View Full Version : Mini-Z Racer Sports MR-03 series
Mitchell
2013.08.27, 05:39 PM
What is "Mini-Z Sports MR03" ?
On chassis is sticker "FHS 2,4 GHz"...
http://www.kyosho.de/?page=shop/product&category_id=663c9da319d7e579ff2d7c7306658b0e&ps_session=bkkdsee0feqkup5gb7suv6bb63&mod_title=product&setlang=deu
arch2b
2013.08.27, 06:30 PM
see r.c.p.sanda blog (http://rajitensanda.blog73.fc2.com/blog-entry-2058.html) post, also reported by kyoshosan blog (http://kyoshosan.blogspot.com/2013/08/stop-press-new-mini-z-ma-020-red-chrome.html).
may not help unless anyone knows japanese or german. Kyosho blog (http://ameblo.jp/kyoshoblog/entry-11598365861.html) hints at new stuff coming but doesn't give any details.
it may just be a branding title for the new MR-03 ready set that is replacing the MR-02EX kits. kyoshosan's translation related to it mentions the kt-19 as well which may replace the kt-18?
it's all conjecture at this point till some concrete information is forthcoming.
TheSteve
2013.08.27, 08:19 PM
Based on the little bit of info that is available its really looking like the MR03 sport will use the FHSS 2.4ghz electronics that the Moto uses. Which means its not compatible with the ASF system used on all of the existing MR02/MR03/AWD 2.4ghz cars.
The only reason I can see Kyosho doing this is to save money. The FHSS solution was likely developed in house or bought cheaply. The original 2.4ghz ASF system is done by KO and Kyosho likely pays royalties on each car/transmitter sold.
arch2b
2013.08.27, 09:28 PM
:rolleyes: oh lord, another chassis with PCB incompatible with existing cars/transmitters... now it really looks like they are trying to kill the line. why would anyone recommend an RTR kit that is incompatible with the rest of the line and products?
color01
2013.08.27, 10:43 PM
Isn't the FHSS system the same as the one KO uses on their bigger receivers? I still have one of these, somebody send me a car so I can test! :D
TheSteve
2013.08.28, 12:08 AM
Well I can't say for certain there is no KO involvement with the KT19 it sure looks like there isn't from the internal pictures. If you look inside a KT18 you'll see its marked KO. Internal pictures of the KT19 show nothing like that. I can't see them changing from one signal type to another unless they really had to.
arch2b
2013.09.05, 07:23 PM
more info from Kyosho's blog (http://ameblo.jp/kyoshoblog/entry-11603082319.html).
It may be items subtle for everyone that is addicted themselves in a Minute already, but it is the ready set of recommended who have never done a Minute ever to start a Minute.
By the way, the transmitter has been preferred by more of the ready set from body chassis set sold separately abroad.
In addition, please note that there is no compatible with (except for Moto Racer) Minute series so far transmitter.
Of the receiver antenna and accents of blue transmitter blue mark has become therefore, should be used with pairing each other in blue. The (I think not to be confused at the time of purchase because it is set ready)
First of this is the four models.
32201MO TOYOTA 86 Metallic Orange
Toyota Sprinter Trueno 32202W AE86 Aero White / Black
32203WD Weider HSV-010
32204W Audi R8 LMS White
arch2b
2013.09.05, 07:24 PM
more info posted on Kyosho's blog. (http://ameblo.jp/kyoshoblog/entry-11606017989.html)
setup the 2.4GHz FHS discussion area (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=220).
Everybody, hello is Iwasaki. We come to the factory in China from yesterday. Hirotani kun body responsible also accompanied. The ... purpose is introduced from Mr. ***umoto "Sports Minute" series is a production of. I think you already know, this Minute Sports in KO made receiver + ASF2.4GHz far Tsushirizu is, no, KT-19 + FHS2.4GHz system similar to the Moto Racer will be sold in ready set using . I mean to become the successor model of the MR-02EX so far in effect , but please note that there is no compatible transmitter. Latest 've had fun in handy ready set the MR-03 chassis it is based on the concept of more, and new item this fall. Introduce the frame number of production sites such Minute sports series will. The first is chassis. Chassis W-MM has been mass-produced. Blue of the antenna line is proof of sport. Inspect one by one all of this now packing is done. It is the body followed. First bullet body is the following four models. TOYOYA-86 -Toyota SPRINTER TRUENO AE86 -Weider HSV-010 2010 -Audi R8 LMS White here is AE86. It is still the middle. This is the Audi R8 followed. White is a new color. Of the chassis and has completed already This is where you said assembled wait. And, Weider HSV-010 2010 In line today was mass production of such a feeling. Hirotani kun body responsible is also hard to check. The busy because he has come to check the new mold that this time is. Preparation, ... of Hobby Show to return home next week I continue to remain in China, is expected to witness the production. And oh, mass production of Minutes have been made for such a feeling. The ... is part just still Cheers.
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.05, 09:15 PM
Let's say US Prices.
Mr-03 - $179
Kt-18 - $100
$279 total.
It looks like the euro price is 159 so the sport edition at US $159 is unlikely. If they could do a kt-18 "upgrade" with board and TX for $119, then you'd be back in the same place. Then I would see no issue and thing it would be a great idea.
Doing the traxxas upgrade logic perhaps $199 for the mr-03 sports series, $150 for an upgrade and sell off the old board and tx (problem, who else would want it) for $50.
Or maybe the other way around. If the kt-19 is as good as the kt-18, sell FHSS boards for the buggy, awd, mr-02, and mr-03.
I get they need to save money and get out of the KO relationship. I would think if the option was "lower the price or we switch", KO could have just lowered the licensing fee vs losing all the business.
Her is what continues to bug me. We are now making this stuff out of China, they are now using a more budget version of the radio system. If losi can make an AWD, ball bearing equipped 4wd rally and shortcourse for $109, Kyosho should be able to do the same with their 2wd platform without a body, battery, and charger. Let alone the $40 up tick to have it be brushless.
herman
2013.09.11, 05:13 AM
using google translate on the kyosho german site...
"....Remote control of Mini-Z Sports is not compatible with the Mini-Z ASF system, but can be upgraded option! RC Features steering, throttle / brake Description The Mini-Z MR-03-Racer Sports are equipped with contemporary 2.4GHz radio control technology and offer maximum racing action at a fair price! All components in the MR-03 chassis were designed with regard to performance. The rear axle is designed as a spring loaded Powerpod, characterized the chassis is very flexible. The drive batteries are adjacent in the chassis, so that the center of gravity is very low. This very high cornering speeds can be achieved. The newly developed front axle chassis gives the maximum mechanical grip and perfect traction in all driving situations. A technical tidbit is the electronics in the chassis. The receiver unit has an integrated control FET that is clocked at high frequency. This allows the engine running very sensitive. At the front sits a high-resolution digital servo that transmits the steering commands to the transmitter in a split second on the wheels. The servo has a coreless servo motor, the gear ratio in the servo is 94,41:1. Via the existing slot in the chassis, the optional light kit can be connected to miss the vehicle even more realism and a great effect in the to produce dusk. The blinking frequency of the lights can be adjusted conveniently via the remote control, the tail lights light up during braking. The front wheels are independently mounted and fitted with spring-loaded, double wishbones. The high-grip low profile tires give the MR-03-Racer uncompromising traction..."
i kinda felt that this was inevitable... coming out with a rtr version mr-03...
just like what they did with the mr02ex
at 159euro (approx 211$) vs the approx 199$ mr02ex... pricing is quite close...
guess the change to use the kt-19 vs. kt-18 might be due to cheaper manufacturing costs... (saving on ko licencing / royalties as pointed out earlier)...
can't say anything about the board's performance if it's better (or worse) than the current mr03 boards since it isn't out in the market yet... wondering if you will be able to use the motorcycle with it (as it was initially made specifically for the motorcycle)...
guess the bottom line is... cheaper cost of production = more profit...
arch2b
2013.09.11, 06:19 AM
it doesn't really make sense in that it creates another product line that is incompatible with the main line. yes, it is up gradable but retail cost for a 2.4GHz ASF board and KT-18 make it just as cost prohibitive as it's nearly the cost for the sports series readyset. i-Series was at least compatible. AD-Band never really took off as it required a specific module.
2 things could happen
1. the electronics turn out to be a dud, similar to i-Series readysets and get discontinued.
2. the differences in electronics are negligible or an improvement and ASF is phased out.
it's not uncommon for these transitions, such as AM to ASF and maybe ASF to FHS but i honestly don't relish the idea of going thru it again.
herman
2013.09.11, 07:29 AM
talking about modules... how about the compatibility with the high end radios... will they eventually come out with a module for that too??
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.11, 08:55 AM
talking about modules... how about the compatibility with the high end radios... will they eventually come out with a module for that too??
I would really think the goal is to have people upgrade. I don't see a module coming out for this newer mr-03 board.
I was kind of hoping that since the production costs can't be much different for the mr-02 vs mr-03, that the savings in moving to the non-KO system would have brought the mr-03 sport UNDER the mr-02ex. Say, $149 with the body.
I mean, the motorcyle has two motors (1 brushless), a more complex electronics package with gyros, includes a lipo battery and charger, and sells for $199.
chad508
2013.09.11, 09:52 AM
you will not see a module for a radio made.just look around and you will see that all the companies have gotten away from modules. only radios using them are the ex10 and ex1, and i doubt ko will make a module for something they have no part in.
TheSteve
2013.09.11, 03:43 PM
The potential for some lower priced cars is great, changing 2.4ghz radio systems though is a freaking nightmare.
herman
2013.09.11, 11:06 PM
i doubt ko will make a module for something they have no part in.
yep... good point...
also thinking why would people upgrade to this sport version? if say they already have a mr03 asf? and a high end radio?
i think i see it as an entry level mr03... however... if you're looking at seriously getting into racing, the limitation will be the controller... you would definitely want a high end radio... i believe it will be a hindrance if the sport version will not have a module for the higher end radios...
unless races offer a class specifically for the sport version only?... :D
i too am a bit confused as to why kyosho would offer this mini-z variant... hmm... phase out the mini-z line using ko propo electronics? but why?
arch2b
2013.09.12, 06:35 AM
They have said it is to replace the me-02ex as the budget entry line. Moving to asf would be the upgrade. I don't see that as a reasonable upgrade when the base components retail for more than sports series ready set. Your stuck with a board and transmitter that can't be used with anything else than each other. That is a huge turn off in my opinion.
TheRinger
2013.09.12, 12:33 PM
My question is who is making the new radio? There's only a handful of companies that make radios for rc. Nobody not even kyosho make their radios. It will suck if the only radio in the near future that we can use is a KT-19 or worse.
chad508
2013.09.12, 02:28 PM
check PN's f******k page for the solution.
could it be orion as they do their larger scale leccys.
the mr03ve is ko based so can't see our beloved asf's phazed out anytime soon considering all the marketing been doing :rolleyes:
TheRinger
2013.09.13, 08:40 AM
check PN's f******k page for the solution.
Only thing I see is pics and release date for their new brushless motors and pics of races.
TheRinger
2013.09.13, 08:53 AM
could it be orion as they do their larger scale leccys.
the mr03ve is ko based so can't see your beloved asf's phazed out anytime soon considering all the marketing been doing :rolleyes:
Never say never. Because I don't think any of us would have ever thought that autoscales would jump up from $40 to $70. What it seems like to me is they are going to Ko Propo's large scale 2.4ghz frequency for the sport model. Instead of a dedicated 2.4ghz frequency for mini z's which they shouldn't of done in the first place unless their were legal issues making them do that. If that's the case then I will just buy the module for that. It already exist. Yeah I don't see module radios lasting much longer, but I don't want to see them fade away. Though I mainly race mini z's anymore, it's nice to have one radio to do everything then to have a bunch radios for certain things. I bought the module from spectrum for my Z-1 to race big scale with from AM to FM and all in between. That's my theory:o
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.17, 10:03 AM
Dealer pricing is out. I think the best news is these will cost less than the MR-02ex.
I did the math and the cost of the Mr-03 sport vs an mr-03 chassis with body + kt18 isn't a WHOLE lot different.
Right now an mr-03 with body is around $189 and KT-18 is around $100.
$289.
I believe a Kyosho dealer could sell the combo of the mr-03 board + Kt-18 for a typical hobby store profit and cause the mr-03 sport owner perhaps $40 premium (and of course, have a left over kt-19 and sport circuit board).
I was worried the mr-03 sport was going to street price for $199 and it won't.
arch2b
2013.09.19, 01:11 PM
MR-03 chassis set $180
MR-03 VE chassis set$299
KT-18 $80
total for MR-03 RTR $260
total for MR-03 VE RTR $379
MR-02EX RTR $180
Sports Series RTR $159
KT-19 $55
FHS parts upgrade to ASF
ASF pcb with chase mode $116
KT-18 $80
total $196
ASF parts upgrade to VE
VE pcb $132
VE main chassis set $13
VE top cover set $10
screw set needed $5
VE motor $37-50
total $197
FHS parts upgrade to VE
above + KT-18 $80
total $277
how is the Sports Series saving anyone money long term? the cost to upgrade from FHS to ASF alone is nearly the full cost of an MR-03 VE chassis set. it really just makes the initial low entry cost throw away money if they decide to move up.
Pricing from TRC shop
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.19, 01:59 PM
MR-03 chassis set $180
MR-03 VE chassis set$299
KT-18 $80
total for MR-03 RTR $260
total for MR-03 VE RTR $379
MR-02EX RTR $180
Sports Series RTR $159
KT-19 $55
FHS parts upgrade to ASF
ASF pcb with chase mode $116
KT-18 $80
total $196
ASF parts upgrade to VE
VE pcb $132
VE main chassis set $13
VE top cover set $10
screw set needed $5
VE motor $37-50
total $197
FHS parts upgrade to VE
above + KT-18 $80
total $277
how is the Sports Series saving anyone money long term? the cost to upgrade from FHS to ASF alone is nearly the full cost of an MR-03 VE chassis set. it really just makes the initial low entry cost throw away money if they decide to move up.
Pricing from TRC shop
Typically the kt-18 is $99
The Mr-03 with body is $179
Mr-03 sport will be $159 likely.
So $119 more expensive to go Mr-03 kt-18 ASF.
I think $159 you could easily (through a hobby shop or Kyosho upgrade package deal) get what you need. That would put you $40 more then your initial Mr-03 investment had you gone straight to ASF. And for that $40 extra, you'd have an FHSS board and kt-19 laying around.
Obviously full retail for an mr-03 board + kt-18 is over $200. But I think a hobby shop could easily be convinced to order these for you for $159 and I feel Kyosho could easily offer the upgrade kit for $149.
I believe KYO part number 82002 was streeting for $159 when the first ASF conversion combo was available.
arch2b
2013.09.19, 02:22 PM
....Obviously full retail for an mr-03 board + kt-18 is over $200. But I think a hobby shop could easily be convinced to order these for you for $159 and I feel Kyosho could easily offer the upgrade kit for $149...
our pricing numbers are marginally different.
Sorry but i disagree. it's hard enough to get a shop to order mini-z to begin with much less convince them to pass it along for cost plus. my quoted numbers are from the shop here which are, in my experience, better than those at most hobby shops.
total for MR-03 RTR $260
Sports Series RTR $159
difference $101
FHS parts upgrade to ASF
total $196
again, the low entry cost doesn't make sense when the position is they will upgrade later. the upgrade cost is insane making your total expenditure if you buy the sport series RTR and upgrade to ASF just under the cost of MR-03 VE RTR. to put it another way, the cost to upgrade is more than buying a new chassis set which won't do anything for you because you still need a new TX.
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.19, 02:57 PM
our pricing numbers are marginally different.
Sorry but i disagree. it's hard enough to get a shop to order mini-z to begin with much less convince them to pass it along for cost plus. my quoted numbers are from the shop here which are, in my experience, better than those at most hobby shops.
total for MR-03 RTR $260
Sports Series RTR $159
difference $101
FHS parts upgrade to ASF
total $196
again, the low entry cost doesn't make sense when the position is they will upgrade later. the upgrade cost is insane making your total expenditure if you buy the sport series RTR and upgrade to ASF just under the cost of MR-03 VE RTR. to put it another way, the cost to upgrade is more than buying a new chassis set which won't do anything for you because you still need a new TX.
First of all, I appreciate the discussion. I don't want the wrong tone to be taken since this is just text :)
I feel if that hobby shop can sell you the sport for $159 and a kt-18 for $80 instead of $99, then the combo I'm speaking off could be obtained for $159.
The thing is, we are ASSUMING a person would want to make this upgrade. Plenty of our racers are still Kt-18 racers. So if the kt-19 is as good a platform at the kt-18, they do end up saving a ton. The biggest problem I have when introducing folks is the price of course. But even with the mr-02ex, the price was right ($159 will be even better) but there was this nagging concern that the mr-02 was old and the mr-03 was better.
Thankfully I only race the mr-02 platform so it was easy to prove a stock mr-02 was competitive. Now they get the same mr-03 with a free radio and body. Was easier to get someone into it at $159.
So I think the greatest variable to determine is, how good is the FHSS mr-03 compared to a kt-18 MR-03. If they are close (or perhaps even better), then Kyosho just lowered the entry point.
The only harm is that there will be all these other kyosho mini-z products you will no longer be able to use. I would think if this FHSS works for them, the next board for the f1, awd, and overland/monster RTR will be FHSS.
One other note, My understanding is the mr-03 chassis set will ONLY be available brushless in the future. Which mean the decision to a newcomer will be
KT-18 + Brushless chassis set + Body.
or FHSS Mr-03 Sport.
TheSteve
2013.09.19, 03:14 PM
And why would anyone bother upgrading, the 2.4ghz FHS system should be as good if not better then the ASF system anyway. I can only imagine Kyosho pays KO a crap load for licensing.
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.19, 03:30 PM
And why would anyone bother upgrading, the 2.4ghz FHS system should be as good if not better then the ASF system anyway. I can only imagine Kyosho pays KO a crap load for licensing.
Arguments I've heard are "go brushless". I understand Kyosho was getting tired of hearing that these things don't run lipo or brushless and made one. But none of the racers see a reason to move to it.
If you REALLY want to go brushless, just sell your fhss mr-03 RTR.
arch2b
2013.09.19, 03:48 PM
And why would anyone bother upgrading, the 2.4ghz FHS system should be as good if not better then the ASF system anyway. I can only imagine Kyosho pays KO a crap load for licensing.
to run VE, F1, Monster and or Overland.
to go back to ChiMiniRc
I feel if that hobby shop can sell you the sport for $159 and a kt-18 for $80 instead of $99, then the combo I'm speaking off could be obtained for $159. that's a hard sell. buy a readyset and another transmitter for a car you don't yet have... your just moving the dollars around and not really changing the bottom balance but i understand the point. :p
i have no doubt VE will replace brushed, release of the ECO VE motor sealed that deal to address various Kyo sanctioned classes. the bigger question is, will sport series stick around or fade away similar to i-Series? unless they move all boards to FHS, including brushless, it still sucks to have 2 brand lines with no crossover other than parts. it will be interesting to see if they release a FHS module and or 5UR similar FHS TX. i'll be more inclined to say FHS is worthwhile then as you can convert over to one side full or the other and still have the same options regarding quality of TX. KT-19 only isn't going to take them very far, however it must be noted there have been far less reports of KT-19 failures than KT-18. could be easily attributable to significantly smaller pool of users at the moment though.
i will state that expecting hobby shops to discount heavily to accommodate cross platform traffic a success is a doomed proposal at the start.
TheSteve
2013.09.19, 04:03 PM
Arguments I've heard are "go brushless". I understand Kyosho was getting tired of hearing that these things don't run lipo or brushless and made one. But none of the racers see a reason to move to it.
If you REALLY want to go brushless, just sell your fhss mr-03 RTR.
I love the VE system but I'm not 100% convinced its an upgrade for serious racers. You may be able to get more power but the control of a sensorless brushless motor is never as precise as a brushed motor. I can feel the lagginess in its control compared to a brushed motor but its not enough of a problem for me to care. I like the run time and lack of heat.
ChiMiniRc
2013.09.19, 04:03 PM
however it must be noted there have been far less reports of KT-19 failures than KT-18. could be easily attributable to significantly smaller pool of users at the moment though.
i will state that expecting hobby shops to discount heavily to accommodate cross platform traffic a success is a doomed proposal at the start.
If the kt-19 has issues, I'll know. I'll be running them at the club. God knows I've come to understand what to expect from the kt-18.
arch2b
2013.09.19, 07:23 PM
let's all hope my pessimism is misplaced and the sports series turns out to be a trick bit of kit.
ChiMiniRc
2013.11.21, 04:24 PM
These should be arriving at shops any day now. I eagerly await feedback. I know one club member has the Sauber pre-ordered but those are a couple weeks out still.
NoBrainer
2013.11.22, 06:54 AM
Can't find any documentation about FHS. Lots about FHSS though.
Anyone know anything about FHS at all?
arch2b
2013.11.22, 09:53 AM
now that the products are in retail, check kyosho's website. i'm sure they have a link to the radio or provide a description of FHS on the sports series page. i haven't had the opportunity to collect those links like i typically do at the front of each subforum.
greenepa76
2013.11.26, 10:30 AM
Myself and a few fellow co-workers have been running this setup for just over a week now. We ordered 4 of them and one had a faulty potentiometer for the steering servo out of the box. Kyosho took care of that without issue in less than 3 days including postage time.
After about a week of running with front kit tires and some Less tacky worn out rear PN racing RR6's, the car performs as it should for a beginner car. We have a bunch of newbies getting into the mini z scene here at work and I'm being forcibly limited to using this car almost completely stock out of the box instead of my mod cars, which makes things more interesting with the KT-19. I've shimmed stuff and did some fine tuning to some tight fitting components and smoothed up a few things. Still running the plastic bushings and the wobbly diff shaft. The car is a lot of fun with new potential racers and I haven't really messed with a stock mini z in awhile.
So far, I've only broken the front top shock mount and the lower spur gear guard. Everything on the chassis performs like a normal ASF MR-03 chassis, but the radio......
The KT-19 feels better ergonomically than a KT-18, but I've modded it to minimize my hand cramping during the long 45mins to 1 hour mini battles at lunch and break time. The biggest complaint I have about this setup is the radio trim and the lack of the digital button trims as the KT-18 has. The KT-19 cannot hold center well at all!!! The steering constantly wanders or drifts off center. I might adjust and compensate due to left or right drifting, then a few mins later, the drifting starts happening again while trying to maintain a straight line upon exiting a corner. Precise driving is not the MR-03s' and KT-19's greatest highlights, but great for entry level guys who don't want to spend the amount to get an RTR 1/10 scale car. The newbies don't notice much of a difference yet with the lack of precision in the radio, as I have asked.
So far, I think Kyosho has a winner for a truly entry level Mini-Z combo with some very attractive new and re-released bodies. I still like the MR-02EX combo myself though. With just a disc damper, sticky tires, and bearings, I think the MR-03s is a great new semi-competitive racer for limited upgrades silver can motor racing.
NoBrainer
2013.11.29, 09:27 AM
now that the products are in retail, check kyosho's website. i'm sure they have a link to the radio or provide a description of FHS on the sports series page. i haven't had the opportunity to collect those links like i typically do at the front of each subforum.
meh....
http://www.kyosho.com/eng/support/instructionmanual/digital_prcs/digital_prcs_index.html
or here
http://www.kyosho.com/eng/support/instructionmanual/mini-z/miniz_index.html
I can't find it here and still have not found any information about FHS or the KT-19.
Only thing I found is that in the manual for MC-01, where it says FH-SS and that should indicate that you can use another FH-SS transmitter.
arch2b
2013.11.29, 10:12 AM
really disappointing that they have yet to really explain the equipment. i still can't find a manual for the KT-19 online and you are correct, there is no primer on 2.4 FHS vs. 2.4 ASF. you would think they would have all this flushed out so that retailers had some idea of what they are talking about when trying to advise customers on what they are getting :confused:
either way i'm skipping FHS and hoping:rolleyes: it doesn't get rolled into the rest of the line. the i-Series never made it to the full lineup so no reason at this point to fear FHS will.
chad508
2013.11.29, 12:55 PM
I have a feeling that kyosho is getting away from ko propo. If you look around ko radios are hard to come by now days and the price of ko radios are ridiculous for this scale racing. With what pn has coming out that should help with availability and cost.
ChiMiniRc
2013.12.02, 11:34 PM
Can anyone confirm if they've successfully powered a transponder using the sport series "asf" connection (whatever they are calling it)?
We have a local racer who picked up an mr-03 sport and we could now power a transponder with it. not sure if the port is defective or if it no longer supplies current?
ChiMiniRc
2013.12.06, 11:42 AM
Can anyone confirm if they've successfully powered a transponder using the sport series "asf" connection (whatever they are calling it)?
We have a local racer who picked up an mr-03 sport and we could now power a transponder with it. not sure if the port is defective or if it no longer supplies current?
The reports back is that the new connection is for the future optional light kit. It no longer puts out power to support a transponder. I'll get in touch with I-lap and let them know this. The shop that has these cars isn't even getting voltage from the connection. Make me wonder if it'll be signal only and power is obtained differently.
briankstan
2013.12.06, 12:14 PM
is it possible that the plug might need to be turned on via ICS?? Just a thought.
after seeing this, I guess not.
Features connector to plug-in and install the optional special light unit. (Gyro unit and ICS cannot be installed)
ChiMiniRc
2014.01.28, 12:55 PM
I wanted to share some feedback I've received so far and personal feedback.
One racer took the mr-03 sport and completely decked it out like you would an mr-03. PN Pod, double a-arm, etc. It was a competitive car and I could win races with it. The kt-19 felt "precise enough". I was visiting the LHS last week and one customer had their stock mr-03s out and steering was wandering. You turn left and it floated to the left a little after centering. Turn right and it would float right. I didn’t have time to work on it but thought perhaps it would be some tightness in the steering/servo train.
Though I didn’t have the problem when racing the sport for about 1 hour, I’m hearing reports that these are losing bind too often. In some cases less than 10 minutes. A very upset customer of the store contacted me as he was told by Kyosho that the reason he is having the problem is
because too many cars are racing together (Can’t be more than 3-4 on the kt-19. Maybe 6-7 total if you add the ASF guys)
because of fluorescent lights (indoor racing model in a day and age where everyone is switching to fluorescent lighting)
because of 2.4ghz interference.
Now, I’ve heard all this before with all 2.4ghz systems but the bottom line is, it was rare for the kt-18 to have binding problems in the same location.
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 12:21 AM
I now have one of these sport boards sitting in front of me... and a very bummed out newbie a few miles from me.
The forward fet is fried! Could have very well been a newbie error but he has worked with Iwavers and Xmods for some time now.
He has added some mods, went to put in a new PN70 turn and got nothing, then went ahead anf tried one of the 70turns I gave him and he was then greeted by that oh so hideous puff of white smoke.
There are only 2 fets on this thing and they are on the underside. I can make out a "4606" on the unfried one.
Now... Big questions here!
Can I put a 3010, 4562 or 8858 fet on this thing to replace the burnt one?
Also, since it has the pads available on the top-side... Can I drop some fets there as well? Seems like they are routed like the ASF boards as far as the fets go but I'd rather check to see if anyone has fetted one of these first before I go cooking this thing a bit more.
Please help... Race is this comimg Sunday! :o
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 01:13 AM
Went ahead and threw two new fets on this, replaced the forward throttle first and tested. Forward worked... But now reverse is gone? So I swapped the reverse fet too... Still no reverse? Going to check the radio manual now to see if there is some "no reverse" feature I'm missing on this KT19.
???
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 01:49 AM
Sorry for the rapid succession of posts.
One fet leg wasn't down all the way, car works now!
So, it will take aftermarket fets. I'm tempted to drop two more on the topside of the board but it's not mine to decide. I have a feeling it would work just fine.
I think some of us old-timers might wanna have their guns ready to go for these new two-fet boards. Really strange how they have the pads on there to make it a four fetter but only went with two. Maybe that's where the profit margin is now?
TheSteve
2014.02.19, 02:13 AM
Stock fets must be the AO4606. They are pin compatible with all the usual fets as you discovered. Hard to believe it isn't safe to solder in another pair of them on the other side of the board.
Based on the datasheet a 4562 is a nice upgrade - install 4 of them :)
Guess they do whatever they can to save a few cents per board.
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 10:31 AM
Guess they do whatever they can to save a few cents per board.
Save money on the initial sale, but lose new customers because the cars are frying up easily like the MR01s did.
Four fets would have been better in the long run for building a broader customer base.
arch2b
2014.02.19, 12:14 PM
at less than $1 per fet retail (they are surely getting volume cost), it's silly to go that cheap leading to customer satisfaction issues that only hurt the brand more than it helps offering a budget model. i have advised all to avoid the sports series for many reasons but this just adds to the list.
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 01:29 PM
On the brighter side, adding fets to this board is now super-easy with the upper pads open like that!
(there's always gotta be a brighter side somewhere, right?) :rolleyes:
Traveler
2014.02.19, 02:41 PM
Might be better if they didn't put any FETs on it from the factory. Then you could add whichever FETs you prefer :rolleyes:
Reading this thread hasn't left me feeling good... Does anyone know if Kyosho will continue with the MR-03 or if this MR-03S is a replacement?
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 04:28 PM
For my newbie, it's a good thing... saved him a bit to spend on other parts. He also may be able to use another type of high-end radio to run his car.
Now if he was anywhere else and this thing fried, he'd be shipping it back and trying to get a refund. I'm sure he would've never ordered a Kyosho product again and probably would've never ordered another small scale RC again.
They're clearly not thinking it through in my opinion.
"Over-deliver" is an old concept that is quickly being phased out of the new world greed strategy.
This fry session could've been a one time fluke, maybe they thought that the new fet was better than anything else out there, maybe it was tested for days with a bunch of elementary school kids bashing the new Sport models around for hours upon hours and they never had a single issue (perfect test scenario for any new RC in my book :rolleyes: ). Either way... I hope I'm not pulling out my iron on a regular basis once again.
mleemor60
2014.02.19, 05:28 PM
Remember the early issues with the 03's when PN motors were installed? The larger than life eyelets on the motor wires getting overly friendly with that little critter that was hidden between the motor to board connections. Hopefully it will be nothing more than that same sort of scenario.
imxlr8ed
2014.02.19, 08:07 PM
It could've well been just that, in my experience, a direct short fry will leave a perfect blister on the fet if it is shut off fast enough (which I feel is what may have happened here now that I look at the dead fet. Usually in a scenario where it fries after running a low turn motor, the whole top surface of the fet gets a bit dis-colored and maybe even a bit of waviness to it.
The 70 turn had the eyelets trimmed, at least I'm fairly certain of that. Like I said it could've been just a once and done thing. I'm just really glad I got it fixed for him.
I still think they should have installed the extra fets at the factory though.
DanDan
2014.02.20, 01:30 PM
At my store recently we had some issues with a Mini-Z Sports series product. We had to contact Kyosho America for technical support and they provided us with information that I did not see in the manual. I think this information can help somebody who is having issues with their car.
We had one customer who was unable to get his wheels centered utilizing the trim. Even with full trim, the wheels were nowhere near the center point.
To reset the center position of the wheels
(1) Turn on the chassis (leave the transmitter turned off).
(2) Make sure that the steering trim is at the center.
(3) Move the front tires to the center position with your fingers.
(4) Push and hold the pairing button on the chassis until the LED flashes fast two times and goes off.
(5) Turn on the transmitter. The neutral position should be corrected. If it is still not at the center position, repeat above steps.
To reset the transmitter:
(1) Turn off the transmitter if it is on.
(2) Make sure that the steering trim knob is at the center position
(3) Turn the G.SPD L knob fully to the counterclockwise direction.
(4) Position of G.SPD H knob does not matter.
(5) Turn the steering wheel to the fully right position and push the throttle away to the full-brake position and hold them.
(6) Turn on the transmitter. The LED should flash rapidly; this means you are now in the factory mode.
(7) Release the steering wheel and throttle lever.
(8) Turn the steering wheel fully to the left, right, left and right, and then release it.
(9) Pull/push the throttle lever to full-throttle, full-brake, full-throttle, and full-brake, and then release it.
(10) Turn the G.SPD L knob to the right most position. The LED should become solid.
(11) Turn off the transmitter and on it again. You are done.
imxlr8ed
2014.02.20, 02:48 PM
At my store recently we had some issues with a Mini-Z Sports series product. We had to contact Kyosho America for technical support and they provided us with information that I did not see in the manual. I think this information can help somebody who is having issues with their car.
We had one customer who was unable to get his wheels centered utilizing the trim. Even with full trim, the wheels were nowhere near the center point.
To reset the center position of the wheels
(1) Turn on the chassis (leave the transmitter turned off).
(2) Make sure that the steering trim is at the center.
(3) Move the front tires to the center position with your fingers.
(4) Push and hold the pairing button on the chassis until the LED flashes fast two times and goes off.
(5) Turn on the transmitter. The neutral position should be corrected. If it is still not at the center position, repeat above steps.
To reset the transmitter:
(1) Turn off the transmitter if it is on.
(2) Make sure that the steering trim knob is at the center position
(3) Turn the G.SPD L knob fully to the counterclockwise direction.
(4) Position of G.SPD H knob does not matter.
(5) Turn the steering wheel to the fully right position and push the throttle away to the full-brake position and hold them.
(6) Turn on the transmitter. The LED should flash rapidly; this means you are now in the factory mode.
(7) Release the steering wheel and throttle lever.
(8) Turn the steering wheel fully to the left, right, left and right, and then release it.
(9) Pull/push the throttle lever to full-throttle, full-brake, full-throttle, and full-brake, and then release it.
(10) Turn the G.SPD L knob to the right most position. The LED should become solid.
(11) Turn off the transmitter and on it again. You are done.
... you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around... that's what it's all about! :rolleyes:
Guess I'd better print this out and tape it to my pitbox cause I'll never remember all that! Thanks for posting DD.
arch2b
2014.02.20, 05:56 PM
i started a KT-19 FAQ (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=450241#post450241) with this information.
imxlr8ed
2014.03.23, 11:58 PM
Well, so far I think we've moved around 5 Sport models off the shelf at Railyard in around one week!
Al was chatting with a guy last night and the guy showed up today really freaked out. He bought a Sauber Sport model, got it home, threw some cells in it and the thing went haywire. Cells were in right (the Znoob is an avid RCer), but the car went full steering lock to the right and no throttle response whatsoever!
Had a hunch that the thing was wired backwards so we tore it down, flipped the servo motor wires and powered bacl up. Just went full lock to the other side.
Amen for the above post with the radio dance because if we didn't reset the radio, the guy would've had to ship it back to Kyosho. Secondly amd more importantly, the racer probably would've been so pissed that he more tham likely would've just wanted a refund!
Now... Why the hell would they not include the radio reset instructions in the manuals that came in the box? To me that is just the worst marketing of a new product you can think of! If this was a regular old shop without Z junkies sitting around with all kinds of ideas and knowledge, I could only picture what would have happened.
Car works now, still seems to have a bit of a throttle issue at startup like it's trimmed to far in reverse. Clears out a bit when you gun it forward a few times though.
Is there any throttle trim on this radio?
imxlr8ed
2014.03.24, 12:00 AM
Honestly... I think this KT19 makes the KT18 look like a KIY! :o
Traveler
2014.03.24, 07:30 AM
Honestly... I think this KT19 makes the KT18 look like a KIY! :o
Ouch! :eek: Not the kind of news I was hoping to hear! :(
Geo-Z
2014.03.26, 08:49 PM
i started a KT-19 FAQ (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=450241#post450241) with this information.
I'd buy you a round If I could arch2b. Your posts about the kt19 has prevented quite a few volcanoes from erupting in our Sydney shop. Cheers. Also thanks to Dandan for posting his take of it here for those who r just starting off on the mr03s.
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