Other v-bar radio
- Thread starter murankar
- Start date
It is pretty cool. And I expect it will be off the market within a year, maybe two. I don't think they're going to sell many of them. Maybe some Mikado Logo RTF and BnF type kits with this stuff in the mix will help it along, but they would have to seriously step up their game on marketing Logos and other helis with these kits. They would want to and need to grab new heli pilots before Blade, Align, and Goblin get their grips on them. It will be exceedingly difficult to convert those not already deeply in the vbar camp to make the move. It will be difficult to make those with vbars to give up their investment in a given Tx/Rx technology. To have a chance they need to grab the next couple batches of new entries to the heli world, before Spektrum/JR or Futuba get their grip on them.
What would work? A consortium of FBL and Tx/Rx companies get together and create a generic protocol for the bidirection comms and a standard set of baseline configuration options (along with facility for non-generic params) that all Tx/Rx and FBL companies could implement and integrate into their tech with minimal royalties (on the order of a .5-1% per unit). That would have a game changing type effect, get the feature out there broadly, while still grabbing Mikado a chunk of change for the idea.
What would work? A consortium of FBL and Tx/Rx companies get together and create a generic protocol for the bidirection comms and a standard set of baseline configuration options (along with facility for non-generic params) that all Tx/Rx and FBL companies could implement and integrate into their tech with minimal royalties (on the order of a .5-1% per unit). That would have a game changing type effect, get the feature out there broadly, while still grabbing Mikado a chunk of change for the idea.
murankar
Staff member
I think this is a move to help retain the current user base and to help grow the user base through new pilots.
From my understanding v bar is the standard for designing fbl systems.
What I see happening is specktrum teaming up with beastx and maybe Futaba not far behind with their versions of the same technology.
Your right too by saying that it could die in a year. What's going to determine that is the cost of the entire system. If they have a sub $500 starting point I see it doing better. After all who wants to invest $700 plus into a dedicated lock down setup. If I am going to have my hands tied down to one fbl brand it would have to be at a great price.
We shall see how this plays out.
Sent from my LG-E980 using Forum Runner
From my understanding v bar is the standard for designing fbl systems.
What I see happening is specktrum teaming up with beastx and maybe Futaba not far behind with their versions of the same technology.
Your right too by saying that it could die in a year. What's going to determine that is the cost of the entire system. If they have a sub $500 starting point I see it doing better. After all who wants to invest $700 plus into a dedicated lock down setup. If I am going to have my hands tied down to one fbl brand it would have to be at a great price.
We shall see how this plays out.
Sent from my LG-E980 using Forum Runner
VBar is a great FBL, no doubt. It set the standard for a number of years, but I don't think that is necessarily the case anymore. And besides performance, value has become a key selling point. Many see higher bang for the buck going with 7200bx, Ikon, 3GX and even cheaper units. I also think that you may need to buy either a programmer card/device or a USB hookup for it, on top of the vbar price. They also have two versions of the software, one that is free and for full feature set programming you need to shell out more.
I'm not sure they solve a value proposition problem by introducing an even more expensive programming device, which happens to also be a Tx. Anyone who's already flying is going to have Tx/Rx equipment. If they have vbar they already have the programming side covered. I don't think this is too compelling for them beyond the cool factor.
I'm not sure if another company will try it themselves. Spektrum could, but they only have the 7200BX for it to work with. Unless they go a bit of the route I was speaking of and make it an open protocol so other FBL makers could integrate support for it. Futaba would have to do some kind of open protocol so FBL makers would integrate it, since they don't really have their own FBL system to market it on.
I'm not sure they solve a value proposition problem by introducing an even more expensive programming device, which happens to also be a Tx. Anyone who's already flying is going to have Tx/Rx equipment. If they have vbar they already have the programming side covered. I don't think this is too compelling for them beyond the cool factor.
I'm not sure if another company will try it themselves. Spektrum could, but they only have the 7200BX for it to work with. Unless they go a bit of the route I was speaking of and make it an open protocol so other FBL makers could integrate support for it. Futaba would have to do some kind of open protocol so FBL makers would integrate it, since they don't really have their own FBL system to market it on.
murankar
Staff member
Another feature is the model match. If you want a friend to fly tour bird then all the have to do is pair their tx to you v bar and they are flying.
What I liked was the vibration detection thing on the radio live. Just want to see how this plays out.
Sent from my LG-E980 using Forum Runner
What I liked was the vibration detection thing on the radio live. Just want to see how this plays out.
Sent from my LG-E980 using Forum Runner
They made a big deal of that pairing thing in the video. I don't see the big deal. Sure it saves a buddy from having to configure servo travels and reversals and gyro gain settings, but is that worth buying a whole new Tx, chucking existing Rx's and switching to the required sat, and also getting your buddy to do the same? Seems like a really expensive way to solve a minor issue.