OpenTx Companion Tutorial • Add 4 Momentary Switches to Radiomaster TX16s FREE! • [Intermediate]

This OpenTx Companion Tutorial will show you how to add four momentary switches to your Radiomaster TX16s FREE! No drilling, no soldering, no wiring--it's all done in software and it works.
UPDATE: Arif Isyanto pointed out that trim switches can be disable in the flight modes tab. I verified in Companion you can disable T5/T6 as trim switches which stops the audio prompting without disabling the recognition of switch movement. Bottom line, that option sets these two as straight-up momentary switches. Thanks for sharing Arif!
*THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER TUTORIAL*
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[@Arhifisyant]

You can actually turn the voice/sound the trim5 and trim6 off in flight mode page. I always turn off trim3, trim5, and trim6. since I never use that until today

[@RCVideoReviews]

BRILLIANT! I thought that would disable the switch, but it just disables it as a trim switch. Excellent Tip. Thanks!

[@Arhifisyant]

@@RCVideoReviews it just disable the button as a trim, but still, it works in logical switch.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Yup, I tested it and updated the description. Thanks again for sharing. Perfect!

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

@@RCVideoReviews Brilliant! Even with the little I've done with this radio I was thinking it could use more momentary switches. Now all is revealed in this regard but I still will need to live past my century to make use of even a small part of what this toy is capable of. :-) Thanks to you both! :-)

[@RCVideoReviews]

@@theoztreecrasher2647 I've been using this radio software for years and I still learn new things regularly.

[@ricklee6370]

Thanks for the great sharing!!! Always use SH to reset timer, now I can use T5 to reset, and "add 1 minute", all at 1 place :D

[@RCVideoReviews]

You're sounding like an OpenTx Ninja!

[@deancooper5513]

Yes I was wondering what else T5 and T6 could be used for, thanks John. So far your videos have been brilliant, you really do break things down into simple actions.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Thanks Dean. Appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching.

[@JasonFarrell]

All of this advanced stuff you can do with OpenTX is really cool, BUUUUT, I have to say, the more layers of complexity you add the more stuff you have to mentally keep track of and review. This makes it harder to simply just go fly stress-free and have fun.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Oh 100% agree. I had an email sidebar with another subscriber about not getting crazy with the configuration. I'm DEFINITELY showing a ton of capability, but here's the skinny: Use what you like. One thing I've learned in this hobby over the years: There are different strokes for different folks. I don't have all of this stuff on any of my models, but I have portions of it on all of them.

[@FASTFREDDIE-R.C.]

This is awesome information when I first received the radio I couldn’t figure out what these trims were for and I tried to set one up for a timer reset buy couldn’t figure it out so I just forgot about it. Now thanks to you I can now configure it and free up a switch I’ve been using for it. 👍

[@RCVideoReviews]

That's awesome! Glad it helped you out. Pretty cool software isn't it?

[@FASTFREDDIE-R.C.]

RC Video Reviews yes thanks to you I’m learning new things all the time and tapping into the power of opentx. I’m really glad I made the switch to opentx and thank you for showing all of us how to utilize its power.

[@RCVideoReviews]

@@FASTFREDDIE-R.C. You're very welcome.

[@randygrinter2800]

Thank you for all your help! It has really "opened" OpenTX! Thanks again!

[@RCVideoReviews]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Glad you're finding the OTX vids helpful. J

[@abates3747]

The most powerful thing you can do with those trims is adjust Gvars, and then in your mixes or whatever, set the Gvar to be a value... that way you can super-conveniently adjust mix values while you fly by using the trims. For example, in fixed wing aerobatics, you might need to mix elevator to rudder to trim the plane flying more accurately... changing that with a trim switch is so astoundingly handy.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Neat idea, I may tinker with that.

[@abates3747]

@@RCVideoReviews , it's super wicked... rather than fly-land-adjust-fly... just go through a gvar and tweak it in flight with a trim

[@ThLDQ]

You're THE Boss !

[@RCVideoReviews]

I showed my wife, she doesn't believe you :P

[@erl919]

Wow thanks I learned a lot

[@RCVideoReviews]

You're welcome

[@sharkovios]

Just found your channel and I'm really enjoying it. Keep it up

[@RCVideoReviews]

Welcome to the channel.

[@zoltandjapjas4905]

Oh that's so cool! I was wondering about these trims myself and now I have a good use for them! Thank you for this very nice trick! One quick question: You have those red control sticks on your TX16. Where did you get them from and how did you install them?

[@RCVideoReviews]

You're welcome. Those sticks can be found here: www.amainhobbies.com/frsky-grande-lotus-style-3d-m4-gimbal-stick-end-red-frk-04100104/p783205 There is a set screw on the top of the stick. Just look straight down the stick from the top and you can see the hex head in there. Loosen that, and the stick ends unscrew right off the top.

[@ModelAeronautics]

Thanks for sharing - good info. Only issue I see is that T6 for the Thr can be activated with throttle at more than zero.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Please elaborate.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Nevermind, I get it. I *literally* just had a guy comment on the "Better throttle cutoff video" which forces throttle to be at Zero before enabling throttle complain that was bad because if the plane was in the air and the throttle cutoff was accidentally bumped it would be difficult to recover the plane. I find it humorous you both found fault with opposing methods of throttle cut.

[@ModelAeronautics]

I agree that "safe" throttle cut-off means different things to different folks. And ultimately were left with a Catch-22.

[@ModelAeronautics]

My preference is to avoid the prop starting unexpectedly when I'm standing in front of the plane. I.e. throttle on zero. But to each their own.

[@enriquekramer4590]

I.will use this great idea to help.me with my landing gear enable/disable. I want to avoid retracting it while on the ground and motor is not active -that is easy- but I have trouble when turning on the model and the motor is disabled. Will try with these momentary switches!

[@RCVideoReviews]

Let me know how it works out.

[@benmartin3351]

Can you do a tutorial on mixing up elevator with flaps? I have an F4U that dips during flaps and I've seen guys that do a mix with a certain percentage. Thank you for these videos! I was way over my head leaving RTF for BNF or PNP models. Since I found these Open TX has been awesome to learn!

[@RCVideoReviews]

Have you watched this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXakaGSId5qIqrs Try that video out and see if it gets you there on your Elevator to Flaps mix. It's very easy to do once you see the mix created once or twice. Let me know if that helps...

[@tariqyounus3880]

Cool video

[@christopherbell1768]

Very cool.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Tricky right? :)

[@witneydiggersrc3251]

Great video series. Slowly getting through them. Can the tx16s do 32 channels?

[@RCVideoReviews]

Sure, just add an external module. You can have 16 on internal and 16 on external. I don't know how you'd keep all that straight though...?

[@Amahoser]

Thanks for this. I always seem to find uses for momentary switches! I'm purchasing a Jumper T Lite radio and it has none. Do you see a problem with turning off all trims and just using instant trim? This would give me tons of momentary switches. Also, one use for t5: I'm building a plane that has a separate servo on the tailwheel. I'm planning on using t5 to trim the tailwheel separate from the rudder.

[@RCVideoReviews]

I might not turn off elevator/aileron, but throttle I never use and rudder I could live without on most planes. So I'd say go for it.

[@davidholder5494]

I just found that if I press down on those trim buttons, there are two detents on each one.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Yup, did a video on that. We called it the Lasersbee Hack.

[@VUO4E]

T5 & T6: you'll find out when you get a glider with 4 or 6 servos in the wing.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Got it figured out today: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmimlaJod8qcbJI

[@lasersbee]

I just noticed that if you press down not push up or down as your video... those T5 T6 switches click. Is there a 3rd function on those switches?

[@RCVideoReviews]

You... You... You're getting your own video my friend.

[@enriquech4041]

Can you use a switch to active the binding of a model, instead of editing and pushing the bind button?

[@RCVideoReviews]

Not that I'm aware of.

[@leonardcooper99]

Is there anyway just to 'stop' your fight timer when you land, without it continuing or being reset? Sometimes I just want to keep the flight times displayed whilst I retrieve my glider from the strip, to clear it for others.

[@RCVideoReviews]

If you use THs for your timer, the timer will stop when the Throttle stick is -100. When you do that it stops and does not reset.

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

I wish you would do this on the Transmitter for guys using edgetx . I tried doing it and got some but timer won't start when you add throttle

[@RCVideoReviews]

...got some but timer won't start... Got some what? Tell me more about what you're trying to do.

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

I think just a video on the Transmitter would be better for me. I don't use companion

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

I want to do a momentary on the trim 5 up and got it to do reset timer but when I move the throttle up the timer just stays at 5 min . You were talking something about the Ch 3 source to get the timer to start

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

@@RCVideoReviews Nevermind I figured it out

[@caspervanbeek1220]

Hello RC Video Reviews, Now that these trims can be used, I noticed that the function was set to the "down" position during start-up of the transmitter. Is it possible to change the boot script so that these temporary switches are fixed? For example, the throttle is always blocked when starting the transmitter. Greetings from the Netherlands, Casper van Beek

[@RCVideoReviews]

I'm not understanding the question. "The function was set to the down position" Which function are you referring to? "So these temp switches are fixed" I don't know what you mean by fixed. There is no bootup script to modify, so if you want to change a default, you'll probably be using something like a special function or global function.

[@OZSCQUADS]

Couldn`t you remove the wav files for the 3 trim callouts from the sounds/xx/system folder?

[@RCVideoReviews]

Arif Isyanto pointed out the trim switches can be disabled in the flight modes tab. I verified in Companion you can disable T5/T6 as trim switches which stops the audio prompting without disabling the recognition of switch movement. Removing the audio files would also mean no prompts for the trim switches you might want prompts for.

[@leong5527]

I use T5 or T6 to trim my helicopter's pitch range.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Thanks for sharing. I had no earthly idea why these switches were on the radio. Since I fly mostly planes, I just couldn't figure it out. Glad to know there are uses for these two :)

[@ournarrowboatadventure8458]

What do people use the buttons 1-6 for on the TX16s?

[@RCVideoReviews]

They can be used for anything you want. It's just another switch but with 6 positions. They intended for it to be used to set flight modes on flight computers, but it can be used for anything. There's a video on it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ_UgKSYqZmFq5I

[@TheDJBozz]

Hi, I have been trying to set up T5 for instant trim, how do I activate the t5 & t6 trim switches, mine do nothing?, thanks.

[@RCVideoReviews]

Press System -> Go to Hardware -> Go to Switches -> Press Jog Dial. On the right hand side you should see Trims T1-6 on the right. Press up and down on 5 and 6. If the first of two columns on the right show a 1 when you press down and the second of two columns show a 1 when you press up, then your hardware works. If you don't see 1's appear in those columns when you press up and down you have to work out why. If your hardware works, the video shows how to configure logical switches and special functions to take advantage of those switches.

[@TheDJBozz]

@@RCVideoReviews thanks, they are working on the hardware screen but not selectable in logical switches?

[@RCVideoReviews]

@@TheDJBozz Are you doing this on the radio or in companion? On the radio, in logical switches are you selecting Edge? After selecting Edge for the first column, look in the second column. Do you See an icon below the 6pos switch that looks like a trim switch and says 5d or 5u or 6d or 6u? Also, what version of firmware are you using?

[@TheDJBozz]

@@RCVideoReviews I'm on 2.3.9 firmware, I've just found them called 5u & 5d, strange how yours are labelled differently, thanks again for the vids and help. 👍

[@RCVideoReviews]

@@TheDJBozz They're not labeled differently on the radio. Mine say 5u/5d on the radio. In Companion they say Trim 5 Up Trim 5 Down etc..