Review: Turnigy 9XR PRO (part 1)

[@shebanx]

Bruce, your reviews are a huge service to the RC community. Thank you for doing this, so we don't have to scour through the internet to figure the obvious out!

[@What_If_We_Tried]

I was just about to order the Turnigy 9XR Pro, and really glad I stumbled across your review. Thanks...

[@akbuilder7626]

Me too. Saved me a big headache.

[@pinkunwizard]

Got one in December for £22 GBP which is a disposable price. Have no problems with any buttons or switches and telemetry works no problem. It's a great second radio and £180 cheaper than my Tara's cost. No brainer.

[@Glofilter]

Great review Bruce. On your recommendation I got a Taranis three months ago. So glad I did. Like it so much, I sold my JR11X for nearly twice what I paid for the Taranis! Now I have cash in my pocket. Oh- I sold my JR 1221 receiver for the price for four FrSky X8r receivers- so now I'm in telemetry heaven! You are the man, Bruce!

[@TheHarberHangar]

Hilarious timing... I just ordered a Taranis yesterday to replace my finicky 9XR. Great overview of the 9XRPRO, thanks for reassuring me that my Taranis purchase was the right one! :)

[@EhnTeePee]

I am so glad I went with the Spek'y Dx6i as I was looking hard at the 9xR and people said "Wait! the 'Pro' is coming!" Nice review ,sir.

[@lowcee89]

Thank you for being so honest Bruce, i thought it could never be a competitor to the Taranis (got one thanks to you) and after 2 minutes i KNEW it

[@helomike7000]

Love your sense of humor... Thanks, I almost bought one of these. Think I'll check out your view on the new Evolution.

[@RobertSzasz]

The best bit of the 9XRpro is the programmability. The newest firmwares let the frsky XJT work without mods. For centering you can use beeps from the speaker, or replace the pots with ones with a detent. If you have the cash the tyranis is a better buy, if cash strapped the 9xrPro is a good starting point.

[@RobertSzasz]

make that taranis.. and for the ersky forward at least, in the model menu, general, BeepCnt on the last page lets you set a beep when the pots are centered.

[@RobertSzasz]

+Robert Szasz gargh typo + autocorrect.... ersky firmware

[@catamaranman333]

Im glad you finally mentioned the switches, Bruce. I expected you to at least touch on them in one of the three reviews of the 9XR. That was the single biggest question I had. Just a suggestion but you could have knocked that out in about a minute on one of the reviews of the 9XR.

[@SynergyhubOrg-WA]

SPOT ON. Thank you for seeing the Same problem I had with my new 9XR Pro buttons that I mentioned in my First impressions video. One of the beta testers said they were using new click buttons.. and I just was not sure that HK actually put them into production. So I ripped into the radio and took it totally apart. Well here is the issue The fancy "Chrome" buttons Push and Intermediate chunk of plastic causing the hard press for the 4 way. The Menu and Exit press a bit more directly. On my radio the Menu, Exit and 4 way were all malfunctioning until I just sat there that "exercised" them (read pounded). Now they do work, but the slightest miss-alignment of the intermediate plastic will cause problems. I had originally bought this to us as a mid level unit.. but since I have already torn it apart (video of pieces TBR) I'm going to use it instead of the 9XR for a custom controller box - and still use the 9XR as the mid level handheld unit.

[@SynergyhubOrg-WA]

Forgot to mention.. the Trim Switches are STILL elastic dome switches. Only the new circuit board has the true "click" type switches on it.

[@ryalman21]

First class review Bruce, as always. I had the same thoughts about the Taranis being miles better in terms of quality and value. So I'll be buying the latter very soon. Good to see your keeping up with the bench work, now that you've found a way to fly again too. I've been enjoying your bench videos. Keep up the good work.

[@StoneBlueAirlines]

Have you flown with the 9xr at all? For $70 less for someone that is going to use an LRS system is it worth the extra money that is kind of my take on this? I have used one for over a year and have not had one issue with 9xr.

[@xjet]

I've flown the 9XR quite a bit but to be honest, I actually prefer the feel of the original 9X. If you're going LRS then any radio without a module is going to be a better bet than one with an in-built 2.4GHz system. LRS generally means FPV and to be honest, I do like voice-alerts in such applications. I rarely use an OSD with my FPV stuff and even if I do have an OSD, it's just nice to have a voice alert tell you about critical issues such as low RSSI or low battery. The 9XRPro has voice alerts but how do you integrate them to operate from the existing range of LRS systems?

[@pilot140467]

the same as you would with the taranis??

[@StoneBlueAirlines]

It will be interesting I fly 98% fpv so we have one radio coming to see and also have a taranis my buddy has also for testing. Thanks Xjet always good stuff from you.

[@Rchacker]

***** Enable the FrSky telemetry option in the openlrsng configuration software, and connect as you would the DJT. Thats one LRS system anyway.

[@Nubyrc]

I have this radio with the FRsky module, and of coarse the antenna is broke from not being able to sit the radio down without taking out time to think about how to do it! I bought the radio because it promised a internal antenna, yet they never came out with a module to make use of it! Look the antenna is there they did put it there for a reason, but never followed through and instead they to get us buying the other modules they sell and I think its a bate and switch! Now It was complicated to learn, the instructions do not translate from china very well, for $50 it was ok enough I actually out flew people using Spektrums. Now as for this one I would like to make use of the SD card and telemetry, I have the FRsky module and the attachable quanum (not sure of the name) screen with a sd card slot that didn't work and they said 2 years ago they would put out firmware to make it work and never did! With telemetry you cant look at the radio and your Funjet flying at 100+ mph at the same time, so recording the telemetry info is important. If this guy gets the telemetry with the FRsky working and can show me it works I may buy the radio, BUT I STILL WANT THE DAM MODULE THAT USES THE INTERNAL ANTENNA!

[@Rooster9911]

at 8:47 you can see that the top and bottom-part of the transmitter are not screwed together properly. Could that be the reason of the poorly functioning switch?

[@johnnoble01]

Rooster9911 Well spotted!

[@fordandjackieshouse238]

Bruce, the developer of the board, suggests the following: (maybe it's just a slight alignment fix to the board, loosen the screws, shift it and see if that works) SkyNorth wrote:I think that if you open up the 4 mounting holes on the PCB a bit a and re position the board , the buttons should work. A slight mis-alignment can cause things like this.

[@lasersbee]

Thanks Bruce for biting the bullet and the review on this Crap Radio Pro. I too have bought a Taranis as an upgrade to all my other 9X radios. The Taranis is a much higher quality built radio with better thought out features.

[@amdcpu1]

Hi Bruce, is there any review of the Taranis TX on your side? Did you plane? Where I can buy Taranis TX for 170 bugs? Many thanks

[@frekk1]

They sell it at hobbyking for 172.25. But it´s out of stock. www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__45025__FrSky_2_4GHz_ACCST_TARANIS_X9D_Digital_Telemetry_Radio_System_Mode_1_.html

[@frekk1]

Here they have it in stock: www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=344_346_348&products_id=2986

[@michal.gawron]

I think the brick-your-transmitter button should be on all transmitters. It's so useful!

[@bavery34bavery75]

and maybe a recall list so we can have one put in all the radios out there.. I imagine there is a few people in NZ who would love to sneak up on Bruce and push his button..lol

[@pilot140467]

Yes, that button in case you don't know, can save your day if for some reason your tx get bricked (Never happened to any of the test units) Or can ruin it if you mess with it without knowing what you're doing. Bruce, obviously you don't know what that button does.. It's called a RESET button :-) I did test it and it works really well. I recommend to read the manual though before using it :-)

[@xjet]

pilot140467 From page 5 of the online 9XRPro manual downloaded from the HobbyKing website: "There is a tiny round recessed button on the left of the USB port. DO NOT PUSH THIS BUTTON as doing so will erase the transmitter firmware. If this button has been pressed see the topic "Restoring a 'Brincked Transmitter with SAM-BA" in the man ual Communicating with a Computer" The official Turnigy Manual suggests that it's a *lot* more than a RESET button :-)

[@michal.gawron]

It RESETS all bits in the flash memory to 0. Or to 1, since flash is actually an EEPROM, isn't it? ;-)

[@GadgetMart]

Love my DX8, it's a great helicopter radio, BUT the current price of 7+ channel receivers are making me consider the Taranis for my IC models. Are there any negative points to the Taranis? looks a great radio. Thanks for the review.

[@ttabbal]

The first run Taranis units had a few issues. Nothing you can't fix yourself if you wish. The latest versions are quite good and I'm not aware of anything major that needs work on them. I would highly recommend a Taranis radio to just about anyone.

[@kdanagger6894]

Great review. This made me really glad I bought the Taranis. I got mine from HiModel, who seems to have them in stock for $175 most of the time. For $1.80 extra, I got the version with the aluminum case.

[@LarsKelloggStedman]

Two years later, the Taranis seems to retail for around $230, while the 9xr Pro + a FrSky module can be had for under $130. These really seem to be two different classes of radio, and comparing them to each other of course the Taranis is going to seem like a better unit. It's not a fair comparison. I would be interested in seeing the 9xr pro reviewed against comparably priced units.

[@ppoo6520]

I have an unrelated question..when u tested the hitec 9x, have u looked at the g2 afhss? Is it the same as the original afhss? Does it use entire band? I can't decide between frsky and hitec. Futaba is too expensive and frsky is of a lower quality, but i think it has better protocol.

[@MrTwojaythomo]

Taranis is $300 delivered with Rx and 9xr Pro with frsky module with Rx and telemetry lead is $180 delivered these days, do you still think it's worth the extra $120

[@bubbasanjohnny]

Quality of construction? Thanks for the chuckle.

[@1101nz]

With the tarranis, you have the excellent FrSky system AND can use the Orange tx module for your wee Efilte heli's & PZ micro planes . Its 2 radios in 1 .

[@flightmonkey4225]

Loved the review, I like your honesty. If it is not right, you point it out. Thanks Bruce

[@KiwiVsTheInternet]

What transmitter would you recommend for a starter/ beginner/ someone wanting to get into model rc flying

[@dy-dx]

I'd Like to talk about the lovely box, (Drops to floor). Love it!!

[@CrashPilot1000]

Still waiting for my Flysky 9x (er9x lashed + Frsky DHTU screen module) to die. It's working like a charm for 3 years now and never let me down - simply love the combo - though I wish it had some side potentiometers to be a little more convenient. When that day comes I will def. go for Frsky gear again - probably Taranis or whatever they will sell at that point in time.

[@solentlifeuk]

What I don't understand is that most radios have the handle angled BACKWARDS .. makes radio stable when laid down, can carry with other gear in one hand without catching sticks .. but the 9xr and Pro have it angled forwards .. WHY ? I have to say that I have two 9x radios and three 9xr's .. (9xr's were faulty and replaced by HK - so ended up with 3 instead of 1 !! REpaired the faulty ones when they said keep em as spares). The 9x is by far the better to hold, switches etc. suit my hands better. The 9xr - I have trouble finding the trim buttons, conflict with 2 way switches at fulll throttle etc. .. The 9x was a better radio to hold.

[@stalyoni]

im only really interested in the voice function of this tx. I have a dx8 but i really cant afford the new dx9 or dx6. Does this tx have a decent voice function? How would you compare the gimbals on this tx to a dx8? thanks

[@mickbrooks134]

Bruce you keep on about the Taranis and how you will do a follow up but part three has never appeared what has happened to your Taranis?

[@xjet]

Part 3 is a work in progress ;-) Think of it as one of those "50,000 miles later" follow-ups that Popular Mechanics used to do after they'd reviewed a car and then lived with it for a year or so.

[@rustynailb693]

when are you going to make the video for the telementery ?

[@etab83]

Love ur reviews never stop

[@mattmichael2441]

Also The FrSky Taranis comes with a case!!!! (not a big deal but still very nice) keep the reviews coming

[@ProGunNL]

Which transmitter do you like or advice?

[@MrFerb078]

Hey Bruce, I want to buy a new radio. I'm currently using an original turnigy 9x with a fr sky module. I'm using it for FPV-ing with my mini quad and hexacopter. I would like to buy a radio wich most practical in use for multirotors and were i can use an UHF module on. Do you advise the turnigy 9XR (pro)? Or maybe any other radios?

[@ttabbal]

Multicopters don't really need much from the radio. The smarts are in the flight controllers. Most any radio that can take a module or has a trainer port can do UHF. So it comes down more to quality for your money, IMO. And Taranis is the better quality option. If you just want cheap, the 9x you currently use will likely get the job done just as well as a 9XR. The 9XR-Pro has a better main board/processor, so extra features like Lua scripts will be available, like Taranis. Again, not sure how useful that is for an FPV Multicopter user though.

[@Nubyrc]

You know I watch the video again and again and that Turanis is looking better and better, I really am pist off about the internal antenna thing and the more I think about it I do not see any reason to buy another one from them if they are going to be jerks about not offering the module that uses the internal antenna. Could you let me know more about that Turanis, this is the first I have herd of it, It looks like Frsky makes it so I have a feeling the Telemtry will work with it, does it have a SD card slot that records the Telemtry data?

[@Chio_OB]

Is it worth getting one of these if I already have a dx8?

[@isleman44]

Nice review honest and to the point, 5 stars Bruce

[@jaymog]

Love your reviews, very entertaining and you don't pull any punches. Great stuff. I'm just returning to RC after many years and find the new radio systems a bit daunting. However, I'll press on. I was hoping you had done a review of the Turnigy TGY-i10, but can't find it. If the quality is anything like this 9XR pro. I'll just go for the Taranis. Keep up the good work.

[@AndrewNewton]

Part 2 of the Turnigy 9XR Pro video?? Must be about ready by now Bruce? HK have them on sale for A$88 while the Taranis plus is closer to A$300 now

[@ElvisMoraes]

+Andrew Newton I buy the Turnigy 9xr pro for $69.95 at HobbyKing today

[@AndrewNewton]

+Elvis Moraes For that money it's worth it.

[@dronexfun8469]

+Elvis Moraes Add the cc2500 4in1 chip/module for $43 and you won't need another module, it's good for 192 models.

[@alflurin]

It’s a pain in the ass to flash(recommend OpenTX) and then setup everything. I'm having all sort of issues setting up telemetry with my Frsky DJT, including have to buy the bloody lead. It is definitely no plug & play. But it is affordable and for the price, it's pretty much bulletproof. And the module fits well. The sliders are a bugger and I'm pretty mad about the lonely 3 position switch.

[@ElvisMoraes]

alflurin I put OpenTX on the Rádio and use FrSky XJT and ImmersionRC 433Mhz Jr Transmitter It's a perfect setup, radio is great... But my dream is a buy Taranis r's

[@billysgeo]

I love your videos man! But did you miss the 720p version on this one, or is it a youtube fluke?

[@ring0s]

Price on HobbyKing 9XR PRO - $59,99 (witchout module and reciver) - EU Warehouse price Taranis - $209,99 (witch module and reciver) - International warehuse price Yes it's almost two year after this review

[@renzevenir4853]

Price on Hobbyking 9XR PRO - $49,99 (without module and receiver) +$73 for XJT module Taranis - $104,99 (built-in module, without receiver) Yes it's more than a year since you post this comment.

[@jacobsingh4873]

Should I buy the new TaranisQX7 or the Turnigy 9XR PRO?

[@hover82]

Great review, but just watched for enjoyment. Using the Taranis since some month and its working perfect flawless. No need to chance in the next time ;)

[@wordreet]

My saved up pennies will definitely be going towards a Hitec Aurora 9 in the near future. I already have 5 Hitec RXes and usually only have one or two planes/gliders flyable at any one time and no interest in installing fpv gear any time soon.

[@LeonardoValente_]

I have 300$ i need to buy a plane PNP , battery charger , and a transmitter and receiver , what you recommend , it will be my first plane ?

[@viggokoch2574]

Can you do a review of the radiolink at9?

[@jamesceastep8874]

Where is part 2 for the 9XR Pro? Jim

[@pasqualefattore131]

Hello, I can use Flysky fs-TH9X transmitter module on Turnigy 9xr pro? thank you

[@microCessus]

yes

[@TheHiddenBooger]

Can you do a review on Flysky FS-i10 radio ?

[@wito3017]

Bruce, could you review Sanwa SD10G radio. It is comparible to Hi-tec`s and Futabas but it is little cheaper.

[@HarryBunnGRVOTV]

Hi. I love your channels and appreciate the work you put in. I have a channel GRVO TV i do reviews mostly about camera equipment but some rc stuff. I am an accomplished pilot (mode 1) also. I have a blade 350qx with a mobius but want to give fpv a try. I use a trusty dx7. What would be a good setup and what parts would you suggest. Thanks gary (uk).

[@MyTechWebTV]

I am overall satisfied with my original, first run, 9XR which I purchased as my first radio. That said, I will not be buying the 9XRPro. I will be getting the Taranis next. The gimbals on the 9XR are simply not great. Try to do a loop and the plane always fall off to the left or right. The rudder will not stay centered, blip it and now it is centered. Nothing major just more noticeable the more I fly and the better I become. It helped me get started in the hobby without breaking the bank and now I am ready for a higher quality radio. The 9XRPro will not be that radio.

[@BMSWEB]

I actually offered my son one of these or a 9XR but his hands are too small and he's more comfortable with the 9X. I'm leaning towards buying Thomas a Taranis. Good review Bruce :D Price point doesn't make sense

[@WonnyRCHobbies]

Personaly Paul, I would just go with the Taranis for Thomas , as ***** says 9XR PRO-blematic isnt worth the $$$

[@BMSWEB]

Even when he flies my CGX250 he has trouble getting full movements out of my sticks and doesn't like the stiffness in the Gimbals. I think the Taranis will be the go for him

[@RobB_VK6ES]

BMSWEB This might be a good opportunity for Thomas to change to the tray / pinch method, then size does not matter : ) All the best pilots seem to use it as it provides better control since the thumb is the least dexterous of the digits. It might even slow him up for a while so he does not show you up :)

[@BMSWEB]

Rob B Rob, I think you're correct for the most part, except the bit about slowing him down. I've worked so hard to try to stay ahead on the multirotors but I honestly can't keep up with him :'(

[@RobB_VK6ES]

BMSWEB Yes he certainly has taken to it like a duck to water.

[@minidougan]

Spot on. I have both the Taranis and an old 9x, both way better in my opinion. Great review!

[@pilot140467]

I have been flying my 9XR PRO a lot since I got the first test or second test unit. No problems at all. Actually for my small hands it has a much better feel than the Taranis. I also hate those buttons on the taranis. They are absolutely not user friendly. Honestly, I tried the taranis and just couldn't fly with it. It didn't feel good. I had to modify my 9x radios to make the sticks a bit smaller. Now they feel nearly as good as the 9XR. One of my 9x radios now has hall sensors instead of the pots. 9XR PRO is probably the next to get the upgrade. before you ask, I didn't get new gimbals for the 9X. I have made the hall sensors upgrade myself. it is quite easy actually. When testing the 9XR PRO radio, we Beta testers did recommend the use of better quality gimbals. The recommendation wasn't accepted obviously. This is the only downside of this radio. I gotta say though that I never had problems with my unit and I still didn't read about many problems with this radio in general. not the case with the taranis.. It did get a bit worse at centering over the time, nothing major, but now even that problem was corrected by ersky9x. center now is always zero. it's an amazing radio with loads of possibilities, and still more to come :)

[@learn4fun2diy]

pilot140467 Hi, How did you modify your 9X with Hall Sensors, please? I need to fix the Centering problem in my two 9x. I bought two 9X for different projects a while ago and didn't use it till recently when I have time to work on the Quads. Unfortunately, after sunk much time in it, I have found they have centering problem on both of the 9X, with the v2 stock firmware, nothing changed nor upgraded yet. I started with the HK KK2.1.5 Flight Controller (FC), and switched to the CC3D FC. The Quad flies fine with the CC3D, using the OpenPilot app, which is great. But the Transmitter, both of my 9X, don't send the correct signals to the FC. The Neutral value of the Throttle is not near center at all, but closer to the end value. I checked the connections and I did servo test on each channel too. The Quad itself works, but both 9x don't seem to work well for me. Will upgrading it to ER9x firmware fix the Centering problem? I see ER9x has Calibration feature. Though, to mod the 9x so it can be flashed is very involved. I am technical and handy, but seeing those steps in some sites makes me worry a bit. I know SmartieParts has a solderless part but discontinued now, and the new one is not out yet. So I am kind of stuck. Your Hall Sensors mod seems to be a great option to fix the Centering problem. Thanks much.

[@joaoalves-wq5tq]

Learn4Fun Hi, I don't know if I can post links here but here it is: openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=2974 If you can't see the link please visit openRCforums dot com. Many people don't know but the stock 9x can be calibrated. There are some hidden menus that can be entered by turning the radio ON while pressing some buttons or trims. I did it once but it was long ago. Just do a serach on google and you will find out how to do it, as I don't remember. If you're happy with the firmware the radio ships with and the calibration works for you, then it is probably the right way to go ;-) Another possibility is to replace the 9x gimbals with the taranis radio gimbals. They are nearly a direct replacement. Also search opercforums to learn how to do it. One of them has to be installed upside down but it is not a big problem. And at the price they sell for, it is a very nice upgrade.. I'm very happy with my hall sensors though. It is not a very easy mod and it requires lot of patience to place the magnets right and do all adjustments, but I love it.. I hope this answers your questions.

[@halleffect1]

+pilot140467 do you have a blog with your gimbal mods? i'm very interested.

[@pilot140467]

+halleffect1 Which mod? The Taranis Gimbals mod or the Hall sensor mod? And for which radio?

[@halleffect1]

hall sensor

[@planesstevee]

Bruce i thought turning a radio on with no antenna attached, kills it ?

[@harddriverh6]

You forgot to mention that the 9XR Pro comes with inbuilt haptic vibration Bruce, the Taranis doesn't come with it and you have to buy a haptic model and solder it into the Teranis if you want this.

[@one4stevo]

Great Review Bruce love your work.

[@TheShaddydogg]

Does this bind to the parkzone micros?

[@dram6262]

Only if you get a OrangeX module.

[@MatthewTaylor3]

My only real issue with this transmitter is the ergonomics. I only use 8 channels for my FPV multi-rotors. I only bought this transmitter for the cheap price (used) on eBay, and it already came with a module and a receiver. I'd have bought a Taranis instead, just for the ergonomics.

[@sik59rt]

It seems two HK employees disliked this vid. Thanks for the great review and saving me some moneys

[@awshima]

$47.99 plus shipping this week at Hobby King (without module). Now it's attractive, just bought one. Not as good as a Taranis as far as I could see, but it's OK for this new price.

[@madebyandre_]

Alexandre Wendt Shima How is it??

[@awshima]

Andre Martinez It's a very good deal, but it comes with some problems. Right now I'm using OpenTX, and I'm having some issues at startup, it seems to freeze sometimes while saying "Welcome to OpenTX" (there is a documented bug about this). I had to turn the radio off and wait a few seconds when this happens. Another problem is some noise (interference perhaps) while using an ImmersionRC EzUHF JR module, the speaker is constantly buzzing with this module installed (no other effects noticed althogh). I also don't have a FrSky module, and that sometimes is annoying, I'm considering to buy one (besides the EzUHF, I'm using a FlySky module, compatible with my first HobbyKing receivers).

[@madebyandre_]

Hmmm for 60 bucks it does look like a great deal. What do you think about its gimbals? Do they feel cheap?

[@awshima]

+Andre Martinez my previous radio was a HK T6A-V2, so my reference is not that greate. Sure it is not like a Taranis, but is not bad at all. If you have the bucks by all means go to the Taranis, if you are on budget the 9XR Pro will definetivelly be a good option, specially if you get it for under $50 as I did.

[@madebyandre_]

Alexandre Wendt Shima Right now my options went down to the Flysky TH9x (which is essentially a Turnigy 9xr pro but with different antenna) a Devo 10, and the 9xr pro. Maybe even get the Devo 7E for my mini quads. Any thoughts?

[@xdrone3602]

Como puedo añadir a la emisora una curva de las que he creado??

[@bavery34bavery75]

I saw the 9xr just after i bought my 9x and flashed it with er9x.. looked fancy from far away.. but more like a toy close up.. happy i got the 9x. from the sounds of it, they didnt improve on it much. Been wanting the taranus for a while now.. hk has a real problem keeping them in stock.. and i believe the postage to my house almost makes it a 300.00 radio.. but still worth it :-D

[@bavery34bavery75]

Can never remember how to spell taranis.. oops :-P

[@RobB_VK6ES]

where are you? I can recommend a good dealer in Aus. Apples for apples as cheap as HK and far better service

[@bavery34bavery75]

Rob B Im in Canada..(

[@extansegura]

Bruce Avery you can get it from getfpv.com they are 209 plus shipping, they are in the US

[@_droid]

Bruce Avery I believe alofthobbies can get you the Taranis for a decent price. Like $210/US including shipping. Been happy with them, got my 1st generation Taranis there, no issues.

[@sross148]

Taranis all the way. I gave away my 9XR, barely used. Really does not offer any advantage over the old 9x. Loved my 3 9x radios, and I thought I would take a step up to the big boys and buy a Jeti DC16. And I did. But along the way I picked up a Taranis too, which just blew me away. Taranis just does everything imaginable, far too much to list here, and really easy and useful things too. So I sold the new Jeti, gave away the 9XR and mothballed my 2 remaining 9x radios. Can't quite bite my tongue when a new flyer shows up with yet another Spektrum radio ... everyone should have a Taranis!

[@Nubyrc]

Looking forword to your Frsky telemetry review, I am pist at Turnigy and Hobbyking for offering this radio with the internal antenna and then never selling a module that uses it! But I have the FRsky Module with the telemetry and of coarse the SD card slot on the screen that has to be attached to the radio never worked. So the whole telemetry thing never paid off for me. So if your review at least shows it records and I can see the info like for example "how fast my plane is going, how high, temp of motor and battery" as I have all these parts for the Frsky telemetry system yet I cant keep my eyes on the plane and the radio at the same time I really would like to record it on the SD card and review it on the laptop after the flight. TY for your reviews they are big help And you know what I may just get a Turannis just because I feel like Turnigy and Hobbyking hustled me on that internal antenna just to get me to buy the other modules!

[@DrPiyushLashkari]

Can you please show me a webpage link which can "teach" why turnigy 9xr can not work as radio without module?

[@Wh3r3sWald0]

Just out of curiosity, did you dislike this radio so much there is the reason there is no part 2?

[@susie3702]

I think you must have received one that was built on a Friday afternoon when everyone was wanting to go home early, I ordered on the 09/02/2015 at 15.30 hrs and received it on 10/02/2015 at 14.15 hrs which was a great time for just about any seller, also all my switches work great and feel good to push I have now got the 9X, 9XR and now the 9XR Pro and for anyone who has used them with Turnigy keeping the same layout from the start it saves having to re-learn any muscle memory for operating it if i went and changed my transmitter I would have to spend time trying to re-learn all the switches again which I do not want to do on an expensive model. you put one comment forward about the antenna sticking out the back but as that is nothing to do with the transmitter or Turnigy as you were using a FrSky module who put the antenna there, re the having to buy an extra cable to use telemetry for many of us who have had these radios from the start most of us have made mods to the modules on my own FrSky module I fitted a simple bluetooth board inside it and now get all my telemetry on a small tablet I have attached to the transmitter tray if FySky had bothered to make the module better at the start they would have made them with telemetry transfer pins on the back side of the module so they could connect to the transmitter without any external wire. I have watched many of your reviews from when you did the first 9x reveiw of the Eurgle and I don't think you have been as biased in any of them where has your impartiality gone?

[@philbx1]

Good heads-up Bruce. Gotta love the 'German Cross' switch (or not). I guess it would make anyone cross :-) Nice writing in Airborne BTW.

[@PagesFlyingCircus]

Spot on!

[@bavery34bavery75]

maybe after i recover from purchasing my fpv gear and new module and rx for my 9x maybe i will be able to pick one up..) thanks for the responses guys

[@DavidKaden369]

What's better then having a Taranis???? ---> Watch @11:39

[@themadrobot]

please Bruce could you do a review of the orange rx radio I have had one for 1 year now and I really like it the buttons and scroll wheel work perfectly and the menu is easy to use.

[@Teamcrapsheep]

Great review as always Bruce, got to say I agree with everything you say about the 9XR it is a big plastic turd, in a year I have had to replace one pot, the LH gimble and now my main board. I knew it was a bad sign when HK had all the spare parts available when had just come out. More importantly it just feels awful in the hand and HK have not changed that . I know plenty of people like it as it was a lot of radio for the money, and they most likely had more luck with it than me.

[@jacoblang2906]

I'm new to the hobby and found this complicated piece ..can't figure out how to use it to bind to my small drones... Even bought the 4 into 1 module for my Hubsans .don't know why it won't fire motors..I give up

[@NormanLedoyen]

I have the 9XR and find it as you state cumbersome to use because of the sticky buttons. I also find the language not in the same region as the common JR and Futaba, Too much learning to set up an airplane. Like you say, they need a real flyer to write a user friendly working program that is acceptable to most flyers.

[@betski]

Thanks alot for this, Bruce! No u've changed my mind :D was gonna get this PRO, but after seeing this review. im buying the Taranis! :D cheers!

[@alflurin]

The telemetry cable annoyed me! I had to order it after receiving the transmitter and noticing it was not truly integrated.

[@theorgandude]

excellent no-bullshit review. thx.

[@chowmonkey2002]

I'm so glad I bought the Taranis..

[@numex106]

why is there a global shortage of taranis radios?

[@xjet]

Because they are probably the best "bang for your buck" radio in the market today so everyone wants one.

[@BashMonkeyRC]

So for those who just want something functional, maybe some low-budget FPV, would you say it's price tag is justifiable or would the original 9XR be a better option instead? Seriously I don't need some lady talking to me 24/7, I can read a layout on a screen, and I'm capable enough of swapping out a 2 for a 3-position switch. And sure people give the 9XR's D-pad crap for its functionality but from the looks of it the PRO demands an involuntary thumb workout

[@Stambo59]

If you are flying FPV with goggles on it's kinda hard to look at a screen. I like my Taranis counting down the minutes and telling me if the signal is getting weak.

[@BashMonkeyRC]

MW2Stambo Well flying FPV my important telemetry will be on the OSD

[@kdanagger6894]

BashMonkeyRC I have my telemetry on both minimOSD and my Taranis. The Taranis voice gets your attention a lot better. It's also easier to get going. Taranis RSSI just works out of the box - nothing to configure and no port connections, no filter network needed to smooth out PWM RSSI, etc as with an OSD.

[@MrMagiccc123]

So glad i found this. was tossing up between the two. For only $50 more im better off getting the taranis. it looks less bulky side by side and ill prob end up spending the extra money on atachments for the 9xr. thanks for the review. ill gladly wait for the bakordered taranis.

[@billylester7901]

Bruce, if you have not reviewed the Flysky model Fs-i10 why not do so, it is a great looking radio system especially the programming display aspect.

[@susie3702]

Billy Lester Hi Billy, yes you are right I also have one of the I-10 systems and it is so easy to program I use it on one of my cars along with using it for planes plus a quad and when i wanted to use it on the car i just clicked off all the normal channels and put throttle and steering onto the right hand stick as my left stick does not have a spring fitted to center it which i needed so i could use it for forward and reverse I wish someone could come up with a graphical interface for programming the 9X series then i doubt you could come up with a better system. Regards Poppy Ann.

[@66tbird1]

Sums it up nicely. Thank you

[@DonavanAarons]

Please do some research on the main board. I believe it is based on the Sky board which is way superior to the original and even the turanis in terms of expandability memory etc.

[@Umashmepara]

Nice review. Thank you very much!

[@Dianaranda123]

glad i bought a regular 9XR, it is ok, though also using an XJT module.

[@RobB_VK6ES]

too little too late HK. Turd-igy 9XR POS should make a good match for my Parkzone Radian POS. So much for the peoples radio. The only people HK were listening to were the bean counters. Just think Bruce the money you wasted on this would have bought 2 of the new 150A current/power sensors for the Taranis's's's's ii. Having said that it's not all sweetness and light over at FrSky. They seem to be missing the target with features and useabliity on some of their newer products. The X4R for example was only to be a three channel + S Bus until Mark got into them to revise the specs, the X6R was a bit of a dissapointment as well and to top it off the early release of the 6 position switch is stiff to operate and the sub board appears to have been made incorrectly with very strange jumps up and down of the PWM requiring a less than simple mod to make it work as expected. See the Taranis how to thread over at RC Groups for more info on the 6 position switch and mods

[@xjet]

Yes, but if I didn't buy and review this lots of other people may have wasted a whole lot more than me. I buy a lot of stuff that turns out to be crap -- so that others don't have to.

[@46449771]

***** and _that_ is why i watch all of your reviews!

[@LWJCarroll]

Adam Wilkinson touche Adam, me too...Rgds...Laurie

[@RobB_VK6ES]

Well I must be able to see the future. I picked this as a lemon the day it was anounced. Even the HK promo showed up some of it's shortcomings. The external telemetry cable bodge for one. Still I suspect a whole gaggle of mugs will buy into this radio given the success of the original 9X just like they bought into the 9XR despite your reviews Bruce. It is also about time HK grew a pair and got these radios certified rather than shifting the responsibility of local compliance onto the owner. It seems HK plan to release dedicated TX module for this thing at some point. DSM2/X with telemetry by all reports but I would not hold your breath.

[@pilot140467]

Rob B It's the RF module that has to be certified, not the radio.. If it was you couldn't mod your taranis also..

[@wrapter3133]

Bruce,Thank you for saving my $100

[@Nubyrc]

So when you doing the next review? I got the Taranis, and while yes it is way better the 9X I wont get into the hell it has been getting over the learning curve and trying to get all the telemetry i paid for to actually be of some use because the COMPANION software doesn't really tell you anything! I have GPS and Vario, and no idea how high or how fast my plane is doing because the telemetry info has numbers that make no seance, no way to tell MPH, or feet! yes it is set to "Imperial" but readings are like ".35, 1.2" for feet or MPH? hell if I know I cant find any info on how to use the one thing they are advert sing that really doesn't work! So I may send it back and buy the 9Xr pro depending on your next revie. yes I know how to set it up i have old 9XR, but the other stuff and not having any instructions, well now I am complaining because for $50 no instruction is one thing i dont complain, I spent $300 for Taranis and telemtery, and no instructions on anything is a a whole new level of migraine headache!

[@pugs2300]

you know, im perfectly satisfied with my $50 9xr... this new "pro" version looks like they just doubled the price and added pro to the name... i seen absolutely no added functionality...

[@WillAllen22]

I agree, that is why I just got the basic 9xr as my grown up TX (currently using Orange TX)

[@IvanLayton]

Perhaps they don't want you to press the buttons in error.

[@reefer2917]

Bruce everywhere I look the taranis is double the price!, including hobbyking, and the people doing the reviews on the taranis are'nt so happy about them, a couple talk of retuning for repairs, maybe a larger sample needs to be looked at?? starting price taranis $225, starting price 9xr pro $110+djt module $43, not everyone (ME) will use that telemetry stuff. and I want the 30 model memory, my 9x is FULL

[@maceliusfpv370]

Oldie, but a goodie (the video that is).

[@Nubyrc]

yea i got the Tarranis after watching this video it is a superior radio then the 9XR and 9XR pro, but OMG forget about using he GPS telemetry logging, and forget about getting any help from FrSky. However I am willing to bet that both the Taranis and 9XR "PRO" have the exact same issues with logging the telemetry info. because of they both cop out on using firmware made up by volunteers who don't get paid and don't give shit if it works or not! But you see I did pay for the radio and if something doesn't work I hold the right to complain! It has been 6 or 7 weeks now are you ever going to do your PART 2 video on the Turnigy 9XR pro?