siclick33

I thought that just enabled MPDX-1 operation on the 14 channel RX (only)?

GrayUK

I believe not.
However, i may have been misinformed.
I will re-check this evening.


Paul

olnico

No even required. Many radio designers are now making a jetcat interface that sends all the data back to the user. This includes the fuel burned and fuel left data among other...

siclick33

The only downside with the ECU fuel level calculations is that it is mathematically based (not measured) so won't take into account forgetting to fill the tank or a leak. A fuel level sensor would be better providing it can be implemented without being too complicated.

DougV

Hi Paul,

That's the manual for the old non S.BUS receivers so you can use the MPDX-1 unit. With the S.BUS receivers, you can assigned Mode A channels 1 thru 8 and Mode B channels 9 thru 16, using the short-plug connected to the Data port.

For some reason, I can't download the manual for the R6108SB from here: http://futabarc.com/downloads/manuals.html

Doug.

GrayUK

Thanks for clearing that up.

Paul

siclick33

I'm not sure it is cleared up

The Futaba manuals are dreadful but here is how I see it.

The data plug is used to program the servos and not the receiver. i.e. If you put an S-bus servo in channel 8 you can choose whether it is allocated as a channel 8 or a channel 16 servo. The data plug simply removes the need to use a servo channel setting tool.

The data plug doesn't select the channels, it turns the rx into programming mode. Whenever the rx is turned on it defaults to mode A (e.g. Channels 1-8) irrespective of whether the data plug is in or not. The rx has to be used with the data plug removed anyway.

The Rx appears that it can only be used as an 8 channel rx unless you're using S-bus servos (or decoders) for the other channels. If you want to use more than 8 channels with normal servos then you have to used extra decoders or the non s-bus 14 channel 6014 rx.
All s-bus servos working on s-bus look like they need to be plugged into the s-bus socket. You can use s-bus servos in one of the normal channel sockets but then it will be working as a normal programmable servo and not an s-bus servo (which makes a significant difference).

I may have got this wrong as the product manuals are not clear but I still don't think you can set the s-bus RX to operate solely on channels 9-16.

tassos p

I think in the S.Bus system you can get 16 channels out of the S.BUS plug and through 1 cable only (no matter if it is the "8 channel" or "3 channel" receiver).

Only if you want to use the normal (conventional) outputs of the receiver you may want to program your channel outputs from 1-8 or from 9-16 depending of course on your Tx capabilities.

If you choose the outputs 9-16 with today's top range Tx the 14MZ you can only use channels 9-12, the rest are not possible to use.

That's why a new 18MZ radio maybe under development. And thats what I asked.....

Apparently no one has heard something so FUTABA is keeping this secret very well hidden

Looking forward though for the new radio when it comes out....

Tassos

siclick33

I think that is where the confusion is coming from and where better literature from Futaba would help. You don't program the channel outputs, you program the servos. For example, If I want to use an s-bus servo on channel 9, first I have to tell it that it that it is a channel 9 servo. I do this by plugging it into channel 1 with the data plug in the rx and pressing the switch to swap it to Mode B. It now knows it is a channel 9 servo.

I now switch off the Rx, remove the data plug and turn it back on again (without removing the servo from the channel 1 socket). The servo will now respond to channel 1 as it is in a non s-bus channel 1 socket and works like a normal servo. If I now unplug the servo and plug it into the single s-bus socket, it now gets the additional info it needs and correctly responds to channel 9 commands. I can now plug another servo into the channel 1 socket and I now have 2 servos, one working on channel 1 and one working on channel 9. In this situation only channel 9 is working on s-bus, the other is a conventional channel 1 signal.

Unfortunately, although I do have s-bus servos, I don't have an s-bus rx here to play with. If anybody does and can run the test above to see if my understanding is correct then that would be great.

tassos p

I agree with you although if I'd go with s.bus Rx and s.bus servos I wouldn't choose the "normal" output of the Rx to drive my servos. I'd use the s.bus. So your question is solved.

So if I wanted to drive a normal digital/analogue servo I could plug it on to the "normal" outputs of the Rx and then choose if I wanted these to be channels 1-8 or 9-16. Or if I wanted to drive switches, valves, pumps, ECU or lighting I could use the "normal" outputs.

I think it's pretty clear although I agree with you that the programming procedure is a bit complex yet. But once you get acquainted with it I think it will become straight forward.

My question remains.....how are you going to drive channels 13-16???

Tassos

siclick33

I don't think so. The 'normal' channels are always 1-8 and there is no way, as far as my understanding goes, of setting them to be 9-16. The only way you could use a standard servo on channel 9 is by plugging it into a decoder (SBD-1) and plugging the decoder into the s-bus socket.

The important lines from the instructions are:

Which, to me, reads that the rx always turns on in channels 1-8. The 9-16 option appears only to be a temporary feature used during servo programming.

i3dm

My Feedback: (51)

I heard that Robbe in Europe said the 14MZ will be upgradeable to 16+2 channels in the next update - here's hoping !

DougV

Mode A and Mode B is just to program the S.BUS servos, nothing to do with analog servos. They have done this so that you can program the S.BUS servos using the receiver in case that you did not own a SBC-1 Channel Setting tool or the CIU-2 that you can also use to program the S.BUS servos.

I have not try it yet, but I think that you can use two 3 channel S.BUS receivers for redundancy using S.BUS and split the surfaces for receiver A and receiver B.

You can only assign up to 14 channels 12+2 with the 8FG, 12 and 14 channel radios.

Doug.

DougV

Deleted, double post.

DougV

[quote]ORIGINAL: siclick33

I own s-bus receivers but no s-bus servos, I'll be getting two of them today or tomorrow.

Doug.

jescardin

My Feedback: (1)

First images of FUTABA T18MZ.

Larger touch screen and non modular.

In the negative from my point of view: perhaps too thin and a bit plastic look.

Best Regards,

Jesus Cardin

Rush!

Looks great!  Futaba is known to provide a more robust system that works everytime.  <div>
</div><div>The only problem is they also tend to provide the most expensive system out there </div>

mark hinton

Futaba S bus 8 channel rec all have 16 channels but you need either the sbus servos and wiring looms from futaba or , as i have in my new Airworld Cougar ,Powerbox-system SRS cockpit.
this power box accepts two data leads from the2x s bus 8 channel rec this then gives you 12 channels and 6 uc sequensor options all this and you can still use standard servos, and double redundancy for battries and redundancy on 2 x rec. It does look rather funny feeding 16 channels down ,a cable with just three wires in it (data lead). Oh yes both rec give you a full 16 channels all the time so if one stops working the plane should keep flying ... thats what it says on the packet...
regards Mark Hinton.

toti_ducati

My Feedback: (1)

When I got my 14mz I was so happy with using all 12 channels...I got into jets used it all up.. now we need more..I had to convert my jetcat into single channel operarion to free up a variable channel..
my next jet I want to have slats and servo operated air brakes on off lights and moving pilot...I need you 18mz
i hope the 18mz comes with telemetry and return to home GPS feature...

bem

My Feedback: (1)

Some more info from robbe (Germany) about T-18MZ (translated from german to english). Some new (to me) info about the telemetry and long life new potentiometers for example. 

<font color="#0066cc">www.robbe.de/de/robbe-erleben/news/2011/2011-05-20-T18MZ.php#</font>


<span class="long_text" id="result_box"><span title="Das neue Flaggschiff von robbe/Futaba besticht durch sein elegantes Design." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The new flagship of the robbe / Futaba boasting an elegant design. </span><span title="Der Sender ist flach und wirkt mit seiner glatten Oberfläche fast schon ein wenig europäisch." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The transmitter is flat and acts with its smooth surface almost a little European.

</span><span title="Er ist mit 18 Servo-Kanälen sowie dem neuen bidirektionalen FASSTest™-System für die Übertragung von 32 (64 bei Einsatz von zwei Empfängern) Telemetriekanälen ausgestattet." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">It is equipped with 18 servo channels and the new bi-directional system for the transfer of 32 (64 if using two receivers) telemetry channels. </span><span title="Die Telemetriedaten werden sowohl im Display angezeigt, als auch über Ton oder Sprache ausgegeben." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The telemetry data are both shown on the display output as well as sound or language. </span><span title="Als Option steht auch ein Vibrationsalarm zur Verfügung." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">As an option is also a vibrating alarm available.

</span><span title="Selbstverständlich ist die Anlage vollständig abwärtskompatibel zum FASST™-System und darüber hinaus auch zum robbe/Futaba FHSS-System" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Of course, the radio is fully backward compatible with the FASST system, and also to the Futaba FHSS system.

</span><span title="Neu ist das brillante 6" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">New is the brilliant 6 "HVGA display with touch screen and LED backlight, which is in bright sunshine very easy to read. The picture looks much sharper than previous display. Improved is the reaction time of the touch screen, by using a faster microprocessor. </span><span title="Das neue Display ist sparsamer im Stromverbrauch und zugleich wurde die Akkukapazität auf 3500 mA erhöht. Daraus resultiert eine lange Betriebszeit, welche laut Futaba für den ganzen Tag ausreichen soll. Das Akkumanagement beim Ladevorgang übernimmt die Senderelektronik." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The new display is more economical in power consumption, while the battery capacity has been increased to 3500 mA. The result is a long operation time, which should be enough, according to Futaba for the whole day. Electronics takes over the battery management while charging the transmitter.

</span><span title="Der Interne Speicher ist so groß, dass auch Bilder von Modellen im internen Speicher Platz finden." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The internal memory is so large that pictures of models can be stored in the internal memory. </span><span title="Eine integrierte 0,3 Megapixel Kamera ermöglicht die unkomplizierte Erstellung von Bildern des Modells, um es dem Modellspeicher zuzuordnen." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">An integrated 0.3 megapixel camera enables the easy creation of images of the model to assign it to the model memory. </span><span title="Neben der bekannten Speicherung auf SD-Karte kann über einen Standard USB-Anschluss ein USB-Stick als Speichermedium angesteckt werden, bzw. die Daten per USB-Kabel am PC gespeichert werden." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Besides the known storage on SD card via a standard USB port, a USB stick plugged in a storage device, or the data via USB cable to the PC for storage. </span><span title="Über den USB Anschluss können alternativ Tastatur und Maus angeschlossen werden um die Menüsteuerung vorzunehmen." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The USB port can alternatively be connected to keyboard and mouse to make the menu control. </span><span title="Am Sender befindet sich eine Anschlussbuchse, zur Programmierung von S-BUS-Servos und zur Anmeldung von Telemetriesensoren am System." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">On the transmitter there is a socket, for programming S-BUS servos and registration of telemetry sensors on the system.

</span><span title="Weitestgehend beibehalten wurde die bewährte Menüführung der T-14, welche natürlich um die Menüs, S-BUS-Servo, S-BUS-Kreisel, Kamera und Telemetrieanzeige erweitert wurde." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">It has maintained the best navigation of the T-14, which of course was extended to the menu, S-BUS-power, S-BUS-gyro, camera and telemetry display.

</span><span title="Die T-18 ist mit neuen, extrem präzisen Steuerknüppel ausgestattet." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The T-18 is equipped with new, extremely precise control stick. </span><span title="Verwendet werden Industriepotis, welche mehr als 1 Million Zyklen Lebensdauer besitzen." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Industrypotentiometers are used, which have more than 1 million cycles of life.

</span><span title="Zum Lieferumfang gehört der neue Telemetrie Empfänger R7008SB, welcher mit den geringen Abmessungen von nur 47,3 x 24,9 x 14,3 mm und einem Gewicht von nur 13 g glänzt." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Supplied with the new telemetry receiver R7008SB, which shines with the small dimensions of only 47.3 x 24.9 x 14.3 mm and weighing only 13 grams.
</span><span title="Dieser 8/18 Kanal Empfänger kann 8 herkömmliche PWM Servos und/oder 18 S-BUS Servos steuern." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">To this 8 / 18 channel receiver can 8 conventional PWM servos and / or 18 S-BUS control servos be connected.
</span><span title="Der integrierte Sender funkt die am S-BUS2 Anschluss anliegenden Telemetriedaten zum Sender." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The integrated transmitter transmits on the S-BUS2 connecting adjacent telemetry data to the transmitter. Automatically when connecting the receiver is receiver battery voltage, an external voltage (up to 60 V) and the antenna signal strength the main telemetry data radioed to the ground.


</span><span title="Die Produktion startet im September dieses Jahres, so dass mit einer Auslieferung im Oktober 2011 zu rechnen ist." style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Production will begin in September this year, with expected shipment in October 2011.
</span></span>

DougV

http://futabarc.com/systems/18mz.html