Discussion hitec optic 6 problems

[fairladiez33]

I purchased a new optic 6 recently, it worked for a couple months with no problems at all. My friend had one but he had problems as soon as he bought it. The radio changed modes while flying from mode 2 to mode 1. My optic started doing the same thing, so I changed out the spectrum module that didn't work, tried multiple electron 6 rx's and cirrus mrx4's and 6's it proceeded to have problems and resulted in destroying my wing warrior zipper and bending my shaft on my brushless motor.

imagine at a flying field and someone was flying a giant scale rc aircraft, if the radio decided to switch modes on you and started glitching like hell, you would have no control of it and could result in serious injury or death

I was just wondering if this is a big problem because I know this happened to 3 of my friends and that's pretty bad.

[MikeMayberry]

I have never, ever, heard of an issue like this. So your throttle and elevator switched positions in flight? There is no record we have of this ever happening.

What are your freinds names so I can look up their repairs to verify this.

I would suggest you send the radio in to have it checked out.

Mike.

[fairladiez33]

hahaha oh i bet you have heard of issues like this...i hear it all the time...remember that thread a while ago about optic 6s that was shut down by hitec...my friend did send his in and you guys said "oh we found nothing wrong with your radio" but obviously the problem still occured and he sent it back and you guys still didnt do a thing about it....finally after many phone calls you guys finally exchanged his optic for and eclipse 7...why cause the optic 6 would do the same thing over and over again due to bad programing...that radio blows, you guys should seriously figure out whats wrong with the program...im tempted to throw mine away because hitec will probably tell me the same thing that they did to my friend...one guy that i know just purchased his optic 6 not even a couple weeks ago and we were setting up his shogun v2 and that radio would glitch like crazy, so my friend put his eclipse 7 in it and it worked without any glitching

so i dont know what the problem is with hitec optic 6 radios are but all that i know is that im not going to recommend this radio to anyone due to the problems that ive recieved and fellow friends

[MikeMayberry]

These are interesting posts for your first two... so what was your previous log in name?

Again, you say that your throttle and elevator channels reversed, right? I will say again that we have never heard of this! So what were your friends names so I can see what we did with the repairs?

We are happy to repair or replace any customer equipment that does not work the way it should, but for you to insinuate the the Optic has bad programming that causes the radio to glitch is completely unfounded.

Again, please give me the names of your three freinds so I can look up their repairs to see what we found. As for your radio... please send it in and we will repair or replace it at no charge.

If you would like to discuss this personally I would LOVE for you to call me so we can talk one on one.

Mike Mayberry
Hitec RCD inc.
(858)748-6948 x 302

[ivanc]

The Optic I got still works without any issues - now in the hands of my brother. I need another tranny (all memories in all my Hitec trannies are full) and I'm leaning towards the Optic although I already have an Eclipse - mainly for the split elevator mix of the Optic.

Ivan

[XJet]

I'm a harsh critic, where criticism is deserved (as Mike knows :-) but I have to say that the vast majority of Optic 6 users I know have had no real problems (aside from the AAAA bug which they have *all* encountered -- which is rather unusual considering it's supposed to affect "just a few percent" :-)

Given that my own transmitter, when its memory gets corrupted by the AAAA bug also tends to switch to heli-configuration or change modes at random, I can believe the original poster did actually experience the problems he describes -- although it's unusual to have it happen *during* operation -- it's normally only at power-on.

Warts aside, the O6 is probably the best value transmitter in its sector of the market. It has superior ergonomics to all the other 6-7 channel radios and the use of a plug-in frequency module is also a great plus.

It would be nice if I could get access to parts and information that would allow me to more easily fix the problems I've had with mine -- but it seems that Hitec is very much a closed shop and the only alternative is to send it on a 16,000 mile round trip if I want it fixed or the firmware upgraded.

For that reason (and the lack of model memories) I'll be replacing mine with a Futaba 9C in the very near future.

[no stick]

Hi XJet,

What ever happened to the MUCH publicized Digital Signal Processing (DSP) receiver review you were going to publish? Couldn't you get confirmation from the manufacturers about questions you had?

We are all waaaiiitttiiinnnggg.

Ed

[Popsflyer]

Originally Posted by MikeMayberry

I have never, ever, heard of an issue like this. So your throttle and elevator switched positions in flight? There is no record we have of this ever happening.

Mike.

Optic-6 Problems

I regularly fly with these people, and I can testify to actually witnessing the problem(s) described. In the case of the Optic-6 in the link above, the solution was to replace it with an Eclipse-7. Since the swap, this person has had ZERO problems after switching to the E7, using the EXACT same airborne equipment that was unflyable on the Optic-6.

One has to wonder how many Glow aircraft have went down to this same problem, but there wasn't enough of the plane left after the crash to determine the actual cause.

[fairladiez33]

Mike,

This is my first time posting or registering on any type of rc forum, actually even going on an rc forum

I will be calling you tomorrow so we can talk about this personally, and not among this thead.

[Popsflyer]

FYI:

Since the original posting, we have met several other people who have been having "strange" problems with their Optic-6's. Futher discussions reveiled that their problem(s) are indeed the the same, channel reasignment or mode switching.

In fact several days after 'fairladiez33' personally spoke with M.M. of Hitec, this other person (John) had a similar conversation on the phone and was told the exact same thing: "have never, ever, heard of an issue like this. So your throttle and elevator switched positions in flight? There is no record we have of this ever happening."

What is the chance of these people having the exact same problem and being in the same circle of friends? Makes me want to play the Lotto.

[MikeMayberry]

FYI: We have yet to duplicate this reported problem on the bench.

Mike.

[no stick]

I'll chime in here. I love my Optic 6. It's version 1.1 which was not the first version that caused the AAAA lockout on model memory 1. Once and only once did I experience the Mode change from 2 to 1. It didn't occur in flight but on start up when I discovered the elevons did not work properly. Took me forever to figure it out. I may have set MODE to 1 accidently when I was programming setup because I change the TIME function frequently and that change can only be done in the setup mode versus menu mode. The TIME setup is just after the MODE setup when you cycle through the setup functions. I was familiar with mode 1 operation from my Flash 5 manual and the stick control functions; however the Optic 6 has inconsistencies concerning MODE or STICK menu explained on page 7 and does not explain what mode 1 is all about.The same inconsistancies are also on page 11 concerning MODE vs STCK1 and STCK2.

In my former life I was involved in program development and related documentation. When we found an inconsistancy we found it was less costly and easier to change the program than to change the documentation and related distrubution nightmares. This was before Al Gore invented the internet. From an analyst viewpoint, Hitec should change the program for the MODE change to require unusual button pushing to change so it cannot be set accidently. Just my opinion.

Here is a copy of the Optic 6 tutorial from their web site which should be included in the manual:

"MODE I or MODE II STICK STYLE Screen Shot Missing
Mode I and Mode II style sticks deals with the control stick set-up and channel assignment. In Mode I, the elevator and rudder controls are assigned to the Right stick assembly, while the ailerons and throttle are assigned to the Left stick assembly. This mode is the predominant style of flying in Europe and for precision aerobatic pilots, where separation of the pitch and roll control is desired. Mode II style sticks has the ailerons and elevator on the Right side sticks and rudder with throttle on the Left side sticks. This is most popular style of arrangement within the United States. Your Optic 6 will arrive as a Mode II design, unless purchased by special order as a Mode I style system. We do not recommend changing the transmitter from one mode to another on your own. Instead, if you need to have the Mode switched, please contact us at Hitec for assistance."


Ed

After reviewing Rutat's post below and my Flash 5 picture depicting Mode 1 and Mode 2, the above Optic 6 tutorial statement is not accurate. The Flash 5 picture shows the Modes as follows:

Mode 1 Left Stick: ELEV/RUDD Right Stick: AIL/THRO

Mode 2 Left Stick: THRO/RUDD Right Stick: AIL/ELEV

[rutat]

On that tutorial stuff about changing modes, I found this interesting link. http://www.planemodel.com/mode1-2/mode1-2-hitic6ch.htm

[Popsflyer]

Just for the record, I have been present during when malfunctioning has occured with the Optic-6's in question. One of the things we first checked was to see if the mode was accidentally changed, which is was not. The display was showing the transmitter set-up for mode II, Throttle/Rudder on left stick.

Since the problem is intermitant, it may be difficult to repeat during bench testing at Hitec. However, because of the safety concerns (and liability issues) of a radio switching modes during flight, I think that a radio sent in with this kind of reported problem should NOT leave the service department without 100% certainty that the problem will not return.

BTW, I recently spoke with 'fairladiez33' and he will be sending the radio in for service (hopefully replacement) as soon as college and work time permits.

[kevbeer]

made up my mind lol, no on the optic 6