[magick81]

Hey guys,

After 2 complete failures with bixler 3 I decided to get some practice first.
My FrSky Taranis Plus with X8R combo was just delivered and it doesn't seem to have a trainer cable. Looks like a standard 3.5mm jack like used on my headphones. Can I use any 3.5mm jack cable with my radio or is a special cable needed?

Also, to connect to my computer for use with a simulator, should I get one of these?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16-IN-1-Fligh...d_Vehicles&hash=item1e90ede4d8
Would it work with my Taranis Plus and Phoenix 5 simulator?
Or will I need something different?

Thanks in advance and I wish all you guys a Happy New Years
Cheers
Kev

[disoriented]

Any 3.5mm cable will suffice for basic trainer (transmitter to transmitter) purposes. They're not special.

Phoenix comes with its own cable - it includes a hardware "dongle" which is partly aimed at curbing piracy.

The CDs included in that eBay listing probably contain pirated versions of several sims, and no doubt a few viruses too. You don't need any of that once you get your own copy of Phoenix.

Happy New Year and excellent flying

[magick81]

Thanks for the info.

So the dongle comes included with the software?
Will it suit my Taranis? Because i don't see any mention of it on the Phoenix website, which is why i thought i may need to buy a dongle like the one listed.

Here is a list of supported radios No mention of the Taranis

• All JR MC/MX (no adaptor required) - ** MC-series requires "DSC Interface" Accessory **

• Spektrum DX4e / DX6 / DX6i / DX7 / DX7S / DX8 / DSX9 / DSX10 / DX10t / DX18 (no adaptor required)*

* Please note that the DX7 Special Edition "SE" version is not compatible with Phoenix

• Spektrum DX5e older-style with SIDE training port ("DX5e adaptor" required)

• Spektrum DX5e new-style with REAR training port (no adaptor required)

• All Futaba ("Futaba/Hitec round" or "Futaba square" adaptor required)

• Futaba FX-18 with 2.5mm stereo training port ("Futaba FX-18" adaptor required)

• Hitec Aurora (no adaptor required)

• All Hitec except "Aurora" ("Futaba/Hitec adaptor" required - "Aurora" requires no adaptor)

• All Multiplex ("Multiplex" adaptor required)

• All Sanwa RD and RDS series ("Sanwa adaptor" required)

• E-sky ETB41 2.4 ghz (no adaptor required)

• Other E-sky ("Mini-DIN adaptor" required)

• Co-Pilot ("Mini-DIN adaptor" required)

• Blade CX, CP, CP+, CP Pro – ("RTMAMINIDIN - PHOENIX MINI-DIN (ESKY) adapter" is required)

• Blade CX2, CX3, CP Pro 2, Blade SR – no adapter is needed

• Parkzone Transmitters with training jack ("DX5e adaptor" required)

• Art-tech 100B (no adaptor required)

• Art-tech 100C ("Art-tech 100C adaptor" required)

• Walkera 2401, 2601 (Using "MINI-DIN adaptor" supplied with transmitter)

• Walkera 2402, 2602 ("Walkera 2801 adaptor" required)

• Walkera 2801 ("Walkera 2801 adaptor" required)

[secant0give]

It will work with the Taranis, no probs at all
The output will be pretty much the same as long as you make sure you set the radio up in PPM mode you'll be fine.

Hope this helps

[symowallo]

Phoenix is about $150 or so and worth every cent. The dongle it comes with is the standard 3.5mm audio-type fitting. Works on both my DX6i and 9XR.

[magick81]

Can anyone point to where I can purchase it for $150 or the best price?
The best I've found so far is $169.95 plus shipping.

Cheers
Kev

[symowallo]

Looks like that's the going rate. I bought mine from ark rc in Melbourne a while ago. They're now charging $169.

Still worth it. I've upgraded through several major versions for no additional cost.

[magick81]

Okay.
I seem to have found a set with the dx4e transmitter for $150.
Should I grab it? Will it work with the Taranis? I don't really want the spectrum, just the software and dongle lol.

[secant0give]

It will work with the Taranis

[magick81]

Okay! Some good news and bad news.
I just got home and was ready to fire up the Phoenix 5 bundle i just bought.
Then I remembered, NO CD/DVD DRIVE!!!!
When I got my iMac, I bought the highest stocl specs available at the time (about 2 years ago), I didn't bother getting the external drive, because I thought the discs would be obsolete soon lol. Why apple didn't put one in this year really annoys me.
But to be fair, I haven't needed it all year until now! hahahaha

[magick81]

My brother ancient iMac that i donated to him when i upgraded has a dvd drive. I just used it to create an image of the disc and will move to my iMac via USB. Hope it all works

[symowallo]

Get the disc onto another machine and burn an ISO. Mount that via VMware fusion/parallels and you're good to go

[robbo]

I have the same setup... phoenix 5 on a mac... no dvd.

I use vmware fusion... With a windows xp operating system, and run phoenix within that no problems.

For the dvd, I just bought a USB external dvd for about $40... useful to have as I have used it on my son's laptop too. These are cheap on ebay... or try a computer shop.

If you have another pc with a dvd on the same network, you can share that dvd with your mac... but I'm suspect for the performance you get to run phoenix.... haven't tried so can't really comment.

[magick81]

Hi guys,

Got it running on VMware Fusion and have spent the last couple hours practicing.
Couple questions.

Why don't my switches and sliders register with the simulator? I only really have 4 channels.
During calibration, all the flicked switches and sliders were not picked up.

Also, can someone recommend a good model, similar to the Bix3 that I should practice with? I tried the apprentice but that thing was so easy it seemed uncrashable, lol. I did find another one to use, but this model needed almost full throttle to stay in the air. Looking for something similar to my Bix3 to practice on.

Thanks guys

[robbo]

Also, can someone recommend a good model, similar to the Bix3 that I should practice with? I tried the apprentice but that thing was so easy it seemed uncrashable, lol. ... Looking for something similar to my Bix3 to practice on.

I mostly practiced with the apprentice, but I also mod'ed the Multiplex Easystar, by default its only 3-channel, but a pusher similar to the Bix. I have an AXN Floater, similar to Bix with 4 channels. The Easystar didnt have ailerons, but I was able to copy it and add them in (using the designer, and editing the config file) so got something pretty similar to the AXN/Bix3, at least from a control and look point of view.

To make it a bit harder, i tweaked the following;
1) opened up the aircraft designer (copied the apprentice), there is a realism setting in there, by default set to 50, put it up to 100
2) set your preferences to hard
3) I also sometimes crank up the simulation speed, to sharpen the reaction time... things happen quicker
4) stick in some wind

I'm sure there's many other tweaks to uncover

[secant0give]

Hi guys,

Got it running on VMware Fusion and have spent the last couple hours practicing.
Couple questions.

Why don't my switches and sliders register with the simulator? I only really have 4 channels.
During calibration, all the flicked switches and sliders were not picked up.

Thanks guys

Which TX are you using? The Taranis for instance, won't have any output on those channels unless you asign them to a switch or slider. It's similar with many other radios as well.

[magick81]

I am using the Taranis Plus.

Following the Phoenix instructions, it says when creating a new model on Radio for the sim, to set it up as a helicopter, even if you only plan to fly fixed wing so it assigns more channels to the model.

Well everytime I try to create a new model and try to select the helicopter template, nothing happens after I press enter. I don't know what thats about

So I've set up the new model for the sim as I've set my Bix up with only 4 channels, and those are the only controls detected in the Pheonix calibration process. Can someone advise how to add the use of sliders and switches to my model? Or how to get the new model wizard on the Taranis to select helicopter?

Cheers
Kev

[disoriented]

Let's treat this as a learning experience.

Can you name the channels you wish to configure? Switches - what should happen when you flick a particular switch? What about the sliders?

Try to describe what whould happen as a result of your stick/switch/slider inputs, and then we'll go through the requisite setup.

[magick81]

Thanks Disoriented

For example, say I wanted to set switch SF to raise and lower the landing gears.
And Switch SA for flaps to go up, down, or centred.

What screen/menu can I add these functions to my model?

I havre a feeling that once they are mapped in, the Phoenix Calibration will detect those switches.

[disoriented]

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many of them

You should decide which of the commonly-used channel orders you are going to adopt. For example, Spektrum uses TAER: 1) Throttle, 2) Aileron, 3) Elevator, 4) Rudder. Futaba radios default to AETR: 1) Aileron, 2) Elevator, 3) Throttle, 4) Rudder.

The consequences of a channel order mismatch between the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) are obviously bad, and while you could theoretically come up with a custom scheme (TEAR!), I suggest sticking to Spektrum for now - TAER. If you choose to outfit your Taranis with an OrangeRX module, you can then control all manner of Bind-n-Fly models without needing to do wild mental gymnastics to work out which input goes to which channel.

I'll assume that the "sim" model on your Taranis currently has the standard 4 channels - TAER - and nothing else. On the "MIXER" screen you should be able to see CH1 mapper to "Thr", CH2 mapped to "Ail", and so on.

That leaves us needing two more channels for the flaps and wheels. Spektrum convention is to use CH5 for flaps and CH6 for wheels/retracts. There are literally dozens of ways to configure the Taranis for something like this, but I'll start with something very simple...

Still on that MIXER screen, go down to CH5 and press 'enter'. Give the mix a name if you like, say "flaps", then go to "source" and select "SA". Leave everything else as is, and "exit".

Back on the Taranis MIXER screen, you should now have CH5 mapped to "SA".

Similarly, add a CH6 mix for "SF". (I wouldn't suggest SF for that - those back corner switches are 'panic' triggers best used for "throttle hold" when you come to helis and quads. Consider using say SE instead.)

Now the MIXER screen for your Taranis "sim" model should look like this:

CH1: 100 Thr
CH2: 100 Ail
CH3: 100 Ele
CH4: 100 Rud
CH5: 100 SA
CH6: 100 SF (or whatever)

Over to Phoenix now. Go to the "System" menu, "Your transmitter", and go through the calibration phase once again. This time, you should be able to see Phoenix react to SA and SF when it comes time to calibrate the switches, since the Taranis is now outputting those values on CH5 and CH6 respectively.

After calibration, the last step in Phoenix is to go into "System", "Your controls", "edit" the transmitter profile which I assume you have already created (since you're already flying!), and configure flaps to be activated by "controller channel 5". "Retract gear" should of course be activated by "controller channel 6".

And now if you pick a model with both flaps and retracts, like perhaps the P-47D, SA and SF should have the desired effect

Don't be afraid to experiment and to work out different ways of achieving a particular outcome.

[EasySimes]

Probably a bit late but if you are at the field and you see anyone with a Taranis ask them if they use a flight sim and then ask to see how they are setup. Nothing like actually seeing it.

I just got a Taranis Plus for Christmas and mine is setup for the Phoenix flight sim with flaps and Landing gear so I can definitely show you the setup.