New "compatible" Heng Long 6.0 IR receiver test results

[Rubicon99]

I don't own any 6.0 Heng Long transmitters. The one coming has a 5. version 2.4 ghz "I think". I want to bind to Spektrum or FrSky. I have tons of those transmitters as well as a Jumper 4 in1 for binding to just about any aircraft receiver protocol. for me if I can get a board that uses regular receivers I can have more range and options if I choose for only a little more money. I will have to buy a 6.0 transmitter and board which will cost more then half to a better aftermarket board. Am I fooling myself? Should I just get a 6.0 combo and be done?

Just upgraded it to a 6.0 system.

6.0 complete systems are relatively cheap and easy to find. Complete they run in the neighborhood of $50. Which is much cheaper then buying a completely new 6.0 tank.

Sadly at this time the 6.0-6.1 systems are not capable of using any other TX then the one offered by HL.

[quitcherbitchen]

I don't own any 6.0 Heng Long transmitters. The one coming has a 5. version 2.4 ghz "I think". I want to bind to Spektrum or FrSky. I have tons of those transmitters as well as a Jumper 4 in1 for binding to just about any aircraft receiver protocol. for me if I can get a board that uses regular receivers I can have more range and options if I choose for only a little more money. I will have to buy a 6.0 transmitter and board which will cost more then half to a better aftermarket board. Am I fooling myself? Should I just get a 6.0 combo and be done?

[BcuriousR]

MAKO boards fill a specific purpose. That is, make a Taigen or older MFU Tamiya compatible. And they serve that purpose well. However, in today's electronics, you'd be better served simply upgrading to the HL 6.0, (similar money). A clark board is in a whole nother category of upgrade. BTW: Any Recent HL transmitter can be bound to any 6.0 MFU, so you may not "need" another radio.

[Rubicon99]

Does anyone here have experience with the MAKO units? I will need to update the electronics in my older version Panzer III and would like to use my Horus radio Vs the Heng Long transmitter. Total Noob here so just wondering if I have it correct. I could update the board with a 6.0 Heng Long or go with another board like a clark tk22? Any thoughts? I really don't need another transmitter LOL.

The easiest and most effective would be to upgrade to the new HL 6.0 or 6.1 MFUs followed by a Clark TK? The Clark would allow you to use your own TX and RX.

Mako boards are for adding battle compatible, have lack luster and spotty performance, plus they only work with the older HL systems. They do nothing to improve the driving dynamics of tanks.

[quitcherbitchen]

Does anyone here have experience with the MAKO units? I will need to update the electronics in my older version Panzer III and would like to use my Horus radio Vs the Heng Long transmitter. Total Noob here so just wondering if I have it correct. I could update the board with a 6.0 Heng Long or go with another board like a clark tk22? Any thoughts? I really don't need another transmitter LOL.

[karltrek]

Brand new to this hobby. I have the same vehicle and have been wanting to add IR capability to it. I would appreciate it if you would go into detail on how you did your mods. Where you mounted your emitter for example. Did you keep the airsoft function, etc... can I use the stock board or do I have to upgrade to the 6.0 board? Can I use the same controller or do I need a new one?

Yes, you have to upgrade the system to the 6.0 version. There is a thread on the StuG III where a few of us have done the upgrade.

https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc-cars-tanks-trucks-and-more/rc-tanks/266458-sturmgeschutz-iii-don-t-do-this-at-home-kids

[SoCalBobS]

Read through the Sturmgeschutz III - don't do this at home, kids! thread in this forum. A lot of your questions are answered there.

[DevilDog77]

Very cool Rubicon! We are enjoying tanking with these new IR receivers! Much more fun. I upgraded my Heng Long Stug III to the v6.0S system so that I could IR battle with it. Came out great!

Brand new to this hobby. I have the same vehicle and have been wanting to add IR capability to it. I would appreciate it if you would go into detail on how you did your mods. Where you mounted your emitter for example. Did you keep the airsoft function, etc... can I use the stock board or do I have to upgrade to the 6.0 board? Can I use the same controller or do I need a new one?

[SoCalBobS]

I heartily endorse the horizontal orientation, which you set on mine.

[Rubicon99]

Hey all, I've just finished some more testing with a new prototype variant receiver. The main modification was re-orienting the LEDs to point radially outwards instead of vertically. Since most of the light from the LED is emitted parallel to it's axis, this has the effect of increasing light output around the rim of the receiver in exchange for less output at the top. This is a favorable trade since if you're looking down at the receiver, it means you're most likely close to your tank, meaning the LEDs do not have to be very bright from that angle. The increased lateral light output should allow for much better visibility at long range. Sorry for low image quality, but it's *really* hard to take focused pictures of bright LEDs.

Good to see you moving forward with these they are sure to be a solid improvement. Now we need to get together so I can acquire several from you as upgrades to my current inventory.

[LegoDEI]

Hey all, I've just finished some more testing with a new prototype variant receiver. The main modification was re-orienting the LEDs to point radially outwards instead of vertically. Since most of the light from the LED is emitted parallel to it's axis, this has the effect of increasing light output around the rim of the receiver in exchange for less output at the top. This is a favorable trade since if you're looking down at the receiver, it means you're most likely close to your tank, meaning the LEDs do not have to be very bright from that angle. The increased lateral light output should allow for much better visibility at long range. Sorry for low image quality, but it's *really* hard to take focused pictures of bright LEDs.

[karltrek]

Very cool Rubicon! We are enjoying tanking with these new IR receivers! Much more fun. I upgraded my Heng Long Stug III to the v6.0S system so that I could IR battle with it. Came out great!

[Rubicon99]

Received a whole lot of receivers from LegoDEI today. The FRAG RC Tank Club has chosen to move to these exclusively as testing has shown them to be as good or better than the Tamiya unit. The 360 sunshade and 4 individual sensors create a better rounded battle experience, (we move our emitters to the the barrel and create a restrictor with a "pin-hole" aperture to narrow the shot.). Oftentimes, Tamiya's blind spots make battling less than equitable or fun. Lego DEI's receivers are also much lower profile and at a fraction of the cost.

Considering the size of the order, he was understanding of the process of collecting orders and money from the entire club. Once the order was in, I received the package in about a week. As the photos will attest, they were well packaged and are ready to distribute the members! Thanks LegoDEI!

I worked with LegoDEI on developing the 6.0 HL version which also lead to further improvements with the Tamiya compatible versions. A lot of time went into testing them and they are capable of far more performance then advertised. Really glad to see your club moving over to them. LegoDEI is a really good guy and has a lot more cool things in development.

We will be running a dozen or so of these this weekend at the San Diego battle day (Sun 7/19/20) and will be posting photos of the receivers in action.

[BcuriousR]

Received a whole lot of receivers from LegoDEI today. The FRAG RC Tank Club has chosen to move to these exclusively as testing has shown them to be as good or better than the Tamiya unit. The 360 sunshade and 4 individual sensors create a better rounded battle experience, (we move our emitters to the the barrel and create a restrictor with a "pin-hole" aperture to narrow the shot.). Oftentimes, Tamiya's blind spots make battling less than equitable or fun. Lego DEI's receivers are also much lower profile and at a fraction of the cost.

Considering the size of the order, he was understanding of the process of collecting orders and money from the entire club. Once the order was in, I received the package in about a week. As the photos will attest, they were well packaged and are ready to distribute the members! Thanks LegoDEI!

[Beeg]

OK. I think I'm following now..

[Rubicon99]

I think he’s looking for hit “indication” not hits counted. I would think he needs the 2 extra wires and not the 3 wire for LED indication. Can the two extra wires be spliced into the power wires of the 3 wire and still have enough voltage to show up?

Hit indication/counts are controlled by the 6.0 system not the IR receiver. The receiver just tells the MFU that it is seeing a signal. The MFU makes the determination if it will accept the signal as a hit.

All the LegoDEI receiver does is pick up the IR beam signals much better then the stock IR receiver. It functions regardless of the LEDs lighting up.

During testing I often used the LegoDEI receiver without the LEDs connected.

[Beeg]

I think he’s looking for hit “indication” not hits counted. I would think he needs the 2 extra wires and not the 3 wire for LED indication. Can the two extra wires be spliced into the power wires of the 3 wire and still have enough voltage to show up?

[Rubicon99]

if I was only interested in better hit registration and not the number of hits taken could this be used with just the original three wire plug and not have to add the extra two wires?

Yes. It works without the LED hit indication lights.

[Bulldogtanker]

if I was only interested in better hit registration and not the number of hits taken could this be used with just the original three wire plug and not have to add the extra two wires?

[karltrek]

So my friend Karl got me into these fancy receivers, and something I did not like as soon as I received my order is the lack of a mount... so I decided to create a design on my own, and 3d print it for me and my friends.

The idea is to just glue in the bottom a 15mm magnet. There is a place in the base for that.

The top fits the IR receiver I got, hopefully all of them have the same size.

There is a hole in the side to route the wires.

Great job Joaquin! That Karl friend of yours is feeling inadequate.