FRSky Tarannis Information

[Doozer]

FrSky  Taranis 16 Channel 2.4 GHz ACCST Radio

(pronounced "Free Sky")

Features:

• Full Telemetry RSSI alarms (warns you of signal reception problems before disaster can strike)
• Self test of the transmitter antenna
• 16 channels (more when combined with external module)
• 60 model memories
• 64 mixers, 9 flight modes
  
• 16 custom curves with 3-17 points each, 32 logic switches
• Voice or custom sound alerts
• USB and SD card slot for system expansion
• Long range system capable of up to 3 times the range of current 2.4 systems
• Quad bearing gimbals
• State-of-the-art open source software
• Large 212 X 64 backlit LCD screen
  
• Real-time data logging
• Receiver lock (program locked to aircraft - limited to FrSky receivers running PXX protocol)
• JR Style module bay for additional RF modules and much more
• Selectable flight mode (1, 2, 3, or 4)
  
• 2 timers, count up or down, throttle %, talking, etc.
• Trims - Adjustable from course to extra fine with extended and exponential trims
• Standard trainer jack
• ARM Cortex M3 32-bit 60MHz
  
• Integrates with CompanionTX – a FREE computer program that is a transmitter setup buddy. CompanionTX (Windows/Mac/Linux) is used to set-up models with the wizard, save, edit and share your models and settings as well as simulate your transmitter or model setup.
• USB connection for firmware upgrades, sound editing, R/W to the microSD card and integrate with CompanionTX
• Sticks and pots can be calibrated by the end user
  
• Multiple language support (Radio arrives configured for English language)
• Open source community-driven firmware, so unlike with major manufacturers if you need a special function or have good improvement suggestions just raise your voice, and don't be surprised if it's implemented a couple of days later!

SPECS:

• Operating Temperature Range: -10°C - 45 °C
• Operating System: 2-stick, 16 channels, ACCST 2.4GHz, full telemetry
• Transmitting Frequency: 2.4 GHz band
• System: D16, D8 LR12, switchable
• Power Supply: DC 7.2V 6 cell Nickel–metal hydride battery
• Current Drain: 260 mA maximum (RF power on and back light on)
• Operating Humidity: 45%-80%

Quick Start Guide:
www.alofthobbies.com/files/Taranis_Quick_Start_Guide.pdf

Taranis Manual Download:
www.frsky-rc.com/download/view.php?sort=Manual&down=108&file=Manual-Taranis%20X9D

Companion 9X Software:
code.google.com/p/companion9x/
or here
www.open-tx.org/2014/01/10/companion9x-v152/



Where to purchase:
HobbyKing China
Aloft Hobbies California
Get FPV.com Florida
Range Video Miami, FL. 
Canada Drones Canadians Only; US orders will be cancelled (Bastards).

Aloft Hobbies looks to be the cheapest so far... on just about everything. If you can't get your radio from them, they are the cheapest on the accessories.

The Taranis is for sale in multiple combos either Mode1 or Mode2 (USA)- This is what you should pay:
Taranis only - $175 to $195 +shipping
Taranis and X8R rx - $200 to $220 + shipping
Taranis, X8R rx, neck strap, and case -  $230 + shipping (note: the case is for shipping purposes only - it is sold as is and may come dinged up)

There are some sellers on e-bay scooping these radios up then marking them up to $300 to $400 dollars. If you can't wait until the $200 ones come back in stock, you'll pay a hefty price from the scalpers. My suggestion is stick with the radio you have until it comes back in stock at a reasonable price. 

Accessories:

• 2.4 GHz Patch Antennae Range Video / Patch Ant. - $15 - extends range to 4.5 km. 
  
• X8R receiver Range Video / X8R rx - $33 - 8 servo channels with Sbus, 16 channels with Sbus decoder
• 4-Channel S.BUS to PWM Decoder Range Video / SBus Decoder - $12.29 - Allows you to use analog or digital servos instead of S.Bus servos

• FLVS-01 - LIPO VOLTAGE SENSOR AND DISPLAY Aloft Hobbies / Lipo Voltage Sensor - $11 - up to 12S lipo voltage. Sends telemetry to radio (telemetry hub required)
• SENSOR HUB - FSH-01 - Aloft Hobbies / Sensor Hub - $13.30 - Hub Ports: Fuel Gauge Sensor, GPS, Variometer Sensor, Lipo Voltage Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Power Supply, RPM Sensor, Triaxial Acceleration Sensor, Data - use provided cable to connect to reciever digital side port (G, TX, RX).
• OrangeRX DSMX/DSM2 2.4Ghz transmitter module - HobbyKing / OrangeRX Tx Module - $30 if you use DSM2 or DSMX style receivers, you can plug this into the back of the Taranis. You don't have to replace any receivers. You just switch to external mode in the Taranis and the internal mode goes off. 

Here's my unboxing:


You do not have to use the Taranis sounds if you do not like them. You can create your on sound files using a free text to speech program and then downloading that file to your radio's folder:
www2.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php 

If you want to add music files make sure to watch Scotts updated video on sounds and download Audacity (it's free):
audacity.sourceforge.net/ 


These are videos made by Scott Page from Aloft Hobbies I have posted them here because they are important to watch. The will reduce your time spent fumbling around trying to figure out what does what.  These are just a few of his videos. I have subscribed to his YouTube channel. On his channel are various videos describing how to do many different things with your Taranis.  If you like them make sure to click the thumbs up and "Like" them. 









Here is a quote from the eflightwiki page:
"This quote by user "jj604" on RCGroups.com sums it up nicely when he says:

' - You have to understand this is a small entrepreneurial Chinese company with an innovative product. When you add the non-English speaking background to the rapid pace of development and lack of any overarching technology roadmap you just have to expect difficulties. This is not Spektrum or Apple territory. [...]


 - This stuff appeals to the clever technical folks because of its high functionality to price ratio but the downside is that the documentation is written by engineers who tend to focus on how things work rather than what you have to do to make them work - and is not always slanted at users. [...]


- You aren't going to find it easy going. [...] For example FrSky have obsoleted many of their receivers faster than Spektrum can bring out basic sensors for theirs! [Add to that] the fact that FrSky CURRENTLY have no less than three totally different simultaneously operating data protocols for their telemetry system.


- [...] I can tell you this FrSky system is fantastic quality and very very good value for money. But if you think a Taranis is going to be as simple to set up as a DX5 - it is simply not true. FrSky is the Linux of radio systems. Extremely good value, powerful and elegant but you do have to work at it.'"

[edit: 2/12/2014]- The above quote is mostly correct if you don't watch any of the videos and use other resources to work your way through issues. After watching the videos, and getting a handle on the terminology, I found the programming to be straight forward, simple, and well thought out. You probably should have experience with another radio, however, it's not completely necessary if you are willing to put the time into learning the way things work in a sim before you start trying to fly for real. This is not an "instant gratification" radio if you're just starting out, but most of those "RTF" radios are extremely limited in functionality and proprietary (give you little options for another brands equipment).
There is excellent information on that page Here's the Link: www.eflightwiki.com/eflightwiki/index.php?title=FrSky_Telemetry

[Doozer]

Watching the videos helped, but the firmware seems to be many iterations beyond the video. First things first though... When I first plugged the Taranis into my computer, with the power off (for firmware updating),Windows 7 (64 bit) failed to install the device driver for the Taranis. In one of his videos, Scott Page suggests downloading a free program called Zadig which is a USB device driver installer. I used Zadig to install the correct driver for the Taranis.

Then, using Companion 9X (Taranis' software that resides on your computer), I was able to burn the new firmware to the Taranis. It's important that you create backup files for older versions of the firmware; images; sounds; and Eeproms. Do this in case you make a mistake so you can simply revert back to a previous version of your EEPROM.

Another thing I changed is the battery. In my X9303 I used a Lectron Pro 2600 Tx battery. It has multiple leads. So I clipped the lead from the NiMh battery that was in the Taranis, and soldered it to a spare lead on the Tx battery from the 9303. I can't fly with more than one Tx, and there's multiple leads on the Lectron lipo... so why not. So now instead of 7.4V on an 800 milliamp NiMh, I have 2600 milliamps and 12V. The radio is working fine. I couldn't find my digital Multi-meter, so I'll have to pick one up tomorrow. I'm pretty sure my father borrowed it. I needed a new one anyway. So when I pick up another MM I'll calibrate the battery.

Why did I change the battery?... You need to charge the battery when you first get it. The battery that comes with the Taranis has one lead that is Taranis specific or at least, different from any other connector I've seen. The Taranis comes with a wall wart charger and it takes FOREVER to charge. At 800 mAh you'll be charging the battery often if you fly often. If you forget and leave the Tx on... you might end your flying day before you even get started. I originally wanted to use the stock battery because it's light, and new, but in the end, I just couldn't get over the length of charge time when I had a lipo and charger that could charge @ 2C. 

So if you end up with a Taranis, understand that the videos I posted above will work, but they are not going to look the exactly the same as your companion 9x or the Taranis firmware. They should be good enough to help you get up and running.

Last and definitely the least, I repaired the case. It seems that one of the elbows in the case had come out, but did not want to stay in. I just broke out the 5 minute epoxy and used some elbow grease (no pun intended) and held the elbow in place until the epoxy went off. So now the case looks good

[Doozer]

I just watched some videos and spent time with the radio this evening. Most of the open Tx software/firmware is very easy to catch on to if you watch the videos. I had to replay a couple of them before I got the concept down.

Could have saved the $80 bucks for the matchbox and bought 30% (shipped) of this radio. So far I'm really liking it. I constantly feel like I'm learning how to fly when I'm programming the Taranis. You learn the mechanics (using control surface mixing) of flying.

The sounds are cool. Playing with speech programs is a lot of fun, and it teaches you to program switches to boot. I'm probably going to use the Taranis with one of my foamies first. I don't want to find out I programmed in -100 elevator when at full throttle while flying wood in the air. It's rare to find all the toothpics you made, but common to find all of the foam.

[Doozer]

I flew my Cermark Gee Bee today and I've decided I'm going all in! No LOS and the airplane responded to all commands just like I was flying with JR equipment. I ordered 3 more X8R receivers, and I'm trying the hub based Telemetry. I bought a sensor hub, engine temp sensor, and lipo sensor. All of that shipped for $1.89 less than the price of one Spektrum AR8000 rx.

The leap of understanding the functions of a radio and applying them to your control surfaces, in the short time I've had this radio, would be truly unbelievable unless you've experienced it. However, I can say that most of that is due to Scott Page's videos. The software/firmware is not that user friendly on it's own. Once I had a basic understanding of the the Companion 9X software ... that is free... the hobby took a new turn.

I'm changing out my all of my Spektrum and JR gear as soon as I get the new receivers from Aloft (which should be Friday). However I'm not quite ready to sell my old gear yet. Even though JR and Spektrum are comparatively speaking outrageously priced (line by line functionality and options), they have served me well. I will shelve them for a while until I'm 100% positive I'm never going back.

[19000rpm]

Wow. You'll be making your own instructional videos soon.

[Doozer]

You kind of read my mind. The one thing that I couldn't seem to find was a start to finish video of programming the Taranis then showing the program in action. My trusty old Reactor Bipe and its 9 servos will be getting a new receiver first. I want to eliminate the matchboxes (there's two) and the need for a "Y" extension. I'd like to do a start to finish video of that process. My camera man is getting married in June. I won't have one after that, so I'll have to get it done sooner rather than later. I told him I'm replacing him with a "Go Pro Hero."

I plan on putting the telemetry on the SBach first. The Telemetry is pretty cheap, but I capped my play money with that last order. I only had enough money for Telem on one aircraft for now.

OS has a new version of the GT 15HZ coming out and I think I'm feeling a gasser heli sometime by the end of the year. This radio is perfect for that.

[19000rpm]

Better than telling him he's being replaced by a cheap imitation of a "Go Pro Hero". We'd be very interested to see a complete program with the reactor.

[Doozer]

they've got a cheap imitation of a "Go Pro Hero?"

I'm going to have to order one more thing, the S-bus decoder. Even though its a 16 channel rx, only the first 8 are PWM. The other 8 are on the sbus. They make a cheap decoder:

www.alofthobbies.com/frsky-sbus-decoder-1.html

I forgot that my reactor has 9 servos and I needed to order the decoder :/ I'm going to squeeze out $15 (shipped) but it probably wont be here until Monday.

Why I came to post though is this...watch him build these custom functions.

[19000rpm]

I like how easy it is to set up once you understand how it works and what all the symbols stand for.

[Doozer]

Make no mistake, the quick start guide is a manual and very easy to use. I linked it in the original post. Pretty sure you should start there first. It's not really the way I went. I just dove right in. The quick start guide is done extremely well.

[19000rpm]

Yep, I'd definitely use the quick start guide.

[Doozer]

Decided to start with the SBach since I'm waiting on the decoder for the Reactor:

[Doozer]

I was struggling to understand why the sound files I created weren't playing. Then I looked at the files that came from FrSky and it hit me. I was thinking like a Windows user. I had spaces in my file names and the firmware didn't recognize my files. I removed the spaces and they work.

[Doozer]

So I get the SBus decoder and I pull the Reactor down from it's perch to start working on it. I opened up the quick start guide that came with the decoder and quickly realize it's also set to work on channels 1-4... go figure. I would think the default channels should be 9-12. So I find out that there's a gizmo that changes the channels on the decoder for sale for $15:

www.alofthobbies.com/servo-channel-changer.html

That's on it's way. Today I'm going to start changing out the Goldwing Gee Bee.

I didn't get a chance to fly the SBach over the weekend like I wanted. Life, and the wind, got in the way (I'm not going to maiden in the wind). It's been perfect here except for the wind. It was almost 80⁰F here yesterday and is supposed to get close to that today. Right now the wind is dead, but I have other things to do and can't fit in flying. I'll try again this weekend.

[Doozer]

Hi all,
I've been working hard at getting everything switched out between all of my homework. I got the Servo Channel Changer yesterday and have started setting up my Reactor Biplane. Having each servo on it's own channel really forces you to pay attention to your mechanical setup and your end points.

I struggled a bit with the decoder and changing the channels, so I searched YouTube and the forums for an explanation on how to set up the decoder and couldn't find one. I decided to make one myself. This video explains how to change the channels on the Sbus decoder. It also explains how to set up your radio so it recognizes the new channels, and then gives a demo. I will be using this set up in my Reactor: