fly sky vs spektrum transmitter and recievers?
- Thread starter rcwees
- Start date
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
Ketchup
4s mini mustang
Well I guess I'll be the one to fire the first shot lol.
I will be focusing more on transmitters here because of my limited knowledge on the difference between the receivers (and the fact that other brands make receivers that will be compatible with these transmitters, like lemon rx).
If you want to just get started in the hobby, the Flysky FS-i6X is probably one of the best transmitters you can choose, because it isn't too expensive and you get a lot for your money. Spektrum does make entry level transmitters, but honestly they way under deliver for the price in that range.
If you want to get a more expensive transmitter with more features, then Spektrum. Spektrum transmitters are more expensive, but they are very good quality, easy to use, reliable, and the costumer service you will see from them is some of the best in the business. They have fixed my DX8 multiple times for me, and every time it was all simple interactions and it was pretty cheap. The first time they didn't even charge any money since it was just a broken switch (they updated the tx too which is nice).
Some people will say that Spektrum will have less range, but any Spektrum transmitter will still fly your plane farther than you can see and way farther than you would need unless you do real long range stuff.
Fore more information on transmitter brands (and for more options), check this thread out: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/which-transmitter-you-should-buy.37966/
Also, all of the jokes about starting a war are because transmitters can be a very controversial topic in this hobby. Many of the arguments that I have seen in this hobby are centered around transmitter brands.
I see you are a new member so welcome to the FT Forums and the RC family! Don't be afraid to ask any questions, even if it does start a flame war, we may all learn from it.
I will be focusing more on transmitters here because of my limited knowledge on the difference between the receivers (and the fact that other brands make receivers that will be compatible with these transmitters, like lemon rx).
If you want to just get started in the hobby, the Flysky FS-i6X is probably one of the best transmitters you can choose, because it isn't too expensive and you get a lot for your money. Spektrum does make entry level transmitters, but honestly they way under deliver for the price in that range.
If you want to get a more expensive transmitter with more features, then Spektrum. Spektrum transmitters are more expensive, but they are very good quality, easy to use, reliable, and the costumer service you will see from them is some of the best in the business. They have fixed my DX8 multiple times for me, and every time it was all simple interactions and it was pretty cheap. The first time they didn't even charge any money since it was just a broken switch (they updated the tx too which is nice).
Some people will say that Spektrum will have less range, but any Spektrum transmitter will still fly your plane farther than you can see and way farther than you would need unless you do real long range stuff.
Fore more information on transmitter brands (and for more options), check this thread out: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/which-transmitter-you-should-buy.37966/
Also, all of the jokes about starting a war are because transmitters can be a very controversial topic in this hobby. Many of the arguments that I have seen in this hobby are centered around transmitter brands.
I see you are a new member so welcome to the FT Forums and the RC family! Don't be afraid to ask any questions, even if it does start a flame war, we may all learn from it.
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
@Ketchup Gotta love ya bud.... Look up..
Well I guess I'll be the one to fire the first shot lol.
then there is this... PRICELESS!!!
Spektrum transmitters are more expensive, but they are very good quality, easy to use, reliable, and the costumer service you will see from them is some of the best in the business. They have fixed my DX8 multiple times for me, and every time it was all simple interactions and it was pretty cheap. The first time they didn't even charge any money since it was just a broken switch (they updated the tx too which is nice).
Well I guess I'll be the one to fire the first shot lol.
then there is this... PRICELESS!!!
Spektrum transmitters are more expensive, but they are very good quality, easy to use, reliable, and the costumer service you will see from them is some of the best in the business. They have fixed my DX8 multiple times for me, and every time it was all simple interactions and it was pretty cheap. The first time they didn't even charge any money since it was just a broken switch (they updated the tx too which is nice).
Ketchup
4s mini mustang
Now I'm starting to get worried that I wrote something wrong 😂@Ketchup Gotta love ya bud.... Look up..
Well I guess I'll be the one to fire the first shot lol.
then there is this... PRICELESS!!!
Spektrum transmitters are more expensive, but they are very good quality, easy to use, reliable, and the costumer service you will see from them is some of the best in the business. They have fixed my DX8 multiple times for me, and every time it was all simple interactions and it was pretty cheap. The first time they didn't even charge any money since it was just a broken switch (they updated the tx too which is nice).
I didn't get enough sleep last night so I won't be able to catch mistakes lol.
If I didn't mess up and I'm just paranoid then I'll take your post as a compliment, and thank you in that case 😆
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
Oh no mate all is good.. just picking on you a bit because your not an open TX guy... YET.
JasonK
Participation Award Recipient
to try to temper the 'holy war' that this topic brings up. Different people have different needs sets and therefore different TX brands are a better fit for different people. Myself, I am a very hands on, fix it myself, let me to what every I want, and don't charge me more for stuff that is a pure software option. Therefore I am very much an OpenTX type person as it the radios supported by it give my everything I want for way less $$ then other brands. I have a Flysky FS-i6X for my son (which I swapped out one of the internal antennas for a VAS diamond antenna for him to improve his control link). I also have 2 spektrum radios that I wouldn't have purchased if I could rewind time and start this whole journey over again. But if someone if of the mindset, I am happy to pay more for it to 'just work' - but only in the ways that the manufacturer chooses, then Spektrum is probably a good choice for that person.
One thing to consider, all of the 'it works really well and your control link is likely to never fail' control links basically aren't the built in stuff [outside of a few TBS controllers that have their stuff in it] your going to need a JR module bay.
One thing to consider, all of the 'it works really well and your control link is likely to never fail' control links basically aren't the built in stuff [outside of a few TBS controllers that have their stuff in it] your going to need a JR module bay.
Well, as one that started on Spektrum (had 3), then went to FrSky, but never had FlySky, and am now on Radiomaster, I will NEVER go back to Spektrum. OpenTX and multiprotocol are your friend, and proprietary radios are not. Cheap used stuff excluded.
In the end, it will really come down to what you want to fly or do RC.
RadioMaster running OpenTX has capabilities and flexibility that make it compatible with just about anything RC, whereas, some companies try to lock you in to their market and don't really care about progress and innovation unless it lines their pockets. I don't know enough about FlySky to know much other than the do run Open Firmware.
In the end, it will really come down to what you want to fly or do RC.
RadioMaster running OpenTX has capabilities and flexibility that make it compatible with just about anything RC, whereas, some companies try to lock you in to their market and don't really care about progress and innovation unless it lines their pockets. I don't know enough about FlySky to know much other than the do run Open Firmware.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
Save up your pennies and get a multi-protocol transmitter and then fly almost anything you want.
Spektrum has a moderately slow hopping sequence with a very wide transmitter signal whereas FLySky uses a fast hopping narrower transmission. (Many more channels to chose from).
The best is actually a matter of "horses for courses". FLySky has low cost receivers but Spektrum has inbuilt stabilisation available!
From experience locally the FlySky suffers less interference or lack of radio spectrum availability in the residential areas whereas in an isolated area with few other radio sources the Spektrum appears to have the slight edge in range, (a matter of Just). The FlySky has telemetry receivers at entry level but you need to update the firmware on the transmitter to use them effectively. The iA6-2A can be a 10 channel radio with a firmware change as well.
Currently as I already stated, I use Spektrum, FlySky, FrSky, Eachine, Volantix, Orange, lemon, and any other receivers I can get my hands on at a decent price or as second hand units.
I use a Jumper t8sg currently and my next transmitter is still yet to be designed and built.
Hopefully that adds mud to the water for you!
Have fun!
Spektrum has a moderately slow hopping sequence with a very wide transmitter signal whereas FLySky uses a fast hopping narrower transmission. (Many more channels to chose from).
The best is actually a matter of "horses for courses". FLySky has low cost receivers but Spektrum has inbuilt stabilisation available!
From experience locally the FlySky suffers less interference or lack of radio spectrum availability in the residential areas whereas in an isolated area with few other radio sources the Spektrum appears to have the slight edge in range, (a matter of Just). The FlySky has telemetry receivers at entry level but you need to update the firmware on the transmitter to use them effectively. The iA6-2A can be a 10 channel radio with a firmware change as well.
Currently as I already stated, I use Spektrum, FlySky, FrSky, Eachine, Volantix, Orange, lemon, and any other receivers I can get my hands on at a decent price or as second hand units.
I use a Jumper t8sg currently and my next transmitter is still yet to be designed and built.
Hopefully that adds mud to the water for you!
Have fun!
Trukntigger
New member
Hmm all of it interesting to me but like say comparing a IPhone to a Android phone- user wise Iphone feels easier or more intuitive where as Android feels a bit more in depth and complicated. iPhone won't do as much, Android has more features and open choices it comes down to what your looking for. Once your used to it I think in end reliability and support end up making the choice.
40+ years doing Rc, I'm getting too old to learn new tricks so that Spektrum setup won with me. iPhone did too. Yea, not cheapest, not as technical but both do the job well and support on both is good. I think if I was younger and more open to learning new tricks I'd try the open tx next. I gave up on Android long while back, lack of updates and/or keeping current os had me switch and haven't gone back. Spektrum starting to concern me too now with updates and wonder when I will be forced to upgrade radio again. Ponder: how good is something like open tx and radio gear with staying current before hardware lacks power to run the firmware like a pc that gets too old?
40+ years doing Rc, I'm getting too old to learn new tricks so that Spektrum setup won with me. iPhone did too. Yea, not cheapest, not as technical but both do the job well and support on both is good. I think if I was younger and more open to learning new tricks I'd try the open tx next. I gave up on Android long while back, lack of updates and/or keeping current os had me switch and haven't gone back. Spektrum starting to concern me too now with updates and wonder when I will be forced to upgrade radio again. Ponder: how good is something like open tx and radio gear with staying current before hardware lacks power to run the firmware like a pc that gets too old?
JasonK
Participation Award Recipient
The software being ran on the radios is fairly trival to that being ran on your PC, so its 'needs' aren't going up so fast. Much modern software is written with the 'the computers are getting faster, so we can write bloated, slower code and the hardware will make up for it' mindest. If not for this, the lowest end computers would likely meet the needs of most computer users [outside of computer games and other truly high performance needs applications].
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
I love it.. ALL the spectrum users add the statement "and their support is great" So I will take it you know that their support is great because their initial quality sucks and you had to send it in to be repaired? How do you know support is great if your radios worked as intended to begin with you never had / need to contact them.
I have a 2017 Taranis X9D plus that has given me ZERO problems other then me wanting to upgrade to hall effect gimbals which I did myself with zero issues. That and the 4 in one module I have allows me to fly anything I would ever want.
I have a 2017 Taranis X9D plus that has given me ZERO problems other then me wanting to upgrade to hall effect gimbals which I did myself with zero issues. That and the 4 in one module I have allows me to fly anything I would ever want.
Both brands will fly your plane equally well. They have different menu layouts, once you learn the menu, they are equally useful. Both menus have a learning curve.
Regarding price, there is a huge difference, Spectrum is several times more expensive, for both the Tx & Rx. Because Spectrum has been around longer, it is more popular and has far more Bind & Fly options available.
25 years ago, Futaba was the most popular and expensive brand, then Spectrum came along, and was much cheaper. Now very few fly Futaba and Spectrum has become the popular, expensive brand. History has a way of repeating.
Regarding price, there is a huge difference, Spectrum is several times more expensive, for both the Tx & Rx. Because Spectrum has been around longer, it is more popular and has far more Bind & Fly options available.
25 years ago, Futaba was the most popular and expensive brand, then Spectrum came along, and was much cheaper. Now very few fly Futaba and Spectrum has become the popular, expensive brand. History has a way of repeating.
Ketchup
4s mini mustang
My DX8 NEVER failed because of any manufacturing faults or bad quality. Both times it was a hundred percent my fault. The first time I broke a switch by accidentally bumping into a wall while holding my tx. The second time I managed to mess up the diversity antenna while trying to “fix” something inside. Even though that might be voiding the warranty, they still fixed it for a very minimal cost.
Ask around and you will find experiences similar to mine. Spektrums don’t fail on their own, it’s user error that’s the problem.
Also while I am on the topic of Spektrum I will add that it definitely isn’t for everybody. For the op, something like a Jumper TX-16 would probably be better since they would most likely be flying smaller foamies. If you fly bigger or more expensive planes, that’s when you want to go with Spektrum or Futaba.
JasonK
Participation Award Recipient
Last weekend at the airfield 4 big planes went down... 'control link issues' were the stated explanations. to my knowledge 3 of those were running spektrum. Me running my RM TX16S and my son with his Flysky FS-i6X where the only people not complaining about radio link issues (even the guy with the TBS Tango 2 was reporting that he was getting unusually low link quality - which surprised me, but he was the only person on 900MHz... so I can't tell what to make of that.)
And I was flying during at least one of those 'control link issues' - so I was dealing with the same RF environment.
Trukntigger
New member
I will say the quality of the recent Spektrum ix20 transmitter has not impressed me. 2 friends with them both have had to send in for repairs due to display issues. Was under warranty and dealt with pretty quick but to have issues with it a month into use not good. (One display would just blank out, other horizontal lines across display.) Wanted to upgrade but seeing that I'm staying with banging the sticks on my dx8g2 until I see how the new FAA rules are going to be implemented.
Ketchup
4s mini mustang
My comment wasn’t exactly commentary on the reliability of Spektrum, and it definitely shouldn’t be taken as pure truth, since I have no other experience with any other radio system, sorry for wording that wrong. What I meant was that I would prefer to use Spektrum myself in that situation.
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