Horizon Hobby sets out to deceive customers?

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UPDATED: Horizon Hobby's fake Spektrum/Futaba video

HORIZON RESPOND TO RCMODELREVIEWS CRITICISMS

Update: 18 June 2010

Since I published this original article, it has created quite a bit of discussion around the internet and (as you can see below) resulted in Spektrum pulling the video concerned.

Horizon have opted to respond to the points I raised here not by directly engaging in a dialog with RCModelReviews, but instead through their regular podcast. This tactic, and their deliberate avoidance of any mention of RCModelReviews.com (although quoting directly from this page) appears to be an attempt to avoid conceding that this website and its no-nonsense content, has gained significant credibility in the RC marketplace.

Horizon's discussion of the video begins at about 6:30 into the podcast and they directly refer to my original article at about 29:00 into the podcast.

The podcast in question can be downloaded as an MP3 file or listened to on the Horizon website (titled: June 17th, 2010).

I'll be posting a video response to Horizon's comments in this podcast fairly shortly but it strikes me they are not used to websites challenging their "marketing material" in such a direct manner (nobody has any advertising leverage at RCModelReviews).

In short I'll say good on them for pulling the video, good on them for attempting to clarify what they were trying to achieve with that video, but not all the spin they've put on the situation really rings true.

For example, at around 28:20 the presenters say "we were actually saying that their [Futaba's] recovery was very good". No, I'm sorry guys, you can't say that because the Futaba receiver never actually stopped working in your tests -- only the Spektrum receiver and Spektrum digital servos stopped working. So, you're still either confused or engaged in damage control here.

N'uff for now, watch the video when it's done.

Original article, Dated: 30 May 2010

One of the biggest issues that has plagued the Spektrum DSM/2 RC systems since they were launched has been the poor low-voltage performance of the receivers used.

Although the newer versions are far superior to the earlier ones and, when used with an adequate battery or BEC are perfectly adequate, in my tests they still fall short of most of their competitors in this area.

I recently stumbled upon a video from Horizon in which they have attempted to convince people that their receivers are actually just as good as the Futaba FASST units, when it comes to low voltage performance.

This video is plain deceptive and either indicates that Horizon don't have a clue when it comes to performing tests on their equipment, or that they have chosen to deliberately deceive people in to thinking the product is better than it really is.

Here is the video (I suggest you click on it when it's running to get a full-screen version that makes it easier to see what's happening).

Note: Horizon have since removed the video from YouTube (an admission that this video truly was deceptive and unethical)

At approximately 2:20 into the video, the presenter sets about showing that the Spektrum and Futaba receivers both stop working at 3 volts.

This is clearly incorrect.

When the power supply is wound down to 3V the servos stop and the presenter proudly proclaims "what do you know? They both stopped at exactly the same point".

Proof that the low-voltage performance of a Spektrum receiver is every bit as good as that of the FASST receiver?

Well no. This is BS.

If you look carefully you can see that the red bind light goes out on the Spektrum receiver, indicating that it is no longer functioning -- but the green bind light on the FASST receiver continues shining brightly, indicating that the Futaba receiver is still working just fine. In fact, that Futaba receiver would have kept on working at an even lower voltage if they'd bothered to keep going.

So why do both servos stop working at 3V when only the Spektrum receiver has died?

These are digital servos and as such, they have their own microcontroller in them. In the case of the servos being used, that microcontroller stops working at 3V so, even though the FASST receiver is still working just fine, it is unable to produce any movement in the now-dead servo.

If analog servos, or digital servos with a lower brownout voltage had been used, the one connected to the FASST system would have kept on moving at 3V (and lower), while the one connected to the Spektrum would have stopped -- because the Spektrum receiver had stopped too.

If Horizon were not aware of this then they are clearly stupid.

If however, they *are* aware of this, then this video is a sad indictment on their willingness to engage in deception to try and mitigate the weaknesses in their product.

I have nothing against Horizon, nor do I have anything against the Spektrum product.

However, I do find it very distasteful when a manufacturer either deliberately sets out to deceive or is so lacking in technical understanding of the technology they sell that they can't spot the obvious flaws in their "demonstration".

Which is it Horizon? Lies or stupidity?

It is this kind of blatant disinformation and marketing-lies that prompted me to start RCModelReviews, so that people could get honest and objective information about the products they might be thinking of buying.

Let's be truthful about this, 3V is a perfectly respectable brownout voltage (although my own tests indicate that (at least the DSM2 receiver I tested) the actual point where some DSM2 units stop is a bit higher than this. This is not a complaint about the Spektrum product -- it's a a legitimate complaint about a distributor who appears to be deliberately setting out to deceive the market through devious tactics.

Horizon would have been far better-advised to simply demonstrate their own gear working down to 3.1V, rather than try and trick people into thinking that Futaba's product also stops at the 3.0V point -- that is just deception.

Of course if Horizon want to send me a Spektrum and a Futaba system that I can use to perform exactly the same tests with using servos of *my* choice, then I'll gladly do so and publish the resulting video for all to see. If they are right and I am wrong, this would leave egg all over my face.

However, I doubt Horizon will take me up on this offer -- you can work out why that might be for yourself.

Share your opinions and thoughts on this matter in the RCModelReviews forums to have your say.