Rob Manser Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 I've just bought a secondhand DX6i transmitter. The buyer seems genuine (he got it with some drones, but already has a transmitter), the transmitter looks in almost new condition and comes in a nice hard shell case, and there were photos on the advert of it working fine. However, I've put new batteries in and the screen doesn't display anything when the transmitter is powered up. I can hear beeps from the menu selector, so the rest of it is presumably ok. Is this a common issue? Is there perhaps an easy fix? Is it likely to just be the screen? Replacements come from the US and are really expensive, but I've seen illuminated upgraded ones in the UK for £13, which I could easily fit. Many thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 The easy answer is to say demand your money back from the seller for selling with false advertising. The longer answer might be that the battery is not fully charged or faulty and the screen is too feint to see with low battery. DX6i is fairly feint anyway but brightness can be increased in the menu. Leaving in bright sun can wreck any LCD screen. It might not be worth spending too much money to repair an older Tx in case there is some other problem as well. Better to immediately claim your money back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Or maybe a cable came loose in the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 25 minutes ago, Outrunner said: Or maybe a cable came loose in the post. Could happen I suppose but it's still a faulty item when received so a refund is due. But if it was a cable coming loose what a good job it didn't happen whilst a model was flying! Frankly buying secondhand radio for flying models is not a good idea unless you know the owner and how it's been used- a cheap radio new is better than a fancy one in unknown condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC57 Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 (edited) Are you sure it’s not just the screen contrast that’s been turned down? I have an old JR transmitter on which it’s possible with the scroll wheel to inadvertently turn the LCD contrast down to the extent that it appears completely blank, when it is in fact powered up - which can make life very difficult if you don’t notice you’ve done it. Edited March 14 by EvilC57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Manser Posted March 15 Author Share Posted March 15 Thank you for all the replies. The batteries are brand new Duracell AA. I opened it yesterday to check, and I can't see anything that's come loose. That doesn't mean there's not a loose connector hidden behind a PCB of course. I trust this E-Bay seller as we've chatted a bit, and the advert had photos of the screen working before he sold it. He even said that it's missing a couple of lines at the very bottom, which I accepted as it won't affect screen output. I do understand the risks of secondhand electronics, but I'm on a strict budget. Contrast is an interesting one; would they really make the lowest setting invisible? I've got the manual and menu sequence and have tried going to the item blind and adjusting it, but nothing happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Buying second hand radio is a very risky game and after seeing how some folks treat their gear over the field (left out in rain, dropped, bodged repairs, coated in exhaust residue, chucked on the floor of their car etc) unless i knew the owner and was satisfied that they were as careful with radio as I am, then I'd never recommend buying used. Rob, if you can't pin the problem down to a simple cause and the item is actually defective then request a refund, it's just not worth messing about with - you say that the Ebay seller has already pointed out a fault with the display - not good and it makes one wonder what else might crop up - can you really have confidence in the gear? Most Ebayers are very good and don't want any hassle, so go through the Ebay procedure and get your money back. My wife bought a ceramic chopping board on Ebay recently for around £40 and is was so poorly packed that it arrived in bits. No arguments from the seller and she received an immediate refund. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDB Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 I'd send it back and if you're on a tight budget this new TX and RX are very good. https://amzn.eu/d/cm3qiyN 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC57 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 (edited) 3 hours ago, Rob Manser said: Contrast is an interesting one; would they really make the lowest setting invisible? I've got the manual and menu sequence and have tried going to the item blind and adjusting it, but nothing happens. I rest my case m’lud 🙂… IMG_6845.MP4 Edited March 15 by EvilC57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Manser Posted March 15 Author Share Posted March 15 2 minutes ago, EvilC57 said: I rest my case m’lud 🙂… IMG_6845.mov 12.48 MB · 0 downloads I can't view the video. Could you try again, or a private You Tube link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC57 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 6 minutes ago, Rob Manser said: I can't view the video. Could you try again, or a private You Tube link? Sorry about that Rob. I've reloaded it in a different format. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Manser Posted March 15 Author Share Posted March 15 (edited) 1 hour ago, EvilC57 said: Sorry about that Rob. I've reloaded it in a different format. Try it now. Got it - thanks. Ok, so that proves that one! Whether that's happened to mine or not remains a mystery. I've tried adjusting it blind, but it's really hard to do, even with the manual. You enter the SETUP menu by holding down the roller wheel as you turn the tx on, and then CONTRAST is item 12, then you can scroll to the right to increase it. The problem is that I'd need to know the exact sequence of pushes (e.g. does the setup menu need a click before it starts on 1, do you push before scroll in the CONTRAST menu? etc etc). I wish there was a factory reset, but the only one I can find out about is in a menu! Edited March 15 by Rob Manser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 2 hours ago, EvilC57 said: I rest my case m’lud 🙂… IMG_6845.MP4 12.48 MB · 0 downloads Why on earth would the setting allow one to completely blank the display? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC57 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 6 minutes ago, Cuban8 said: Why on earth would the setting allow one to completely blank the display? I agree, it’s mad! I did nearly lose track of the display a number of years ago. Fortunately that made me aware of the issue, so I’ve been careful to avoid it since. My later transmitters (DX8 and NX10) wisely don’t allow the display to blank out completely. Obviously a design issue with the earlier JR set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 I just had to have a go with my DX6i. Yes you can turn the CONTRAST down so there is nothing visible on the screen. 😒 It does reduce the contrast on the screen as you do it using the thumb wheel so you need to bring the CONTRAST back up before you press the thumb wheel The DX6i will always start from the same position so it is possible by counting the clicks and rotating the thumb wheel in the correct direction to get to the CONTRAST menu. Then it just a case of rotating it to get the contrast back to your liking. Rob if it helps I will make a careful note of the press and thumbwheel clicks to see if I can reliably get to the Contrast setting. Of course with 20+ clicks in a strict sequence It would be quite a challenge to get right doing it "blind" My DX6i was bought second hand 10 years ago and has proved bullet proof, unlike my flying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Funnily enough I just tried this too and noticed that counterintuitively, the contrast increases as you turn the roller to the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Manser Posted March 15 Author Share Posted March 15 Yes, I noticed that on a You Tube video. It's like people that arrange their playing cards increasing in value from right to left 🙂 I'm pleased to report the transmitter is now working. I've probably done about 30-40 minutes of fiddling, trying to adjust the contrast blind, and then suddenly the screen came on. I wasn't in the contrast menu when it did though, which was weird; I was in the previous one. I'll keep things very conservative when I get my heli, testing on the ground etc, before I fully trust it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 10 minutes ago, Rob Manser said: suddenly the screen came on. I wasn't in the contrast menu when it did though, which was weird; Now you have success Thoroughly check the roller on the right, and the corresponding click button As all along, your roller may not have rolled or the clicker clicked You can pick up the whole mechanism online to replace it or use switch cleaner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 16 Share Posted March 16 16 hours ago, Rob Manser said: Yes, I noticed that on a You Tube video. It's like people that arrange their playing cards increasing in value from right to left 🙂 I'm pleased to report the transmitter is now working. I've probably done about 30-40 minutes of fiddling, trying to adjust the contrast blind, and then suddenly the screen came on. I wasn't in the contrast menu when it did though, which was weird; I was in the previous one. I'll keep things very conservative when I get my heli, testing on the ground etc, before I fully trust it! Sounds like another fault causing the screen to go blank 'if it just came back on'. Highly unlikely that the contrast had somehow adjusted itself down to blank, or the seller had helpfully sent it out to you like it. More likely the postal journey dislodged something and your manual handling of it has disturbed something again, albeit positively. As long as the RF output works consistently I guess the unit is useable, but chances are you'll arrive at your flying site all ready to enjoy yourself, and the journey will have caused the fault to re-occur. Annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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