Another Noob

Q

Qwazert

Member
Hi again!
About a year ago, I was part of this forum....with a new Syma X5 that flew away on me a week later.
I'm back with another X5HW that I've already flown into several walls in the house!

Over the past year, I've been "honing" my skills with some micro quads (available at Costco....you know the type I'm talking about) as well as with a HolyStone HS170. Thought I was getting pretty good at it, until I revved up the X5!

The first thing I need, is a manual for this X5HW that is in English.....no offense to the Chinese, but the translated version makes no sense in some critical areas.
Hope to be part of this community a lot longer than the last pass....
 
Rick M

Rick M

Absent-minded professor
Qwazert said:
Hi again!
About a year ago, I was part of this forum....with a new Syma X5 that flew away on me a week later.
I'm back with another X5HW that I've already flown into several walls in the house!

Over the past year, I've been "honing" my skills with some micro quads (available at Costco....you know the type I'm talking about) as well as with a HolyStone HS170. Thought I was getting pretty good at it, until I revved up the X5!

The first thing I need, is a manual for this X5HW that is in English.....no offense to the Chinese, but the translated version makes no sense in some critical areas.
Hope to be part of this community a lot longer than the last pass....
Click to expand...

Welcome back!
 
Q

Qwazert

Member
Thanks, to both of you!

Can anyone interpret what is meant by Mode 1 and Mode 2 in this manual? From what I can see, the controls are exactly the same...is this another name for high and low speeds?
 
Last edited:
Rick M

Rick M

Absent-minded professor
Mode 1 & Mode 2 are different translations of what the sticks do on the radio/transmitter. Unfortunately, what Syma calls Mode 1 is Mode 2 to the rest of the world and what they call Mode 2 is Mode 4 to the rest of the world. Stick with me here....

In Syma's "Mode 1", left stick is throttle and yaw, and right stick is pitch and bank. This is what I would suggest you use, as it is by far the most common transmitter mode in North America. Again, for the rest of the RC world except Syma, this is officially Mode 2.

In Syma's "Mode 2" (mode 4 to the rest of the world, and very uncommon), left stick is throttle and bank, and right stick is pitch and yaw.

In Europe, the actual Mode 1 is more common. This places the throttle on the right stick. Syma transmitters don't have this option, anyway.

Edited to add: High and low rates are different, and are on the left "shoulder" button on your Syma transmitter. One beep = low rate, two beeps = high rate.
 
S

stony99

Well-Known Member
*Some* of the drone manufactures use the term "mode" for two different things. First, some drone builders use "mode" one and two to describe which side of the transmitter or control unit has the throttle on it. Mode one refers to a right hand throttle, while mode two refers to a left hand throttle (more common in the USA). Then some manufacturers (Like Syma) uses "mode one and two" to differentiate between the "two speeds", and I use that term lightly (speed!). Mode 1 is most usually the slower speed, while mode 2 is what they call a faster speed. But in actuality, mode two just allows the quad to bank into a steeper angle, which makes it go faster. Some people mistakenly think the motors go faster or exert more force. They do not. I have a "Syma X5C clone" that actually has "three speeds". There is no display on the controller, but essentially I have modes one, two and three! Mode three is like a spastic psycho on crack! (No offense meant to any spastics, psychos, or crack users!)

So "mode" can refer to your controller configuration or the speed of your quad. Confusing, I know. I believe my Walkera manual even uses the term "mode" for yet another function!
 
Q

Qwazert

Member
Rick M said:
Mode 1 & Mode 2 are different translations of what the sticks do on the radio/transmitter. Unfortunately, what Syma calls Mode 1 is Mode 2 to the rest of the world and what they call Mode 2 is Mode 4 to the rest of the world. Stick with me here....

In Syma's "Mode 1", left stick is throttle and yaw, and right stick is pitch and bank. This is what I would suggest you use, as it is by far the most common transmitter mode in North America. Again, for the rest of the RC world except Syma, this is officially Mode 2.

In Syma's "Mode 2" (mode 4 to the rest of the world, and very uncommon), left stick is throttle and bank, and right stick is pitch and yaw.

In Europe, the actual Mode 1 is more common. This places the throttle on the right stick. Syma transmitters don't have this option, anyway.

Edited to add: High and low rates are different, and are on the left "shoulder" button on your Syma transmitter. One beep = low rate, two beeps = high rate.
Click to expand...

This....
When I re-re-read the manual, they have the pictures and descriptions in the same order as in Mode 1, so it looks as though they are the same...

According to the manual, the left shoulder button is the headless mode....?
 
Rick M

Rick M

Absent-minded professor
The left shoulder button should control high and low rates when short-pressed. It toggles between normal and headless mode when long-pressed.
 
Gyro Doctor

Gyro Doctor

Electronics Tech for over 45 years
:rolleyes: ... Very well explained Rick ... It's (still) confusing even to someone who already knows this (me) but you nailed it :p
 
Rick M

Rick M

Absent-minded professor
Thanks. No credit to Syma for their less-than-helpful documentation! And they still have undocumented Tx commands after all this time.
 
Rick M

Rick M

Absent-minded professor
Hopefully this will copy coherently:

Action Sequence
Tx low/high power mode toggle Hold right stick vertical trim up, turn Tx power on, bind, flashing bars = LOW
Mode change Hold right stick horizontal trim right, turn power on.
Re-calibrate gyro's Hold both sticks down right
Change base heading for headless Hold both sticks down left
Zero trims Hold left stick horizontal trim left, turn power on - 3 beeps confirms

Edit: This was copied from two columns: "action" and "sequence"
 
Q

Qwazert

Member
Well, after a few months of "mastering" the HS170, I finally took the Syma out for its maiden flight tonight.
The altitude-hold feature is sweet...but the FPV and video is just crap....and many other Reviewer's agree.

I never thought it was a Cinematographic tool...but the SW had better video, during the two or three flights that I had with it.

I wonder where it finally ended up?
 
S

stony99

Well-Known Member
mozquito1 said:
Toys!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, but toys are fun to play with. We don't need a bully like you throwing a wet blanket on our party! Many "drone people" have lots of fun with the Syma X5's. Toy grade drones are responsible for a lot of people ending up purchasing hobby grade or even professional grade drones. Not everyone has the ability to skip the toy grade drone level. Toy grade drones are great to learn on. Especially if you like to do your own mods and repairs.
 
mozquito1

mozquito1

Well-Known Member
stony99 said:
Yeah, but toys are fun to play with. We don't need a bully like you throwing a wet blanket on our party! Many "drone people" have lots of fun with the Syma X5's. Toy grade drones are responsible for a lot of people ending up purchasing hobby grade or even professional grade drones. Not everyone has the ability to skip the toy grade drone level. Toy grade drones are great to learn on. Especially if you like to do your own mods and repairs.
Click to expand...
Dont get mad bro :mad:
It's just a figure of speech.
They are toys you can't hurt yourself.
I had 2 syma & a iddy biddy jjrc.
The motors don't last long:(
As where my motors cut into flesh & scar & make me cry :cool::confused:
I did mod the shiiit out of them lower grade beginner Toys. I think this gives me the right to grade them as Toys.
So have a little climb down & I'll pour you a glass of milk.
Oh & by the way I only bought a Toy as a means to start the ball rolling. I could only afford parts on the drip each week but a couple of 30 quid Toys didn't break the bank. I only got 2hrs tops out of all 3.
Also the Toys don't have acro. Unless it's a whoop or a hawk. It's still a toy but it's got its foot in my area. The syma & the like are easy to fix, one board, four motors:p
&   double  :p:pif it has pinions made of butter or better yet chocolate :rolleyes:
 
S

stony99

Well-Known Member
Well, not sure why yours didn't' last, but my Syma X5's seem to be fine after many hours. I did change one motor on my X5 clone, but I must have several hours on that quad. And it's has been to the bottom of a reservoir and back! And with the Symas you can buy the props, motors, main control board and body for very little money. No other quad has had as many after market parts made for it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top