anyone actually bought a copy of this DX8 programming guide and if so, is it worth it? Looks pretty interesting...

I have found it very helpful and carry it with me to the field.

[Mainuh]

Originally Posted by Merritt

I have found it very helpful and carry it with me to the field.

Thanks, Merritt. I'll probably pick on up as soon as my credit card cools down a bit from the new Taylorcraft and the DX8!

[NFA Fabrication]

Originally Posted by Mainuh

Thanks, Merritt. I'll probably pick on up as soon as my credit card cools down a bit from the new Taylorcraft and the DX8!

Did you buy the Hangar9 Taylorcraft? I have been eyeing that beautiful machine...

[Mainuh]

Originally Posted by NFA Fabrication

Did you buy the Hangar9 Taylorcraft? I have been eyeing that beautiful machine...

Nope, got the E-flite Taylorcraft 450 and powering with the 450 (some put the 480 on it). Here's a thread on it.

[Ahmed]

I've been using that HK battery for about 2 months now in my DX8, and it works great. For some reason it has never gone up to 8.4 only 8.1
There is setting to change the TX to Lipo, and it changes the low batt alarm voltage.

I also got mine from Ultimate Hobbies, they just pretty much take the order and the money, the radio was shipped directly from Horizon, so you get the newest release.

[squidger]

Originally Posted by Mainuh

Hey Squidger,

What did it cost you in the UK? Once you run it through a cycle or two, let us know what the battery life is like in comparison to the stock NiMh.

The upgraded battery is much better. I'm pretty much flying most days and when I'm not actually flyin with it I am usually buddy boxing someone so they are using my radio. I have charged it only twice in two weeks and to be honest I probably charged it early both times. It goes to 8.4 ish after a charge and I have recharged at 7.2 but it seemed to sit at that voltage for a long time so well pleased.

[Redbaron1]

Hi guys, need some help here. I'd like to go into gliding and have got myself a radian pro with a dx8 but am having trouble hooking it up to the rx as i'm not sure where the servos go in the 8 ch receiver. I have tried various combinations without much luck as i can't seem to get the crow to work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by Redbaron1

Hi guys, need some help here. I'd like to go into gliding and have got myself a radian pro with a dx8 but am having trouble hooking it up to the rx as i'm not sure where the servos go in the 8 ch receiver. I have tried various combinations without much luck as i can't seem to get the crow to work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

Have you set the correct wing type in the programming?

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by squidger

The upgraded battery is much better. I'm pretty much flying most days and when I'm not actually flyin with it I am usually buddy boxing someone so they are using my radio. I have charged it only twice in two weeks and to be honest I probably charged it early both times. It goes to 8.4 ish after a charge and I have recharged at 7.2 but it seemed to sit at that voltage for a long time so well pleased.

I've just got one of the Turnigy batteries too, seems to work perfectly. Referring back to a comment earlier in the thread about over charge protection.. I believe this is built into the transmitter, not the battery itself, which is part of the reason why setting the battery type to LiPo is important? (could be wrong but that's what I'm assuming)

While the LiPo is great and is a good upgrade I actually found the standard NiMh battery to be perfactly ok. Voltage dropped quickly initially which is possibly what makes some people nervous, but is stabilises as 3.8-3.9v.


Overall I'm delighted with the DX8

[MX5Seeker]

I took the plunge a few weeks back and bought a DX8 too. So far, I really like it. It was a breeze to upgrade the software. Programming is easy too. And I too am very happy with the NiMh battery. I usually only have 5 or 6 flight per sessions, so the battery drops very little in the hour or so that it's on.

On another forum, I heard complaints about the NiMh battery getting hot when charging. All I do is remove the cover when it's charging. Yes, the battery gets warm, but it has plenty of airflow so it does not get hot.

[squidger]

The difference in the nimh and lipo batteries is night and day. All depends on how often you fly I suppose. I charge my lipo about once a month. I could let it go six weeks as it only drops to about 7 volts before I charge it and would probably stay at 7 for ages. I fly every day pretty much and three days a week it probably gets used for 3 hours or more. I suppose it's personal preference.

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Yep the Lipo is a good upgrade no doubt.
Obviously at 4000mAh it's got twice the capacity of the 2000mAh NiMh. But as you say, the Lipo lasts a month or more flying every day, so logically the NiMh with half the capacity will last at least two weeks flying every day, which isn't at all bad IMHO.

Just making the point because the MiHh battery seems to come in for a lot of stick for having a poor run time but my experience was that it was perfectly ok.. But the LiPo is twice as good

[MX5Seeker]

No doubt the LiPo is better, and I'll get one some day. But for the amount of time I fly, the NiMh is fine. Just making the point so that those that come later to look at this thread know the NiMh is OK.

[squidger]

Agreed. As said, you need to give the nimh a little time to run in so to speak as the initial use gives the impression that it isn't good enough until it's had a few cycles. I was having to charge mine every other day from new but I didn't give it enough cycles to get better as I got the lipo at a good price.

[Victory Pete]

AirWare update V2.05 is finally on the Spektrum Community website.
https://community.spektrumrc.com/login.aspx

VP

[xmech2k]

Originally Posted by Victory Pete

AirWare update V2.05 is finally on the Spektrum Community website.
https://community.spektrumrc.com/login.aspx

VP

I'm concerned about this part, though:

"Corrected trainer normal Master mode so that it doesn’t modify controls from the

slave. In previous versions it could reverse channels vs. what was expected.

NOTE:

This change affects sub-trim and travel of existing models and ones you
will import. You may need to adjust sub-trims and travel on all control surfaces in

both airplanes and helicopters."

I've already heard a report from one guy that yes, his heli setup was changed by this update! So we're going to have to go through all our models flight control setups?!?

[NFA Fabrication]

For update 2.04 they gave a list of what was in the update. I do not see that for 2.05 on the updates page. Anyone see the list somewhere? Link?

[Victory Pete]

Originally Posted by NFA Fabrication

For update 2.04 they gave a list of what was in the update. I do not see that for 2.05 on the updates page. Anyone see the list somewhere? Link?

Version 2.05

13 August 2012
Software Features

•

Added support for GPS and High Current telemetry sensors.

•

Enabled up to 32-pole motors for the brushless RPM sensor.

•

Enabled SD telemetry log file

•

Enabled ability to configure inactivity timer

•

Enabled backlight configurability (Auto/On/Off)

•

Enabled dimming control of the orange Spektrum LED for night flying

•

Adjusted vibe motor RPM to be less aggressive

Software Corrections

•

Fixed bug that could reset the radio when scrolling through Mix options.

•

Corrected L/R trimmer ‘forgetting’ assignment after power cycle.

•

Improved translations in French and Italian screens.

•

Corrected export of flap configuration.

•

Corrected over-travel of flaps that could result in reversed operation at extreme
deployments.

•

Corrected switch change on Acro throttle cut screen when going from the initial
switch selection to the edit page.

•

Corrected timer to work properly in Throttle Out mode when using reversed
throttle channel.

•

Corrected end-point adjustability when Trainer is used as an input to a channel.

•

Corrected trainer normal Master mode so that it doesn’t modify controls from the
slave. In previous versions it could reverse channels vs. what was expected.

NOTE:

This change affects sub-trim and travel of existing models and ones you
will import. You may need to adjust sub-trims and travel on all control surfaces in

both airplanes and helicopters.

[NFA Fabrication]

Thanks! Very excited that they are finally adding GPS support! Would love to read up on that and the current sensors, but I don't see any info on their site yet. Also like the backlight feature, I was just talking with a friend the other day about it being annoying that it turns off in the evening!