Spektrum AR637T - Installation and setup with DX8

As I installed so many Spektrum AR637T and AR630 receivers I decided to make an instruction video on how I do it. To dig deeper search for the setup videos from Horizon Hobby where they go into things more detailed.
As there are so many settings you can do this is not a complete setup of an RC plane. It's more to make forward programming easier with the AR637T/630/630 receivers.
I did simplify the orientation a bit in this video to have the receiver connectors pointing either straight forward or straight to the back of the plane as the only option but as someone pointed out it is possible to also have the receiver mounted at an 90 degree angle (sideways) to the fuselage length. But it's very uncommon to have it sideways so I never consider it an alternative. But it is possible.
Channel order for the Spektrum-system is:
Ch1: Throttle
Ch2: Ailerons
Ch3: Elevator
Ch4: Rudder
Ch5: Gear ( or SAFE)
Ch6: Flaps
AS3X gain for instance can be set using an AUX channel for 7 channel or more transmitters.
In total the AR637T or AR631/630 have 20 channels and the channels above 7 can be used to set gain values for instance.

[@georgedougherty2572]

Thank you brother! I don't understand why Horizon and Spektrum can't make their videos this clear, step by step. Great work.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I’m glad you found it helpful.

[@moyanuddin1795]

Ch

[@williamhoenstine5057]

Thanks for providing a setup using a DX transmitter. Most recent setup videos are presented using the new NX transmitters. That's beneficial for those who own a NX transmitter but not so good for those of us who have the DX series of transmitters.

[@Tomasvirre]

Äntiligen en video som är lätt att förstå o visar hur man gör utan att bli helt snurrig av alla hopp hit o dit. Tack Tack Tack!.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Snurriga filmer vill man ju undvika :)

[@matk4731]

This is excellent. Much better than the Spektrum videos. Thanks for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻🙃🙃

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching. I`m glad you found it helpful.

[@larryegilman1]

I second the above...now I guess it’s time to upgrade the dx8 firmware.

[@RC-Flight]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this very helpful video! 🇨🇦

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching. I’m happy you found it useful.

[@spiff2776]

W ow! That was better than anything from Horizon. Thank you so much. Simpler than I thought, and same radio that I have. I just ordered 2 of those and was not looking forward to the setup, but you have calmly and clearly made sense of it for me. Love your channel. Keep up the good work!

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I`m glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@quikdraw19]

Thank you so much for this video. I have been lost with this for quite some time now and you definitely helped me. It’s definitely going to be a safer flight now. I personally build from kits and it was definitely scary to take a freshly finished plane out. I have to pause at each level and do it but that’s on me Hahaha. Thank goodness for you my friend. 👍

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I’m glad it helped you!

[@maverick5007]

Thank you doing this video. Good quality, good information and makes setting up a breeze.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I’m glad you found it helpful.

[@rickjames3412]

EXCELLENT!!! Thank you! I've had this rx for a year now and just today, I updated my tx 8g2 to version 2.08 but didn't know how to program the rx to it. This is good stuff!!! I subscribed! :))

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks! I’m glad you found it helpful.

[@garylantz8630]

I have watched a bunch of videos (with my one working eye 🤣) trying to get the AS3X to work on the AR630 receivers and this video finally made it happen. Man I really appreciate this. The darn thing took right off first try. With one eye I need that Gyro for safety !

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I am glad you got it working!

[@davebaker1659]

Just put forward programming on my dx6 and this will come in very handy. Thank you

[@greatgandalf5233]

Great video, got me over the slope of the Learning Curve. Thanks!

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I am glad you found it helpful!

[@jamesmclane2826]

Excellent video step-by-step easy to understand 🙏thank you so much✌️🖖😃

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching!

[@greatgandalf5233]

Great help.. I have a DX8 gen2... and a Radiomaster 16S.. 16S has so much capability but the DX8 is what I start a new model on. Thanks for video...

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-or5gm4ty9f]

Thanks so much for this mate. Great help

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Great to hear!

[@bcflyer99]

Thanks for the tutorial.

[@gisall8205]

FANTASTIC VIDEO BROTHER. THANKS.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for commenting and great you found it useful!

[@falconaz]

No emphasis on throttle cut. Probably the single most important config on any electric plane setup.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

This is more to take the complexity of forward programming out. Not to show all the settings you might need. I did leave out many things on purpose and I know throttle cut is something I do on evey model and that is recommended so thanks for pointing that out.

[@1bizjets]

Thank you that was a useful video.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I'm glad you found it useful!

[@davidbohner692]

Fantastic

[@josefigueroa-bz5sl]

Thanks, is the video I needed, I subscribe

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I hope you find it useful.

[@fatehsinghrcplane7730]

Nice and understandable… thanks

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for commenting!

[@bcflyer99]

I set mine for as3x, safe and envelope. 3 position switch. By no I've set up 6 of my one AR7637's and many for friends. Around my club they know me as the SAFE man.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

It's easy once you got the hang of it!

[@txkflier]

1. Flipping your plane upside down and rocking it thru wings level is not a good test of SAFE mode. You should just tilt the plane 45 degrees in each direction from level (right side up) and observe what the control surfaces do. If you raise a wingtip, the aileron on that wingtip should deflect upward which will push that wingtip back down toward level. And if you raise the tail 45°, the elevator should deflect upward which will push the tail back down toward level. 2. If you don't set up a gain channel, you must change the AS3X gains from "Adjustable" to "Fixed". Otherwise, the gains will be zero and AS3X will effectively be turned off. However, you won't see this menu option until after you've assigned the flight mode (FM) channel. The FM channel isn't set up until you do the "First Time SAFE Setup". If you don't want to use SAFE mode, you can manually set up the FM channel in the "F-Mode Setup" menu.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

As long as you have the servos set up correctly so that surfaces move in the right direction a quick test like this work but if you are uncertain then yes one should observe so that they move in the right direction. In this exemple I showed setup of the gain channel to work with the rknob which is the way I do it on all of my planes. So no other setting is needed unless you want to lock gains and then you can capture the current gain setting.

[@txkflier]

@@SunriseRCAviator There are people who believe (incorrectly) that if the servos zip back and forth as you rock it back and forth thru level inverted, that it will automatically roll back to right side up. If they don’t actually look at which way the servos move, they will miss the fact that it will stay inverted. I have seen others who ended up with no AS3X gain because they failed to set up a gain channel and didn’t see where to change the gains from adjustable to fixed. And, they didn’t know how to see what the gains were in real time.

[@txkflier]

The AR636 was bad about the gyro going the wrong way because the reversing had to be done in the receiver. The newer smart receivers can do the same thing if you fail to run the “Relearn Servo Settings” routine.

[@danreynolds8028]

Lapeos, this video is exceptional! I now understand the advantages of the AR637T. Even though it is a bit expensive for a receiver/gyro I think it is worth it now. It's so much more flexible than a plane specific gyro. I have a question and want to see if I understand your procedures correctly.. Let's say I buy a couple of AR637T receivers but have many planes already setup correctly in my DX9. If I want to use it in 1 plane and then later remove it to use it in another different plane, can I just go directly to the steps for Forward programming (at 6:38) to set it up for another plane? Or do I have to start from scratch each time? Obviously it would be best for each plane to have it's own AR637T but since I have about 20 something different planes, it would be pretty costly to buy a new AR637T for each one. Great job as usual!!

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I'm glad you found the video useful. I move my AR637T receivers when I get tired of one plan to the next one. I never go back but I suppose one could set up different models on the TX and when you move the receiver only reset the AR637T and do a clean forward programming every time you move the receiver to another plane.

[@franzbri]

Awesome video!🙏👍Two questions: 1. What’s the difference between the two modes - Self-Level Angle and Envelope 2. You say that the AR637T can only be mounted facing front or rear, but mine was recognized mounted sideways as Orientation #16 or 14. Can’t remember which.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching. Envelope is limited pitch and bank but no auto level. You can mount the receiver sideways as long as it's square with the fuselage but it's often not practical to do so. I would recommend having it running along the fuselage. In my video I felt it would be clearer to limit the sideways options.

[@100ZlotychW30Minut]

Were you able to get the battery voltage from the plane displayed on the transmitter? Or is the Smart ESC required for that?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Yes. I attached the voltage cable and got battery voltage on the TX.

[@AlanSieja]

Thanks for this video, being a newbie this really helps. Unfortunately, I don't see 'forward programming' on my transmitter. I'm using the DX6e. Is it not compatable? I read in the instructions I had to have throttle control on which I do.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Thanks for watching. I don't think the DX6e support forward programming.

[@AlanSieja]

@@SunriseRCAviator Thanks for the reply. My transmitter needed updating. Once I did, it all worked. I have no idea where you get all of this knowledge. I'm thankful for your videos and others that post here on KZbin.

[@quikdraw19]

I wish you had a forum to chat about this stuff

[@SunriseRCAviator]

You can always post comments and chat!

[@JK-tj6ie]

I dont find the forward programming point on my DX8 G2. Any ideas why and how to fix it? Thanks for answers

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Is your DX8 updated to latest firmware? it should appear in the menu.

[@JK-tj6ie]

@@SunriseRCAviator Hi, thanks for the quick answer. I already found the problem: Forward programming only appears when you are connected to your model, which makes sense when you think about it😅.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

@@JK-tj6ie Great that you solved it!

[@Navigator777777]

Does the AR637T have a vario if used with a DX8 Gen2?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I believe so.

[@Mr.Studer]

Just curious what is the point of assigning safe to a separate channel than on the flight mode channel itself, since you activated it on FM1 anyways? Unless you have different trims on the channel?...

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I guess it's just the way I do it.

[@Mr.Studer]

@@SunriseRCAviator ok thanks for the answer, wasn't sure if that was preference or procedure

[@johnsorensen5758]

Nice video hey I'm trying to control the gain on my dx8 on the knob the way you did but it's not working my plane is a turbo timber with ar636 reciever will it work with that?if not is there any way to have it control my plane less so I'm flying it and not the as3x

[@SunriseRCAviator]

AS3X only lessens the influence of wind and you still fly the plane at all times. So I would not bother to adjust it. The AR636 is preprogrammed to suit the Turbo Timber and in order to adjust settings you have to use the spektrum programming program and then you might be able to assign the knob to gyro gain.

[@johnsorensen5758]

@@SunriseRCAviator thank you for your reply much appreciated have a blessed day

[@coolking1537]

My Dx8 G2 didn’t have forward programs, how can I install to my dx8 G2?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

If you have the latest firmware installed it might be that you haven't bound it to a forward programming capable receiver.

[@johnsorensen5758]

Another question can you take a ar637ta reciever from a bnf and program it for another plane ?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Yes. Update the receiver and reset it to reprogram it for any airplane.

[@johnsorensen5758]

@@SunriseRCAviator thank you

[@johnsorensen5758]

Can that reciever be taken out of one plane and used in another after it has been setup if so what does it take to do it ?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Yes, just do a reset and set it up as a new one.

[@johnsorensen5758]

@@SunriseRCAviator thank you much appreciated 👍

[@moonpaws1]

What exactly is forward programming? Thanks.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

It is to program the receiver from the transmitter.

[@matthewvega7171]

I followed your instructions, but AS3X isn’t working. SAFE works, but AS3X doesn’t cause the surfaces to move (I did move the throttle to activate it). Is this because I have a DX6 and don’t have a knob to use for gains?

[@SunriseRCAviator]

You can set it to fixed gain also in forward programming if you do not have a Knob on your TX. But first do a full throttle burst and see if that activates AS3X.

[@burghyr]

How much distance is this setup good for.. new in this hobby and I want to build my own big plane

[@SunriseRCAviator]

At least a few hundred metres. More than enough if you still want to see the plane and stay within line of sight.

[@burghyr]

@@SunriseRCAviator thank you for replying so fast ! And it would be possible to make a plane with twin engines (like nitro engines) connected to a servo for throttle, and then the servo connected to this configuration, right? I'm looking to do a twin gas engine configuration because I actually want to make the plane out of aluminium, I know.. sounds like a heck of a project, but I hope my ideas turn out well..

[@moonpaws1]

I heard if you press your scroll wheel anywhere but on the top, you'll wear it out.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I think I've done 1500 flights with this remote and I use the scroll wheel a lot and it still works.

[@wayneschenk5512]

DX 8e they have removed forward programming.

[@SunriseRCAviator]

I don't know the DX8e. Maybe it's limited compared to DX8.

[@wayneschenk5512]

@@SunriseRCAviator I just read that I only need todo a firmware update and I should see it as the receiver is capable👍.

[@fatehsinghrcplane7730]

If u just want to use asx3 only , not the safe ..

[@SunriseRCAviator]

When you turn SAFE off with the A switch you fly in AS3X mode only. You can also disable SAFE in all flight modes if you like but it's always good to have it enabled just in case.

[@norbertstengel293]

Nun nochmals in Deutsch. Ich musste damals Russisch lernen 😢

[@SunriseRCAviator]

Better to learn english I guess?