Turnigy 9XR Transmitter

I was browsing hobbyking and saw the advert of the new transmitter

 

9XR Standard Features:
• 8 Channel PPM/9 Channel PCM
• Full Ball Bearing gimbals
• Adjustable Stick Length
• Digital Trims on all Primary Axis
• 16 Model Memory
• Assignable Switches
• Freely Assignable Channel Mixes
• Graphical Dual Rate and Exponential
• Sub Trim and Travel Adjust
• Flaps and Differential
• Throttle Hold
• Supports Heli/ Aero/ Glider Model Types
• Programming Templates Based on Model Type
• Supports M1, M2, M3, M4 stick modes
• 128 x 64 backlit Liquid Crystal Display
• Built in JR & Futaba Trainer Ports
• PPM & PCM Output
• JR Form Factor RF Modules (Orx Dsm2, Orx Open LRS 433Mhz etc)
• Programmable Timers
• Low Voltage Warning and Buzzer
• Supports 3s Lipo (Required)
• 9XR Firmware Pre-loaded
• AVR ISP Interface
• Internal 2.4GHz Antenna

 

The ISP interface is going to make this very interesting.

 

http://www.turnigy9xr.com/

 

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__31544__Turnigy_9XR_Transmitter_Mode_2_No_Module_.html?gclid=CLqwl8G99bUCFUbKtAodNWoA6A

 

 

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Comments

  • Mine does indeed have an antenna in the handle

  • Developer
    I use this battery in my TX http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14076__ZIPPY_Flightmax_1... it fits well.
  • Thank you very much for your detailed report on that radio. The rudder/throttle - thing must be a new feature.

    Actually I was able to get a Flysky 9x in Europe (UK) and I thought, I bought a clone, thanks to you I know now that I have the original :) .

    Greets Kraut Rob

  • Developer

    I just received yesterday 2 9XR radios from HobbyKing. Did not have any bigger expectations for it but hey price is also not bad. Ok i bought Mode 1 radios as Mode 2 is always out of stock and figured out that it's not so difficult to modify them.

    Initial impression was rather nice on radio it self. It looks fancy from outside but have small plastic feeling.. well it's full plastic :)

    Immediately when i switched it on I started to notice why it's only 49 USD... Multifunction key is really multifunciton key, you never know what happens when you press it. It just does not have proper feeling and even if you press it properly lets say from up, you might get down press in reality.

    Menu and Exit buttons has goofy feeling too. Switches and Pots works rather ok (I have old Turnigy 9x that got rusty after 6 months)

    Anyways, I opened my radios and started to look how to change them from Mode 1 to Mode 2 (I will make bigger blog post later when i have some free time) That was not so easy as in original TGY radios. You really need start using soldering iron and move PCBs around sticks. Also you need to move all sticks and their full hardware from left to right and vise versa.. They use really low quality PCBs and connectors that are directly soldered to joystick potentiometers. 

    In overall PCB quality is really low on it. Ok does it matter so much if you just use it and never open. Maybe not... Let's see how they work after 6 months or so.

    Modify process took about 1 hour or so. 

    Another calibration as now all joysticks and potentiometers are on different locations.. Things went ok so close the box :)

    While playing a lot more with it's settings etc. I noticed that throttle stick and especially it's rudder behaves bad. When moving throttle from 0-50% no problems but after around 60%-90% i noticed that also rudder starts to move ?!? Ok maybe i forget one it's cable on bad place so opened radios again and checked that no problems.. No cables were just in correct places. Next thought was that hmm maybe just a bad calibration so let's do that again.. 

    I did calibration again and even during calibration I noticed that while pushing just throttle up and down. Between 60-90% (thr) also rudder moves. It looks like it's their hardware is flooding to another channel a bit or software problem but you just cannot make rudder to stay still while moving throttle.

    And it's not a small amount it moves. It moves almost 10% to "left"

    Noticed this same thing on other radio that is still fully unopened. 

    I started to google more about it and went to youtube, it seems to be full of guides "how to fix this and how to fix that on 9XR radio" so I am not alone.

    But ok it's nice radio and really cheap, if you are willing to spend a lot of time to tweak it and change some parts then it's worth to take but if you are not skilled engineer/hacker.. Well you decide.

    Ok there are few nice things like both Futaba and JR trainer ports, ISP port on bottom for flashing it and it has Turnigy customized er9x software in.. Which version I don't know as it did not show it. One thing that I am really sad is that as they fully copied this nice opensource software to it.. Why in earth they did not put Serial port pins to it?!? So people could connect FrSky or what ever telemetry on it. Oh well, maybe i need to make new radio that have it too :)

    But anyways, with 49 USD you just cannot get good components, not even from China or should i say "especially not from China".

    And I would say that I know them rather well as visiting there almost every month. I still live in Asia if you forget :)

    Btw someone sayd that FlySKY is clone of Turnigy, No it's not.. FlySky is original maker of that 9ch radio and they still make those. It's factory price is almost double compared to Turnigy radio. HobbyKing OEMs their TGY radios from FlySKY with low quality parts to push it's price down. 

    Jani / jDrones

    jD-main
  • Developer
    @drone: Or does your information really only reflect that more people that post to your site have 9X radios? Are you gathering info if they are using the stock or a replacement radio module? I did find out about a flyaway at the local club (rc only) using a 9x. It was because the owner had tried remove the stock module and disconnected the internal ariel by pulling the wire. As was expected, he could take off, but unsurprisingly lost contact with the plane almost immediately.

    @Magnus: The software is written to display the telemetry data on Er9x and Open9x. It's the wiring that's the issue ;-)
  • Developer
    @magnus: you can use a Arduino Pro Mini to transcode the MAVLINK protocol to FrSky. There's some software here from Jdrones that does it for you http://code.google.com/p/arducodes/downloads/list
  • @Magnus:

    There is a flavor of open9x that supports APM telemetry integration via 3DR radios but it's under heavy development atm.

  • Developer
    @magnus: go to http://9xforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=430 for an example mod to add telemetry. Or you can purchase a display from FrSky that clips to the handle. It has the advantage that its not obscured by a neck strap if you use one.
    9xforums.com
  • Developer

    @Jim Brett,

    I think much of the community backlash for the Turnigy 9XR is frustration. HobbyKing had a golden opportunity. But instead of innovating they used the 9X hardware without any real improvements, added a new plastic casing and pretended they just invented sliced bread.

  • I probably would have bought a 9XR if I did not have already my smartiepants equipped ER9X 9X radio with FrySky modules.  I too was slightly disappointed with the XR not having a few more bells and whistles.

    Maybe HK will take the hint and release an upgraded model with better gimbals etc however don't expect it to be $50.00.

    I have also owned a few different radios including an expensive Multiplex and can categorically say the 9X is the best radio I have ever owned.

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