What's the best TX out there

SkyPirate67

Junior Member
I am interested in hearing your thoughts on what TX is the cream of the crop and why.
What is on that "must be able to do" list when you are looking for that new TX.
Do you build your plane around your TX or vice versa?:rolleyes:
 

Mike oxbig

15% nitro is my cologne
That's a pretty loaded question but in terms of best as in most features and build quality its probably a toss up between the JR 12X and the futaba 14Mz depending on your flavor preference.

I'm a Jr fanboy but the best value for the money in my opinion is the airtronics 10G. The features that this tx has and it's user friendly programming makes it an amazing tx. Add tothat with the fact that airtronics 2.4 system has the lowest latency rate for the fastest response time. The only con is that it's airtronics so the product support is a little lacking.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
yes, this could go on forever.

In my opinion, the best out there are going to the most expensive. If you are talking about value, that's a whole different game. The Futaba MZA 18 channel is probably impossible to beat but it's 3000 dollars. You can get the spektrum DX18 for 800. It's the cream of the spektrum crop. Probably the best value is the Futaba 8FG super because it can be expanded to 14 channels. The DX8 is right up there for value as well.

I really haven't seen any new stuff from airtronics. I ran airtronics radios years ago when I raced cars, but no one I know uses them for air. The JR radios are top notch as well and the 11x is my favorite from them because it's 11 channels, dsmx, and only 750 bucks.

The turnigy 9x is a super popular radio because it's 9 channels for under a hundred bucks.

So........what's the best radio? Probably the one you can afford and the one that has the best local support, which usually means whatever the people you fly with fly because then you can get the most help with it.

As far as "it must be able to do......." any of the high end radios can do about anything.

I will mention though that futaba still sells heli versions of their high end radios and heli versions where the JR and Spektrum radios have all the programming in each. I think that the Futaba radios also have the same programming, it's more about which features are highlighted and optimized in the radio.

As far as building a plane around a radio, you obviously have limitations on your programming and number of channels, but you have options there with things like a smart fly system, Futaba and Spektrum have Sbuss type systems, you can link servos with y harnesses like the old days etc, so it comes down to what are you wanting to do. If I had an idea of what you are trying to build and fly, I could make some recommendations.

I personally own a DX8 because I wanted to have the options to expand later. I use all 8 channels on my cub because of the configuration I chose, but I could have done it with 6. The mixing options I chose required 8. If I were to build a large plane that required a lot of servos working in tandem, I can expand through the aforementioned smart fly systems and others as much as needed.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
The one that is within your budget that meets your needs as a flight controller for your chosen aircraft or fleet of aircraft. ;)
I have a sub $100 dollar Turnigy 9X and a multi hundred dollar Futaba. Both work well for my purposes. The most bang for the buck and most useful to me is the Turnigy (cause I am cheap and like $9 receivers vs the Futaba $90 receivers or $30 Futaba compatible Chinese receivers).

Thurmond
 

UndCon

UndCon
Determine best :)

I want a modular radio
I want to be able to use open source for custom features
It needs to be 100% customizable, replace switches with knobs or levers or replace the sticks with a joystick
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Is Multiplex out of the race?
It is not so many years ago that MPX ruled the top of competition.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I just checked the multiplex web site and both of their radios are under the discontinued section.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
I just checked the multiplex web site and both of their radios are under the discontinued section.
Kidding me?
The Profi TX - just 2050 dollars
Or the SMART SX - just 145 dollars for a design not looking at all like OLD radios and smart to recognize 100s of models without the need of selecting any model memory - it is all in the receiver.
5186c47945.jpg
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Kidding me?
The Profi TX - just 2050 dollars
Or the SMART SX - just 145 dollars for a design not looking at all like OLD radios and smart to recognize 100s of models without the need of selecting any model memory - it is all in the receiver.
5186c47945.jpg


I didn't see that one, but the topic was top of the line radios. That's a basic 4 channel like the bnf radios from horizon except the horizon bnf radios which can also be bound to an unlimited number of radios are under 45 bucks.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/champ-rtf-HBZ4900

Here's the page I found with the discontinued higher end fm radios.
http://www.multiplexusa.com/other-products/radio-systems/index.html

I searched through Tower Hobbies for every single thing they sell from multiplex as they are the biggest multiplex dealer I could find. They still sell receivers but no radios and it's all 72mhz fm.

Looks like they had some good stuff, I'd like to know if maybe they just don't offer it in the US or something.
 

SkyPirate67

Junior Member
Awesome feedback! Thanks! I am trying to get a feel for "how" I should go about choosing my next TX. For what I would like to do right now, I believe a 6 channel would suffice but I like the thoughts on upgradability. Maybe an 8 channel for room to grow. I don't think that any one TX is going to be compatible with all planes due to the different receivers, correct? I would take care of that issue though. Kind of makes it easy to try and use the same brand parts as the tx?
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
One nice thing about Spektrum is the availability of the orange rx hobbyking receivers for 6.99. I have about six of them in planes of various sizes and shapes. They perform very well. The other manufacturers also have cheaper rx's but I think they are more expensive.

I skipped the 6 channel and went right for the 8 and I've never regretted it. There's another thread on here for this topic and most people who bought a 6 soon wished they had bought an 8 or more.
 

Mike oxbig

15% nitro is my cologne
If you ever want to fly nitro powered helis you pretty much need 7 channels. For the price the dx7 from spektrum is where it's at.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I'd recommend getting a Flysky/Turnigy/Eurgle/etc. 9x. It's cheap and programmable as teach said above, reliable and being modular, you can pop in a huge number of different systems including DSM2 compatible, frsky, Futaba compatible, Hobbyking super-micro, Corona etc.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
I didn't see that one, but the topic was top of the line radios. ...
You did not see the high end Profi TX?
45700_D_05.jpg

The SMART is nothing to Compare with other low end radios - 6 channels.
30 model memories - plus hundreds recognized and automatically programmed when you bind them!
Is there any other TX on the market that smart? Setting all TX programming from the values stored in the RX?
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I'm afraid I wasn't aware of the german site. I only speak english so I tend not to tour the ones I can't read. I read that hitec had purchased multiplex on the multiplex.com site so I'm a bit confused. That looks like a very nice radio, has a lot of cool features. But, for 1500+ euros, I think a better value would be the Spektrum 18 channel. The biggest deterrent for me is the lack of dealer support for multiplex in my region.