X18 or X20

[NKYEd]

Hello there, I am getting back into the hobby after a long break. I am into the electric soaring side of the hobby, most of the people around here fly FrSky. My question is what is the main difference between the X18 and the X20? I see that there is a screen size difference and how the sliders are placed on the side of the radio. Other that those two differences and the price what is the advantage of one over the other? I do have a Taranis X9D Plus bought back in 2015 and a few receivers that I would like to use with the new transmitter. I flew an Airtronics SD-10 back in day when I was flying competitions, but the those radios are no longer. So please give me some thoughts on both radios.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Wayne]

Hey Ed,

There is not a lot different about them, especially now that the X20R and X20RS have been introduced. The R versions now match the one advantage the X18 radios had, so all is pretty darn even. It simply comes down to the layout and the screen size. There are small changes in the layout as you spotted. Some folks really like the side sliders in a certain orientation. For me I picked the basic X18 as I liked the smaller frame size and lower price. At the time it was the only way to get the red color too.

The majority of our customers go for the X20 over the X18, but oddly enough I think this is just because it costs more.

One more advantage I just remembered is the X20RS supports Bluetooth audio. This has been a selling point for our customers with hearing aids that support bluetooth.

Either choice is a great one and I think you will be very happy. They are darn near identical in day to day use.

 

[NKYEd]

Thank you for the reply. I do like the way the sliders are on the X20 more than the X18....... Well if it costs more it must be better! LOL

I understand I need to upgrade all my receivers to V2 to work with the new radio, That seems easy enough. But upgrading the Taranis to the new RF protocol seems a little more compilated. Is there step by step instructions on how to do that on line somewhere? I guess the X9D plus can not to upgraded to the X9D Plus 2019. Be nice if there was a place I could send all my equipment to be updated to the new protocol.

Ed

 

[HENNY]

Thank you for the reply. I do like the way the sliders are on the X20 more than the X18....... Well if it costs more it must be better! LOL

I understand I need to upgrade all my receivers to V2 to work with the new radio, That seems easy enough. But upgrading the Taranis to the new RF protocol seems a little more compilated. Is there step by step instructions on how to do that on line somewhere? I guess the X9D plus can not to upgraded to the X9D Plus 2019. Be nice if there was a place I could send all my equipment to be updated to the new protocol.

Ed

You will love how Ethos Suite running on a PC will perform all the Radio updates pretty much automatically.

 

[Wayne]

There should be a number of videos out there for updating the RF firmware on the X9D. It is not at all a bad idea.

For the receivers you can update them with the UNI firmware we have on the site here:

UNI receiver Firmware Release FIles (Universal ACCST D16)

Please do NOT post questions in this thread, see below. Should you find UNI useful you might consider donating, a donate button may be found here: https://github.com/MikeBland/mbtx LATEST NEWS: V84 now available. The R-XSR is now supported by UNI (V79). A guide document is in the second post...

forum.alofthobbies.com

This will allow the same receiver to talk with the X9D or the new X20 radio regardless of you updating the X9D firmwares. UNI also fixes a number of bugs and ads some really useful items to the receivers. This is what we suggest here.

If you don't want to mess with all of this stuff, we can do it for you here at Aloft. But the shipping can add up when shipping transmitters back and forth. We charge a couple of bucks for installing UNI onto your receiver, and we give the receivers a quick technical inspection to make sure they are healthy and ready to go.

 

[NKYEd]

Thanks Wayne! I have a flying bud who uses FrSky so he says the updating the revivers will not be a problem. He is not so sure on the Transmitter. We will give it a try and see what happens. If worse comes to worse I will send the transmitter back to update.

Now back to deciding what new transmitter to buy.... at least I know where to buy it from. I grew up in Northern California in San Jose, not all that far from Novato.

Ed

 

[HENNY]

Thanks Wayne! I have a flying bud who uses FrSky so he says the updating the revivers will not be a problem. He is not so sure on the Transmitter. We will give it a try and see what happens. If worse comes to worse I will send the transmitter back to update.

Now back to deciding what new transmitter to buy.... at least I know where to buy it from. I grew up in Northern California in San Jose, not all that far from Novato.

Ed

Updating the Transmitter is very easy using Ethos Suite.

 

[bob_stan]

+1 on using the Ethos Suite for transmitter updates. Also you can't go wrong dealing with Aloft for your purchases.

 

[NKYEd]

There should be a number of videos out there for updating the RF firmware on the X9D. It is not at all a bad idea.

For the receivers you can update them with the UNI firmware we have on the site here:

UNI receiver Firmware Release FIles (Universal ACCST D16)

Please do NOT post questions in this thread, see below. Should you find UNI useful you might consider donating, a donate button may be found here: https://github.com/MikeBland/mbtx LATEST NEWS: V84 now available. The R-XSR is now supported by UNI (V79). A guide document is in the second post...

forum.alofthobbies.com

This will allow the same receiver to talk with the X9D or the new X20 radio regardless of you updating the X9D firmwares. UNI also fixes a number of bugs and ads some really useful items to the receivers. This is what we suggest here.

If you don't want to mess with all of this stuff, we can do it for you here at Aloft. But the shipping can add up when shipping transmitters back and forth. We charge a couple of bucks for installing UNI onto your receiver, and we give the receivers a quick technical inspection to make sure they are healthy and ready to go.

I went through all the FrSky receivers I have and this is what I have: 2 X8R's, X6R, X4R, GRX8 and a D8R II Plus. 4 are new in box, never opened. Are all these upgradable to the new protocol? The more I think about it the more I think I will send them back to you to to refresh along with my X9D Plus transmitter,

 

[Wayne]

All of those will work with UNI except the D8R II plus. Those are older D8 units, a different protocol. Your X9D Plus offers D8 mode.

 

[MikeB]

The D8 receivers may be updated to UNI! They have to be done a different way. Details are here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/sho...rSky-D16-firmware-for-D8-receivers&perpage=20.
The firmware to use is on post #640 in that thread.
The upgrade for D8 receivers is "one way", that is once flashed to use D16 firmware, you are unable revert to the FrSky firmware.

Mike

 

[NKYEd]

All of those will work with UNI except the D8R II plus. Those are older D8 units, a different protocol. Your X9D Plus offers D8 mode.

I sent an email to support to see what I need to do to send in the receivers to upgrade. Not sure if I need to upgrade the firmware in my TX or not.

Ed

 

[Wayne]

OK - The guys should get back to you pretty quick. I suggest you keep the new radios up to date. They are pretty darn easy with Ethos Suite installed on your computer. Check out the ethos site for more info:

Ethos – a thoroughly upgraded new operating system

ethos.frsky-rc.com

For the X9D Plus, if it is just going to be a spare radio, can probably leave it as it is. They make good trainers, etc.

 

[NKYEd]

OK - The guys should get back to you pretty quick. I suggest you keep the new radios up to date. They are pretty darn easy with Ethos Suite installed on your computer. Check out the ethos site for more info:

Ethos – a thoroughly upgraded new operating system

ethos.frsky-rc.com

For the X9D Plus, if it is just going to be a spare radio, can probably leave it as it is. They make good trainers, etc.

So the upgrade to the receivers should solve the random servo movement bug in ACCST V1. So I really don't need to update to RF V2 in the transmitter.

 

[Wayne]

That is correct.

 

[NKYEd]

Hey Wayne, any thoughts on when you will have more X20"s in stock? Both the ones I was looking at are sold out.

 

[Wayne]

Sorry - probably be a week.

 

[NKYEd]

So what is the difference between the X20S and the X20R, I have read the descriptions, but am still not sure.

 

[Wayne]

Basically the same radio. The X20 and X20S are discontinued and replaced by the X20R and X20RS. The X20 radios were rock solid, but over time a few little issues were identified, that was the focus of the X20R radios. The biggest change was adding the internal memory like the X18 radios introduced. And some small things like a better handle.

I think the new name is a result of different firmware versions being needed. Knowing Frsky I'm sure they did a number of other changes to further refine the radios.

 

[NKYEd]

Thanks for the info. I guess I know have to decide between a X20R or X20RS. Are you expecting some X20RS's in stock soon?