Very nice! Lots of channels and tons of features - and the PRICE!!! $799.99 SRP! EXCELLENT. But it certainly falls short on its display :-[ If you look at Futaba's 18MZ, there just isn't any comparison. Of course, you can't buy the 18MZ for $800! Nice find for sure John!
The DX18 is available now for pre-order from Horizon Hobby: http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/dx18-system-with-ar9020-md2-SPM18000?cm_mmc=email-_-120307DX18Ann-_-PreorderNowButton-_-SPM18000
What would even be able to use 18 channels? How could you even begin to deal with all that while flying anything?
I'm no airplane expert but from what I understand is that for some reason gliders need a lot of channels. Maybe a "airplane guy" would have more input.
True, I have seen gliders with as many as four servos per side in the main wing. That's eight servos just for the wing. But I have also seen larger scale planes with as many as 15 servos, plus several electronic devices requiring additional channels for things such as bomb drops, smoke, lights, canopy eject, delpoy a drag chute, etc. More channels give more options for mixing as well. Every mix you program uses two or more channels. I use four mixes on my F-18 Go Ducks jet with a nine channel Rx (only 7 being used). And that's a small, simple plane. Typically, I think, the guys doing competitions and air shows are the ones looking at this kind of radio system.
Being into Heli's there's a couple of features I like about this Radio ... The Built-In Telemetry with Vibe Alerts - Sweet, if this also included a Low-Volt Alert which could be adjusted to lets say 3.2v (under-load) per cell? Yes the Vibe Alert is very welcome over the Audible Type and it might make "telemetry" actually usable (somewhat) in FLIGHT for the Heli pilot The 7-Point Heli Tail Curve - Looks interesting although I would have to do some research to see what this could really do for me The Swash Plate Timing - This is also a NEW idea for me but here I have done some reading -> HERE <- and -> HERE <- The second link is not about SP-Timing but it's somewhat related so I've added it anyway The The RC world’s only electronic Pre-Flight Checklist - Well if only for the absent minded {LOL} Not pointing any fingers here ... and of course my "almost" favorite feature is the ever popular SD Card Reader. The large Back-Lighted screens which allot these newer radios have will always be my favorite Overall I think it's a pretty cool Radio but it's not for me, it's just a wee bit too much radio for my tastes. Now if some of those features I thought looked good we're offered with one of Spektrum's lesser radios!?! Anyway it's as they say this radio wasn't designed for me, it's for the PRO's As for the number of channels I think it worth a note: "2048 resolution on the first 10 channels (which include the primary controls) and 512 resolution on the remaining 8 X-Plus channels" ... Although I don't see or don't know who but it could be important? [size=1.20em][shadow=Orange,left]w00d[/shadow][/size]
They should add a video out and make the transmitter more integrated for FPV flying. I know there are a lot of FPV frequencies depending on country so maybe the built-in FPV receiver would be swapable like some Futaba radios. Originally I thought make a bigger built-in screen but they could never make it big enough for some people and holding a 32 inch wide transmitter would be a pain, literally.
I don't see 512 resolution being a problem for the remaining channels as they are all switches. Yes, they claim that all channels are "proportional", but really - how proportional can "on/off" be?
You forgot the "maybe" state. Maybe it's on, maybe it's off. I know I've seen it in action a few times at the Sunday fly. Ask Chris or Dan.
