FMS help

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Anyone know what's the best transmitter that work with FMS? Besides purchasing the serial cable, is it just plug and play or do I have to download other stuff?

[Malc C]

You'll need some form of interface cable. These range from a simple home made transistor / resistor thing that plugs in to the paralell port, a PIC serial interface right up to a USB joystick emulator depending if you want to run other software other than FMS.

Most mainstream (JR, Futaba, Hirec etc) tranmitters use a standard called PPM when sending signals to the buddy box port, provided you get a transmitter that sticks to this standard you shuld have no problems. The only issues that seem to crop up here are when people try to use the transmitters that are bundled with these small Walkera helicopters (if you scan through some of the posts over recent weeks you'll see what problems guys are having)

Generally with a decent TX and interface its all plug and play

[Eric Brouwer]

There are three types of serial cables available:

- Simple wire cable (no electronic components). They are normally supplied with the "cheaper" combo packs as Malc C explained. They can sometimes work, but you will need extra drivers (PPJoy or similar). In most cases, users give up on the setup, or purchase a dedicated "Zhen Hua" type interface.

- Simple Transistor/resistor circuit. Suitable for use up to Win98, or possible to get working using PPJoy drivers under other Windows versions.

- Microcontroller type. This type are almost always guaranteed to work without any problem, except when used on newer notebooks/laptops. It might also not work with some "USB to Serial Converters".

Each of the types have limitations, but the microcontroller version is the most reliable.

[Bin'd~It]

Anyone know what's the best transmitter that work with FMS? Besides purchasing the serial cable, is it just plug and play or do I have to download other stuff?

Well as my Present Transmitter dosen't have the Buddy Function, I purchased a Futaba Skysport 4 from ebay, I can already fly, but I'm presently teaching the Wife :eek: ................... :D as she wants to have a go :rolleyes: , you don't say where your location is but I purchased my Interface Cable from on of the suppliers listed on the Links pages of FMS, works really well, though some of the models dont fly like they should and require in my veiw TOOOOO MUCH stick movement, particuarly for a raw beginner.