Spektrum Smart Telemetry Overview DX8G2

By no means am I an expert, but I'm hoping to help others since this system is fairly new in E-filte's airplane lineup.

[@AdoptedYooper]

I haven’t bought a TX yet, but this is very helpful info, thank you.

[@thelongestday64]

I think the most important and basic thing to use from telemetry is the voltage. This rather than a timer will give you accurate information as to how much longer you can fly and when it is actually time to land.

[@wholenineyards7663]

Agree. If you set say a 23.4 threshold for a 6S battery that should give you plenty of time to land around 3.8V/cell.

[@laurenceboag2325]

Excellent explanation. That voltage alarm on my STICK was driving me nuts. Good information all around. Thanks!

[@SiR2Dean]

Listening to you talk about just going out and not really knowing much about the tech... it’s as though you spoke my truth!! First foray into smart tech on my ultimate 3d, took it up vertical, alarms went off then the plane tripped out to tell me the freshly charged battery was at a critical level and I had no idea what was going on. I’m guessing it’s a duff battery. So chuffed to see how to change the min values. Cheers boss. 👍

[@wholenineyards7663]

Cheers. No matter how big or how small I'm glad that it helped you.

[@matthewjarchow8209]

Great information! Thanks

[@franciscoduran3688]

Great! Now I know how to program altitude or better vario for my first Glider. I think vario lets you know if your plane is sinking or gaining altitude. I will also program Voltage voice messages. It was annoying to look on the screen on the planes were I have Esc-telemetry… THANKS!

[@marks7445]

I haven't been able to find any good reference information from Spektrum regarding the telemetry. I was using ESC voltage to ballpark my battery. Then I discovered Flight Pack. Then I remembered seeing something about Smart Battery (and again here) so I need to check for that. I had set a voltage alarm with the ESC but somehow lost it when I set other alarms. I tried to set it again with Flight Pack but I think other callouts might be overriding it. But it would be nice to know what is available on an aircraft. The Horizon site will often say that the telemetry does x and y and other telemetry data.

[@wholenineyards7663]

I messaged someone from Horizon and they were supposed to help me with some things but I never got a reply. So unfortunately even to this date my knowledge is pretty limited.

[@garyvale8347]

I am still liking this DX 8 radio over the newer NX 8...not really seeing any huge advantages of upgrading to the NX series , unless I begin to use the fairly expensive Spectrum Smart LiPos.......anyone know why the NX series is worth switching over to, if so please comment ....thanks

[@wholenineyards7663]

Gary I think the biggest change was the NX8 has WIFI functions with a better display (or so I've heard)

[@nielst.3891]

What hardware is installed in your plane to have telemetry displayed on your transmitter? Only use a Smart battery and AR8010T receiver? Or also other sensors?

[@wholenineyards7663]

To have full telemetry options you must use the AR637T receiver and any of the Avian smart ESC’s

[@airbus7379]

Hello nice radio I am thinking of saving for one, does each trim setup for your plane saved and whenever you bind it it has your trim

[@wholenineyards7663]

Individual trims assigned to a specific plane will stay with that plane. So lets say you have a Timber with 3 clicks up elevator and 2 right aileron, if you buy a Cub and set that up, the Cub will be blank until you give it trim, but when you go back to the Timber it will still have your 3 clicks up, 2 right.

[@micheleg9492]

Hi nice to see that . I have a question I did the update on my DX6 but I guess the SMART menu it will pop up only with the Smart ESC and Receiver I’m right ? Thanks

[@wholenineyards7663]

Correct. Would you like a short video on that?

[@micheleg9492]

WholeNineYards yes thanks

[@factorypilot99]

Might be a dumb question but I just bought one of these on FB marketplace, why doesn’t yours have the little SD card sticker next to the display? One I bought is missing that too is it a different model?

[@wholenineyards7663]

Sorry for the late reply. Can you send me a picture of what yours looks like? Is it a G2 or a DX8E?

[@ianmallett78UK]

Which receiver did you use, have a ar400 in mine. Did you use the Auto-config for all the settings.

[@wholenineyards7663]

I used the AR637T found in the 1.5M P51. I did not use the auto-config. I actually don't remember that being a setting. Also the AR400 is not a smart receiver so I don't believe that you get as many options.

[@januszkuchno2497]

I am using Dx6e with AR637T. Telemetry auto-config work fine except battery voltage. I am able to set alarm thresholds in telemetry for 3S battery. When I open Volts screen I see no volts value.

[@wholenineyards7663]

I'm not sure on that issue. Looks like it's been a month, did you figure it out?

[@MrElvispreston]

Thanks awesome

[@ohioace58]

Nice post Niner.. Year and half into the hobby here, with just 2 E-flite birds so far. Very "SAFE" type pilot that flies high inverted, barrel rolls, ect. Wanting to move up in the hobby now and get off Safe. Want to set EXP and such to help. I am gracefully AGING, and can't hear high pitch sounds well anymore. I use a voltage alarm in my T-28 but I can't hear the beeping!! The sound warnings on this DX8 seem very tough to understand. I haven't heard anything about the "vibrate" option of alarms on this model?? It would probably be my way to go.. I could set the desired low voltage warning and the DX8 could vibrate to tell me when it is reached?? I want the 8 channel option so I can grow in the hobby.. Main concern now and forever is the condition of my battery,, and when I should land the plane without draining my battery and damaging it.. or not having enough battery power remaining to make another landing pass if needed.. Thx in advance Nine.. ;)

[@wholenineyards7663]

I agree a vibrate function would be awesome. Thank you for the kind words and I apologize on the tardiness of my reply, but if I can help you in any way I'd be more than happy to.

[@vittoriodc119]

HI, I've a SMART ESC + SMART BATTERY + AR 9350 receiver and a DX8G2 transmitter but got non SMART telemetry. Where is the problem? Receiver?

[@wholenineyards7663]

Correct, you need the 637T receiver to get the SMART telemetry.

[@platanomikeyklk1455]

I have the Carbon-Z Cub SS BNF with a DX8 G2 and the smart battery but it says no data. Do I need anything else?

[@wholenineyards7663]

The carbon cub doesn’t have an Avian ESC nor the AR 637T receiver. To my knowledge the 1.5M P51 is the only BNF to contain those items.

[@platanomikeyklk1455]

@@wholenineyards7663 Thank you it makes sense now. Would I have to replace the receiver or could I add a module for telemetry?

[@wholenineyards7663]

@platanomikeyklk. I’m not entirely sure so I don’t want to answer that. It would be nice if they would come up with a flow chart based on existing components and what was needed to give full SMART functionality. I would contact spektrum or horizon directly.

[@matt79hz]

Thanks, noob here. All I want to see/hear is when my batt is low. What Voltage per cell would you set an alarm at ? 3.2ish ? And then simply set it to "voice"? Thanks for the info :)

[@wholenineyards7663]

3.2 is way too low. That's a completely depleted battery. I would suggest 3.8 which would give you plenty of time if you have any difficulties during landing. And yes, just add the voice command.

[@matt79hz]

@@wholenineyards7663 Thanks ! :)

[@wholenineyards7663]

@@matt79hz You're very welcome

[@davidm4680]

hey, my dx 8 has no smart battery and no smart esc. what have i do to get this? i dont have a smart lipo back but a lipo pack connected with my receiver. i want this smart battery advertisement :(

[@wholenineyards7663]

The full eco system for SMART is in the plane, there isn't a smart battery for the transmitter.

[@davidm4680]

@@wholenineyards7663 what does it mean? there is nothing that i can buy like a special receiver?

[@wholenineyards7663]

@@davidm4680 You can buy a smart receiver. Look into the AR637T for a 6 channel smart receiver.

[@adventures3699]

whats the latest firmware update??? mine has the 2.01!!!

[@stevew5931]

2.05

[@bluesteel8473]

It’s odd that if I set max volts to 25.2 and min to 22.2, the esc thinks it’s a 7s pack and not a 6s pack. Annoying.

[@wholenineyards7663]

More background?

[@superdon1chw]

My volts are wrong battery is 12.5 but the radio says it's10.3 I don't know how to adjust it to correct value have anyone fix this yet

[@wholenineyards7663]

So are you checking your voltage at the battery with a balance lead tester but the transmitter is reading a different value?

[@superdon1chw]

@@wholenineyards7663 Yes I am feeding it threw the balance jack into volts and get different values

[@wholenineyards7663]

@@superdon1chw Just based off my knowledge of electronics when there is a voltage drop like that I would assume there is some sort of abnormal resistance between the battery and ESC. I would look for damage or corrosion if it was me.

[@superdon1chw]

@@wholenineyards7663 everything is new I got two of them, I am going to set up second one and see what happen

[@starksteven]

I would love a video of As3x gains how to

[@wholenineyards7663]

I can do that. Anything specific you’re looking for? Do you have an updated transmitter with that ability?

[@starksteven]

@@wholenineyards7663 I have a Dx8E, I use Smart batteries and I fly 4 main planes a Timber x, a Ultimate 3D, a Visionaire, and a Extra 300. I would be interested in AS3X gains, Flight Mode Setup, Switch Setup, Telemetry Setup. Programing AS3X thru the TX. I have watched Horizon Hobby videos but did not seem to cover very deeply on this. Thanx

[@wholenineyards7663]

So you’re using a non smart esc and receiver in those planes? I’ll have to mess with it on a plane without those parts so I’m a little more familiar and I’ll do my best to answer what you’re looking for.

[@black_baron_net]

☠BLACK BARON☠1:28 I knocked it down to 4.1V still and still getting Warnings during flights ... 2:05 ... 7S Lipo ... I never understood that setting ... I have a 6S SMART Lipo in my Heli and my Avian 120 is programmed as 6S instead of "Auto Calc" ... this SMART ESC Telemetry is really awkward developed.

[@wholenineyards7663]

Well you're going to because 4.1 volts minimum during flight isn't realistic. You'll probably be out of that parameter within 15 seconds of flight

[@black_baron_net]

@@wholenineyards7663 ☠BLACK BARON☠ This setting is meant to be the "Startup Voltage" when you put your fully charged RC Scale Helicopter on the ground for first takeoff and even before the motor is spooling up. Resetting my Spektrum Avian ESC controller helped to solve the many ESC warnings I had on my iX Airware screen during many test flights. Resetting the Spektrum Avian ESC to factory defaults and re-programming via Programmer Box V2 solved my issue. That's my opinion.

[@wholenineyards7663]

@@black_baron_net Thank you for the opinion. I'm sure people are a lot more familiar with the system now since this video is almost 2 years old. Glad you're figuring things out and helping me understand as well

[@yves6460]

Problème de programation aileron un fonctionne normalement l,autre par retour au neutre par des à-coups

[@wholenineyards7663]

Sorry for the late reply. Sounds like a servo issue rather than a transmitter issue.

[@TheTerrypcurtin]

Go deep in the DX 8 and gross fast.

[@wholenineyards7663]

I’m not sure I understand your comment?

[@RC-Flight]

@@wholenineyards7663 me neither complete gibberish.