Spektrum DX4S User guide

4-Channel 2.4GHz DSMR™ System

Instruction Manual

Bedienungsanleitung

Manuel d’utilisation

Manuale di istruzioni

NOTICE

All instructions, warranties and other collateral documents are subject to change at the sole discretion of Horizon Hobby, Inc. For up-to-date product literature, visit horizonhobby.com and click on the support tab for this product.

MEANING OF SPECIAL LANGUAGE

The following terms are used throughout the product literature to indicate various levels of potential harm when operating this product: NOTICE: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create a possibility of physical property damage AND little or no possibility of injury. CAUTION: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of physical property damage AND a possibility of serious injury. WARNING: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of property damage, collateral damage and serious injury OR create a high probability of superﬁcial injury.

WARNING: Read the ENTIRE instruction manual to become familiar with the features of the product before operating. Failure to operate the product correctly can result in damage to the product, personal property and cause serious injury.

This is a sophisticated hobby product. It must be operated with caution and common sense and requires some basic mechanical ability. Failure to operate this Product in a safe and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to the product or other property. This product is not intended for use by children without direct adult supervision. Do not attempt disassembly, use with incompatible components or augment product in any way without the approval of Horizon Hobby, Inc. This manual contains instructions for safety, operation and maintenance. It is essential to read and follow all the instructions and warnings in the manual, prior to assembly, setup or use, in order to operate correctly and avoid damage or serious injury.

WARNING AGAINST COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS

Always purchase from a Horizon Hobby, Inc. authorized dealer to ensure authentic high-quality Spektrum product. Horizon Hobby, Inc. disclaims all support and warranty with regards, but not limited to, compatibility and performance of counterfeit products or products claiming compatibility with DSM or Spektrum.

NOTICE: This product is only intended for use with unmanned, hobby-grade, remote-controlled vehicles and aircraft. Horizon Hobby disclaims all liability outside of the intended purpose and will not provide warranty service related thereto.

Age Recommendation: Not for Children under 14 years. This is not a toy.

WARRANTY REGISTRATION

Visit community.spektrumrc.com today to register your product.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

• Always ensure all batteries have been properly charged

prior to using the model.

• Always check all servos and their connections prior to each run.

• Never operate your model near spectators, parking areas or

any other area that could result in injury to people or damage of property.

• Never operate your model during adverse weather conditions. Poor visibility can cause disorientation and loss of control of your model.

• Never point the transmitter antenna directly toward the

model. The radiation pattern from the tip of the antenna is inherently low.

• If at any time during the operation of your model you

observe any erratic or abnormal operation, immediately stop operation of your model until the cause of the problem has been ascertained and corrected.

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

Building on the success of the DX3S transmitter, the Spektrum™ DX4S transmitter with DSMR™ protocol brings you even more features, including pre-programmed steering mixes, full switch assignability and a convenient back-lit display. Spektrum DSMR technology is an exclusive, frequency-agile 2.4GHz protocol that provides surface RC vehicles and boats with superb range and response. This is particularly true in environments where many other 2.4GHz transmitters are in use at the same time. Spektrum DSMR transmitters are also backwards compatible with DSM®, DSM2® and Marine-speciﬁc Spektrum receivers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Warranty Registration .................................................2

Identifying Controls and Switches ...............................4

Installing Batteries ......................................................4

Installing Optional Li-Po Battery Pack ......................5

Changing the Rubber Grip ...........................................5

Updating the Firmware ..............................................5

ModelMatch................................................................5

Warning Screens ........................................................6

Low Battery Alarm ..................................................6

Inactivity Alarm .......................................................6

Main Screen ...............................................................6

Programming Guide ....................................................6

Individual Direction Adjustments .................................7

List ............................................................................7

Model Select ...........................................................7

Copy .......................................................................7

Reverse ..................................................................8

Travel ......................................................................8

Exponential ............................................................8

Receiver Compatibility ................................................9

Electric Vehicle Installation ....................................10

Typical Nitro Vehicle Installation ............................10

Failsafe .................................................................10

Bind Transmitter to Receiver .................................10

Sub-Trim ...............................................................11

Timer ...................................................................12

Switch ..................................................................12

Mixing ...................................................................13

Motor On Axle (MOA) Throttle Mix ..........................14

Active Vehicle Control (AVC) ...................................15

Servo Speed .........................................................16

ABS (Automatic Breaking System or pulse brakes) 16

Trim Step .............................................................16

Throttle Punch ......................................................17

Reset ....................................................................17

Monitor .................................................................17

System ................................................................18

Telemetry ..............................................................19

Troubleshooting Guide ..............................................20

FCC Information ........................................................20

Antenna Separation Distance ....................................20

Warranty and Repair Policy .......................................21

Warranty and Service Contact Information ................22

Declaration of Conformity .........................................23

European Union Information ......................................23

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

IDENTIFYING CONTROLS AND SWITCHES

Function

Switch A

Switch B

Switch C

Switch D

Switch E

Switch F

Roller Selector Memory Card Port

(under rubber grip)

Press the power switch (J) to power ON the transmitter. The Power LED (K) will come on, a Spektrum logo screen will show, then the Main Screen will show on the LCD screen (P).

Rubber Grip

Power Switch

Power LED

Battery Cover

Throttle Trigger

Steering Wheel

Antenna

LCD Screen

Function

INSTALLING BATTERIES

CAUTION: NEVER remove the transmitter batteries while the model is powered on. Loss of model control, damage or injury

may occur.

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

Installing Optional Li-Po Battery Pack

IMPORTANT: Set the transmitter battery type to LiPo in the System/Alert menu and ensure the battery voltage alert is set to the

proper voltage. See the System section for more details.

1 2 3

Changing the Rubber Grip

This transmitter includes 3 sizes of grips. The medium-size grip is installed at the factory. Inside the grip is a letter size: L for large, M for medium and S for small.

To change the rubber grip:

1. Lift the edge of the grip and pull the grip away from the handle.

2. Align the tabs on the new grip with the slots in the handle.

3. Press the grip against the handle.

Updating the Firmware

The DX4S features an SD card reader, enabling you to update the transmitter when ﬁrmware updates are available. Register your transmitter at Community.SpektrumRC.com to receive the latest information regarding ﬁrmware updates. To install ﬁrmware updates on your DX4S transmitter:

1. Remove the grip from the back of the transmitter handle.

2. Download the latest ﬁrmware from Community.SpektrumRC.com to an SD card. The transmitter serial number can be found by going to the About screen.

3. Install the SD card in the card reader slot on the DX4S transmitter.

4. Power on the transmitter. A Spektrum logo and an installation bar will appear. Installation is complete when the Main screen appears.

5. Remove the SD card from the card slot on the transmitter.

6. Reinstall the rubber grip on the transmitter handle.

ModelMatch

The Spektrum DX4S transmitter features ModelMatch™ technology, preventing you from operating a vehicle when the wrong model memory is active in the transmitter. If you select the wrong model memory, the receiver will not respond to the transmitter.

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

Turn

Press

WARNING SCREENS

Low Battery Alarm

An alarm will sound and a warning screen will show when the transmitter’s battery power falls below a set limit. This alarm reminds the user to bring the model under full control, power off the transmitter and replace the batteries. Press the Roller to stop the alarm and go to the Main Screen. Set the low battery limit using the System Screen.

CAUTION: If you decide to use the optional Li-Po battery back, never allow

the battery voltage to fall below 6.4V.

A Warning title B Battery voltage, which is under the set limit C Animated arrow pointing to Roller below the screen D Image of roller below the screen.

Inactivity Alarm

The alarm reminds users to power off the transmitter and save battery power. If the transmitter is powered on for more than 10 minutes and no control movement is detected, the inactivity alarm will activate. Moving any control stops the alarm. After one hour of inactivity, the transmitter will automatically shut down to save battery life. To turn the transmitter on again, push the power button off, then on.

MAIN SCREEN

The Main Screen displays information about the active model, including the Timer (when activated).

To return to the Main Screen at any time, press and hold the Rolling Selector for at least 3 seconds.

A User Name B Active Model memory number (30 available) C Name assigned to the Model memory D Timer (when activated) E Transmitter battery voltage F Steering Percent G Brake Percent H Position of Steering (St) trim I Position of Throttle (Th) trim J Position of Aux 1 trim K Position of Aux 2 trim

PROGRAMMING GUIDE

Using the Rolling Selector

Press the Selector to enter a highlighted function. Roll the Selector to highlight a function, or change settings and

values when selected. Press and hold the Selector for more than 3 seconds in any

screen to return the display to the List Screen or the Main Screen.

To program, always start with a press on the Selector, then roll, then press, then roll, and so on.

I J K

Press

To Enter, Choose or Exit a selection.

Roll

To move between options or change values in an option.

Hold

Hold for 3 seconds and release to return to the Main or Telemetry screen.

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

Individual Direction Adjustments

In some instances, you may ﬁnd it necessary to independently adjust the control directions; for example, if you want more travel for left steering than right steering, perform the following steps:

1. Scroll to the value you wish to change and press the Rolling Selector.

LIST

The List Screen shows other screens to set programming in the transmitter.

· A dark box (A) with a clear symbol or text represents the

highlighted selection.

· The Active Screen name (B) is displayed at the top of

the screen.

· Choosing this arrow (C) will open the next higher screen,

such as the Main Screen or List Screen.

· A small bar (D) shows the relative position of a high-

lighted screen name in the List.

2. When both directions are selected, move the control (steering or throttle) toward the control direction you wish to change. The selection box moves to the desired direction. You do not need to hold the control in the desired direction.

3. To change the opposite direction, simply move the control in that direction.

4. Press the Rolling Selector to save the selection.

Model Select

Use the Model Select menu to change the model memory, to assign a model name or to copy a model. The DX4S has 30 model memories available.

CAUTION: NEVER change the model in Model Select while operating a model. Changing the model memory interrupts the transmitter signal to the receiver and may cause loss of vehicle control, damage or personal injury.

Model Name

Enables you to name the selected model memory using up to eight characters.

1. Use the roller to select a Model Name in the List.

2. Select the character you want to change. A list of characters appear.

3. Select the character you want to use.

4. When you are ﬁnished naming the model memory, select the arrow to save the name and return to the list.

Copy

The Copy function shares active model memory settings with a selected model memory space. This is useful for saving setups for one model to adjust programming for track conditions or model setups.

Choosing No returns to the List Screen. Choosing Yes saves the active model settings to the selected model memory.

A Active or source model memory number B Destination model memory number

IMPORTANT: When using the Copy function, model information

will be permanently overwritten by the active model settings.

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

Reverse

The Reverse function, also known as servo reversing, establishes the channel direction relative to the channel input. Use the reverse menu if, for example, the wheels turn left when you turn the steering wheel to the right. Reverse is available on all channels and is normally the ﬁrst function you should test and adjust during programming.

Travel

The Travel function supports precise endpoint adjustments in all channels. Travel values range from 0–150% (Default is 100%).

NOTICE: Always check the control directions at the extents of travel to be sure the linkages do not bind. Travel values that are too high will cause binding, which may result in damage to the vehicle.

Channel Top Bottom

Steering L (left) R (right)

Throttle B (brake) F (forward)

Aux 1 H (high) L (low) Aux 2 H (high) L (low)

Exponential

The Exponential (Expo) function affects the response rate of the steering, throttle and/or brake. A positive Steering Expo value, for example, decreases steering sensitivity around neutral to make it easier to drive at high speeds in a straight line while still allowing for maximum turning radius. While sensitivity with positive Expo is decreased around neutral, it increases the sensitivity near the end of travel.

*Reference chart for options available on each channel:

Channel Top Bottom

Steering L (left) R (right)

Throttle B (brake) F (forward)

Aux 1 H (high) L (low) Aux 2 H (high) L (low)

A Channel: Steering, Throttle or

Aux (auxiliary)

B Direction C Adjustable value (from

-100% to +100% (0 is factory default or inhibit))

A B C

IMPORTANT: Both positive and negative Expo values are available. A positive Expo value results in the center being less sensitive (desirable most of the time), while a negative value increases the sensitivity around center (normally not used).

Spektrum DX4S • tranSmitter inStruction manual

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