Torn Between the Radiomaster TX16 and the Frsky X18

[Nigel Heather]

Been looking for a new radio for some time - I think it is taking so long because, bluntly I don't really need one, my Futaba 8FG is in perfect condition, it is just that I want something more up to date - with all the bells and whistles that I will probably never use 🙂

 

Having looked at all sorts I am now torn between 

 

Radiomaster TX156S Mk II MAX with CNC gimbals

Frsky X18SE

 

They are pretty much the same price - the Radiomaster starts of cheaper but by the time you add the battery and a case to make them more equal they cost about the same.

 

What I like about the Frsky

Clean design

Perceived better quality - design and build

Perceivedull solution - transmitter, receivers, telemetry - all designed to work together

 

What I like about the Radiomaster

EdgeTX

More conventional design

 

One of the selling points of the Radiomaster is the 4 in 1 modules - to be honest I'm less bothered by that - to be honest I prefer to stick to one receiver brand

 

Appreciate it is my choice at the end of the day, and I imagine that they are both great radios - but all the same would be interested to hear your thoughts.

[Ron Gray]

You can get a 4 in 1 module for the X18.

[Outrunner]

You are not comparing like for like by adding the CNC gimbals to the TX16s

 

Both good radios but I think the choice between them is if you want ETHOS or Edge Tx....

[Richard Wills 2]

I would mostly agree with Outrunner on the Ethos/EdgeTX choice.  I upgraded my X10S to an X20S this year.  I ran FROS on the X10, Open/Edge TX is a hard no for me, I can use it, but don't like it at all.  Ethos is easy to use and may be the better choice coming from Futaba.   As for the hardware, I love the X20S.

[Philip Lewis 3]

Not just Ethos or  Edge but Ethos and the X20 and X18 also allow you to use the Access receivers which is also where FrSky's development will be heading with any new products.

 

I doubt very much you will see FrSky doing anything with the old ACCST receivers aince launching the Access and twin protocols.

[Graham Bowers]

I've been flying a Taranis since 2016 and recently bought a Radiomaster TX16S MK II 4 in 1. 

 

My rationale was I can use all of my FRSKY D8 and D16 receivers, my Multiplex receivers and the little bind and fly quads and fixed wing that bind to Spekky.

 

I'm still flying the Taranis and am getting used to Edge. 

 

Who knows what the future holds, and nothing is forever,  but FrSky have a habit of dumping protocols so I'll probably stock up on a few ACCST receivers. 

 

 

[Edgeflyer]

I have had Radiomaster TX16S Frsky x10s and have now gone to X20. Worlds apart in quality over tx16s. You can use a 4 in 1 external module with X20. I think x18 is a lesser version 

[Graham Bowers]

1 minute ago, Phil B said:

I have had Radiomaster TX16S Frsky x10s and have now gone to X20. Worlds apart in quality over tx16s. You can use a 4 in 1 external module with X20. I think x18 is a lesser version 

Interesting comment.

 

Would you mind describing a couple of the quality differences please? It's hard to go to a shop and compare these days, so objective descriptions on forums are very helpful.

[Nigel Heather]

8 hours ago, Outrunner said:

You are not comparing like for like by adding the CNC gimbals to the TX16s

 

May I ask why.  The X18SE has CNC gimbals as standard so I would have thought that adding the AG01 to the TX16S is making them as equal as possible.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

Edited December 17, 2022 by Nigel Heather

[Nigel Heather]

Thanks for all the replies, lots of support for Frsky and Ethos which I admit is the way U was leaning.

 

One interesting thing in the responses is a lot of support for the X20.

 

Interesting how you compare with the X18 and X20.

 

The X20 has a bigger higher resolution screen.  It is easier to read in sunlight than the X18 and Frsky have had to bring out the X18SE to address that.

 

BTW I'm not too bothered with receivers - I don't have that many and have no choice but to replace them - so the 4in1 isn't that much of a draw for me.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

[Richard Wills 2]

I got the X20 over the X18 mainly as I prefer the way it looks, and the screen is bigger.

[GrumpyGnome]

Radiomaster is a brilliant Tx, and the built in multi-module is great - I use Spektrum (DSM2/X), Futaba, FrSky, Radiomaster and various clone rx's..... can't speak too highly of EdgeTX - once you get your head around it, it's marvellously powerful and unrestricted.

 

A flying chum has an X18 and it feels a much higher quality set tbh..... if it was fully EdgeTx compatible, I'd save me pennies........ 

[Outrunner]

2 hours ago, Nigel Heather said:

 

May I ask why.  The X18SE has CNC gimbals as standard so I would have thought that adding the AG01 to the TX16S is making them as equal as possible.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

I believe the X18 has a metal gimbal front plate and the AG01 are a fully metal CNC cut gimbal.

 

 

[Philip Lewis 3]

I went from an X10S with Open TX to the X20S, I think Ethos is a great system, much easier to use and what Open TX (or nowEdge) should have been from the start, it does everything I need (which for fixed wing flying is probably more than most will ever use) and a whole lot more.

 

The quallity of the X20S to me is as good as Jeti now (and |I have flown with Jeti), the X10S was still a little behind.

 

I've flown with a Radiomater TX16S and it just felt horrible, no way is it in the same league hardware wise, yes it has a lot of features but that's mainly down to the open source software, but the hardware, the quality just isn't there. I get the multi protocol requirement that some people have but I have no need for that, I just want the most reliable link to the plane I can get and I want a TX with a quality, i.e. not toy like feel, I also need total precission as that's what I fly.

 

To sum up my experience, the X20S hardware feels real quality, Ethos is intuitive and easy to use and the new Access receivers from FrSky are ridiculously easy to use (over the air updates, no buttons to press to bind etc, important should you have to use a back up TX for some reason at a competition).

 

But that's just my take on it, your mileage may vary. 

[Nigel Heather]

2 hours ago, Outrunner said:

I believe the X18 has a metal gimbal front plate and the AG01 are a fully metal CNC cut gimbal.

 

 

X18 - metal front gimbal plate

X18S - all CNC gimbal

X18SE - an X18S but with a different screen to address the concerns about visibility in bright daylight with the X18 and X18S

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Nigel Heather

[Outrunner]

8 hours ago, Nigel Heather said:

X18 - metal front gimbal plate

X18S - all CNC gimbal

X18SE - an X18S but with a different screen to address the concerns about visibility in bright daylight with the X18 and X18S

 

 

Right you are, I wasn't aware that that X18s has the CNC gimbals, not heard of the X18SE, must check it out.

[Allan Bennett]

Oh dear, all this talk is whetting my appetite! 

 

Does Ethos have a PC interface like Companion, and would ACCST receivers currently working with my X9D need any change other than re-binding?

[flight1]

The entire range of TD, ACCESS & ACCST D16 receivers are supported, but the accst  must be ACCST V2. So you need to check which accst your using on your existing Rx's. they can be easily flashed to required firmware if needed.

As for pc interface their is the Ethos Suit which makes updating /back up very easy, on it it has image tool/ audio tool/model manager/ etc all easy to to use

[Philip Lewis 3]

Yes and no, if you mean companion to set up a model or change settings in a model then no, or I should say not yet, but what it does do is automatically update all the out of date software such as the bootloader and software automatically with a single click, you can't get the wrong software loaded this way.

 

With a single click you can also do a back up of all your models. 

 

I found that Ethos is so easy to use on the big touchscreen of the X20S that I don't reallly miss companion anyway even though that was what I always used when using Open TX. 

 

D8 isn't supported or LR12 but D16 is however I found the Access receivers much better but then again I only have three planes. 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Philip Lewis 3
Spelling

[Allan Bennett]

Thanks flight1 and Philip.  All my receivers are on v2, so that's not an issue.  I'll download ethos suite to see what it does -- I see from the notes that it will soon have additional features.

[Philip Lewis 3]

Hi Alan,

 

by all means do so but I don't think you'll see much in Ethos Suite without a TX connected, I would suggest you take a look at some of Darens videos on you tube which should give you a much better idea, the updating one is here and there are plenty more on his chanel.

 

I'm guessing you'll soon be the proud owner of an X20S, after all it's XMAS, time to treat yourself to something you won't regret.

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Philip Lewis 3
Spelling

[Allan Bennett]

Thanks Philip.  I abandoned the Ethos Suite installation because it was taking too long, and I had to go out.  I'll look at the video instead.

[David P Williams]

I have a Horus X10 Express with on OpenTX with a 4-in-1 module that all works really well. I fancy changing to a Tandem X18. I know that I will need a new 'Lite' 4-in-1 module, the main one available seems to be the iRange IRX4. Is this just plug and play with Ethos like it was with OTX?

[MattyB]

2 hours ago, David P Williams said:

I have a Horus X10 Express with on OpenTX with a 4-in-1 module that all works really well. I fancy changing to a Tandem X18. I know that I will need a new 'Lite' 4-in-1 module, the main one available seems to be the iRange IRX4. Is this just plug and play with Ethos like it was with OTX?

 

It wasn't originally, but it appears some work has been done and it now works... Probably worth you checking with a quick post to this RCGroups thread just to be totally sure, though:

 

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?4061129-FrSky-Tandem-X18/page28

[David P Williams]

Thanks Matty