Horus 10X on FR Operating System

[David Pearce 4]

I switched to FRsky QX7 on Open TX some time ago. My main reason was value for money and the reliability over my previous system. It has proven rock solid and reliable.

But, as a sports flyer who is satisfied with 4 to 6 channels and basic mixes such as elevon, and someone who doesn't set up new aircraft very often I do find that becoming familiar with open TX is a problem.

I have now been offered a Horus 10X by a friend, at a very attractive price. He uses it on the FRsky operating system which seems as easy to use as any TX.

My question is, apart from the obvious loss of the flexibility offered by Open TX, are there any significant disadvantages in using FROS? In particular the reliability of signal.

Thanks for your input.

[Steve Balaam]

I flew with an X12S on FROS for quite some time without experiancing any problems at all. I changed to OpenTx as there is a lot more support on Youtube and other sources if any support is needed. I continued to fly my X12s and also an X10S with OpenTx and both continue to give excellent reliable service. Only problems I've had is getting the TXs to talk to my PC and the Companion software but that's a MSoft Windows issue and not the TXs.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Steve Balaam on 24/07/2020 14:24:51:

I flew with an X12S on FROS for quite some time without experiancing any problems at all. I changed to OpenTx as there is a lot more support on Youtube and other sources if any support is needed. I continued to fly my X12s and also an X10S with OpenTx and both continue to give excellent reliable service. Only problems I've had is getting the TXs to talk to my PC and the Companion software but that's a MSoft Windows issue and not the TXs.

I don't think it's a Microsoft problem. I've got lots of things that talk to it perfectly, from W7 to the latest W10 '2004' build (earlier this month) and every time I've tried back to about 2011. And even the old ones still all work fine.

As for the Horus.

I've have been looking with more and more interest at OpenTx as an 'alternative' (not a replacement) for my usual Multiplex stuff as the two operating systems have very similar interfaces and functionality. I don't like the Taranis because of its naff '1950s jukebox' appearance. Radiomaster quality is unknown and a few people on forums only recently saying it's ok is not enough.

So I looked at the Horus. But why change one proprietary operating system for another? So that was the end of that idea.

The Taranis is cheap enough to buy as an 'experiment' with OpenTx but I would have to buy some receivera as well.

[MattyB]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 24/07/2020 15:16:31:

...The Taranis is cheap enough to buy as an 'experiment' with OpenTx but I would have to buy some receivera as well.

Richard, I have an brand new, unused M-Link JR module that would fit any Frsky TX that would avoid that issue. It was bought as a backup in case Frsky messed up the ETSI change back in 2015, but in the end I never needed to switch RF platform. PM me if you are interested, as I will never use it now.

[MattyB]

Posted by David Pearce 4 on 24/07/2020 13:58:41:

...My question is, apart from the obvious loss of the flexibility offered by Open TX, are there any significant disadvantages in using FROS? In particular the reliability of signal.

Thanks for your input.

To answer the most important part of your original question, the RF link is completely independent of the TX OS (be that OpenTX, FROS or anything else). The only deltas are a) very low amounts of support info and expertise out there compared to OpenTX, and b) FROS is updated with new features far less frequently than OpenTX (some will see that as a disadvantage, others the opposite).

Remember though that FROS was not a “blank sheet of paper” exercise for Frsky - it is still clearly based on OpenTX style logic, so if you are used to a JR/Spek/Futaba canned mixer style approach it won’t be that much easier to crack than OpenTX. Personally I would suggest if you go those route you stick with OpenTX or try erskyTX from Mike Blandford...

Posted by Mike Blandford on 19/07/2020 20:11:07:

...erskyTx is much easier to navigate than openTx, while providing about the same flexibility (both were forked from er9x).

When you go to set up a model, you first get this index page:

From where you may easily see what is available to configure.

So if you are having difficulty with openTx you might consider erskyTx.

Mike

Edited By MattyB on 24/07/2020 20:21:13

[David Pearce 4]

Thanks all, especially Matty.

Food for thought and with the Horus I have choices. I'm certainly a flier who wants the technical stuff to be easy to set up whilst giving me the reliability we all need.

Thanks again.

[Tim Ballinger]

David,

I have had my X10 for 2 years now . I tried OpenTx on companion before I bought the Horus and thought ok I won’t have a problem with that if I need it. So changing to OpenTx I always had as an option. However I have found the FrOS so versatile and just as easy to use that I have never changed. You can use the ‘canned ‘ mixes if you want or there is a separate external mixer if you prefer. I used the canned butterfly mix for a glider the other day for the first time.; absolute doddle.

Help on ‘how to’ is indeed thinner on the ground but I have not found it a problem.

Telemetry manipulation is the , I think, the weakest part of the FrOS when compared to OpenTx but is still comprehensive. For example the Parameters available from the new neuron ESC are not logged and the BEC amps can not be seen at all. You can discover them on OpenTx. That links into the comment above about FrOS updates. We are still waiting for one that fixes that issue. That’s about my only real gripe.

My advice try it and see what you think. You can swap to OpenTx or Ersky at any time you want.

Tim

[David Holland 2]

David, I agree with all Tim’s comments above. I am a recent convert to Frsky, I bought a Horus X10 Express in October (from T9, brilliant service) and stayed with FrOs. Took a little time to get my head round it, and while not completely computer illiterate, I am certainly no whizz. I does everything I need and more and has been bullet proof so far. I did download to OpenTx companion and have played with it on the computer but I really need some one to one tuition to understand how it thinks. It does seem to offer a few more options but I have yet to find anything I need that FrOs can’t handle. I swopped from Spektrum purely because my first generation DX8 was getting old and I thought I deserved a treat ( it had been completely reliable before the Spektrum bashing kicks in) and I convinced myself that I was running out of model memories. All in all I am delighted with the Horus, it looks great, it feels great and FrOs is much more versatile than the Spekky OS without needing a degree in computer sciences to understand it. Enjoy your Horus.

David

[David Pearce 4]

Thanks Tim and David, sound advice. I'll be buying the Horus and, as you suggest, try it on FrOS first and see how I get on. Nice to have the choice of Open TX or Ersky if needed.

Cheers

[Tim Ballinger]

David,

Glad to have been some help. What I forgot to add ,in case you have not spotted it. The full pdf manual download from the Frsky site is pretty comprehensive.

Tim

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by MattyB on 24/07/2020 20:05:05:

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 24/07/2020 15:16:31:

...The Taranis is cheap enough to buy as an 'experiment' with OpenTx but I would have to buy some receivera as well.

Richard, I have an brand new, unused M-Link JR module that would fit any Frsky TX that would avoid that issue. It was bought as a backup in case Frsky messed up the ETSI change back in 2015, but in the end I never needed to switch RF platform. PM me if you are interested, as I will never use it now.

Matty,

I sent you a PM. I will have it if the price is 'fair' (I accept they were quite pricy originally).

If I decide not to buy a Taranis I can use it in my old JR X347 which I quite liked. (Incidentally I've got a different version inside my very old Pro Line Competition 7 and yet another inside the Profi 4000 as they made a specific version for it.)

Edited By Richard Clark 2 on 25/07/2020 13:32:14

[MattyB]

Those old JRs were awesome - had a 388 for many years prior to my Profi, limited on the software side compared to most current sets, but the physicals were bulletproof.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by MattyB on 25/07/2020 19:33:32:

Those old JRs were awesome - had a 388 for many years prior to my Profi, limited on the software side compared to most current sets, but the physicals were bulletproof.

Yeah, they were. I only bought my first Evo because having retired early my GF, now wife, who is rather bossy, said I should do something useful so I worked part time in the nearby 'Mainly Planes and Trains' as I knew the owner. He had an Evo on the display shelf and I liked the look of it

PS: I've sent you a PM accepting  your price.

Edited By Richard Clark 2 on 26/07/2020 07:10:10

[MattyB]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 26/07/2020 07:08:39:

Posted by MattyB on 25/07/2020 19:33:32:

Those old JRs were awesome - had a 388 for many years prior to my Profi, limited on the software side compared to most current sets, but the physicals were bulletproof.

Yeah, they were. I only bought my first Evo because having retired early my GF, now wife, who is rather bossy, said I should do something useful...

I have one of those too - I've never actually gone and done anything useful at her behest however. You want to be careful, it's a slippery slope between there and full on decorating/DIY duties...

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by MattyB on 27/07/2020 17:23:05:

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 26/07/2020 07:08:39:

Posted by MattyB on 25/07/2020 19:33:32:

Those old JRs were awesome - had a 388 for many years prior to my Profi, limited on the software side compared to most current sets, but the physicals were bulletproof.

Yeah, they were. I only bought my first Evo because having retired early my GF, now wife, who is rather bossy, said I should do something useful...

I have one of those too - I've never actually gone and done anything useful at her behest however. You want to be careful, it's a slippery slope between there and full on decorating/DIY duties...

She means well and "it's for my own good".

But her efforts to 'improve' me haven't been very successful