IR Battle Systems?...... Heng Long 6.0 vs Tamiya

[Rubicon99]

I have stumbled upon a solution for the receiver sensitivity issue described here. ~half a year ago I designed an aftermarket IR receiver that is tested to be reliable at distances of >70 feet even under mid-day sun, retailing for only ~30 dollars targeted towards Clark/Tamiya/IBU control boards since genuine Tamiya apples retail for such a ridiculous price. It has been extensively tested at the LA venue and adopted by many of our tankers here. Recently I was able to test it with a HL6.0 system and have found that it works to a comparable level of reliability. The only downside is that it currently requires a minor wiring swap for HL boards due to the different pin ordering on the IR receiver socket; available currently in partnership with DAK RC: https://dakrctank.com/shop/ir-battle-receiver-apple/. If there's sufficient interest I can provide a version to be directly compatible (plug and play, no modifications needed) with the HL6.0 board within the next month or so.

This is GREAT to hear, I know myself and others have been hoping for an improved IR receiver that actually works past 10ft if direct sunlight.

I have personally seen and used your Tamiya compatible IR receivers and they work GREAT! I especially like the ones with the super brilliant blue LED hit indicators.

I am hoping to get my hands on one of your Heng Long compatibly receivers as soon as possible for testing and evaluation.

[Rubicon99]

LegoDEI Welcome to Hobby Squawk! I for one am interested in something like this. There are likely several ways to improve the overall system, from the transmission side to the reception side, and anywhere in between. Some approaches will be less expensive than others, some may require more modification than others, but at the end of the day, I'd rather we have a sea of options for tankers to select from to suit their preferences.

Hopefully there's 'enough interest to move this forward!

@ Alpha, I have used LegoDEIs “Tamiya” compatible receivers and if he can get them working half as good with the HL system it will be a game changer.

I am hoping to test one of the LegoDEIs HL receivers out as soon as possible.

[fastphil]

I recently set-up three tanks in an equal side triangle of about 5 ft, and used every combo of every tank shooting IR at each other to test their firing lines, and although all the tanks had good range, they weren't exactly shooting parallel to the barrel, ( I was testing for battlefield aim points)...and I can live with that, or believe fix it with a short tube on the IR emitter to focus the light beam, as I've done before, but I was most surprised when I was shuffling the tanks around and just testing two of them, and placed the other behind one of the shooters, and everytime I took a shot at the opposing tank, the one 'behind' the shooter kept getting "hit"...it was dinner time so I quit testing, but tomorrow I can't wait to find out how i'm shooting a tank parked behind me!

[Rubicon99]

I recently set-up three tanks in an equal side triangle of about 5 ft, and used every combo of every tank shooting IR at each other to test their firing lines, and although all the tanks had good range, they weren't exactly shooting parallel to the barrel, ( I was testing for battlefield aim points)...and I can live with that, or believe fix it with a short tube on the IR emitter to focus the light beam, as I've done before, but I was most surprised when I was shuffling the tanks around and just testing two of them, and placed the other behind one of the shooters, and everytime I took a shot at the opposing tank, the one 'behind' the shooter kept getting "hit"...it was dinner time so I quit testing, but tomorrow I can't wait to find out how i'm shooting a tank parked behind me!

That can happen. It called “splash back” and is usually caused by the IR beam bouncing off light colored surfaces. The tank that fires is “mostly” immune (time delay at firing that does not accept incoming hits) but others close around can be hit. Sunshades on the IR receiver tend to reduce this effect but it happens even to the Tamiya battle systems.

There is also a shotgun effect when the IR bulb/emitter is not recessed far enough inside the tank or bulb “tube”, HL bulbs are for the most part not recessed far enough. The recommendations is 8-9mm of bulb depth. Can’t tell you how many times I have been hit by my own team because I was inside their IR beams cone of fire even though I was off to one side and nowhere near their point of aim.

There are simple ways to “kinda narrow” the beam. Mostly adding longer bulb tubes or narrower tubes. I have seen some amazingly accurate tanks with these mods, but there drawbacks too. These tanks are much slower to engage their targets and unless they are shooting from long range 75-100 feet away are usually easy pray. That’s why the 8-9mm recommendation is so popular. It generally provides a good balance of speed, accuracy and reduced beam cone.

IR beam back splash/shotgunning/cone are things that one learns to work around and with. Once you know it’s there and expect it.

[Alpha]

That’s why the 8-9mm recommendation is so popular. It generally provides a good balance of speed, accuracy and reduced beam cone.

IR beam back splash/shotgunning/cone are things that one learns to work around and with. Once you know it’s there and expect it.

This is wisdom!

[fastphil]

Thanks for the insight Rubicon, like Alpha chimed in..."words of wisdom"!

[Rubicon99]

Bump

[Rubicon99]

UPDATE:

A new IR receiver is becoming available from an aftermarket company that addresses many of the shortcomings of the stock IR receiver and should greatly improve the compatibility of IR battling with other brands of industry leading RC tanks.

For further see thread entitled: “New compatible Heng Long 6.0 IR receiver test results”

[karltrek]

I have stumbled upon a solution for the receiver sensitivity issue described here. ~half a year ago I designed an aftermarket IR receiver that is tested to be reliable at distances of >70 feet even under mid-day sun, retailing for only ~30 dollars targeted towards Clark/Tamiya/IBU control boards since genuine Tamiya apples retail for such a ridiculous price. It has been extensively tested at the LA venue and adopted by many of our tankers here. Recently I was able to test it with a HL6.0 system and have found that it works to a comparable level of reliability. The only downside is that it currently requires a minor wiring swap for HL boards due to the different pin ordering on the IR receiver socket; available currently in partnership with DAK RC: https://dakrctank.com/shop/ir-battle-receiver-apple/. If there's sufficient interest I can provide a version to be directly compatible (plug and play, no modifications needed) with the HL6.0 board within the next month or so.

My group of friends with new Heng Long tanks will buy at least 6 units.

[Hammer]

Alpha, any chance the HL T34/85 pro model can be added to your offerings?

[Alpha]

Hammer Absolutely, Hammer, we've got it on our radar. We intend to have them on our shelves as soon as the factory is able to make it happen.

[Rubicon99]

I will be getting my hands on a couple the new production IR receivers in the next day or so for final review. The prototypes have been performing excellently so I have high hope for the final production version.

[HDMM]

Usually Squawkers just upload on the forum, then people without printers will upload or send to Shapeways somehow. I'm not familiar with the exact mechanism to upload directly to Shapeways. Perhaps someone can put it on Thingiverse and just backlink here to Hobby Squawk. There are several guys here who have become very proficient this 3DP. Elbee, Dirty Dee, Radar-Guy, and others.

https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc-airplanes/military-jets/186270-official-freewing-f-a-18c-hornet-90mm-edf-thread/page167

I threw this together tonight. Testing over the weekend. It's intended to house a reflector inside the cover, and uses angled slits to reduce overhead glare with minimal reception loss. I'll have to paint it black first, though!

Hi Alpha, any chance we can buy these sun shades anywhere?

[LegoDEI]

Hi Alpha, any chance we can buy these sun shades anywhere?

If you haven't already, you may want to check out this aftermarket receiver developed specifically to address this issue: https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...r-test-results

[HDMM]

If you haven't already, you may want to check out this aftermarket receiver developed specifically to address this issue: https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...r-test-results

Thanks, I actually have one of those that I bought from DAK RC Tanks. Using that on some of my modified stuff, but a sunshade would be great for the stock HL IR apples for HL vs. HL battle.

[Rubicon99]

Thanks, I actually have one of those that I bought from DAK RC Tanks. Using that on some of my modified stuff, but a sunshade would be great for the stock HL IR apples for HL vs. HL battle.

LegoDEI makes this new one specially for the 6.0 HL. It works for 6.0 HL vs 6.0 HL vs Tamiya. You don’t loss the ability to fight HL vs HL. The LegoDEI 6.0 HL receivers only make battling more reliable and with longer ranges equal to the high priced Tamiya battle receivers performance.

With the LegoDEI receiver in 6.0 HL tanks they no longer feel like toys, it truly changes the feel of the tanks fighting and actually can be a bit more “fun” then fighting Tamiya vs Tamiya tanks.

I can see the day coming soon when it will be HL setting new standards in IR battling. The LegoDEI receiver shows the new 6.0 system is more then capable of matching Tamiya both in taking and receiving hits equally well. Now if HL would just add in weight classes and damage to their systems it would be a true game changer.

Now the sunshades above do work to improve the basic HL IR receivers. I have tested them and other extensively and I feel they should come as a standard feature. But they are in no way as good performance wise as you will get from the LegoDEI 6.0 HL receivers.

[LegoDEI]

Thanks, I actually have one of those that I bought from DAK RC Tanks. Using that on some of my modified stuff, but a sunshade would be great for the stock HL IR apples for HL vs. HL battle.

To be clear, the ones that DAKRC are selling is version 0.5, and only work with Tamiya/Clark boards. The ones that Rubicon and I are recommending are a direct replacement for the HL IR receivers, compatible with the HengLong boards and have a range of 75 feet +. This means you won't have to replace the MFU (HL6.0 most likely) or anything else other than the receiver itself.

[RCjetdude]

I can also attest to the fact that they work great! Our tanks can now reach out and touch each other at 50-75' in daylight conditions. So much better.

[Vaseline]

I havnt mounted them yet to give them a test spin yet, but LegoDEI gets them to your door super fast, they look gorgeous( I know how to operate sandpaper...its not rocket surgery). Im looking forward to getting things going

[HDMM]

To be clear, the ones that DAKRC are selling is version 0.5, and only work with Tamiya/Clark boards. The ones that Rubicon and I are recommending are a direct replacement for the HL IR receivers, compatible with the HengLong boards and have a range of 75 feet +. This means you won't have to replace the MFU (HL6.0 most likely) or anything else other than the receiver itself.

And yours plug right into the HL plug in the turret?